[u]Chapter 5
Valarie froze, her entire body growing ice cold
No, it can’t be. He doesn’t… he can’t possibly…
Her eyes slowly moved over him, taking it all in: his long sandy hair that just brushed his shoulders, skin whiter than snow, and his eyes. His impossibly blue eyes that drew you in like moths to light. Eyes like the aquamarine waters of the sea, eyes like the edge of the sky, eyes so vivid they seemed to glow. Yes, those were the eyes she remembered from when she was a little girl, the eyes that had haunted her for so many years. You could never forget eyes like that.
“Oh no. No. You don’t exist. You can’t… I’m just imagining this.” Valarie said, finally breaking free of the trance that had held her still. She turned, raking her fingers through her hair.
“No. You can’t be here. You can’t. I, I just made you up!” But she’d known he was real, hadn’t she? All along she knew that he was real.
Looking down, her eyes found the bracelet that the man had given her that night on the beach. She hadn’t taken it off, not once, since that night on the beach. It had been her treasure, the one thing that had gotten her through the years of therapy. She’d known he was real all along, because really, he had never left. Or at least, the man she remembered from when she was a little girl hadn’t.
Valarie turned facing the stranger in the water.
He certainly wasn’t as big as she remembered.
“Do you remember me?” he asked, walking towards her through the water. Valarie nodded.
“How could I forget?” she replied. The man smiled. For some reason, Valarie felt that that smile was just for her. Her stomach flipped.
“I’ve been waiting so long for you to return.”
“How did you know I would?”
The man chuckled, taking the last step out of the water and onto the beach. “You already know the answer to that, don’t you?” Valarie stared. He wasn’t wet. His black slacks weren’t forming a puddle beneath his bare feet, and his white cotton shirt was moving gently in the breeze, neither with any sign that he had been in the water.
How is that possible?
It wasn’t.
The man reached out, brushing a strand of hair behind Valarie’s ear, his fingers brushing her cheek. Valarie flinched.
His skin was cool to the touch, not like ice. More like a fall breeze: crisp, cool, and refreshing.
Different.
The man before her was impossible. Impossible looks, impossible clothes, even impossible skin. He was unreal.
So what in the world did he want with Valarie?
“Val!” a voice called from up the path. It was Taylor. Valarie glanced behind her, trying to judge how far away her friend was.
“Little one, once again our time together has been cut short.” Valarie’s head snapped back. The sea man was already backing away, heading towards the water.
“Wait a minute! Who are you? What are you?” Valarie demanded, nervously glancing over her shoulder for Taylor. Her friend’s calls were growing ever closer.
“Think. You already know the answers.”
“No, I’m pretty sure I don’t. Why don’t you just tell me and we can get this over with!” The man laughed, sinking deeper and deeper into the water, growing farther and farther away.
“Still so insistent! Just like your mother. My name is Hadan, little one. And you will get no more answers from me. You must remember.” And then he turned, going deeper and deeper into the water until he was completely consumed. Valarie watched him go, slowly sinking down to the ground. She was unable to hold herself up any longer.
Hadan…
I sat up, soft cries echoing throughout the candle lite room. My face was damp, and I tried to wipe the tears away, but was unable.
“Lavena, pet, what is the matter?” My mother said, wrapping her strong arms around me. I cuddled closer to her, letting my tears fall freely.
“The ocean. It is weeping mother. It is so lonely.” A pained look flashed across mother’s face, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared.
“The ocean is always lonely little one, it is it’s gift as well as it’s curse.”
“I don’t, I don’t want it to be lonely any more. It, it hurts too much.” Mother pulled me closer, as if her arms could block all the pain.
“Not much longer little one. You will not be lonely much longer.”
As the vision faded, Valarie realized she’d been crying. It had all felt so real; it was almost as if her mother was still there, Valarie had to force herself not to look behind her to check. And the pain. Valarie had never felt anything like that. The emotion had become physical, a yearning that seemed to crush her chest with its weight.
“Val, there you are! I knew you’d be down here. You have to get back to the house. Your dad and Linette are freaking out. But, on a brighter side, your absence made it possible for Ryan to escape Amy’s clutches, so he’s looking for you too.” Valarie wiped at her eyes, thankful for the dark that prevented Taylor from seeing she’d been crying.
“Sorry about that, I didn’t realize how long I’d been out.” Taylor rolled her eyes.
“Don’t tell me you're sorry, you gave me the perfect opportunity to get out of there. It was really getting awkward. Amy was literally throwing herself all over Ryan. It was kind of gross. Your dad’s the one who’s pissed.” Valarie sighed. Yeah, that sounded just like her dad.
“Well, I better get back home before he calls the police or something.” Valarie sighed. Taylor nodded, then turned and led the way. Valarie followed suite, stopping only at the edge of the beach. She glanced back over her shoulder at the dark water, yearning to leap in and find Hadan among those black waves.
He’s somewhere out there.
Alone.
“Are you comin’?” Taylor said, realizing she had stopped. Valarie nodded turning and walking beside her friend.
"So what were you doing all that time?” Taylor asked after a moment. Valarie smiled to herself, mentally shaking off the dreary cloud that had fallen upon her.
“Oh nothing, just getting to know an old friend.”
