Owen of Atlantis

8: Dad, Its Been 16 Years

The inside of the kingdom was absolutely beautiful. The shiny green doors, and walls. We enter a large gathering hall. There was a fountain in the center, with two large chairs at the head. The king is in the business office upstairs and too the right. The guard bowed and swam away. I looked around for a moment before swimming upstairs. I see a large wooden door with a sign reading, "King Oliver of Atlantis" over the headway of the door. I swim up, and knock. I hear a loud booming voice, "ENTER." I pull open the door and swim inside. I see a desk chair face a window, away from me. "State you business," came a voice from the other side of the chair. I stayed silent. I had not a clue what to say to him. What would I say to man man I'd never met in my life? "State your business," I heard again, a bit more sternly. I shook, "hello, uh, King Oliver. My name is Owe..." I was interrupted, "I DID NOT ASK FOR YOUR NAME I ASKED YOU TO..." the chair turned and I was faced with a strong, good looking middle aged man. He stopped in his sentence. He looked at me up and down, and then at my arms. The king teared up. "Owen?" He asked. I nodded. The King smiled, and stood. "All these years, I thought I'd never meet you again. How old are you now? 17?" I shrugged, "What day is it?" The King looked at a Calendar and responded, "October 1st, your birthday." I had been gone from Atlantic City for two weeks now. "17," I said. The King swam too me and wrapped his arms around me. "My son is home," he said. I smiled awkwardly. I felt a warmth I'd never felt before. A happiness that was new. I hugged him tighter. "You deserve an explanation," he said, pulling away.
He sat in his chair. "Sit," he said, motioning towards a couch. I sat. "I met your mother when she came to Morocco for a mission trip. She saved me from a fishing net on a beach one night. We were both so young then. Stupid. We sat up all night on the beach, talking. I showed her a magic. I transformed myself into a human. It only lasted for a week. That was long enough to make you. We were so stupid. When I transformed back, I could no longer breath the air. I was banished from the human land by my father, and I never saw your mother again. I swam all the way to Atlantic City once, after your mother died, when you were one. Your mother's friend, Ken, held you near the water. I touched your soft hand. That was the last I saw you. I thought I'd never see you again. But now, you're here. God you have your mothers eyes." I teared up. I never got to meet my mom. All theses years, I never knew what happened to my parents, and now, I knew. "Are you here, for good?" My father asked. I shook my head yes. He smiled. He turned his chair around and faced the desk. He opened a drawer and pulled out a small wooden box, and handed it too me. Inside, was a small shell on a necklace. I held it in my hand and looked at him. "Put it on," He said. I clipped the necklace around my neck. Suddenly, a bright light came from the shell, and again everything was black.