Opal Waters | ✔

Chapter 25

Once my alarm goes up I reach to shut it off. I didn't want to wake anyone up. Today was the day I finally get to set my plan in motion. Things seemed calm, I grabbed the bag that I had packed, informing people I was heading on vacation for a little while. Needed a break, wanted to find my mother. They had approved my trip. Silly them, because I was going to ditch the bag and head to the sea to finally make my way away from this pod.

I had to be careful. I shook my head looking at the man sleeping in my bed. I was thankful he was a heavy sleeper. Glad I didn't have to wake him up to say goodbye. Saying bye would have been too hard. My heart was pounding in my chest so hard I swear he could hear it. But yet Damien was sound asleep, not a care in the entire world.

I let out a deep breath of air, doing my best to keep it as quiet as possible. The bag jingled slightly as I pulled it around my shoulder. It was three in the morning it was time to go before anyone noticed I was gone. I placed the note on the table, the one I had worked on last night. Begging him to not come after me, reminding him of the night we spent together laying on the beach.

A huge wave of sadness takes over my body as I look at him one last time. Bending down to plant a soft kiss on his forehead, he stirs slightly before rolling over pulling the rest of the sheet over him. My heart stopped in my chest at the sign of life. I paused for a moment until I was sure he was settled and back in his own world.

It was time to get on the road.

I decided I would walk at least fifteen minutes to the bus stop heading out of town. Hop on the bus, and ride it for maybe an hour. Until I felt like I was far enough they wouldn't come looking for me. That way, when I dropped the back and head to the ocean, it wouldn't be as easily traced as if I just threw in the garbage outside the dorms and head straight for the beach I knew all too well. I knew I'd visit it again, to watch the sunset. But that would have to be a couple of years down the road. There was no way I could do that anytime soon without getting caught. I'm sure as soon as the pod found out I was missing, in about a weeks time, then I knew they would come looking for me. I couldn't let them find me. I'd have to head across the sea, which means I was going to have to go deeper into the ocean than I've ever gone before.

My fingers were trembling, the cold nipping at my skin. I hadn't expected it to be this cold when I left this morning, but it wouldn't matter for long. I just needed to get to the bus stop.

It was still dark outside, and I was counting my steps to keep track of how far I've gone. Glancing at the clock on my phone...which I would also drop once I've gotten off of the bus. I realized I'd been walking for around five minutes. Pulling my jacket further on my body trying to keep as much warmth in as I could.

I walked through the middle of town, the shops were all still closed and something made me wonder if any of them had any clue what was going on just down the street. The fact that there was merely a hundred mermaids just living their best life within walking distance of the bakery, the school, the police station. The city of people so clueless about what was really going on in the world.

I wondered about what Damien was dreaming of right now, would he wake up and notice I was gone? The sense of guilt took over my body as I remembered the promise I had made to him last night. Telling him I would wake him up when I left. I didn't want to hurt him but I couldn't possibly risk him coming with me.

I needed to do this on my own. If anyone knew where I had gone then it would be game over. I wondered if they would kill me, or if they would have mercy because I was 'special'. I hated the fact that they treated me differently. Immediately I couldn't help but wonder if I had a different color fin, if it was blue like Olyvya, or green like Sammy if they would have treated me different, and maybe I would have stayed.

I didn't want to feel alone anymore. Damien had given me a small sense of hope that I wouldn't but even he couldn't feel the void inside my heart. I needed more, I couldn't survive just living in the same box day in and day out.

I stopped. Looking around me. It was quiet, not even the dogs were barking, the wind wasn't blowing, everything was still. Maybe I should turn back? I could bring Damien with me, he would be useful, he's run away from a pod before and was able to avoid them, even if it was only for a week. But he hadn't been caught, they were looking for him and he managed to stay away. I mentally kicked myself wishing I would have spent more time trying to learn how he did that. I should have pushed him, bugged him for answers to the questions I would need later on in my journey.

But it was too late, I'd made my decision and there was no turning back now. It didn't matter if I wanted him back, I was gone and going back would make it harder to leave.

So I continued walking into the darkness, towards the bus stop.