Submerged

Stitched Up

The memory of getting out of the cave was blurry, but the sound of his feet slapping the rock in a hastily attempt to save my life and the reassuring coolness of his body as he cradled me was all I cared about remembering. I drifted in and out of consciousness as the blood loss from my leg slowly stole the life from me.

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I woke up in a warm bed with soft sheets and a glowing yellow light in the corner of the room. The walls were made of wood and dirt and the smell was familiar. I was in Mikkos parents home. My heart stung at the thought of him, and I called out. My voice sounded soft and weak and didn't make it very far but somehow he heard me and came rushing in beside my bed, dropping to his knees and taking my warm hand in his cool one. A smile spread across his face.

"Sopia." He whispered. My stomach fluttered, I tightened my hold on his hand.

"I thought I was going to lose you." He looked me over then got a sarcastic look, "you are really breakable." He laughed a little and I beamed inside that he was this happy to see me in one piece. Then he leaned onto my bed and his face was inches from mine, his breath jagged.

"But I'm going to change that soon enough. If you will be mine." His question hung there for a moment as I was distracted by his blue lips moving so close to mine.

I leaned into him, quicker than I thought and our lips touched for the first time. His were so cool compared to mine, which were hot and dry. I felt his hand on the back of my neck and his lips parted, his breath burned into my throat as I leaned into him. He pulled away suddenly and looked shocked, out of breath.

"What was that?" He asked me, and he looked genuinely surprised, but not at me, at something his body felt when we kissed. I felt it too, the tingling lightweight sensation that almost stopped my heart and then punched it to life again. I shook my head, "I don't know," I smiled at him sheepishly, "but I liked it." He chuckled and I couldn't help but laugh now with the overwhelming feeling of joy that surged through me as he took my face in his free hand and kissed me again, this time crushing his lips to mine. I heard myself gasp for air and when he pulled away I fell back onto the pillow, a smirk plastered on my face.

I laughed out loud at him and said, "If this is going to keep happening I need to learn  to hold my breath longer." He laughed with me and we sat there, in the yellow glow of the cave. It felt so natural to be here that I didn't realize how much time was passing until the curtin parted and Mikko's father entered the room. His firmiliar smokey aroma filled the room and it was comforting. I sighed and smiled at him.

He walked towards us, an honestly relieved look came across his aged face. He came to the bed and sat down next to my legs and looked at Mikko. "Son," He folded his fingers together and layed his hands on his lap. "Have you made a decision?" He already knew the answer when he looked at me, raising an eyebrow at me. I gulped and nodded.

"Yes." I looked at Mikko and back at his father, "I will become one of you, if you will still have me." I felt my face blush a little, but a kind wrinkled smile told me that he would still have me, and Mikko smiled too. It was very quiet as we all kind of stared at eachother, until Mikko's father clapped loudly and stood up. I almost screamed from the sudden noise and sat on the edge of the bed while Mikko stood next to his father. He talked to Mikko but loud enough for me to be a part of the conversation.

"So she was out for a couple days and the full moon is in a few hours. I want you to take her to Dawn and get her ready. Cleaned up," he glanced at me from the cornor of his eye, "stitched up." Mikko clentched his fists and nodded, the mention of my wounds clearly ticked him off. His father put his hand on his shoulder, smiled again, and walked out of the room slowly, closing the curtain behind him. Mikko and I were alone, again. And now that my future was definate, I felt the need to make my feelings known.

"Mikko," I said, standing up and taking his hands. "I wasn't prepared for this when I came on vacation. I was expecting a nice time away from the crazyness that is my life." I could see the hurt in his eyes. "But now that all this has happened, you, me. I feel like this is what I came here for." His face lifted a little and our eyes met. "I am ready to do this." I let go of his hands and patted myself dramaticly, trying to make light of the tension. "So! I'm a mess. Lets go find this Dawn person."

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After being stitched up and bathed, the hot water had steamed up the polished rock and made everything a misty fog. The bathroom was enormous and strangly luxurious for being in a cave. Floor and walls were a smooth brown stone, and sinks cut into the rock were all along one wall like a locker room styled set up. Behind curtains on the other side were holes that were the toilets and on either side of the room were steaming pools of bubbling water. There must be a natural hot water spring somewhere around here. I felt completely restored, the steam opened up my pores and my hair was clinging to my shoulders and bare back. Dawn, a tall beautiful blue woman had given me some clothes to wear for the ceremony. Well, a dress. A white sheen knee length dress with thin straps and a plumeting open back. I felt butterflies knowing I would be wearing this infront of not only Mikko, but the entire merpeople population. There was one mirror in the entire bathroom and it was above the center sink. I stood infront of it and took a long look at myself.

Somehow I looked older. Like this past week aged me 5 years and I was no longer a fresh graduate of high school.

High school. All my friends. And my mother must be freaking out. My brother would be devestated when he found out what my mother would shurly assuume. But I would let her assume and I would let her go back without me. This is my life now. I was ready to do this.

The dress fit perfectly. Like Dawn made it just for me. I smoothed it out and moved the straps around but it didn't even need that. It fell on my body like a silk sheet, almost making me blush. My hair was loose and wild, but that too somehow made me look.... Kind of beautiful. In that moment I was glad to be blessed with dark hair, because that meant my eyelashes were also dark and I didn't look quite so washed out without make-up. I stuck my finger in my mouth and agressivly rubbed my teeth, rinsing with some water from the constantly running natural sink and spitting it out. It tasted so good I took another sip and let the cool water trickle past my tongue. "I could get useed to this," I said outloud. My voice echoed a little and made me giggle, which also echoed.

I jumped when I heard someone clear their throat at the doorway and I spun around in surprise. "Oh, Dawn," I said relieved. She smiled and her big black eyes were friendly. Her smooth voice echoed through the room as she held out a hand to me, "It's time." I felt my stomach lurch as I walked towards her, my bare feet slapping the floor quietly as we met in the doorway. She took my hand and led me to my death, and birth.