Underwater Secrets

CHAPTER FOUR

C O M M E N T AND V O T E

CHAPTER FOUR

Are you ready to return to school?"

I shook my head.

"Did you want to talk?"

I shook my head.

"Then what do you need, Parker?" my dad sighed, resting his head on his hand. I shrugged and looked down at the kitchen table, holding my hands between my thighs.

I didn't know what I wanted, but the last two days have been nothing but horror for me. My dreams –nightmares— kept me up all night, I felt on edge and nervous all the time, and I didn't feel safe or comfortable in my own home.

I started to worry that maybe Cody's visit had gotten to me; after all, this all started after he showed up.

My dad and I sat in silence. He knew something was wrong with me. He witnessed me screaming during the night, and watched me flinch or cringe whenever he or my sister tried to talk to me about what I dreamed about. I couldn't help it. Every time they were near me, I would suddenly remember my nightmare and especially the creature.

"I think..." my dad began slowly, running his hand through his hair, "maybe you need to see a–"

"No!" I interrupted. "I'm fine. I just need–"

"You need to get over this. And the only way is to see a therapist." I sucked my teeth and turned my head away in embarrassment. "There's nothing wrong with that. You keep forgetting that being attacked by...by whatever it was, isn't normal. If you don't want to talk to me or your sister then maybe you need–"

"I'm fine."

"I talked to a few other parents," he continued, ignoring me. "You're not the only one."

"I just need to get out of this house," I amended. "Being in here all day is starting to get to me."

He raised his eyebrow. "Really?"

I nodded firmly. "Really."

He sighed again and another moment of silence filled the room. I waited, impatiently, for his decision.

It won't matter what he says though, I thought, I'm not going to a therapist and that's final.

"You can't even go near the beach anymore and I get that... but if you were dealing with it you would understand that you're safe now."

"I'll go there then." I declared, balling my hands into fists under the table. "That's the fresh air I need."

And that's how I ended up here.

On a boat instead of in the safety of my home. My dad thought that fishing, something I used to enjoy, would be better than bluntly swimming in the middle of the ocean. I agreed that it would be better, but that didn't mean that I felt any less anxious.

The water crashed against the sides of the boat gently as my dad prepared a net and bait. I stood in the middle of the boat with my arms wrapped tightly around me. I kept my eyes on him and away from the water. Just hearing it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand.

My dad glanced at me from over his shoulder and waved me forward.  With hesitation I slowly made my way to him.

"Can you put some bait on the hooks while I set up this net?" he asked, eyeing me suspiciously. He thought I couldn't do it, being out here.