Mermaid

Chapter 48

Erika could only stare at the message formed out of the dead bodies of people that did not survive the wave. This was done by Adrian, she knew that much. He was willing to go through such lengths to get her; he wanted her back in Okinawa Japan, but for what? A final showdown? That seemed rather cliché but it was all that she could come up with as the reason, he could just draw this out further, brake her spirit and get what he desired and yet he did this as if entertained and wishing for something that even Erika did not know.

"What is that?" one of the many people in the hospital asked, as murmured questions and theories were thrown up into the air.

Erika looked to Gregory; the look he gave her showed that he too knew what it meant. "I need to head back home," she said to him. "You should stay here with your daughter. You know I can get back on my own."

"What are you talking about?" Sam interjected. "Do you even know how far you're going to have to walk to get to where you live?"

"I'll be fine." She stated.

"Oh like hell you are." Sam pointed at Nathan. "You are going with him, no if's and's or butt's about it. I'd do it myself but seeing as how my arm is in a sling I can't as well as drive."

Erika was about to object, but then realized that if she didn't agree, more people would be concerned about her and she would have less strength then if she were to rest for a moment.

"Alright, you can if you want. I won't object."

Nathan nodded in response. "The car is in the first row of the parking lot, hopefully the traffic won't be bad. That is to say if there would be any considering what's happened."

Erika's eyes became downcast as a new wave of regret and guilt came crashing in her own body. Much like when the real wave hit, only this one caused more internal turmoil then external death and pain.

But the drive took much longer then anticipated, with many cars on the highway, going to and from the area that had been flooded.

"This is taking longer than I thought." Nathan said, while trying to see a few cars ahead. "You should call your grandparents that you'll be back shortly." When he noticed that Erika said nothing back in response he said. "Are you asleep?"

"I'm awake." She said, her eyes glancing about the window, but said nothing after that.

Nathan glanced at her once more before looking back at the road. "What exactly happened when the wave hit? From what we've heard over the police radio you were fighting those creatures, did they somehow cause the wave?"

"No, the one controlling them did."

"The one that... are you telling me that those things can be controlled and manipulated by someone?"

"If that person is a mermaid or merman then yes, they can. Same goes for the human body, we can control water we can control you as well if we wanted. "

A chill ran down Nathan's spine at her very sudden and cold words, it was like she was in her mermaid persona but still had her dark brown hair and lavender eyes. "Then who's controlling them?"

"A man I met back in Japan, that incident in downtown Tokyo was his and Marina's doing. He's lived much longer then I, from what he says over two thousand years. Before he went after me, he tried to pursue my mother, but I still don't really get why. I mean by then he already had Marina, maybe it was because he was board of her?"

"Are you asking yourself that or me?"

"Just thinking out loud," her eyes went back to looking out the window. And after a long pause she said. "I might not come back you know."