Page 63 of Anchored to the Storm

Well, yeah… But… “Yes, like the seawall, but now with stairs.” I swam to them and walked up. Proudly facing her, I almost cheered, “See?”

Not surprisingly, she stayed in the water. What choice did she have?

Hence, why I previously had to leave her behind with every water visit we had.

A little defeated, I walked back in and sat heavily on a step, still shocked by our true reality. The young woman I loved was overwhelmed, pitifully so. I could feel it in my bones. My hybrid salt-bones.

All I had wanted to do was to protect her, but now, trying to view all this—the lagoon, surrounding walls, no windows—from innocent non-human eyes, I realized I had imprisoned her, literally, in a concrete pool.

My shoulders sagged. “Oh, Saleeni, I’m so sorry.”

“No s-sad, Mad-G.” She came to me, but I wasn’t deep enough in the water, so she had to stop.

I moved my butt down two steps and held open my arms. I had worked so damn hard to get her here, but now all I felt was regret, feeling like her captor. “This feels all wrong now, doesn’t it?”

In a blink, she was between my thighs, peering up at me, her beautiful tail floating behind her.

I cupped that gorgeous face and vowed, “I’ll do anything to make this right⁠—”

Her hands lifted from the water and signed ‘swimming’ in the tunnel.

My heart cracked wide and felt a pain I hadn’t felt in weeks. It felt like I was experiencing another death in my life when I voiced her request. “Y-You want… to swim in the tunnel?”

Green eyes, lacking their beautiful glow, told me ‘yes’ before she nodded.

A tremble shook through my body as it tried to adjust to this failure. My voice cracked as I lied, “Of course, baby. I want you to swim back to the ocean if that’s what you want.”

I lost all ability to breathe as she swam away from me. It felt like the remaining air in my lungs went with her.

I could hear static in my ears as I forced myself from the steps to exit the pool. My work boots felt as heavy as anchors with every step I had to take.

At the gate, she waited for me.

She watched me grab the top of the gate like a caged animal wanting her freedom.

Love is powerful. Love is selfless.

Love is gut-wrenching when having to let go…

I lifted the gate. I love you, Saleeni.

Then… she was gone.

Only ripples created by her magnificent tail remained.

I stood there, holding the gate, shaking like a leaf in a brutal storm.

My jaw locked, and I repeated words. I am the motherfucking storm. Then I threw the gate.

It crashed into a wall while I crashed onto the floor.

I woke in the same spot, on my side, facing the pool. Beyond, I saw Styx in the kitchen talking to himself. “Coffee isn’t exactly healthy, but that don’t mean I don’t love the shit out of it.”

Jesus Christ. The old coot has finally lost the last marble in that head of his.

He continued babbling to no one. I was going to tell him to shut the fuck up but finally noticed blue hair floating in the pool.

Saleeni!