by Chanel Harry
Mia was standing by the lake’s shore, throwing rocks into the lake. Tareeq smiled a wide smile as he came closer to her. He noticed that she was wearing a long blue night gown that looked strangely close to her gown that she wore at the winter ball.
“Hey.” Mia greeted, smiling at him.
“Hey, girl.” Tareeq kissed her on the cheek and hugged her.
“I’m so glad that you came.”
“Me too.”
“I want to go for a swim with you.” She said as started to undress to her undergarments.
“Another swim? It’s so cold.”
“Don’t you remember? The water is warm.” Mia walked closer to Tareeq, close enough to whisper in his ear.
“I want you to see me; in all of my glory.” She whispered. She walked to the lake’s dock and dove in. Tareeq watched and saw that the lake changed to a crystal blue color that illuminated the night like a lamp. He saw a large fish tail splash around the surface of the water.
“Join me…my love. Join me in my kingdom…” Mia’s voice echoed in his ears. It was like a whisper that ringed in his mind like a soft bell. Her voice suddenly became a song to Tareeq; pulling him into a trance. He began to take his clothes off to get into the water.
King jumped from behind the tree and ran to his friend to stop him.
“No!” King yelled as he grabbed his arm. He took the amulet from his own neck and put it around Tareeq’s own.
Suddenly, loud screeching came from beneath the blue waters. Those loud siren cries came to a head almost piercing Tareeq’s and King’s ears. What emerged from the water though made the screeching a preference to both teenaged boys.
The Blue Crew surfaced, but they weren’t the beautiful young girls that the boys once knew. They were grotesque monsters with claws and large piranha fangs that jutted from their mouths. Their eyes were like black orbs giving off a sinister glow from the blue waters. Their hair was long, covering parts of their faces.
“Mia?” Tareeq whispered.
“Come…to…me, my love.” Mia said in a distorted wicked voice. She outstretched her long, wet arms to him. Tareeq and King struggled, but King lost the battle trying to hold his friend. Tareeq started to bolt toward the dock.
“Tareeq, don’t go!” King ran toward his friend but was stopped by a force. Someone grabbed his neck!
“Where do you think you’re going?” A voice said, giggling. When King turned around, he saw a monstrous looking woman holding him back. “Paul!” She said. A man came out of the bushes and took hold of King.
“Let me go!” King yelled.
“It’s no use, you can’t fight Paul.” The woman said. King watched with helpless eyes as his friend stood by the lake under the spell of The Blue Crew.
“You can’t do this!” King screamed.
“Oh yes, we can. My daughters made the decision to feed on your friend.” She said. “It is the way of our species.”
“Are you, Mami Wata?” King asked. “But aren’t you Mia’s mother?”
“That’s right! The goddess of the sea! The death bringer of men!” She laughed.
King’s eyes darted to Tareeq, who was now taking a plunge into the water.
“Tareeq!” King yelled for his friend. “No, please! Come back!”
“TAREEQ!” Derek called out. He and Elise ran out from the woods where everyone stood. He watched in horror as his son dove into the water, disappearing.
“If it isn’t, Derek Cooper coming to save his son.” Mami Wata said, laughing. “This feels like déjà vu all over again, but this time, your son is going to be food for my daughter.”
She laughed loud. Elise stood back watching, but loading her gun behind her back.
“She’ll finally get to taste the flesh that I never got to taste.” Mami Wata continued. She walked up to Derek and opened her mouth revealing her sharp shark like teeth and long fork tongue. She growled and dove for Derek. Elise let off one shot, missing Mami Wata, but hitting Paul in his neck. He let King go as he held onto his bleeding neck; gurgling and spitting blood. That’s when King ran to the dock and dove into the water to save his friend. He swam all the way down into the water letting the glowing amulet stone be his light in the blue darkness. His eyes fixed on the Blue Crew who were all swimming around Tareeq’s unconscious body like sharks. With his back pack still on his back, he took out the harpoon that was in it and pressed the trigger. The harpoon hit the mermaid that was Crystal, into her tail. She let out an ear piercing screech as blood spilled out. The rest of the Blue Crew all swam towards King. With another harpoon spear, he shot at Brittany, hitting her in the chest killing her instantly. Mia and Tammy swam away going to her aid. Now this was King’s chance to get Tareeq. With all his might, King swam to Tareeq and grabbed him by the arm. He kicked his feet and swam all the way to the surface with Tareeq holding onto him. He could still hear the hair raising screeching of the mermaids.
Mami Wata lunged for Elise, causing her to drop her gun onto the sand.
“You’ll die, too!” Mami Wata hissed. Derek grabbed the gun from where it dropped. He aimed it carefully at Mami Wata, praying that he wouldn’t hit Elise. He let off one shot hitting Mami Wata into her back. Mami Wata screamed loudly, crawling to the lake’s edge. Her blood seeped into the lake, causing the blue and red liquids to mix together. The Blue Crew all resurfaced from the lake screaming for their goddess. Mia swam to her mother’s side, with tears running down her cheeks.
King looked on while the now conscious Tareeq awoke. He looked on at the sight that was unfolding before him. Mia turned in their direction and stared at Tareeq. Tears still running down her cheeks. Just then, Tareeq heard a voice in his head.
“I never meant for any of this to happen to you. I was never going to really hurt you. All I wanted for us was to be together forever…”
Tareeq could feel a warm tear fall down his cheek as he watched Mia along with Tammy disappear back into Springbrook Lake.
Chapter 23.
A week later, Tareeq and King were back in school. The events that transpired at the lake was soon put behind them, well except for Tareeq. He hadn’t been the same since the ordeal. Although he didn’t say anything, King knew what he wasn’t feeling any better.
The Hamlins’ buried the rest of Josh’s remains that washed up on the shore. Mason wasn’t going to come back to school for the rest of the year; Tareeq didn’t blame him.
Gary and Jamir were still missing and the Springbrook Police Department vowed to find them. King knew that they would never find his friends alive.
The school day went on with a somber mood. So somber that Mrs. Winters cancelled all classes until January so that students could grieve. Tareeq and King were grateful for that. They both thought that they could use time off to get back to themselves.
When school was let out, Tareeq and King met each other in front of the school’s entrance.
“How are you holding up?” King asked.
“I’m fine.” Tareeq replied flatly. He started to walk down Main street.
“You don’t have to lie to me.” King said. “I know you’re still—”
“King, thank you for saving my life back there. I never got to properly thank you. You were right all along.”
“Don’t mention it. That’s what friends are for.”
Tareeq smiled and dapped his friend up.
“I’ll get going then.” Tareeq said. “I got to help my dad with some things.”
“No worries. I’m just glad you guys aren’t moving after all.”
“Same. I’ll be texting you later, bro.”
“No doubt, bro.”
Tareeq and King went their separate ways, each grateful for one another’s friendship.
Derek sat in his room scrolling through photos of his family. He smiled reliving all of the happy times that he had with his wife and his son. Until the ordeal, he didn’t appreciate the life that he had. He wanted to start appreciating them now while he still had life left in him
.
He even made it his duty to try and date Elise exclusively. Not only did she almost die trying to save his life, but she wasn’t too bad with a gun.
Derek chuckled to himself and put his phone back into his pocket and headed downstairs. He found his son, Tareeq, entering their house with a melancholy look on his face.
“Why the long face?” He asked him.
“I’m good, pops. Mrs. Winters cancelled all of the classes for the rest of the term.” He said. “Says we all need to grieve.”
“That’s fine with me. As long as the teachers gave you all some homework packets.”
“You already know that.” Tareeq walked up the stairs past his father.
“You sure you’re okay?” Derek asked in a concerned voice.
“I will be.” Tareeq answered. He walked up the stairs to his room, and shut the door. Derek started to go after him, but felt something stop him. For some odd reason, he could hear Felicia’s voice in his head telling him to let Tareeq grow up. He followed that voice and went into the kitchen to start dinner.
That night after the dishes were washed and his belly was full, Tareeq went back up to his room feeling the same as he did earlier that day. He pulled out his phone reading all of the text messages that he and Mia shared together over the course of their relationship. He couldn’t stop thinking about her; he missed her desperately. Some days he couldn’t sleep without seeing her picture. He couldn’t tell his father or King that how he felt.
Tareeq wished he’d never moved to Springbrook. If he hadn’t none of this wouldn’t have happened to him. His life was forever changed not only because of supernatural goings on, but by love.
He decided that he would do what his mother always did when he never slept, go for a walk. He grabbed his hoodie and put on his sweat pants. He made sure to creep past his father’s room, as to not wake him. He crept downstairs; each step he took, a careful one.
Tareeq made it downstairs and put on his boots. He grabbed his house key and headed outside. He found himself walking through the dark woods, hoping to get lost in the thick dimness of it. He didn’t know that he made it to the lake until he heard the sounds of the water hitting the shore. He walked down to the dock and sat onto the edge.
Memories of Mia came rushing to his head as he sat there under the moonlight. Tears ran down his cold cheeks as his emotions overcame him.
“I miss you so much…” He whispered. All he could hear was his cries, but then another symphony of sobs joined him.
“Tareeq…” A voice wept.
“Huh, who’s there?” He asked. He looked around the lake to see who called out to him. He shuddered as he felt a presence next to him. He looked underneath his feet and saw Mia smiling with tears in her eyes. She was in the water!
“Mia!” Tareeq said. “You’re alive.”
“I’ve missed you.” She said wiping the tears from her eyes.
Tareeq, elated, slipped into the water with her; clothes and all. She caressed his face and kissed his lips.
“I’m alone.” She said. “Will you be with me? I won’t hurt you, ever. I’ve taken over as goddess now and I need someone to help me rule.”
He thought about what he was going to do. None of what happened before mattered to him anymore. He was ready to take a chance with Mia.
Tareeq took her hand and lifted up his pinky finger. Mia stretched out her pinky finger as well.
“I promise I’ll be with you always.” He said. They hooked their fingers together. Mia smiled and kissed his cheek.
“Well, let’s go, Brooklyn boy.” She giggled. She took Tareeq’s hand and they dove underneath the waters. As the water turned into a shimmering crystal blue, along with red and green twinkles with their love, Tareeq and Mia never came back up to this realm.
About The Author
Chanel Harry has been writing ever since she was four years old and her calling came when she wrote her first horror story to her parents after they put her on time out.
Chanel has since authored five books and doesn't plan on stopping until her fingers fall off. They are available where books are sold on the world wide web.
When she isn't writing horror tales to scare her readers half to death, she's playing The Sims 3 & 4 or The Witcher 3 with her brothers, or living for drama.