The Utopia

|Chapter Two|

Ashley
The initial hit to the water and cold temperature shocks me and when my head bobs underwater I flail my arms about me desperately. I cough and sputter as the salt water goes up my nose and slides down the back of my throat. It burns and I try to stop coughing, but I can't and it causes me to take in more water. My head dips below the surface again and I can't seem to get my head back above the water. Involuntary, I breath in and my lungs fill with salt water. Black spots dance in my vision and the only thing I can see is the sun shining brightly through the surface of the water. Small bubbles float up from my nose as I sink slowly and the air leaves my lungs only to be replaced with salt water. Just before my vision goes completely dark there is a flash of coral pink.

"I'm so glad you're awake, I thought I had lost you at first." The most melodic voice I have ever heard says as I open my eyes. I'm startled at first, my eyes go wide when the first thing I notice is that I'm sitting at the bottom of the ocean. Surprisingly, I can see quite well and it's lit up by rays of sunlight filtering through the top. How, I really couldn't tell you. The second thing I notice actually somehow calms my panic down, a merman. He was gorgeous, with his light brown curly hair and pink coral colored eyes that shone bright with happiness, his tail shimmered beautifully the same color as his eyes but I quickly look away because it felt rude to stare. The last thing I notice is the weird air bubble around my head and I bring a hand up to lightly touch it.
"It won't pop. I had to remove the water from your lungs," The merman's cheeks turn a light shade of pink at this." And then I made this air bubble for you."
"Um, thank you very much..." I whisper softly, my voice a bit hoarse and throat sore from my earlier dilemma.
"My name is Alexander, by the way."
"Mine is Ashley." I fiddle with my hands nervously.
"Why exactly were you in the middle of the ocean anyways. Literally, there isn't any land for miles." Alexander asks and I shrug.
"I was kicked off my ship. I don't know what I'll do now." My bottom lip trembles slightly and I try not to think about all I've been subjected to over the past twenty-four hours.
"You could live in the merkingdom." He says suddenly and I quickly look up at him. "I mean, just don't tell anyone you're human, it should be fairly easy."
I nod slowly and a bit hesitantly."I suppose, I don't actually have anywhere else to go." It suddenly hits me though,"But, um, I don't actually know how to swim."
"Oh, yeah. Makes since considering you were drowning."
"Well, you can just hold on to me. The merkingdom is actually in an air dome."
"Oh, o-okay." I shyly move closer.
"Don't be shy, I won't bite." He teases, grabbing my hands before wrapping them around him. Our chests touch and I can feel his heart beating through my shirt, a blush stains my cheeks and I look up at him through my curtain of blonde hair. A tingling feeling starts in my chest as he gazes down at me with the most gorgeous eyes, up close I notice they have golden flecks within them and he has a few freckles decorating his face under his eyes.
Alexander suddenly gasps,"It can't be..." I look at him in confusion before looking down at my chest where he is staring in disbelief. There is a faint glow coming from where my heart beats and I look at him, noticing his chest is faintly glowing as well.
"W-what does that mean?" I ask softly and gasp in surprise when he hugs me, burying his face in the side of my neck.
"We're soulmates. No wonder I already felt like I could trust you when I just met you."
"S-soulmates?" I stutter in shock."A-and you're happy to have someone like m-me?"
Alexander pulls back to look me in the eyes,"Of course. Your beautiful and from what I've seen so far very kind."
"Oh, um, thank you I guess." Red seems to be a permanent color on my face since I met Alexander.
"You know what this means?" He grins down at me and I shake my head.
"No."
"Well for one you need to meet my family and secondly, they couldn't make you leave even if they wanted to because you're my mate."
"O-oh, okay."
Alexander's grin is infectious and I find my lips curling into a soft smile as I look at him.
"Hang on tight okay precious?" I blush at the nickname but nod nevertheless. I wrap my arms tightly around his neck, burying my face into the crook of it as he begins to swim. I relax and his presence and being this close to him is actually very comforting. When it starts to get darker I peek out at our surroundings. I'm freaked out by the large, deep, dark crevice he is swimming towards.
"A-Alexander." I whimper, scared as I grip on to him tighter.
"It's okay, it may be a little scary but that's what let's us live in peace. Trust me okay?" He gazes at me sweetly and I begin to nod, albeit a bit hesitantly.
"O-okay." I whisper softly.
"Good boy." He praises, nuzzling my nose with his which causes my cheeks to stain crimson once again. I hide my face again as he starts to swim once again. Once we actually are swimming down the crevice it is almost pitch black, the only thing keeping my from freaking out is Alexander's warm body that I'm pressed so close to. Once we make it to the bottom, the crevice opens up to another seafloor. The water is a bright blue and very beautiful. A ways below us on the ocean floor sits the merkingdom, it's all bright lights and pretty structures. It looks like a small City in an air dome.
I stare wide eyes and open-mouthed.
"T-that's amazing." I whisper in wonder.
"I'm glad you like it because that's where you'll be living." Alexander teases as he grins at me, his dimples popping out at me.
"How are you going to get me in?" I ask him curiously.
"That won't be a problem really. It looks like an airdome but it's actually a big bubble, like the one around your head."
"So we'll just... Pop in?"
Alexander laughs,"I guess so."