Daughters of Triton--Adella

CHAPTER 6: If Ariel Was Here

Adella sat quietly on her bed and stared at the picture of Ariel. She wanted to be like her so much. Courageous, adventurous, fun…but she couldn’t be any of those things. She was just too scared.

She wiped a quiet tear from her eye and, moving over to the window, she left the picture on the bed. Outside people shouted and laughed and cried. She wanted to go out there, but she knew that the outside world held problems. Venturing into it could be deadly.

A beautiful, wonderful, terrifyingly deadly world lay before her but she could not will herself out of the window.

* * * * *

I wish Ariel was here. She would know what to do if she was here. If she was here I wouldn’t be so frightened. If she were here…if she were here…

My eyes frantically search the crowds rushing past me. Why oh why did I agree to come out shopping with Andrina. She doesn’t want me out here and I don’t want to be here among so many people. I could so easily get hurt.

If Ariel were here, she would stay with me; she would help me find somewhere to sit quietly and calm down. She understood my fears. She knew how to calm me down.

But she isn’t here; I am all alone, and I know my sisters won’t help me; they don’t care what happens to me.

I can feel people bumping into me and I hear shouts to move, but I just can’t. I am paralyzed, riveted in the water to this spot, held by invisible tethers.

I can see a carriage up ahead. It is going so fast and headed straight towards me! The driver can’t see me! I want to move, oh how I want to move, but I can’t! I close my eyes and scream.

I feel my body pushed and twisted. My head hits something hard and a wave of pain travels through my brain. I hear murmuring voices…and one voice that seems to stand out. It is calling to me…saying my name.

I open my eyes wide and see James floating next to me. He is my closest friend…my only friend. His red-brown hair is short and tight to his face, and his green eyes stare down at me intently.

“Adella, what were you doing?! Why didn’t you move?” he asks impatiently.

“Am I dead?”

“No, I pushed you out of the way just in time. Lucky for you I happened to be only a few yards away and when I heard someone shout your name, I turned and saw a carriage heading straight towards you. You hit your head pretty hard on the rock there, but you aren’t dead. Now, what was wrong with you?!”

“I….I couldn’t move. I was so scared, and I didn’t know what to do. I just…froze.”

“Well, come on,” he sighs and picks up one of my hands, “I’ll go get you lunch. You need to rest somewhere quiet.”

* * * * *

I play with a piece of my food, picking it up and letting it fall again…thinking of all the happiness Ariel has and all the sorrow I have.

“Adella, what’s wrong?” James asks, I almost forgot he was there.

“Nothing…just…no, never mind, nothing.”

“Adella,” he says, taking my hands and staring straight into my eyes, “when there is something wrong with you, it hurts me too, so tell me what is bothering you so I can help. If not for your sake, do it for mine.”

“I…I just miss Ariel,” I say. It is the first time anyone has forced me to talk about her and suddenly I can’t hold back sobs. My eyes tear up and I pray that they don’t fall out of my eyelids.

“Oh…oh, Adella, I remember how close you were to her.”

“She knew all my fears and she embraced them. She could calm me down so easily and she always looked out for me. My other sisters…I know they love me, but…they don’t understand my fears…they find me silly…they always have…Ariel…”

“She was the only one who watched out for you, huh?”

I can only nod in agreement; the sobs in my throat won’t let me speak. James has let go of my hands and has moved over next to me. He puts his arm around my shoulders and hugs me tightly.

“You don’t have to worry, Adella. You may not have Ariel anymore, but you have me. I can watch out for you. I can protect you. I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise. You’ll be safe with me, if you let me care for you.”

I feel safe at last, my head is buried into his chest and I can feel streams of tears on my face, but I don’t care anymore…I am safe.