Page 27 of Anchored to the Storm

Sebastian squinted. “I knew som’tin’ happen in the show’r.”

Finn fixed Sarah’s shirt I had apparently tried to rip off. “Gurl, you a mes’.”

The hall light turned on. We all faced Harmony. Then the chaos continued as we all tried to tell her our mouths were aching like a sonofabitch, but only managed to yell, “Mad G! Mad G!” Not that it was recognizable with our painful slurring.

We all froze, then looked at each other.

Fortunately, Harmony didn’t suspect we were reacting to some magically sparkly water because, well, that was absurd! Instead, she was touching our foreheads while demanding, “Dale, get the Tylenol! Is it because of the crash? Let’s go to the emergency room⁠—”

“No!” we all screamed, scared to become lab rats once they drew our blood.

Luckily, Dale was on our side and convinced Harmony to try the Tylenol first.

This mother went into high-drive and got us all into the living room. Not only did we have proper meds to drown out pain, but we were all piled together on couches, with blankets, pillows, and hot tea.

Can’t lie. It was actually just what we needed. Each other’s touches, shoulders to shoulders and even legs over one another’s. It was calming. We even became super lethargic.

Harmony exhaled, then chuckled. “I guess we’re no longer lying about a flu?”

We all eyed each other, then shook our heads. Again, she was correct. We weren’t lying about a flu. We were lying about something far more unexplainable.

Not that any of that scary shit stopped Seb from asking her a ridiculous question. “Can we watch The Little Mermaid?”

We’re doomed.

East Four

Different Phases

She is life. . . for me. . .

As I had done when dying as a little boy, I lay at the seawall under the sun, on my stomach, staring over the edge, reaching out… but she wasn’t there. I asked, “Styx, the blood oath, do you think… I’ve contaminated…”

With his hand in his jeans’ pocket, he stood next to me. “I think it’s best not to worry unless you know you have something to worry about.”

He had to understand. “The Misfits, for real, mean the world to me.”

“I’m well aware, silly rabbit.”

“Please let me know if I need to worry.”

“Promise.”

I admitted, “When it comes to Saleeni, I know you must think I’m young and dumb, but I feel… old.” My fangs had retreated, but my confusion had done nothing of the sort.

Staring out at the water as if reading the past, he said, “Maybe, had I not witnessed this before.”

Deep inhale…

I had lost my dad and my Noma, but I was now realizing they had left me with a hell of a life guide.

The wind blew his grey hair, making him look majestic, wiser than I usually gave him credit. He said, “Your dad was always older in a way. I think that’s why your Noma loved him so quickly. He was a handful, but never ignorantly, if that makes any sense.” The sun shone on his face. “I now know he was battling urges and senses I could never fathom.” As if too brave to know how to be afraid, he squatted next to me and smiled. “And you are more advanced than he ever was. Why? I don’t have that answer. If nothing else, you should be weaker, farther from the immediate source, as far as bloodline goes.” He pointed to the water. “Is it she who is triggering your difference? Compared to your dad?” Unexpectedly, his smile faded and was replaced by an expression that I would guess to be full of regret. He quietly said, “He didn’t fall in love with a mermaid.”

I sat up, letting my bare feet dangle over the edge. “You say that as if he were supposed to. I mean, for real, this all only happened due to an LSD trip.” When Styx didn’t confirm my statement, I nervously asked, “Right?”

He sat heavily next to me, black biker boots dangling against the seawall. “That’s the way it would seem.”

My heart started to pound. Locked into every word he had yet to speak, I responded, “Yeah… but apparently isn’t.”