Aquata Cove Ch. 51

"Freeze!" Came an official voice, though Merrick did not move at all. One of the security guards of the cruise came running up to them, "We've got word that a fight has ensued here." Merrick does not even turn to acknowledge the officer, "Sir, if you would-"

"I-It was me!" Daniel spoke up as he came up to the officer, "Me and my boyfriend were in an argument with him," He reported, "He kept trying to walk away, but I wouldn't let him...

"We exchanged words, and I shoved him. He was only trying to defend himself because... He's still recovering from a traumatic experience." Daniel said with half-truth, convincing most of the passersby that heard him.

"So it was the two of you," The officer indicated Daniel and Jacob, "That provoked this young man, knowing full well that he has emotional problems."

"Yes. I wasn't thinking..." Daniel lied.

"Merrick!"

The merman turned, and looked, seeing Adam there, holding a wondrous bouquet of flowers.

Anger and hurt began to seep into Merrick's mind again, before he turned, and started to walk away. "No! Merrick, wait!" Adam chased after him.

~~~

Syrinx walked right into the game hall, her heart going wild in her chest. "O-Oh my God..." She uttered.

"It's ok, honey," Kevin said as he put his coffee down, and embraced her tightly.

"H-He was going crazy... He- And you, he was going to-"

"It's gonna be alright," His arms hold her tight.

"I told you to stay away from him!" She said as she hits him a little, "Don't ever try and-"

"I won't, baby, I won't! I swear..."

~~~

"Merrick, wait for me, will you?!" Adam called out as Merrick strode from him, refusing to look back. "STOP!"

Adam grabbed his wrist, and his merman ceased his step.

"Alright... Look..." Adam took a deep breath, "Merrick, I'm sorry I-" The merman whipped around, and took a quick swipe at Adam, "AH!" Adam backed up with a stagger, his lover looking at him with those pissed-off sapphires. He noticed a silk lace between Merrick's fingers, and looked to see one of the three glitter shells on the bouquet is missing.

"You don't even know what I'm mad at... Do you?" Merrick asked as his fist shook.

"Merrick, I'm-"

"Just leave me alone, Adam!" Merrick spat out, "I can't love you right now..." Adam gasped silently at Merrick's statement, "I can't even look at you..." Merrick turned and began to walk away. Adam gulped as he stepped forward, and put a hand on Merrick's shoulder.

"Please..." Adam said lowly. Merrick didn't say anything. Adam looked down as he heard a crack, and felt his stomach sink as Merrick's fist shakes, and seeing a dribble of blood seep and drip from the lace string from the shell he swiped.

"Adam..." Merrick growled, "Don't allow me to strike you again..."

With reluctance, Adam lifts his hand from Merrick's shoulder, shaking with sadness as Merrick strode away again. He whimpers as he sees Merrick's hand let go, and drop the broken glitter shell shards onto the floor, half covered in wet crimson.

--Several Hours Later--

Jamal walks down on the deck, wearing a skimpy g-string that barely contains his large, juicy junk, and a goofy smile on his face, while he holds his jersey shorts over his shoulder like a towel.

He turns the corner, and spots Adam over at the railing. The poor man slumps on the railing with his chin on the rail, as he holds a rose in his hands, with a whole bouquet placed right next to his feet. Adam plucks a petal from the flower, and drops it down for the foam trail of the ship to catch, before going to pull another red petal off.

"Ah naw..." Jamal sighs as he puts down his shorts, and pulls them up between his legs before he approached Adam. "Hey man..." Adam didn't answer, but just kept plucking the petals from the rose, and letting them fall gracefully into the ocean, until the flower was just a stem and a yellow mound, which he also let drop into the sea.

"Is he... Still mad?" Jamal asked. Adam nodded slowly, "Is ok, man..." Jamal said in a weak attempt to sound encouraging, "Every thing's gonna work out okay..."

Adam slowly shook his head, refusing to take his half-lidded eyes off the dusk. Jamal frown as he stood by his friend. He bent over, and pulled out a lily from the bouquet, and held it for him. Without breaking eye contact with the horizon, Adam took the lily, and held it over the railing, just like with the rose. His fingers pressed on one of the petals, and plucked it off before letting it drift and glide over the water.

~~~

What felt like seconds, Merrick finds himself on the roof of one of the sections of the cruise ship. He's not sure how he managed to get up here, but he keeps there, isolated from anyone else on the ship. He lays there with his eyes half lidded, hollow and shaded with remorse.

He feels somewhat guilty for deceiving Adam, telling him he's going to throw himself to the Capricorn. Of course he's not going to willingly give himself to the end, but for everything that Adam said...

"He doesn't appreciate me..." Merrick muttered, "Humans... They can't appreciate what they have..." He groans as he unfurled himself, "And he is no different..."

Merrick sits up, and puts his fist to his chest, "O Wise and Shining Sea Mother Atargatis..." He prayed, "Hear my soul and the resonance of my heart...

The merman sighed as he looked up to the bright moon, "I ask for peace... And Guidance..." Even the cold winds blowing on and around him cannot sooth the hurt he feels inside.

"How has it come to this..." He asked, "How have I... An Adra Triton of the Piscien merfolk... Have lost everything..." Merrick sniffles as he prays, "How have I disturbed the waves of fate in a single red moon... To have been cast out... To now bear a painful truth from my own mate..." He shakes and holds back his cries.

"How has my life... Come to this..." He looks up with gleaming eyes, "What have I done wrong... To feel this storm inside me for so long..."

Merrick curls forward a little, sobbing softly as he tries to let his emotions flow from inside him, along with the winds of the ocean air.