Shoreline

3

By the time she got home, she was soaking wet, even though her leather was guaranteed to do the complete opposite. She pulled off her leather and threw it onto the radiator to dry. She walked to the safe in her room and put the artefact in it. It was now safe and away from the world of man. She got ready for bed, she gazed out of the window and saw a silhouette. She shut the curtains, grabbed her trench coat and ran outside to see who was standing there, she turned on the porch light and saw Arthur stood a few feet away from her front door. "What are you doing here?" she asked a little confused.

"I had to make sure you got back safely. Now that you have found that shard some people may come after you." He said.

"People? You mean other Atlanteans?" She asked he nodded. "So you're here to protect me?"

"Yes," he said and advanced towards her.

"I assure you I can take care of myself." She said.

"I'm sure you can but I'm not taking any chances," He told her and walked into her house without inviting him in, she rolled her eyes and followed after him.

"If you're going to stay fish man you sleep downstairs and I will sleep upstairs," Ava told him sternly.

"I see you're a no nonsense girl," he said.

"Indeed I am," she smiled and walked upstairs. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight Ava," he said walking into her conservatory, and laid down on her couch and wrapped the mermaid blanket around his shoulders. Ava slept soundly upstairs clutching her sea horse stuffed animal in her arms. The storm got worse, and the sea grew angry, although the two may have slept soundly a group of soldiers were emerging from the waves and headed towards the house.

Ava awoke suddenly she felt like someone was watching her. Her bed faced the window and she saw blue glowing lights walking towards her, and they were holding glowing weapons in their hands. She leapt up and ran down the stairs almost tripping over her octopus slippers. She ran to the conservatory pulled the door hard and woke Arthur up. He sat up and looked at her, "Ava is everything okay?" he asked.

"No, I saw a group of what looked like soldiers advancing towards us," she said.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his face contorted with concern.

"Yes," she nodded.

"Okay. Go grab the shard and meet me back here," he told her and pushed her away. She ran upstairs and opened her safe and grabbed the shard, as she turned there stood a soldier his weapon pointed at her.

"Give me the shard!" He exclaimed and pulled out his sword.

"No," she said and ran to the door but the soldier knocked her back and she hit the floor. Arthur had been fighting one downstairs. "Ava!" he ran to the bottom of the stairs. "Ava!" he called again. He panicked as he heard the thump on the ceiling but he was afraid not to hear her answer him, just as he was about to run upstairs a soldier grabbed him by the legs and pulled him down them.  

Ava groaned as she sat up. "I won't warn you again human!" he exclaimed.

"No!" She snarled. The creature growled and advanced on her and used his blade it struck her right in the side, she was thrown back with a great force from the creature as he struck her again and hit the wall before falling onto the bed. She let out a cry of pain and laid there with the shard in her hand, Arthur beat off the soldier downstairs before running up and seeing the scene.

"Ava!" he cried.

The soldier looked at Arthur. "You are to return to us immediately, you betray our own kind!" He exclaimed.

"No!" he growled and gripped the soldier by the throat and threw him out of the top window, his suit broke he died there and then. Arthurs gaze turned to Ava, she was still but a hand was pressed to her wound. "Ava?" he asked walking over to her.

"A. . . Arthur," she stuttered. He rushed to her side and saw the damage, the wound bled profusely, he ran his fingers through his hair and panicked.

"Do you have anything to stop the bleeding?" he asked. Ava looked at him, she was in so much pain, she took a deep breath.

"D. . . Downstairs second cupboard. . .a. . . above the sink," she said.

"I'll be back soon," he said and ran down the stairs. Ava squealed and turned onto her side which made the wound bleed more, frantically Arthur searched through the cupboards and finally he found the antiseptic, bandages, the needle and the thread. He rushed upstairs but when he reached her room she was out cold. "Ava!" he called but she didn't respond.

"No, no!" he panicked, he quickly poured antiseptic onto a cloth and began to clean her wound with it, he heard a slight whine from her, he let out a sigh of relief and sewed up her wound, he bandaged it the best he could, she still remained silent, it worried him but he knew she was saved, well at least she was for now.