The Blues of Atlantis | ✔

Chapter Thirty-Four

"You're lucky that the baby is okay. What were you thinking?" the unfamiliar voice said, as it floated into Nerina's consciousness, like a ghost hovering above her.

She tried to open her eyes, but a sharp pain reverberated around inside her brain at the simple movement. Her body shook at the intensity, causing her stomach to lurch unexpectedly.

Her eyes shot open and she tried to roll over, her mouth filling with puke. She couldn't pull herself onto her side, her arm was trapped. She turned her head as her body heaved uncontrollably. Her mouth filled faster than she could spit it out. She banged her fist on the surface beneath her, gasping for air in the dark room.

"Let me untie her arm or she won't be able to help you at all," the voice said again.

"Fine, but as soon as she stops, tie her back up again," said another voice.

She felt her arm fall free and she rolled onto her side as another heave rocked her body. A hand came to rest on her shoulder and another gently patted her on the back. Shrugging him off, she blew chunks out her nose in an attempt to breathe.

When her stomach settled and she rolled onto her back, she caught a glimpse of light under her nose. She must be wearing a blindfold. Her mind was suddenly flooded with images. The last thing she could remember was driving down the road with Jenny and then the cops stopped them.

She remembered the cops handcuffing them and walking them to the squad car and then...nothing. Her mind drew a blank. Now she was...she was...where? With who? Where's Jenny? Her breathing grew ragged and her pulse jumped beneath the skin of her wrist.

She reached for the blindfold, but her hand was immediately pulled away.

"Let me go," she cried as she tried to pull away, but they wrapped something around her wrist, securing it in place.

Shaking her head rapidly, she tried to dislodge the blindfold, but only succeeded in making herself nauseous again. "Please," she whimpered. It was so dark. She hated the dark.

Groaning, she let her head come to rest on what felt like a soft and comfy pillow. If it's not one thing, it's another. Couldn't people just leave her alone? One minute she's normal; the next, she's a freak of a mermaid and suddenly everyone wants a piece of her.

"Please, let me go," she whimpered again.

"No can do, Princess Nerina," said a slightly familiar voice. She felt a rush of wind beside her head and off came the blindfold, taking a piece of hair or two with it.

"Ouch," she cried, trying to reach for her head to massage it. She blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to bring them back into focus. Her vision came to rest on a man with a bald head.

"You!"

The man from the cabin stood there, grinning at her. "I've been waiting a long time for you."

"Screw you," she said, kicking her foot at him.

"Don't make me tie them down as well." He picked up some more rope from off the chair. "Your husband was kind enough to supply us with more than enough of it."

Her stomach churned again just as the baby decided to wake up. Tears filled her eyes. This was not the life she imagined for them. How could she have been so stupid? She couldn't believe that she allowed herself to get so enamored by Wade. Look at the trouble it got her and Jenny in.

"I want to see Jenny."

A look passed between Russ and the unnamed gentleman on the other side of her bed and her heart dropped. The unknown black haired man had on a lab coat, but no name tag. His face looked as if it had seen many battles won and lost. His lips curled up slightly, indicating that he was known to smile, but his wrinkled skin and bloodshot eyes told another story. He did look like someone with a heart, as opposed to the man standing across from him.