The Heart of the Sea- A supernatural thriller

Shock.

Talia had never seen Edmund look so angry as he slammed the truck door and went straight to officer petty and Jason. While they talked Edmund's expression darkened until he was yelling his responses. 

She'd never imagined that Edmund, with his kind soul, would be one prone to violent outbursts.

"FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED!" his words echoed across the parking lot.

He turned to Jason and spoke with him while Officer Petty retreated to his patrol jeep like a wounded puppy. They arrived at something because they came back to where Talia stood with Emily at her back. 

Talia hadn't seen anything close to the anger Edmund had shown a moment ago. He'd been the man that showed her affection when she felt like crying, bought her pads when she was too embarrassed to go into the store for them.  He'd always made her know that she had a place here. A place where she was loved.

But the feeling he was showing now was fear. As if she was the one down on the beach dead.

He scooped her up into his arms, and Talia's legs wobbled so violently she leaned her weight into Edmund's arms. She was thankful when he smoothed out her hair and kissed the top of her head as he did after a bad fall off her surfboard.

Jason scanned her face, her posture.

"I was so worried," Edmund said. "What were you doing on third beach alone?"

"I needed a break from...." she stopped as Jason took her mother aside and started whispering to her. She shook her head and refocused on Edmund. "You know how I get without my runs,"

She had been feeling anxious lately. And was pretty certain that she would start her runs again after today.

Edmund narrowed his eyes but gave his attention to Jason who touched his shoulder.

"I think it's best if Talia were taken to the hospital,"

Talia protested but knew it would be futile to get her points across as Jason explained her condition down on the beach. Shaken. Pale as the dead girl, and hadn't eaten anything since coming here.

"I'm Fine," she told Jason. He was trying to run away before she could confront him. Jason's eyes bore into her, but she wouldn't back down.

"Amala was a nurse?" Edmond asked Jason who exchanged a glance from Talia to Edmund. Something flickered between them. The choice to have her go to amala sat between them. Either to keep the doctor bill down or keep her from spitting out why she was at the hospital. Either way, she wasn't happy that they made choices for her.

"She's certified according to the reservation standards," he ran his long fingers over the key fob dangling from his belt loop. "I can take her over to my place and have Amala check her over." he watched her shift her feet, "If that's what you want,"

"I'll bring over some of my famous catfish dinners as a thank you," Edmund said.

"Amala will be thrilled," he pressed the unlock button on his truck.

Edmund hugged her, mentioned what they would be eating for dinner, and they'd talk when she got home. Her mother was a sobbing mess that pulled Talia into a tight hug. Emily had never been one to act so out of character and Talia found herself wishing her mother was drunk. Drunk Emily was better than this shit show of fake parenting she was putting on.

She hadn't seen Emily touch an ounce of alcohol since they'd moved into Edmund's house, but that didn't mean that she wasn't doing it when no one was around. It didn't mean that Emily was ready to be a parent that she hadn't been for twelve years of Talia's life.

She wiggled out of her hug and waved them goodbye.

Jason cleared his throat and leaned on the open truck door with folded arms and storms for eyes.

It wouldn't be enough for her to just ask him what she wanted to know. No, she'd have to warm him up to her. Get to know him before he could leave her on her doorstep and never cross her path again.

The wind that had subsided since coming to Lonesome creek picked up and Talia pulled Jason's jacket closer, Jason's rigid stance relaxed. He zipped up the jacket, dug through the back of his truck and produced a grey beanie. He put it on her leaving his face only inches from hers.

She couldn't remember what she wanted to ask him.

"Clearly you have a death wish," he said, "Going to third beach alone, seeing wolves, and finding a dead girl,"

"I don't have a death wish," she said tightening her hands into fists. Why did he make her blood boil so easily?

She still felt his breath on her face as he kept his close. She'd forgotten how to be angry at him. She leaned forward and his mouth tightened. So much for that notion, she thought. Jason made a small gap for a minute.

"There are warnings posted up everywhere talking about wolf sightings," Jason said shaking his head. "I shouldn't be scolding you. Today was punishment enough," he moved away from her. "You actually saw a giant brown wolf? You're sure?"

"I think i know what a wolf looks like," she said a little more aggressivelythen she intended.

He grabbed a jacket from the backseat and slipped it on. His Grey eyes smoldering , but he said nothing as he zipped it up.

"I'm sure you know what a wolf looks like," he chuckled and Talia noticed he had a way of doing that whenever they bantered. Even if there was tension between the. "I'm making sure you know you saw an actual brown wolf,"

Maybe Jason wanted her to contridict herself. 

It wasn't something she was going to change. She'd seen a wolf. A big brown wolf. She should be questioning Jason about things. Why he had been at the beach in the right time to find her? Why he was so concerned about her seeing a wolf? Or why he was willing to take her to Amala, but had wnted to run a minute ago?

He wouldn't give her any of those answers, just like he refused to answer any questions she ever asked him.

"I'm sure," she said.

She tried to stay hard in her gaze as Jason's met her. She would not faulter on this. Not when it came down to having her story straight. 

"Lets get you to Amala,"

Come home.

She was pretty sure that voice was what urged her to touch jason's cheeks. That had her carressing them like they'd been lovers for a while. Not the distant friends they were becoming. Her arms were tingling as electricity sped through them.

So Talia remembered a name and how the sea water tasted as it filled her lungs.

Salted fish.

Every flash of her being pulled from the sea.

Come home.

Jason leaned his forehead against hers. Shuddered as the electricty moved through him.

Then he was as tep away. Thick fog swirling around him.

Come Home.

His wall retunred as Jason shattered their touch and slammed the truck door between them. Talia swallowed once . Twice. The silence i the truck rammed against the emotions flaring in her chest. What that wall did to her.