Waves of Salt

The air was tense with sadness and the cheeks of people glistend from tears. The young woman singing Amazing Grace just finished her last note with a sad vibrato and everyone gave a small clap to her. The service went on, I barely cried, not letting everyone show how vulnerable I am. I have to stay strong for them. Grandma rubbed my back soberly and got up from her seat to let everyone know that lunch will be served in the basement.

I had a throbbing headache pulsing behind my eyes. Everyone came up to us, making small talk. I tried to sound happy and give my biggest smiles but I mean who am I kidding? It was all empty and hollow. I didn’t eat anything even though the fumes wafted up my nose in anticipation but I knew if I ate anything it won’t stay down.

Then I saw him. My brother. He makes his way over to me and before I can even turn around he is in front of me. Gosh I hate him. He’s been gone all year leaving his own mother and twelve year old sister alone.

“Didn't think you would make it.” I spat out

He runs his hands through his thick mousy brown hair and gives me a crooked smile, “Aww gee, sis. No, I miss you?” He stretches his arms out.

I glared at him, “Where have you been all year. Mom has been worried sick over you after you left with barely a note.”

His eyes are full of patience but his body tensed, “But I did leave a note. You've got to give me credit.” He shrugs and puts his hands in his pocket again.

“You had no excuse!” I snapped. “The only credit i’ll give you is that you went to your own mom's funeral. Even then you didn’t even get to see her before she died.”

“You think that I don’t feel regret!” His eyes threatened with tears but his voice was strong and firm. “Don’t you think that I hated not being there with you guys! Or that I wished I didn’t leave but I couldn't because I have actual responsibilities to attend to.”

“Then why did you leave?” I asked, my voice sounded small.

“I had things to attend to, stuff to keep an eye on.”

“You aren’t even legally an adult.” I pushed out harshly, barely above a whisper. I turned around towards the door; ignoring all the stares.

“Someday you'll understand.” He rasped quietly.

I made it outside and sucked in a shaky breath. Then everything spilled over. I cried. Heart wrenching sobs. I made myself small in the corner. My cheek rested on the cool brick as fat round tears rolled down.

My mom.

My brother.

My gosh dang life.

I cried and cried, letting everything that held me and anchored me down lift up off of me in shuttering breaths.

The headache is now worse and my breaths have resorted to hiccups. My whole body was shaking with grief. I opened my eyes, the sun was starting to set. My eyelids felt bleary and gritty.

Then I saw a man looking at me from across the street. I get up, dusting myself and walk over to him. In any other circumstance I would have gone inside and told somebody but it was almost as if he was pulling me towards him with the tiniest of thread. I look at him now that I'm closer. He couldn’t have been older than 16.

“Hey um. Were you a friend of my mom?” I knew for a fact that he wasn’t.

He smiled, “No. I’m here to see you.”

My heart leaped outside of my chest, “What do you mean?”

“You heard me. I’m here to see you. You are a special young lady.” His eyes are filled with curiosity. I shook my head.

"I-"

“But you are” He insisted not letting me finish. "You have qualities and abilities that no one could ever challenge."

I snorted, “Yeah right. I’m just a girl whose mom just died.”

He smiled even wider while he leaned back on his car, “That.” He punctuated, “Is why i’m here, you don’t even know what you are capable of.” His tone was careful and light.

Ok two can play this game, I crossed my arms, “Oh yeah? And what am I capable of? And what do I not know?”

“Well i’m not supposed to tell you too much but I can tell you that the woman that just died is not even your mom.” He leaned forward and whispered the last word.

“Shut up! Don't ever talk about my mom like that” I yell then take a deep breath, still shaky from crying earlier.

“I also know you aren’t even human.”

That caught me off guard, “Huh?” I ask in complete confusion. "What else would I be?"

He steps forward. I try to step back but it's as if my legs were glued to the ground. He smiles and plants his dry lip on mine.

I squirmed to get out of his grasp but his hold on me was firm, breath was hot and burned down my throat. I start to gag, unable to breath. Blood pounding in my ears. He leans in again as if going for another. My hands start to shake. I hear my name being called faintly in the background. But instead I feel a sharp blinding pain on the back of my neck,

“Urgggg..” I garble.

My legs crumple to the ground. The pain starts to snake up to my head and wraps around my throat. I put my head in my hands letting it sink to the ground. My breaths come in heavy and long. The pressure won’t stop. The person looks at me and gives me a slight kiss at the top of my head.

“Happy Birthday.” He says.

I scream until my throat is raw as new pain blooms inside of me. Tears roll down my cheek in streams. My tongue is swollen. I can’t even swallow

Out of the corner of my eye I see my brother running up to me,

“Hey, Ave. Look at me. I’m sorry. Ok? I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to leave you” He trembles.

I look at him panting with effort. “Can you speak?” He asks.

I can’t. I open my mouth but nothing comes out. I try to stand but crumple to the ground right away. I tried again but this time Sel grabbed me by the elbow and led me towards his car. I sit in the backseat. I try to take off my shirt thinking it's a jacket.

Sel looks at me with worry and starts to mutter to himself, “No. No. No. This wasn’t supposed to happen…. Her birthday….week…. Stupid…. Ocean.”

I can’t concentrate on his words. The pain. The pressure on my chest is getting heavier almost as if I was underwater. My breathing becomes shallow as it gets harder to breath. This is it. I’m going to die. Headlines will say “Twelve Year Old Girl Dies at her Mom’s Funeral”. The edges start to feel fuzzy and black. I began to fall onto the seat as fatigue hit me like a brick. My breathing slows.

“Ave? Ave! No.. Please don’t pass out now. It's way too soon. Crap.”

I blink my eyes open but my body won't cooperate. Next thing I know it i’m limp in my brother's arms going up the steps to a house. Why aren’t we going to the hospital? I want to ask him. He lays me down on the bed. For the next few hours or even days I am in a state of semi consciousness.

Through this time It felt like I was in water floating peacefully but slowly by slowly the pressure of being far down under started to crush me. I kept sinking and sinking until I hit the ocean floor with absolutely no sun and complete darkness.

At the same time I heard a long beep in the room. A few voices screaming. A rough hand on my neck and another on my forehead. I felt this object pulsating somewhere in the room. As it got closer and closer I felt my back arch and my eyes flew open and then my body started seizing. Pairs of hands held me tight on the bed when two sharp needles pierced my skin. Someone screamed. And then I realized that was me. The needle slowly came out of my skin and the object left the room. I felt myself take a deep breath as my eyes fluttered shut.

For the first time I woke up fully. My mind felt sluggish, and my body like lead but I was aware. The silence in the room was heavy. I was alone. I heard the beeping of a heart monitor and an IV stuck in my arm.

I looked around, the windows were boarded shut. I need to get out of here. I pull the IV out and the monitor. I gave a loud screeching warning. I panted with effort as I swung my legs off the bed. I took a few steps before my knees gave in. I grabbed a coat hanger off the wooden floor when I heard footsteps coming my way. I slowly got up to a standing position with the metal hanger in front of me. The door swung open. I saw Sel come in and I lowered my kind of weapon. I put it back in front of me when I saw two men I've never seen before.

“Who are they?” I croaked my mouth dry and in desperate need of water.

“I thought you were dead.” My brother responded

“Who. Are. They.” I snapped back

He just sighed, “Always straight to the point.” I gave him the eye, “THEY, are my… coworkers.”

“Why are THEY here?”

“How about we lay you back down and then i’ll answer your questions.” He sat down at the edge of the bed.

“They are here to help protect you. That's why we boarded up the windows and locked the doors so nobody would find you.

I gape at him. “You're doing something illegal aren't you? That's why that person attacked me. So he can get to you through me.”

He laughs. Hard. I just stare at him, "What?"

“No.” He hiccups through, “Not at all. I can’t tell you now but I will someday. Then you will understand.”

I cross my arms, undoubtedly looking like a brat, “I want to know why.”

He just smiles, “Come on let's go home.”

“Aren’t you going to answer me?”

“Yes.”

“Ok then spit it out.”

“I never said when”

I roll my eyes, a headache still pounding behind my eyes. He looks at me, smiling, and I knew everything will be alright.