Escape the Sea (COMPLETED)

Chapter 7: Mysterious Land

  Bethany looked up at Lydia eyes wide, and said "How did you know my name?" "I have my ways." Lydia smiled. "What's wrong?" Lydia sat next to the little girl. "My mom said that mermaids don't exist but I know they do!" "Do you really believe?" "Yes, I do." Bethany said, rubbing her red eyes. "Can I tell you a secret? You have to promise not to tell a single soul." She whispered. Bethany put her ear closer to Lydia. "I'm a mermaid." She murmured. Bethany's face lit up like a Christmas tree! "You are?!" She yelled. "Ssshhh yes I am. I can't grant wishes but I can give you something." Lydia reached into the sand and miraculously pulled out a necklace. It was a light pink shell shaped as a cone tied on some string. "If you really believe, this shell will allow you to hear the music of the ocean." The little girl put it up to her ear and she heard the most beautiful sounds! The symphony of the whales and dolphins synchronizing, in the background she could hear the crashing of the waves and how each sound blended together. She looked at Lydia and gave her a big hug! "Thank you, thank you, thank you!!" She said with the most joy in her tone. "Sweetie, I think your mom's calling you." Lydia said, pointing at Bethany's worried mother. "Yeah she is, I need to go. Thank you miss mermaid!" She waved as she ran into her mother's embrace. "You're welcome." Lydia smiled.

Lydia ran back to Josh that already had the drinks in his hands. "What did you do?" He asked. "I just kept her believing." Was all she answered. Josh handed her some drinks and with that, they left to go with the others. "It's about time!" Kelsey exclaimed, grabbing her drink immediately. They were at the beach for a little while longer then they all headed home. (Which was only, just few feet away.) As they were walking home, Josh grabbed Lydia by the arm and pulled her to the side. "Hey! What are you- Oh it's you. What's wrong?" Lydia said, confused by the gesture. "The little girl said that that piece of land over there was the place her friend saw the mermaid. Is there any significance over there?" "Well that is my favorite place in the whole wide world! It's absolutely beautiful under all that ugly rock! They call it the City Of Lights!" "Why is that?" Josh asked, now very intrigued in this new exotic discovery. "You'd have to see it for yourself to really know why it was given the name." She answered. A few seconds past then Josh had a literal light bulb turn on in his head, "How about if we go? Ya know, together?" Lydia was very surprised by his new brilliant idea. He never wanted to go anywhere unless his girlfriend forced him to go; also it was pretty odd that Josh wanted to know more about her world. It always seemed like he didn't really care much."That's a great idea! Plus it's abandoned now so you can really see it in action! But we can't go now. We have to wait for it to get darker." "Why- oh wait... right, city of lights. Hehe forgot. I mean, I didn't forget, I just didn't think about it. Not saying that I don't think and I'm just going to stop talking." Josh embarrassingly looked at his feet. Lydia let out a small chuckle and they both walked inside.

Lydia had been watching the sun all day until she knew exactly when the perfect time was to go, it was completely dark out now. Finally, the time has come. She knocked on Josh's bed room door and whisper yelled "Josh!" Before she could say anything else, he swiftly opened the door. "Let's go!" He hurried. He put on his swim suit and began to head out. "Mom! We'll be right back!" He yelled. "Alright sweetie!" His mother answered. She was watching The Days Of Our Lives so she didn't really care what he was saying at the moment, she trusted him... sort of. The two of them shrugged and left. She led him to the pier that was built many, many years ago that everyone used to go to all the time. But they built a new one that was much nicer so there was no reason to go to that one anymore. They ran until they reached the end of the pier. They looked at each other, "Ready?" Said Lydia. Josh nodded, fully trusting what Lydia was doing. Then, without hesitation, they both jumped into the icy cold water.