The Siren and The Sun

14) Fiery Anger and Watery Tears

"Daddy! Daddy, wake up!" Tiberius said, pushing Apollo's shoulder. "Deloth ith buwning!"

"It's supposed to do that." He growled, rolling over to face away from his son. "Go play in your room or something."

"But the iwand ith on fiw."

"It's supposed to be! The fire is a barrier to protect you from the evils of the ocean."

"But the othan ith good. Mommy is fwom the othan."

"Mommy doesn't exist anymore!" Apollo snapped. "Now get out my room!"

Scared tears streaming down his face, the ichthyosapien ran for the beach. Mommy would protect him. Tiberius landed on the sand, but couldn't go any farther. His left hand was suspended in mid-air between two pillars and wouldn't budge, no matter how hard he pulled.

Apollo appeared and casually leaned against a wall a few feet from his son. "Do you need help?"

"I want Mommy!" He replied, still tugging.

"You're going to break something. By the way, your name is Apollo II now."

"No! It's Tibewiuth!"

"See, you can't even pronounce it, Apollo II!"

"No!"

Apollo left him there, still trying to defy the bracelet. A few minutes later, the god heard him start crying again, but ignored it. Apollo sat down and started watching a documentary on the Sun he had seen sixty-four times. Little did he know, Tiberius was sprinting toward the beach with a broken hand, determined to get to his mother.

Atlantis had not left the coast or slept since their yet-to-be-official divorce. She came to the surface just in time to see a sobbing Tiberius running for the flaming shore. "Tiberius!" Atlantis called out. "Don't go that way!"

At his mother's voice, Tiberius's tears of pain turned to happiness. "Mommy!" He actually heard what she was saying just in time. Skidding to a halt, Tiberius stared wide-eyed as green flames roared and flared up a foot from where he stood. "Mommy?" He called, wondering if she was still there.

"I'm here, Tiber. But you can't go that way."

"How do I get to you, Mommy?!"

Silence followed, and Tiber began to think something terrible happened. He couldn't see through the fire, and began to panic. "Mommy! Where aw you?"

Finally, Atlantis answered. "Ti, do you see that cliff over there?"

"What'th a cwiff?"

"The big rock over there with trees on it. Go to the top. I'll meet you there."

Despite being tired from the run to the beach, Tiberius ran to the top of the cliff. When he passed the house to get to the other side of the island, the TV screen briefly reflected his image to Apollo. "Oh no you don't, Apollo II." He said, narrowing his eyes.

Tiberius looked around for his mother on the cliff, but found no one. "Where aw you?" he called. He heard Atlantis's reply but didn't dare look down to the water. She was there, and that's all he needed to know. A noise made Tiberius look behind him. Apollo was there!

"Come here." The god said. "I don't want you to fall off a cliff and die!"

Backing away from Apollo, Tiberius risked a look down. Atlantis was there in the water. "Jump! I promise I'll catch you!" What?!

"Come here!"

"Jump!"

"Apollo II, don't listen to her. She wants you to jump off a cliff! You'll die!"

Tiberius, standing on the edge of the cliff, looked back and forth between his parents. Apollo advanced slowly. A few pebbles broke off and tumbled to the sea, frightening the ichthyosapien. He backed away from the edge.

Apollo smiled. "That's it. Come to Daddy. Just a little more, Apollo II."

Tiberius paused, looking back to sea. He couldn't see Atlantis anymore. Turning back to Apollo, Tiberius growled. "My name ith Tibewiuth!" He said defiantly, and leapt off the cliff.