Shadows of summer

Chapter 6

Shadow walked with me back to the cabin so I wouldn’t get lost. We walked together till we got to the end of the forest line and got into the cabin area.

“Tonight was awesome. We totally need to hang out again”. I asked her.

“That would be awesome. Same time, same place tonight”. She responded.

“You got it! I’ll seeya tonight”.  

We waved each other good-bye and she disappeared into the trees like a ghost. I staggered back into the cabin and went straight to my room. I shut the door behind me and took off my wet trunks and T-shirt. I went to the dresser and pulled out my long dark green pajama pants and a green shirt. I slowly put my pajamas on. Every muscle in my body was aching from all the swimming I had done. I dragged myself back into the hallway with my wet trunks and shirt in hand. I tried my best to be quiet but my legs were like giant pieces of rock; unbendable and heavy. When I got into the bathroom I had to let my eyes adjust to the darkness before I could take another step. I walked inside and saw the towel rack next to the shower stall. I could barely move my knees but I managed to get to the towel rack and hung my drenched clothes on the rack to dry. I dragged my stiff body back to my bedroom and crawled underneath the soft blankets on my bed. Before I closed my eyes, I thought about the amazing night I just had. For someone who was part-fish, Shadow seemed as normal as any other teenager. She was actually the coolest person I had ever met and I couldn’t wait to see her again.

  “Hey get up”! I heard a familiar voice boom.

“I said get up”! I heard the voice yell again.

In my sleepy state I had trouble remembering who belonged to that harsh voice. Suddenly I felt my blankets that were wrapped around me in a cocoon of warmth being pulled away from me and made me tumble off the bed onto the rock hard, icy carpet.

“I told you to get up”! The voice yelled at me again and I laid on the floor stunned and bewildered.

I stumbled to my feet and my body was still sore from last night. I turn my head to the doorway and saw my dad standing in front of me with a displeased look on his face.

“When I tell you to do something you better do it”.

“Yes…sir”.  

I didn’t make direct eye contact with him. My dad had eyes that seemed to be staring through your soul and made your whole body feel like a piece of solid ice.

“Look at me when I’m talking to you boy”. He demanded.

 Despite the fact that every part of my body told me not to do it, I slowly looked up at him and felt my skin crawl when I saw his devious eyes.

“Explain to me why your trunks and shirt are drying in the bathroom and your hair is a little wet”?

  I knew I couldn’t tell my dad the truth. My dad would do anything to get some fast money. I remember one time when I was about nine years old, I found a couple of old shark teeth buried in our backyard back home. To me they were they greatest discovery since King Tut. I was so proud to show my dad what I had found. Little did I know that my dad had other plans for my amazing discover. I told my dad that I wanted to keep them as my own personal treasure and at first he agreed with me, but later that week my dad managed to steal them and sell them off to a museum for three hundred dollars. I was so crushed and surprised by my dad’s actions that I told myself to never show or tell my dad about anything I found that he could sell for a quick buck.