Luke has taken it upon his liberty to take Calum under his wing, which includes talking to Calum and spilling nearly every detail on his life. Calum now knows all of Luke's favorite pastimes, his favorite food, his favorite celebrities (which are apparently a thing in the ocean as well). Calum has also concluded that Luke is pretty much the most excitable, enthusiastic person he's ever met. Which isn't a bad thing, it's just... different.
He showed Calum all around the new ocean area, gathering food for the large group of mermaids that needed to be fed. All the while, he talked. He talked about Ashton, he talked about his friends, he talked about everything that came to his mind, but he never talked about his family. Calum found it odd, how a boy around his age seems so well-minded and adjusted to the clan, yet he has never mentioned his family.
Calum figures there must be some bad blood with it if he hasn't talked about it, so he keeps his mouth shut, and continues helping Luke gather mussels and oysters.
Ashton joins them after a few minutes. "Hey. Come closer to the clan, will you? You're a little too far out," he says, glancing up and looking into the distance. Luke turns and follows his gaze, his head tilting a little when he sees the unmistakable shape of a boat floating several yards away. Ashton blinks worriedly at it, but pulls Calum and Luke closer to all the others anyway.
Luke puts down the basket and looks over at the dark shape of the boat. "Do they normally come over here?"
Ashton doesn't answer for a few minutes, just staring at the shape like he's analyzing it. Finally, he says, "I don't know." He looks back at Calum and Luke to make sure they're close enough to the others before saying, "I'm going to go check it out."
Calum furrows his eyebrows and grabs Ashton's hand. "Ashton."
Ashton pulls his hand back, raising his eyebrows at the younger boy. "I'm fine. Don't worry, I'll be fine."
Ashton turns away from them and begins swimming off in the direction of the boat, the sunlight dancing off the skin of his sunlit back. Luke watches him with narrowed, confused eyes. "Ashton hates boats," Luke says softly.
Neither of the two boys say anything as they watch Ashton swim farther away, looking up at the dark shape of the boat. Calum watches him for a little while longer, about to turn away, when he sees Ashton twist so suddenly that it makes his own muscles shudder.
"Luke!" Calum says hurriedly, catching the blonde's attention. Luke squints out at Ashton.
"What is he--" Luke stops in his tracks, widening his eyes. "Net. He got caught in a net."
Calum doesn't waste any time swimming out towards Ashton, his heart beating hard in his chest, like a hammer pounding against a nail. He can hear Luke call after him but he ignores the voice, just swimming faster. He can see Ashton turning around and around, trying to see where he could get out. The net material gets thicker the closer Calum swims, and once he's close enough, he locks eyes with Ashton's terrified hazel ones.
"Calum," Ashton breathes out.
"Just-- stay calm, I'll get you out," Calum says rushingly, and looks around him for anything sharp. It doesn't take long for him to conclude that there isn't anything sharp enough around, and the knife he used to cut Luke out was long gone back at the old clan. Calum feels his heart sink.
Behind him, Luke and the other mermaids swim in, all panicked and calling Ashton's name. Ashton barely hears them, his eyes trained on Calum and Luke, just floating in the center of the net. The scar on his back reflects off the sunlight, and Calum remembers exactly why he hates boats so much.
It feels like deja vu to Calum when everyone starts worrying and yelling and pulling at the netted material, much like when Luke was trapped. But now it's Ashton, and no one has anyone to look up to.
Then suddenly, something loud roars overhead, and everyone looks up to find the motor of the boat running, and even more horrifically, the boat starts to move.
Ashton begins to look pale. Calum sees it before it happens, the way Ashton's eyes flutter and his arms and muscles go limp, and Calum tries to get in a few words before it happens.
"Ashton, I'll get you out, I swear!" But Calum could barely finish saying his name before Ashton slips into insentience, slowly floating down to the bottom of the net as the boat slowly carried him off with it.
---
A/N: Very short but eventful chapter.
I don't know about you guys, but I'm in the middle of studying for semester exams. When are you all taking yours?
I hate exams but I love Christmas so at least that's to look forward to!
Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Please vote and comment your thoughts.
I love you to the moon. See you in the next chapter.
BYe
YOU ARE READING
Under the Sea ⇔ Cashton ✓
Fanfiction[MERMAID AU] When Calum turns 17, he is diagnosed as terminally ill by a group of doctors who can't seem to explain why he is feeling so sick. However, Calum's symptoms go away when he goes diving in the ocean, finding he has not a disease, but a ta...
