Wanderlust

14. Shipwrecked

"No."

"Hate to break it to ya, but you're wrong on this one"

"No."

"Come on Pope just give it a rest" Kie pleaded

"No. There's got to be a reasonable explanation for all this. One with scientific facts, evidence, proof!"

"Proof's right here Pope" JJ pointed to Blair who leaned against the railing of the dock they each stood on.

Pope threw his hands in the air "There's no such thing as magic. This is insane."

John B laughed at Pope's frustration. Blair felt bad, Pope seemed to have taken it the worst. Finding out one of his best friends is a so called 'mythical creature' couldn't be wrapped around his mind.

Pope rubbed his fingers to his forehead "I gotta go do some research." And with that he stormed off.

"You won't find anything!" Blair yelled to him. She'd already done plenty research herself when she first turned. Nothing but the typical myths and theories but none related to her situation.

"I say that went great" Kie enthused sarcastically. Blair laughed as John B and JJ followed her off the dock to the chateau.

"I think I'm gonna head out for a quick swim, I'll catch up with you guys later" Blair called out to them.

JJ and Kie waved their goodbyes while John B turned to watch her dive off the end of the dock.

~~~

"I don't care what your plans are Rafe, you and your sister are cleaning that boat and that's final." Ward Cameron spoke to his son, Rafe.

"But dad, Rafe's the one who threw the stupid party why do I have to be punished?" His daughter, Sarah whined as they all stood on their home's patio.

"Stop acting all innocent Sarah, you know you and Topper were doing shots all night." Rafe snared at his sister.

"Shut up!"

"Enough! The both of you. I want that boat sparkling by sundown." Ward stated and walked off leaving the two siblings.

~

"At least there's AC on the boat." Sarah plopped down onto the white seating on the inside of the boat's cabin. They took the boat out to sea while they cleaned so they could run the air conditioning and not be watched and hassled by their father every moment.

"You could help you know?" Rafe said as he picked up another beer can and threw it into the black trash bag he held.

"Your party, your mess." Sarah said as she pulled out her phone.

"Just clean the rest of the shit in here" Rafe shoved the trash bag at his sister.

"Fine fine." Sara said and began cleaning the rest of the trash in the boat's cabin.

Rafe was now at the front of the boat wiping spilled alcohol off the floor. He was already in a bad mood and what came next made him even more enraged.

The sound of a motor filled the air. Rafe scanned the waters around them to reveal a jet ski heading their way.

The figure on the jet ski was blonde, wearing an orange life jacket. He was finally close enough for Rafe to see. Topper. Sarah's boyfriend.

"What the hell are you doing?" Rafe yelled.

"Uh.."

"Topper!" Sarah screamed in excitement. She ran to the edge of the boat and climbed over the railings, jumping into the ocean beneath them. She swam to his jet ski and climbed on with Topper helping her up.

"What the hell Sarah?!" Rafe yelled running to where she jumped off.

"Like I said. Your party your mess." Sarah laughed and flipped off her brother.

"You're just gonna leave?!" Rafe yelled again.

"Sorry, only got room for one bro!" Topper yelled back. They were off in an instant fleeting from the Cameron's boat leaving Rafe all alone.

He was red with anger now. There was nothing he could do so he shut himself in the air conditioned cabin and sat on the white seating area on his phone. He was too upset to clean. He eventually felt tired and relaxed in the cool room, and fell asleep.

Rafe woke to being knocked onto the floor. He instantly stood up to see that the waves had gotten out of control. The waves were rocking the boat and flooding onto the ship's deck. Rafe ran to exit the cabin and attempt to steer the boat back home. But the door wouldn't budge. It was jammed. He managed get it open a crack and gave up.

The boat had started sinking. Too much waves crashing onto the boat was now brining it down. Rafe was panicking, his hands on his head pacing back and fourth. His phone was almost dead. He pulled it out to send a message to his sister. In hopes of her seeing it.

'sending...' His screen read. The signal was low. "Ughh" He groaned in frustration.  Water began leaking into the cabin.

"Nononono.." Rafe rushed to push the cabin door shut but to no avail.

The water was rising fast. Rafe tried to stay above it as long as he could. His body was now submerged leaving only his head above it desperately breathing for air.

He took his last breath before now being fulling under the water. He wasn't the best swimmer. He couldn't remember the last time he had to hold his breath long underwater. He tried his best not to move and just sank down to the cabin's floor. He stared out the cabin's window's. Nothing but deep dark blue ocean for miles.

His vision started to get blurry. But out of the corner of his eye he saw a figure. It moved quick, he tried hard to see what it was exactly. A shark? Fish? Seaweed? Until the figure was just at the window in front of him. He now knew he saw a fish tail. A very large fish tail.

A loud bang erupted under the water. And another. The cabin door now open, dented and hanging by it's latch. Rafe focused his eyes on the now open door in front of him. The open sea and freedom just inches away. He saw the fish tail again it glowed orange and gold in the bits of sunlight that shined through the water above. This time along with it, he saw hair and a face?

Just when he tried to gather what his eyes were seeing, everything went black.

~~~