Dark Water (A Dark Life Fanfiction) [edited]

Chapter 8

"Of all the reckless, dangerous things I've ever heard!" Ty's mom yelled, running across the wet room. "You should have waited!" she hugged Ty worriedly.

I rolled across the floor, finally lying on the floor next to the bench. I pulled off the helmet, coughing up some water. I sighed exhausted. She sat Ty on the bench before hauling me to my feet. I looked up at her unsure what to say. I suddenly felt a chill run up my spine. My gaze rested on the moon pool. I half expected that Shade would climb through that portal of glossy water at any minute.

"The outlaws might have been there! You both could have been killed!" she blurted, suddenly deciding to rant. My stomach turned when I thought of how close she was right on that point.

"Let them alone, Carolyn," Doc said, coming into the wet room.

I sucked in air. If she was mad about us going to the Peavey's, there was no way I was going to tell them about Shade.

"Pa wouldn't have made it in time," Ty said in protest. "Is Gemma here?" He said, back tracking under his mom's stare.

"She sure is," Doc said, suppressing a smile. Ty hurried from the room, still in his dive skin, heading up to Zoe's room to check on Gemma.

Sighing, I pulled off my dive boots. Doc was saying something about Shurl making a feast as a thank you for saving her goats and chickens. I couldn't think about food right now. Not after coming face-to-face with Shade, in a harpoon standoff no less. I could still feel his hand gripping my wrist. My stomach felt coiled like a spring. My eyes were still trained on the moon pool.

"I'm going to get dressed," I announced. My mum, who had been silent the entire time, didn't seem to take the hint.

"Your Pa is still at the Peavey's, with Ty's father, tinkering with that generator. So exactly how did you get here?" she inquired harshly.

I tensed knowing I'd regret this. "I swam..." I muttered. "I had my mini harpoon gun," I added quickly. I tossed it onto the bench.

She frowned, "We'll talk about this later," she declared, leaving the room. A chill froze my spine.

I didn't say anything, toweling off my dive skin.

"Dinner is almost ready. Come up when you're dressed," she added quickly before closing the door.

Doc's medical case thumped onto the bench next to me, scooting my mum from my mind; however, the image of Shade stayed firmly planted. Frowning at it coldly, I rocketed from the bench.

"I appreciate you concern but I'm fine," I said defensively.

"Settle down. I'm just going to check your vital signs," he said ignoring my defensiveness.

"No, I'm fine," I insisted.

When he cracked open the case, the smell of antiseptic turned my stomach even more than it had already been. The gauze and steel instruments gave off a faint smell as well. He pushed me down to sit on the bench. I frowned up at him, almost wishing I was back in the water repeating my face off with Shade.

"You haven't had an exam since I came to the territory almost four years ago," Doc insisted. "You won't feel a thing," he added, scooping up a health scanner.

I lashed out aggressively, more than I intended to, smacking the health scanner from his hand. "NO!" I blurted.

He studied me with surprise, and then tossed the scanner back into the case. "Okay..."

I snatched clothes from Ty's locker, letting the silence hang over us. If Doc thought he was going to get an explanation, he was mistaken. The look on his face was cold momentarily before melting into a soft kindness.