Why We Sank

Ten ➸ Lucky

That day, the sea was quiet and peaceful. The farther from shore they swam, the less of the voices they heard and the more they heard the perpetual rolling of the waves. Kithara watched Jake curiously as they swam almost side by side, but not quite. He would go underwater for much, much longer at a time than she could. The first time he did it, she thought that he wasn't ever going to come back up. She was both amazed and a little pissed off. Growing up she was always the kid who could hold her breath the longest.

Growing up. She hadn't even finished doing that. Something everyone was supposed to get the chance at.

~~~~~Kithara~~~~~

The red and blue lights blind Kithara as they flash over and over. She feels her arms being forced behind her back and cold steel slapped against her wrists as she tries to wiggle out of the grasp of the man who she cannot see.

"Makuakāne!" She screams. "I didn't do it I promise!"

As she's dragged back towards the blaring police car, she finally sees her father. "I know you didn't, I know." His deep voice breaks as he stands there, unmoving.

"Tell them I didn't," Kithara sobs. "Please, Dad."

"I'm so sorry." He reaches for her hand, but she's shoved into the backseat too fast. "Ikaika, my daughter." And to the police officers, with a sterner tone, "Do not hurt her!"

A tear falls down the weather-beaten man's face as the car pulls away. Then another, and another, until he can no longer see through the tears.

~~~~~~~~~~

Kithara looked ahead of her, surprised to see that in her daze she'd fallen behind. Way behind. She pushed forward, doing her best to catch up to Aurora and Jake. She was unable to until they slowed down at a wide rock formation that she could tell would disappear when the tide came in. Kithara was thankfully for the stop, as she was exhausted. She could tell from the body language of the other two that they were as well, but she was sure neither would ever admit it.

"Just letting you catch up," Aurora said curtly, one arm resting on the rocks with her hand resting in her hair. Her fingers were almost completely covered by black, but as Kithara's eyes travelled down Aurora's arm, it began to look like a layer of seaweed. She did not like it, but could see that the colours fit her well, and not only because of the name.

"And taking a break to make sure you don't get tired," Jake added.

"Mmm." Kithara bobbed up and down with the waves, holding onto the rocks as they were. "Well, thanks."

Aurora nodded and pushed herself up to sit on top. "You can get a better view from up here."

Jake and Kithara copied her in sync, but Jake didn't sit down afterwards. Instead, he walked to the end of the rocks and looked out at the ship, holding his hand at his brows to shade his eyes from the sunlight. His clothes stuck to his skin like glue, and Kithara felt embarrassed to notice the muscles in his back through the fabric. She didn't know how old Jake was, but he was definitely too old for her. And he was a criminal.

"Have we thought about how we're getting up there?" Jake finally turned around to ask.

"Parkour?" Aurora shrugged, the smallest hint of a smile playing at her lips.

"Was that... was that a joke?" A grin spread across Jake's face.

"Of course not." Aurora stuck her chin in the air. "You don't know how to scale the side of a cargo ship?"