Strangers of Sea & Land

Chapter 13

Brads POV

The vines on tattooed on my arm were beginning to grow, the little moon appeared was on the vine next the to the first flower bud.

Two trials completed, ten more to go. I groaned and fell back onto my fathers plushy bed.

After I had come back to the apartment, I discovered some papers scattered on his desk as I cleaned up the mess. I deciphered those papers to be his will and some documents that stated I would inherit all of his belongings.

And knowing my father, there was no chance that those were placed there by coincidence. He must've known he would die soon, and left behind what I would need.

'No, what the next heir would need. He was probably forced to prepare it when I came along...'

Shaking my head, I organized the papers once again and took a deep breath, thankful that I had cleaned up the mess from earlier. The room now smelled like a fresh sea breeze. Thanks to a cleaning liquid I found in my father's cabinets. Humans have such handy devices.

I looked about me and picked up a few books, sitting down I decided to learn as much as I could about the land world. Their customs were still strange to adapt to, but seeing as I'll be here for a while, I might as well get used to them.

~

It had been a few days since I submitted the application papers that were in my fathers desk.

After reading a few of his books and the notes he left behind, I figured that he left those behind for me to enroll in the local university.

This way I could blend in better, and learn more about land culture so my trials could be completed. The language was odd to master but with a little magic, the strange lettering quickly made sense. It was very similar to the lettering and runes found on abandoned human boats.

My acceptance letter came quickly since the school had less students attending this year than usual. The letter stated that students would begin classes on September 4, and glancing at the calendar in my father's kitchen, that would be in 6 days.

As I read through the letter, I began making a list of supplies I would need for my classes. Things like pens, journals, and textbooks.

When I finished, it seemed like a good time to purchase everything I need. Picking up my father's wallet, I changed his cards and ID to match myself. Grabbing a grey backpack, I stuffed the papers into it and kept the wallet in my pocket, along with a cellphone I had found in a box labeled FOR BRADERIAN.

Stepping out of the apartment, I closed the door with a satisfying click. Returning the key to my pocket, I began walking down to the store.

-
Katt's POV

The past few days had been agonizingly long. As they dragged, dread settled in my gut. I was still shocked that Mom was gone and as I sat in the backseat of our car, cramped in with my siblings, the empty passenger seat felt wrong.

There was no warmth in the car, despite the heat outside. It was August 29th now and we were on our way to my mother's viewing. And since the body is still under investigation, having been preserved by the funeral home, there would be no proper burial or funeral but the police did want us to have closure.

The tinted windows and all our black clothing made the world turn into a greyscale. Everything was drab and dull, the only pop of color would seem to be the red of my bloodshot eyes.

Tears pricked at my grief stricken orbs but I blinked them away. I refused to breakdown, not here, not now.

Mom would've wanted me to be strong but I knew that I couldn't be. I wanted to live up to all she had done for us but everyday I spiraled further.

I pushed away the truth and trudged forward, not really believing that she was gone. There wouldn't be anyone that wanted to kill her and the police wouldn't show us the body.

I didn't even trust my dad. He had found her but why wouldn't he tell us anything else? The police told us all these lies about her, that she had been murdered or shot. But there were no bullets despite the so called gunshot wounds, no sound that would have alerted us much earlier. Signs of electrocution in her sleep?

Nothing added up. I searched through the files they gave us but it didn't make sense. I needed to figure all this shit out before it's too late.

The car stopped, as I climbed out, determination stained my expression.

Mom's death was no accident, there was something else, there had to be. Everything was off, some kind of sick joke was being played, and nothing would stop me from unraveling the truth.