"I'm afraid not. I haven't heard from my father since he went on that mysterious escapade. I'm beside myself with worry, it's been months, and still no word from him. His trip was supposed to last two weeks, but now it's almost a year. I don't know what to think or where to start my search. He was closed-lipped about his trip. I have no idea where he was headed or what his agenda was. I have no idea! I'm really scared now for his safety."
"Please, calm down. You wouldn't get anything from getting worked up. We need to think of something Sarah. Maybe it's time to report the case to the police."
"Tony, I already did that. But the police are of no use. There are not enough details to give them a good lead. So their investigation ran cold. I would have to do something myself. I know my dad is a man of many talents, most importantly he's good at finding lost ancient artifacts and has earned his living hiring his talent. So I'm sure his recent assignment has something to do with that. I just have to find something that will reveal where he was headed."
"But you have searched the whole house and still nothing."
"I know, that's why I'm so frustrated!" Ever since she was little, her father had taken her sailing, but nothing too tedious or tasking, just some fishing activities. When it comes to his mission, her father left her with his sister, his only living relative. She had no mother because she died right after giving birth to her. Her father had raised her with the help of his sister who was a spinster. She never got married, not for lack of eligible prospects but out of choice. Aunt Fiona chose her work over settling down in a loving marital home. Her aunt was all about women's power without the entanglement of a man's messy influence. She never understood what her aunt meant by that. She let out a defeated sound as she collapsed into the nearest seat, wishing she had a lead to her father's whereabouts.
"Oh my god! What's that?" her best friend who happened to be her neighbor pointed at her windows, her gaze following to clash with the most colorful creature she had ever seen. Wow...the bird was so gorgeous and exotic. She had never seen its kind before and didn't think it belonged in their world. The bird's gaze was transfixed on her and she felt the heat of its gaze to her core. It felt as if it was trying to communicate something to her. But what? She had no idea. She just couldn't take her eyes away from it. It was magnificent and seemed interested in her, which got her vacating her seat and moving towards the creature. Once she was in front of the windows, she opened it on impulse and watched it fly in. Tony gasped in shock as the bird landed as a very well-sculpted naked man. Her eyes widened in amazement, gobsmacked beyond belief.
Did the bird just turn into a very hot man with manes that go on for miles? Her heart started to race in excitement, but modesty dictated she helped him cover up. So turning away, she grabbed a blanket that hugged one of her couches and tossed it at him.
"Please cover-up, then you have some explaining to do."
"Thank you," he smiled at her, and it was corky and sexy at the same time. Was the birdman flirting with her?
"So... Who are you? And what do you want?"
"I think the question should be, what are you?" Tony asked, stunned.
"Your dad sent me here. He is in trouble and needs your help."
"My father? How do you know him?"
"I will tell you everything you need to know later, but now we need to move. We don't have much time."
"Hey, Sarah, don't trust this guy. We don't know him."
"In this case, you don't need to know me to trust me. I have a letter here from your dad, please, have a look."
She took the crumbled note from him and read it. The words were written in her father's neat handwriting, and it was abrupt and short, a list of strict instructions. He didn't even bother with pleasantries. He didn't ask how she was doing. Was he in trouble? This wasn't like him.
"Yes, he is in trouble, and you need to get every item on that list before we move. You need to hurry."
"Did you just read my mind right now?"
"Sorry, your inner thoughts were so loud. Please, get the things needed while I find us a boat. You have half an hour."
She gasped again as he turned into an exotic bird and flew out of her window. Was she dreaming? She pinched herself and winced, realizing that she was very much awake and the note was really from her dad. It spoke of a secret room, and instructed her to get some stuffs from the room; a tiny box and a duffel bag filled with some balls of lightning energy. She wondered what those were. Moving toward the direction depicted in the note, she searched for a handle or button above the fireplace.
"You're not seriously considering that strange creature's words, Sarah. Are you going to drop everything and take an unplanned spontaneous trip to an unknown destination with him?"
"Yes, I am," she paused and glanced at her friend, begging him to understand her plight. "It's the only lead I have thus far, and I'm taking it. I have to do everything to save my dad and bring him back home. If you want to tag along, I suggest you get packing. You heard him, 30 minutes is all we get," she turned her attention back to the task at hand, sighing in relief when Tony left her presence. She always knew he had her back. She stared at the wall above the fireplace and noticed a small button beside the picture hanging over it.
Bingo!
She had been looking for a lead, and now a profound one stared at her. She pushed it and the wall hosting the fireplace shifted and revealed a room filled with gadgets, and artifacts both strange and ordinary– or was her mind misleading her? Nothing in the room felt ordinary, they seemed precious and unique on a closer look.
Wow... Who was her father? It seemed she didn't know him at all.
Walking in she tried not to unleash her curiosity and focused on finding the items listed. She found them on his massive desk. Grabbing the items she exited the room. She needed to pack something light fast.
They were ready to move when their mysterious intruder– or messenger returned. Quietly, they followed him to the bay, where he had a sturdy sailing boat waiting. She wondered how he was able to accomplish so much in such a short time. There were two other crew members on board already.
"I hired them to help navigate the boat. I must ensure your safety till we get to your dad," he assisted her in getting on the boat and in a few minutes they were sailing. Soon the minutes turned to hours that turned into weeks. The birdman mostly kept to himself helping in the sailing of the boat. But she needed to talk to him. Her questions were still left unanswered. Tony was mostly beneath the deck as the surface made him sick.
She stared at the water as it parted for their boat. She still couldn't believe she was on her way to save her father. She felt excitement and relief rush through her body. She had sailed before under the supervision of her dad, but this time was different, the destination unknown to her and laced with thrills and a sense of danger. She could feel it in the air. She hadn't traveled this far and was filled with curiosity and novelty of the unknown. Even her father's hot messenger was an enigma that sent a deep rush of passion through her. She wondered fleetingly if her heart was in danger of falling for him. She had always been drawn to the sexy bad boys. She smiled inwardly at her inner thoughts and allowed the beauty of the surrounding scene to captivate her. The sea had always been a powerful embodiment of untamed wildness hidden behind an elegance beyond a man's imagination. She was always drawn to the power rush and feeling of freedom felt while sailing. The coldness of the breeze when it kisses one's skin and ruffles the manes brings an inner peace money can't purchase. The smell of salt and moisture that filled the air was something most with an adventurous spirit craved. She could see how easily it was to get lost in the thrill of it all.
She took a deep breath of the salty air and turned around only to lose her footing as she bumped into the birdman. A tiny squeal of surprise escaped her lips, and she expected to hit the floorboard in a fall.
"Easy, darling. Are you okay?"
Her heart jumped at his word of endearment, the husky sound of his voice hitting a chord within her. Why was this strange creature pulling at her heartstrings? She seemed attracted to him. Unbelievable.
"Yes, thank you for breaking my fall. Now, please tell me about my father. How did you meet him? What happened to him? Is he okay?"
"Please, slow down, princess. I promise to tell you everything. It's a rather daunting tale. You see, my people and I are shape shifters with special gifts that enable us to keep a balance between the sea and land. We're the reason why the ocean doesn't overshadow or override the land, destroying all living things within it. We also work in the shadows and prevent man from destroying the sea with their pollution. We're the reason why there's peace between these two powerful bodies and everything in them."
"Wow, I thought that was God–"
"God is quite busy running his kingdom above to bother with us. Anyway, my kingdom was hidden from sight to prevent chaos from breaking out. Imagine the reaction of people when they notice our kind. There would be a power struggle where my kind are either the hunters or haunted. So we kept out of sight. Everything was going well until they descended–"
"Who descended?"
"The aliens. They called themselves the Trojans and were mean to the bone. They took us by surprise and hit us with fireballs bigger than a nuclear bomb. They destroyed and buried our world beneath the sea which became our prison."
"Then how did you get out?"
"Your–" his words trailed off as their boat was suddenly hit by a fierce gust of wind that rocked everything on the boat and seemed hellbent on pulling them under. She screamed in fright as she was suddenly hit by something and thrown overboard. She expected to splash into the icy water but instead, she was grabbed by the hands and hurled back onto the boat. "Hang on to me!"
"What's your name?!" she screamed at him as the storm raging around them was fierce and loud. She was scared it was their end. She would not like them to die as strangers but as friends.
"What?!" he screamed back at her.
"I said what's your name? If we're going to die now I will like to know your name."
"Marcus! No one is dying! Not on my watch!"
"I'm Sarah by the way!"
"I know, princess!" he smiled at her, holding tight to her. The hired crew were trying their best to keep the boat afloat, Marcus' eyes were glowing an icy blue as he chanted in a language foreign to her. In the end, their efforts went up in smoke, or should she say mist, a foggy mist that swallowed them up and sunk them into a water hole that went on for miles. She couldn't scream out for fear of swallowing water to her death. She held her scream in and hung on to Marcus like a lifeline. When they finally landed it was on a spread of land that had fallen into ruins from neglect...and something else. Torture perhaps? She couldn't tell and that disturbed her. How was she to find her father now? It was a miracle they were still alive and had escaped whatever that was unscathed.
She glanced around her, trying to make sense of her sightings. Everything felt strange there, but that wasn't what grasped her attention, the fact that the spread of land was untouched by the water around them did. It was as if they were on an island surrounded by a glassy bubble that prevented the seawater from penetrating. There were particles of rocks suspended in the air, as if they were in space– which they were not. There's a heaviness to their footings as if they were walking in quicksand, an ominous feeling in the space between them. They tried to grab one of the rocks but it floated away in a dance of tease.
What was this place? Where have they landed?
"Where's this place?" Tony asked, suddenly appearing by her side. She was thankful he was safe. She wouldn't have been able to forgive herself if something bad had happened to him. She had dragged him into her mess and must get him out.
"I don't know. It looks like a buried kingdom under the sea. We must have been sailing above it before we fell into the blue hole. But this scenery is quite unexpected and unexplainable. I don't know how we would get out. But I'm curious to unravel what mysteries lie before us."
"Me too. My curiosity is heightened. Besides trying to familiarize ourselves with our surroundings might reveal a way out." Tony added in awe. She was glad he was handling himself well and not pointing fingers of blame at her.
"Then that's what we will do. But I'm afraid the boat is useless here. We will have to proceed on foot. Everyone, grab your belongings, and let's move out," she ordered, her shoulders set back in determination.
Hang on, Dad. Your daughter is coming to the rescue. She won't give up until she finds you.
Obrigado pela leitura!
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