Waterline

Two-Edged of our Beginning

"Life has been rough for me after I heard the news," Libby sighed. She was clearly upset but not to the point she was crying.
"I bet it has, I know the feeling of losing someone," Darrel admits.
Libby looks up at him, he also shared a sad expression. "What happened?" She asked him. She hoped that she wasn't too pushy.
"My sister, Rachel, killed herself one evening when me and mom were out of town. My mom tried to call her but she never picked up. Then she decided to call PJ's dad to check on her since we were neighbors. PJ was the one that found her laying dead in the tub," Darrel averted his eyes towards the ocean. A stroke of tear fell down his cheek. It couldn't be held back any longer, big men like him aren't supposed to cry. Libby is going to laugh at him.

"That's awful, you've been holding back for so long. Don't do that anymore, I'll be here for you," Libby pick up Darrel's large hand and cups it in both of hers. It made him turn his head towards her, one cheek stained with his tear. "Sometimes life would be better if you have a human teddy bear," she sets his hand down. Then reaches her hand towards his face to wipe away his tears. "I'll be that bear for you, as long as you'll be mine. Our pains will go away and let us replace them with blissful times," Darrel told her. It was a figurative way to propose his love, he didn't care if she understood or not.

"I wish to have that with someone all the time but I'm always led to the wrong person. It was dumb of me to not see what was before me," Libby sighed, it was clear now. She wishes she knew sooner before downing her life on a chase. Before her was someone that understood and cared for her. Why was she so oblivious? Was it her eagerness to find compassion among the most obvious of people? What was wrong with her? "You aren't dumb, just hopeful to find something you need in life," Darrel told her. Libby smiled at him and he graciously returned it.

A boom of thunder got both of there attention. "A thunderstorm now?" Libby looks up at the sky as a raindrops fall on her face. The rain started to get heavier. "We should go inside," Darrel told her. She nods and pick up the menus. Both of them ran back inside the building. "I thought today was going to be clear skies," Darrel said looking out the window. It was already pouring down rain. "Maybe the weatherman is wrong?" Libby suggests as she set the menus on a table.

The server from earlier noticed them and the rain. "I'm sorry about the rain, would you like to sit somewhere else?" He asked them. "Yes, please," Libby answered. The server nods as he led them to a new table. It was next to the window towards the road. They didn't get the view of the ocean but they don't care too much. It was better than eating out in the rain. "Would you like to order now?" The server asks them. Darrel nods.

"Two lobster rolls, Fisherman's Basket, Crab Salad, and stuffed salmon fillet. Also, could we get new drinks?" Darrel answers. The server wrote down the order in his notepad, then looked back at his notes. "Yeah, I'll be right back with your drinks," the server told them as he walked towards the kitchen. Darrel and Libby were now alone again. "So, are we still going to make those gifts?" Darrel asked Libby.
"Yeah, but we are going to postpone it for later," Libby tells him.

Nelson and Allen walked back to the table, lightly confused. "What's happening?" Nelson asks as he sat down against the window. "It started raining so we came inside," Libby explains.
"Wasn't it scorching hot today?" Allen asks.
"It might be from the ocean," Darrel suggests.

Mae was the one to notice that something is wrong. She left the restaurant with Conor to check the beach. The walk wasn't too far away from the boardwalk and the beach. Mae ran across the street, making Conor feel a bit cautious. "Mae, be careful," Conor warned her as she ran across another street. She had no regards for looking both ways before crossing the streets. Her main objective was to get to the beach.

Mae walked up the boardwalk then ran to the opposite side. On the beach, she saw a person laying in the sand next to the ocean. It was hard to see who it was but Mae already knew who it is. Conor finally caught up to Mae and also saw the person washed up on the beach. "Who is that?" Conor asks.
"I think I have an idea on who it is?" Mae answers as she walked down the steps to the beach. Conor follows close behind her.

The sand was crunchy and wet from the rain. Mae was already cold but continued to push herself. She finally reaches the suspected man. "You have some nerves to show your face," she looked down at the black hair and pale man. Conor couldn't help but smile at her boldness. He was glad that she was able to speak up. "So you've heard about my dastardly deeds," Micah spoke, his head looked strained from looking up at her. Mae squat beside him to ease the pain.

"You're not getting any forgiveness from me or any of my friends," she told him.
"I know but I need to warn you about something," Micah started to vigorously cough. He was pushed far out of the ocean that only the tips of his tail was touching the ocean. "Please, hear me out," Micah's voice started to get shaky. He tried to lift himself up with his forearms. Under Micah was a big book with a leather cover and a lighting on the cover. Mae didn't say anything as she watched him.

"Neptune is severely punishing me and the island of Silverfish," Micah's voice was starting to get dry. Mae got a better look at Micah's body. On his sides were gills that were slowly opening. "What's happening to you?" Mae asked him.
"I'm slowly turning into a fish," he confesses. Micah lifted a hand towards her. All of his fingers were webbed together. "I don't... have enough time, take this book," Micah was struggling to speak. He was clearly running out of breath.

"What's going on with Silverfish?" Mae quickly asked. She was complexed with how the island was going to get effected by Micah's actions. "Silverfish will be destroyed, you have to save this island. I know- I...I..." Micah slumped onto the sand. He was still breathing but it was shaky and painful. "Get him in the water!" Mae panicked as she saw how he was struggling to survive. Conor quickly took action as he grabbed Micah by his arms. He slowly pulled him off of the book then dragged him back into the ocean.

Micah slowly opened his eyes and saw Conor. The waves were making Micah get pushed towards the shore. "Please, you have to hurry," Micah told them before going underwater. Conor walked back to the shore, his waist and under was soaked. Mae picked up the book and stared at the cover. She was confused by what Micah was talking about and the book.

"Do you understand what he was talking about?" Conor asks.
"No, but I think this would clear it up," Mae showed the book the Conor. He also examined the cover. The title said: Aphrodite's Sacrifice. Mae felt herself starting to shake. The rain and the air was cold. "We should go back to Penelope's place," Conor told her. He was afraid that she was going to get sick. He had to take her home so nothing bad would happen. Then they could investigate the book and how Micah called Mae.