Guiding light

Hope

Perdita

The curtains dried and I hang them back, the bathroom looked like new as well as the whole house. It smelled amazingly despite the simple dish soap scent. The freshly washed and dried bedsheets called me and as soon as I laid down I inhaled the scent of the clean fabric that also preserved a bit of the scent of the sun. My heart skipped and beat and I felt a huge smile spreading on my face. I kicked excitedly towards the ceiling and couldn't remember when I was this happy for the last time. Soon tiredness took the better of me and I fall asleep to the sound of the calm waves and seagulls. When I opened my eyes I saw a figure standing next to my bed. I rubbed my eyes and got prepared to be beaten, but the figure didn't move. Instead, he gently caressed my face and smiled kindly.

- Hi! - he said and his voice was like music to my ears. I felt a tear ran down my cheek and I didn't dare to move, just in case he disappears if I move. Tyler smiled and he lit the oil lamp next to my bed. His warm brown eyes looked like amber in the dim light. He took a look around and smiled brighter, with his presence the room suddenly seemed to be brighter than ever before.

- You did an amazing job! I'm so proud of you Perdita! - he said and I kept staring at Tyler in disbelief. He suddenly took a step back.

- Did I scare you? - he asked and as he was getting further I shook my head. I've reached after him but he got further. - No... No.. No... Please! Don't go! Come back! I'm going with you please! - I screamed in my mind but he didn't hear me. I've got out of bed but my legs didn't move. They turned into a fishtail and I reached for the collar. I've ripped it off of my neck and shouted after Tyler.

-PLEASE DON'T GO! - he got even further but I crawled after him stopping in the door. I squeezed my teeth and crawled to the top of the tower. I saw Tyler sailing away on his ship and my heart clenched. I looked down at the waves and watched him getting away from me. I took a deep breath and pulled myself up on the railing. I've swung over and fall into the cold and dark ocean. My lungs seemed to give up and a sharp pain hit my side but it was gone in a second and I could finally breath underwater. Between my fingers grew a membrane like a frog's and I reached after Tyler's ship. I swam as fast as I could because there was no way I let him disappear so easily. I swam to the surface and looked around but he was nowhere to be found.

- He is not coming back. - a voice said and as I turned around I saw a gorgeous woman with a sad smile on her face.

- He will...- I said and she shook her head.

- Humans are just like him, my dear. They promise you the sky and ask for your everything in exchange. Once they got what they aimed for, they dispose of you. Believe me, I've been there. - she tried to approach me and her eyes were just like mine. She had a pretty blonde and greenish hair, a perfect figure, but her beauty was distorted by the pain in her eyes and voice. I swam further from her.

- He is different! - I said and she laughed wickedly.

- How do you know that?! You've met him once! He saw what you are! Do you think humans see us as something magical?! Wake up my daughter! Open your eyes and look around you! When were you ever treated like a treasure?! When was the last time a human turned towards you with a helping hand? - her words hurt and reminded me of the countless pain I've had to endure, but the first thing that came to my mind was the hand Tyler offered and the anger in his eyes while he was looking at the collar in his hand.

- Yes. I've met him only once. But that one time changed everything for me! He is different from the rest and I know because he was the one who reached out to me! - I've lifted my hands up and laughed.

- Tyler reached out to these monstrous hands and tried to save me from my misery! You called me your daughter! Where were you when I needed you?! Why did you left me there for them to be torn and shattered? - the water around us started to swirl and the sky got dark. I felt a fear raising up in my chest. I got worried that Tyler might get caught up in the storm.

- It wasn't my choice to leave you. But it is your choice now to turn your back on me because of a mere human! - her anger built up the waves and I scoffed leaving her there and swimming after Tyler's ship. He was fighting against the huge waves and I saw him struggling. A wave threw him into the ocean and I dived after him but I couldn't see him anywhere. I've screamed his name and searched everywhere. A wave turned the ship upside down and I got trapped under the sinking boat. I saw Tyler's lifeless body slowly sinking as well and I screamed with pain as the darkness swallowed us both. My eyes popped open to a loud noise coming from the direction of the door.

- OPEN THE DOOR YOU f*****g MONSTER! - it was Remy and he was drunk, but I wasn't afraid. I felt relieved that what I just saw was only a dream. I couldn't helo but smile knowing that Tyler might never come back to me, but he is real and he is fine. The door swung open and Remy stormed in. He halt at the door as he saw me standing straight in the clean house with a smile on my face.

- Are you this happy to see me you little vixen? - he asked and tried to be charming. I rolled my eyes and didn't move as he approached. Remy seemed so uselessly pathetic. After seeing Tyler die, I thought that nothing Remy tries to do could ever scare me as much as what I saw. He came closer to me and tried to touch my boobs but I hit his hand away. He growled angrily and started to shout with me.

- HOW YOU DARE TO HIT ME?! - he asked and I felt disgusted by his presence. As if bugs were running up on my legs. I looked towards the open door hoping that Tyler would walk through and take me from here. But Remy reached for me again and this time I didn't hesitate. I've punched him in the face as I saw Tyler doing it and that knocked him out. I've grabbed him by his ankles and dragged him out of the tower throwing his unconscious body out of the door. I shut the door close, and headed back to the tower. I lit the huge light and drew another line next to the others.

My eyes searched the wide ocean in the darkness and I hoped, that Tyler would come back again at least once.