Scared New World

Chapter 13

The pain from my shoulder made it next to impossible to sleep. When I did doze off, however, my nightmares were filled with chaos and crying. A blurry figure appeared in front of me. I could tell she was a mermaid, but I couldn't tell who it was. Another figure was beside her, dragging her through the water. Little by little, my vision cleared. I took a stroke backward, fear bringing tears to my eyes.

A merman with black hair and a cruel face had a death grip on Mom's hair. I'd never seen him up close before, yet somehow I knew who he was. He was one of Tiger Shark's henchmen. I took a deep breath and screamed. I couldn't hear myself, but I knew it was loud. He flinched, quickly letting go of Mom and swimming away. The scream ended in a broken sob, tears filling my eyes.

Mom unsteadily swam to me, her eyes glassy. She looked at me and probably would've said something had I not woken up. Quiet sobs wracked my body as I gasped for water. Jay appeared in the doorway, a concerned look on his face. He swam towards me, sitting on the edge of my bed and taking my hand.

The notepad was in his free hand a heartbeat later. Are you okay? What happened?

I shook my head, struggling to breathe. It was a premonition. Where are Meri and Naia? Are they okay?

Jay nodded, squeezing my hand. Naia got a letter from your mom today. Do you want to see it?

I nodded. He pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to me. I recognized her handwriting instantly. Tiger Shark's henchmen have taken over the village. They're killing a villager every hour until they get what they want: Nerissa. They know she's responsible for his death. Whatever you do, don't come. Stay away. I'll try to write again later.

I rose from the bed, grabbed a bag, and headed to the kitchen. I selected foods that would travel well and stuffed them in my bag, along with spare bandages and medical supplies. I would be prepared if I was to go back to our village. Jay grabbed my arm. What are you doing? She said not to come.

I shook my head. She needs me. I'll bring her home. Trust me. If I'm not back by dark, send Meri.

The pain in my shoulder, luckily, had become a dull throbbing. That was good; I didn't need anything distracting me. Jay swam with me to the door.

He gently kissed my cheek. I took a shaky breath as I swam out into the open water. Before I took a stroke forward, a hand appeared on my shoulder. Meri was floating behind me, her eyes wide and fearful. I squeezed her hand, wrapping my arms around her. I'll see you later.

I didn't look back as I swam away. It would just weaken my resolve. Before I was even a yard out, a tsunami of heartbreak and guilt washed over me. I bent double, squeezing my eyes shut. In my head, the image from my dream was playing on repeat. The fear in Mom's eyes was unmistakable.

I shook it off and continued swimming. The waters were starting to darken when I arrived. Aside from soldiers patrolling the streets—a few of whom I recognized from my encounter with Tiger Shark—everything seemed intact. I kept my eyes peeled, every sense on alert as I swam. I'd slung the bag over my uninjured shoulder, its contents rattling.

I swam for another few minutes before stopping in front of our house. It looked deserted, but I knew Mom was there. My hand shook as I pushed the door open.

Everything happened at once. I was shoved forward as the door slammed shut behind me. Rough hands appeared on my shoulders, restraining me. I bit back a scream as my wound reopened. Grey eyes met mine, wide with shock.

The pain was unbearable. Darkness had started to creep into the corners of my vision. I let it drag me under, hoping against hope that what I'd seen wasn't true. If only I'd known how wrong I was.

Read and review!