The Unbelievable Life of Patrick Uilliam Carter

Chapter seven

   The entrance to the cavern was just ahead of them. The dark tunnel was barely visible until they were right in front of it, secluding them from the outside world. They swam forward into the darkness of the tunnel following the twists and turns.

She pulled him closer as the walls slowly closed in around them, barely allowing enough room for the two of them to pass through. She reached out and carefully slid her arm around his waist pulling him even closer as they traversed silently through the tight space of the cavern.

Patrick couldn't help but notice how cold her skin felt. It chilled him where they touched. Even though the water in the cavern was cold, her skin was much colder. He turned his head to look at her. Her eyes glowed in the darkness. Giving just barely enough light to see what was around them. Her arm brushed against his as they squeezed through a small tunnel. He didn't mind the close proximity the tunnel provided.

A dim light above them highlighted the bridge of her nose, her cheeks, and the top of her shoulders. The way her skin shimmered in the faint light caught his attention. They must be closer to the surface. He could see the rough surface surrounding them now. He could hear the water splashing against the rocky cave above them.

She pulled herself up through the small opening. Water splashed around her as she pulled her tail through next. Light glistened off of her scales and Patrick watched in amazement as her tail transformed into legs.

"Stop staring." She scowled at him as she covered her legs with her hands. Her tattered skirt barely covered her exposed skin.

He shook his head. Still in disbelief at what he had just witnessed. He tried to focus his gaze on her face but he was too embarrassed.

"Sorry." He looked at his hands resting on the slick rocky ledge. "I'm just a little confused by all of this."

As he climbed out of the tunnel, his foot slipped and scraped against the side of the rocks. He winced as saltwater entered his wounds. Pulling himself onto the ledge, he laid back on the cool hard surface of the cavern. He looked up and breathed a heavy sigh. His face took on a serious expression as he sat up and turned towards his captor. All the excitement and wonder faded into the harsh reality that was starting to sink in. Was that also her doing? Keeping him from realizing the gravity of the situation? Placating him? How could he know what he was feeling was real? Frustration filled him as he clenched his fists.

"Why did you take me from the ship? What did you mean by, 'the storm alerted you of my presence'? Why were you looking for me?" He threw his hands up in disbelief. "How can I breathe underwater? What exactly are you, anyway?" He gestured to her legs. "Are you a siren? Are there more of you coming to get me? Why did you say I had to control my emotions..."

"Okay! Okay. Just breathe."

He placed his hands over his ears and shouted, "Stop saying that!" His voice reverberated off of the cave's walls. He glared at her. "Tell me! Why did you bring me here?"

Before he could say another word, her hands were over his mouth, silencing him.

"I will answer your questions but you have to remain calm."

He nodded in agreement and she released him. She folded her hands in her lap and stared at them as she took a deep breath.

"You're right. I am a siren. I spotted your ship just before the storm started brewing right above your ship. A powerful force was drawing me towards you. It was all too easy to sneak onto your ship amidst the chaos of the storm that was only attacking your ship. It was very odd. I've never seen anything like it before." She played with her fingers as she spoke. Avoiding Patrick's gaze. "The truth is, I got into an argument with my mother and sort of left." She chewed her lower lip and looked to the side, as she wrapped her arms around herself. "We aren't supposed to be out this far. Not by ourselves. We always stay together. Honestly, I've never done anything like this before."

She stole a glance at him as he sat across from her. He was staring back at her, dumbfounded.

"When I saw you, you know, creating that storm, I guess I sort of panicked. I knew that it would call to the others the way it called to me. It was like a beacon."

She raised her hands high in the air above her head as she looked up. Then she lowered her arms and a look he didn't quite know flashed across her face, before turning into a smirk.

"You should be grateful, you know. I saved your life. I could have killed you. In fact, the only reason you're alive right now is because of me. So if anything, you should be thanking me."

Patrick thought about everything she told him. So much of it didn't make any sense. He needed more information.

"What did you mean, when you asked how I stayed hidden from you?"

She tilted her head to the side, confusion written all over her face. As she slowly raked her eyes over him, Patrick began to feel very self-conscious.

"You extrude power. It's literally coming off of you in waves. And when you're emotional..." Her eyes widened and she waved her hand up and down. "Don't be, okay? You cause storms to form directly above you."

Shock and disbelief filled Patrick. As if she could read his thoughts, she reached out and held his hand. He looked up at her.

"Look, I don't know how you are able to do what you do, but there's something familiar about you. Like the way your eyes glow. The glint to your hair. Even the way you smell. And the fact that you can breathe underwater." She shook her head. "I don't know. It's like you're one of us but not quite. Do you know what I mean?"

He didn't know what to say. What was she even talking about? His head was spinning. He closed his eyes and tried to make sense of what she was saying.

She sighed. "Do you know who your mother is?"

He snapped his head up and glared at her. What did his mother have to do with this? He pulled his hand away from hers. "Why? What should it matter who my mother is?"

She hesitated before continuing. "Well, how should I say this? It's just that there's this story...Supposedly, it happened years ago."

His eyes narrowed and she squirmed under his scrutiny.

"Look, I don't know if it's true or not but they tell it to us to keep us compliant." She looked genuinely uncomfortable.

"What story?" He couldn't help being curious.

"Well, I wasn't there. So I don't know how much is true." She cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders to sit a little taller. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as if mentally preparing herself for the tale she was about to tell. Patrick was beginning to feel nervous about what her story might entail. Suddenly, her eyes flew open and she spoke barely above a whisper.