What the Tide Brings

Chapter 48 - Liam - Building Pressure

Liam clung tightly to a chunk of debris from the boardwalk, floating haplessly trying to get himself back to shore. The mermaid had dragged him a long way out, further than he'd ever been without a boat. It was a bit nerve-racking to be surrounded by so much open water. The shore was a good mile ahead.

Liam wished Kaelin hadn't sent him away, but he understood why she had to. He was a distraction at a time when she needed to remain clearheaded.

Still, he couldn't help himself from dipping his head into the water to take a look back to the spot where he thought she would be.

His eyes grew wide at the sight of so many spots of pale golden light. They were close enough still that their glow was visible now that the moon had drifted behind a cloud and left the water in complete darkness.

Liam picked his head up to take a breath. He turned to look towards the safety of the shore, then back to the sea, where Kaelin was possibly in trouble.

He couldn't do it. He couldn't leave knowing that she might need his help, if only to provide a distraction so she could escape. So, without a second thought, he released his hold on the large wooden plank and dove back down to go find the mermaid that he loved.

As he swam deeper, the pressure started to build in his ears, his lungs started burning, and an aching pain grew in his head. His brain felt too big for his skull, like it might explode out through his forehead, but that didn't deter him. He kept diving deeper, past the point of spots in his vision and streaks of light that probably weren't really there.

He could see them, now. They were a few hundred feet away, which meant he had drifted farther than he thought. He didn't know if his body could take the pressure of being submerged this deep, nor could his lungs survive the oxygen deprivation much longer, but he had to do something to help.

Suddenly, everything around him grew brighter, if only marginally. He suspected that the moon had come out of hiding, and just in time.

Halfway buried in the sand, Liam noticed the tip of one of the silver harpoons. He swam down and pulled it from the sand. Much to his surprise, it wasn't just a harpoon. It was the whole gun, with one bolt loaded, ready to fire.

Dizziness had fully set in; his vision was growing dark and a bit fuzzy. He wasn't sure if he could actually hit anything, but maybe the bolt flying through their ranks would be enough of a distraction.

Liam pointed the gun towards the spots of gold light and pulled the trigger just as everything started to go dark. The last thing he remembered was opening his mouth to swallow the salt water, unable to hold off any longer, his brain craving fresh air.