Love & Fear | Book Two

Three

After visiting with the large group of friends and family they finally began to disperse until only my brother, Mandy, Michael, and our parents were left. I sat across from Mandy and Greyson, who were snuggling on the loveseat and Michael sat cross-legged on the couch deep in thought.

"So Michael," I said, making his head shot up towards me, "What do you do for a living?"

"Oh, well, I'm a Marine Biologist in Charleston, South Carolina." He said, smiling, "I want to make sure that people learn about what creatures inhabit our oceans and what a magical place the underwater world really is."

"Interesting." I said, watching as he quickly got up and reluctantly said his goodbyes before quickly glancing my way and leaving my childhood home. Shortly thereafter Mandy and Greyson left, leaving me alone with our parents. It was nearly eight and I began to wonder why Michael kept giving me sideways glances. What was up with him, was he hiding something?

"Well, I should probably get to bed, it's been a long day." I stated, standing quickly so I could escape to my old room.

"Alright honey, holler if you need anything alright?" Mom called behind me as I nodded, watching my parents escape across the living room and into their bedroom.

Padding over to my old bedroom, I shut the door behind me and sighed. Leaning up against the door, I found myself thinking about the events of today. My nightmare, which seemed to plague my restful sleep any chance it got, started off the week. Then my heartfelt talk with my mother and then Mandy's mysterious brother. God, why can't I stop thinking about him? I have enough on my plate as it is. I wish I could start healing soon.

Sighing again for what seemed like the fifth time today, and grabbed my suitcase off the ground and setting it on the bed. Silently unzipping it, I grabbed my pajamas and got ready for bed, all the while hoping I could at least get a few hours of sleep without my nightmares. After changing and shoving my suitcase off the bed, I shut off the lights enveloping the room in darkness. Soon after, I felt the heavy weight of sleep.

I was walking, lulled to a soft lulliby l, the singer I didn't know but all I knew is that I needed to be near the waves. I needed to swim under the dark depths of the sea even if I am terrified of it. My thoughts drifted to the moonlight, how it danced against the crashing waves somehow inviting me in. I felt the cold sand squish in-between my toes as I took a step towards the water. And then another and another until I was sprinting across the beach, crashing into the surf until I was neck deep. And then, without hesitating, I went under, completely disregarding all warnings as I drifted, eyes wide open under the crashing waves.

Within an instant, the calm demeanor I was starting to get used to disappeared as the memory flashed before me, pulling me away from the calm serenity as the terror took hold.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I tried not to conform to the terror and relive the events for the thousandth time as I felt a warm hand rest itself along my waist, surprising me enough to open my eyes. As I opened them, I found myself starring into a familiar pair of green eyes. Michael had his arms around me. And I felt completely safe in his arms as he cupped his other hand on my cheek. We were both motionless, drifting together in the sea while starring into each other's eyes waiting for something to happen. I watched as he leaned in to further close the distance between us, and just as we were about to kiss, I woke up, the soft lullaby still echoing in my mind. I still felt the warmth from Michael's hands along my cheek and my waist as I came into full consciousnesses standing barefoot in the sand and facing the expanse of the sea.

Instantly, I felt the panic rise up in me as I crumbled to my knees, not taking my eyes off of the water as the fear took hold.

What was I doing here? How did I get here? And how can I still hear that lullaby echoing in my mind when there was nothing around me but the thing that I feared most?

What had I gotten myself into?