What the Tide Brings

Chapter 8 - Liam - Breathing Underwater

After they stopped into town, to buy a swimsuit for Kaelin, they headed to the undeveloped side of the island, where no tourist or beachgoer ever dared set foot. For some unfathomable reason, Liam was being eaten alive by bugs, but Kaelin was not. He assumed this had something to do with her weird blue blood. She was a bit unhappy about her attire today though. He had to make her change out of the flowy orange dress that she been wearing, into a pair of denim shorts and a tank top. "It's impractical." he tried to tell her.

But she wouldn't listen. She said, "I am a mermaid. What do I care about human practicality?"

He had no response to that.

By the time they got to the halfway mark, Liam was drenched in sweat. His shirt was a full shade darker than when he'd put it on this morning. He stopped and sat on a large boulder. He dug in his backpack for his canteen and unscrewed the cap. He took several long gulps. The water was sweet and refreshing.

"You seem to be leaking." Kaelin wiped a finger across his forehead and examined it. "Quite profusely."

"Yeah," He took a brief pause for panting. "it's called sweat." They had been walking for almost an hour. He knew the trek was worth the hassle, and she would be overjoyed when she saw what was awaiting them, only he hadn't expected it to get so hot so soon. In the middle of the forest, they didn't have the benefit of the sea breeze to combat the heat.

To cool off, Liam lifted the canteen over his head and tipped it, to pour a bit of water over his head. He shook out his wet hair, pushing it back with his hand. The water drizzled down his neck, sending shivers along his spine as the icy tendrils spread down his back.

He wiped a hand across his face to clear away the excess water and looked over at Kaelin. Her eyes wandered around the forest. She caught sight of a bird and followed its path through the treetops. She smiled as it met up with another bird. As he watched her, he noticed that she was completely dry. "How are you not sweating right now? It must be a hundred degrees out here."

"I do not know." she said, still watching the birds flitting about. "Maybe mermaids do not sweat." She let out a small chuckle. "Although, how one would know is beyond me, since we rarely leave the water."

She made a good point.

After Liam guzzled down half the contents of the canteen, he capped it again. He stood, returning the bottle to his pack. Then, he went over to take her hand and pulled her from her birdwatching so they could continue on their way.

About twenty minutes later, they passed the small ravine that meant they were almost there. She got distracted now and then by a flower or an insect that she found particularly interesting. It probably took them an extra half hour to get there with all of the stops, but he wanted her to enjoy herself, even if he was dying of heat stroke.

When they reached the destination, Liam stopped her. It was just around the bend, and he wanted her to be surprised. He took out the bandana that he had brought specifically for this purpose and covered her eyes. He could tell it only added to her excitement. He led her by her hands until they reached the perfect spot.

Then, he pulled the cloth off and said, "Surprise!"

Her eyes went wide with wonder at the sight of the fifty foot waterfall. It was a sight that very few people—who weren't locals—knew about. His grandparents brought him and his brother here for the first time years ago. He hadn't been here in a while. He hadn't had a reason to come back, but he thought that she would like it. Judging from the look on her face, he was right.

"Well?" he asked.

"It is amazing. Can we?" She pointed to the water.

"Yeah, of course."