Mysterical (Tales of B.O.O. Book 3)

He’d stared too long, stalling. His eyes burned and watered. The cartoony palm trees and waves appeared to move as if fanned by an imagined breeze. He scrunched his eyes shut. The images and colors continued to swirl on the backs of his eyelids.

Swallowing hard, he opened his eyes again, forcing himself to gaze out at the real thing. The bright morning sunlight danced on the breakers. He squinted at the horizon. The ocean went on and on and on until it fell off the edge of the world.

Jaden shuddered.

But he was nothing if not determined. He gritted his teeth, ordering himself to take the first step across the sand toward the water.

Now or never.

Sink or swim.

He would conquer his fear of water if it killed him.

He’d just started a new life, a new home, a new family. He’d turned sixteen a few days ago. It was time to put away childish things. Today was the first day of the rest of his life. Blah-blah-blah and all that inspirational jazz.

It’s just water, for God’s sake. Everybody else thinks it’s fun. Why don’t I?

He scratched his neck so hard it hurt, like he was punishing himself for being weak. For not fitting in.

Okay, Jaden. You got this.

He raised his head and headed towards the sea.

One step. Two. Another. He forced his rubbery legs onward, stumbling awkwardly on the soft sand.

Then it wasn’t soft. It was firm, wet and dark where the tide washed in. He stopped, almost there, sighing as his burning feet cooled. He gasped when a wave rushed up, touching his feet. Touching him. Springing back, he nearly sprawled on the beach.

“Jerk-face. It’s too early for anybody to see you make an ass of yourself.” He clenched his hands and his teeth and stepped forward again. The water licked at his feet with foamy white tongues. It felt soothing and terrifying at the same time.

Another step and he was up to his ankles. Another and it lapped at his calves. The sand beneath his soles melted away with each wave. In and out. In and out. Just like breathing. Something, he reminded himself, that he really should be doing.

Another step and he was up to his knees. Each breath so loud it was almost a gasp.

When the water reached his thighs, he stopped. Far enough for the first time, he decided.

“This isn’t so bad,” he said aloud, trying not to puke. But the truth was, it was really, really bad. He trembled and swayed, his neck itched and his legs stiffened, tingling and numb at the same time.

Then something grabbed him!

Something inhumanly strong wrapped around his legs, clamping them together, ankle to thigh.

“Nooo!” Jaden yelled, toppling into the cold surf. He struggled, gasping for air. Salt and sand stung his eyes. He flailed in the waves, grasping useless handholds of sand and grit.

He was going down. Oh, God. He was going to drown.

With a yell, he kicked out at his attacker, No good. His legs were tightly bound.

Buffeted by whitecaps, he gasped, inhaling seawater, choking. Panicking. He shoved hard at whatever clamped his legs together, putting all his strength into his trembling arms.

His fingers met a strange, alien surface. Slippery, yet warm and sleek. Scales. Jeeze. Had some giant sea snake swallowed his legs? Panic tore through him. A glimpse through the foam. Glossy black scales and a slick, menacing fin.

A sea monster? In the ocean surrounding Azunya! Why had no one warned him? No one cared enough to warn him.

No one had ever cared.

Then from behind, another attacker. Rough hands grabbed his arm, fingers like claws digging in hard.

Jaden bellowed.

He swallowed more salt water, sputtering. His thudding heart shook his entire body. A second pair of hands grabbed him under his other arm, dragging him roughly up and out of the ocean.

Coarse volcanic granules sandpapered his bare back as he was hauled up the shore, away from the waves and their terrifying inhabitants. Turned out his fear of water wasn’t so irrational. He quickly added fear of land to his list.

Once up on the shore, the hands eased their iron grip, but stayed. Warm. Supporting him. Keeping him from collapsing back onto the sand.

Jaden coughed, spewing water, inhaling precious air along with a last few choking droplets.

“Turn him on his side. Recovery position.”

The words were clear, but made no sense to Jaden. He kicked at his new captors, his legs now free. He forced his burning eyes open. Slammed them shut again, blinded by the sun. He scrambled up the wet beach like a startled crab, falling back into dry powdery sand when his legs scuttled faster than his arms.

“Jaden! Jaden! It’s okay. It’s okay. We got you.”

The words made more sense this time. The voice familiar. A voice he was used to obeying, although it wasn’t telling him to pass the ball now. “Coach? Coach Wright?” Jaden gasped, gagging as the last of the inhaled seawater flooded his throat, tasting foul and poisonous. His eyes streamed as he blinked hard, trying to see through salt, sand and tears. “What… What happened?”

“That, my brand new brother, is what we need you to tell us.”

Continued…