Serender: The Accidental Super Villain

Chapter 8

  The afternoon brought no rain but a cool breeze. Every wisp of wind brought a soft melody with it. Serender stared up at the ominous clouds, contemplating the reason she existed. She no longer wanted to explore the ocean or the island. Her purpose was shadowed by her sorrow. 

    The wind blew, lightly blowing sand over her books. She had spent many days on the beach after that horrible day, 5 years ago. She hadn't seen Zsu but she could hear him calling out to her. He missed her as much as she missed him. She couldn't go to him though. She feared going into the water. Her mishap not only caused her to lose the pigmentation in 40 % of her face and neck but she lost  her will to keep moving forward. She looked and felt different. She hadn't been in her siren form since that day either. She felt like she had lost that part of her along with the song that should be in her heart.

    She picked up the warm sand and watched the wind carry it away. She listened intently to the sweet melody that beckoned her to sing. She parted her lips and the most heavenly sound left her mouth. 

"LaaaaaAAAAAAH..." She sung quietly. In her head she wondered, "What comes next?"

"Liiiiiiiffffffeeee is....what you make of iiiiiiiit.

It is...what it is..."

Serender's heart fluttered and raced. She stood up. She felt the need to walk away from it all.

"Liiiiiiiffffffeeee is....what yoooooooou maaaaake of iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!

DON'T TURN YOUR BACK OOOOOOON IIIIIIIIIIIIT!

IT....IS....WHAT....IT....IIIIIIIIIIIIIIS!"

Her voice grew louder and stronger as thunder and lightning pierced the afternoon sky. The storm had come to wash her and her fears away. She repeated the lyrics in high and low tones.. hummed it with such ferocity it no longer required words. She reached the end of the western beach where large rocks protruded out of water. 

    She stared up at the cloudy sky that rumbled and shook with every word that left her mouth. She walked across the cluster of rocks until she reached the end. The waves crashed against her feet as the rain started to fall. Her song continued to play in the wind long after she had stopped singing.

    She closed her eyes and let go.

    The moment Serender found one of her many songs, Aiosha could feel her pain. She rushed out of the kitchen and ran at speeds she didn't think she still had in her. She knew that song. It was the song of the dying, the walking dead. A song so rare that only a 100 sirens could sing it. When the song was with the intent to kill it did not affect the siren directly but that intent had to be there. Else it was just a song that the siren sang before they left this world.

    When she got the end of the beach Serender was midway across the rocky protrusion.  Aiosha pushed herself to move. She couldn't lose her baby. Her bare feet slipped and slid across the rocks. She would die with her before she let her continue on this path. 

Aiosha reached out and caught Serender's body but she couldn't stop their forward momentum. When their bodies hit the water, Aiosha put her body between Serender and the jagged rocks that lie beneath the water. She let out a scream as the rocks pierced her back and legs. She had to push on the sharp rocks with her feet to get herself free. 

    The waves continuously pushed the two of them up against the protrusion. After struggling she was finally able to get past the rock ledge. Serender remained unconscious. The song she sang was not meant for someone without a fighting spirit. It drains the user's "will '' to live. Blood oozed from her head and various parts of her body. The pain was the least of her worries. 

Aiosha put Serender's small body over her shoulder and trekked back to the house. She stumbled in and went straight to Serender's room. She knew that she would be alright but it was time to have a long talk with her. She removed Serender's wet clothing and towel dried her hair. She took out some pajamas and dressed her for bed. It wasn't quite evening time yet but Serender wasn't going to be waking up anytime soon. She put her in bed and tucked her into the covers.

    Aiosha wiped the blood from her eyes and went to the bathroom across the hall from her room.

"What's wrong?" A low raspy voice came from the bedroom.

"Nothing. No need to get up." Aiosha spoke back. She knew her words didn't reach him. She could hear the commotion in the bedroom as he struggled to get out of bed. Every time she heard his voice her heart broke.

    Xander pushed the bathroom door open with his cane. He sighed deeply when he saw the floor covered with his wife's blood. 

"Damn it, Aiosha. What are we doing wrong?" Xander lowered his head. He knew this was because of him but he didn't know how else to say, "I'm here. I love you. It's going to be alright." any other way.

Aiosha took off her wet blood soaked clothing and started to weep. "I don't know how to fix this. She still blames herself for what happened to you."

"She's a genius but she is also only 15. She's having adult emotions and she hasn't even begun life." Xander said.

"We'll talk after I get out of the shower okay?" Aiosha said, then waited for Xander's approval.

She stepped into the shower, deep into her thoughts. She understood Serender's sadness. She felt it too. She couldn't revive her husband quick enough. Now he doesn't have use of his left leg. He suffers from chronic fatigue. He doesn't even eat as much as you used to. On top of that, she could feel her body and soul dying. 

    It was getting harder to hide the deep dark circles around her eyes. Xander knew what was going on but Serender thought they were caused by Aiosha's depression from almost losing her dad. There was no way they would be able to tell their daughter that she was draining the life from her mother. 

    The events of that afternoon had definitely taken a toll on her. Most siren's first song was of love and family and Serender's first song was of suicide and a longing for death. Aiosha shuddered at the thought. Seeing her daughter happily walk out onto the rock ledge to die was ripping and clawing at her heart.

    She grabbed her chest then steadied herself. There was no time to fall apart. She quickly wrapped up her shower and made her way to her bedroom where Xander waited with the first aid kit. His face. His warmth. His love for her and Serender, radiated from his every being. He was her world. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him.

    He took a deep breath, inhaling her breath then kissed her harder and deeper. Aiosha winced. While she wanted to continue the tears in her skin weren't cooperating. Xander pulled away then apologized. "I almost forgot. {sigh}..Your kiss still has that effect on me." He smiled big as he started to take what he needed from the kit. 

    After getting patched up, Aiosha and Xander walked to Serender's room. They took turns kissing her forehead and looked at the small teenager. When she was asleep, no one would have ever have guessed she had a degree in physics and spoke 6 languages and that was only because she chose not to learn anymore.

    The two doting parents sighed. They were happy they had their family but they felt like failures as parents. None of the books they read prepared them for this and none of them had an exact solution. Aiosha slowly guided Xander to the kitchen table.

    They walked hand in hand into the dining room. Xander sat down then pulled Aiosha onto his lap. She smiled and shook her head. In her head she was losing her beauty therefore Xander would eventually not be attracted to her. That was only her insecurities, no matter how she thought she looked, he only saw the woman he loved. The woman he couldn't live without . 

    She straddled his lap and kissed him. "My lady, may I have a moment of your time." Xander said then winked. "You're an idiot." Aiosha said then giggled. Aiosha held Xander tight. So tight she felt his heart beat thumping against hers. She wanted to stay like that forever. [This is my heaven.]