Romance with the Cursed Siren

CHAPTER 23. Horrible Discovery

Crystal stayed at the back platform of the boat while soaking her tail in the water until the water seemed familiar to her. She slowly moved and dived in and she wasn’t mistaken, she’s home.

“Pearl, we’re here!” Crystal cried as she swam along with the boat.

“Alright. We need to be careful and wait until you switch back with your feet.” The courageous Pearl suggested.

“I can’t believe I’ll be doing this, but there is no turning back now!” She exclaimed, pulling out something from her bag.

“Pearl! Why do you have a gun? Do you know how to use it?” Crystal asked, feeling worried.

“Don’t worry, dear. This?” raising the gun-like thing.

“This is a tranquilizer and it can’t kill anything, but could paralyze badly whoever got shot,” she announced and blew on the top of it playfully.

Crystal leads Pearl to the cliff part of the island where a pile of big rocks is located. It is also the same shore where Gabriel used to park before. It made Crystal sad remembering about him but her priority now is to save her parents, which she didn’t know yet that a horrible scene will about to welcome her, which also shocked Gabriel yesterday.

Pearl took off her clothes, leaving her underwear, and also dived into the water while waiting for Crystal’s transformation. She swims along with Crystal, watching the corals and fishes below. The beautiful water that surrounds the island amazes the diver, though she experienced a lot of wonderful underwater destinations from different places. Still, the Caro marine seems even more bizarre. She also thought that it could be because of the siren strolling around and protecting her territory from any harm. She continues examining while enjoying the new underwater discovery until her eyes darted to Crystal, who is currently having her transformation. 

After the switch, they swim back to the boat and prepare themselves for their unplanned rescue. Slowly, they trail the forest, carefully as they thought that someone might notice them. Until finally they have arrived.

“No,” Crystal’s first word and dashed towards their burnt cabin while Pearl abruptly covered her mouth because of the shock of events.

“No! Mom! Dad!” she screamed, but no one hears her except Pearl and the animals around. She felt weak suddenly, staring at her home.

“No, this is not happening!” her tears flowed nonstop as her body dropped to the ground.

“Mom, Dad, where are you? Why didn’t you wait for me?” she muttered between her sobs and hiccups, while Pearl walked closer to her and hugged her broken friend, joining to her loneliness.

“What should I do now? I can’t live without them, Pearl.”

“Maybe they are still out there, we'll find them okay?” Pearl tried to put some encouragement to Crystal, even though she wasn’t sure. Crystal nodded and slowly stood up from the ground and wiped her tears, taking a deep breath.

“My father’s yacht is on the other side of the island, they must be there.” 

“Alright, we will go there.” Pearl agreed, but when they arrived at the area, they saw nothing but a wrecked bridge.

“No,” Crystal whispered heavily. 

All her life, she wakes up every morning seeing her parents around. Her dad, who’s always busy doing everything that is needed to fix the house while her mother always keeps their house tidy. Both of them help each other give Crystal a comfortable life as much as possible even without help from the other.

“This too much, it feels so heavy.” Crystal hardly said, crumpling her chest. 

“This is all my fault. If only I’ve been careful that day, no one will see me. My parents will not be in danger. I shouldn’t have run away, I should have stayed with them, but I’m so selfish.” Crystal said, crying her heart out, wishing everything was just a dream.

“Crystal, don’t say that. Your parents always want your safety. For sure they also don’t want you blaming yourself. Be strong for them and head to the next chapter of your life and survive just like they always want you to.”

“But how? What’s the sense of moving forward now if I don’t have any reason to?” Crystal argues, feeling so down and worthless. Pearl sat beside her on the sand and held her hand.

“That’s not true. You were born in this world for a reason, all of us. Believe me, this is not the end. I’ve been through a lot too and realize that hardship is just a word. You can do this okay?” but Crystal didn’t respond and so Pearl just grip her hand tightly, making her feel that she is not alone.  

Pearl drowned into sleep, making herself comfortable on the boat while Crystal soaks half of her body the entire night in the sea and prays for her parents until the sun rises.

“Weird,” she muttered after her switch.

“What’s weird?” Pearl heard her, who’s already awake and now standing in front of her.

“I did not feel hurt by my transformation like hell as before, or maybe because my body became numb from the pain already.” She coldly said, staring at her tail.

“Crystal, you are so beautiful,” Pearl commented, looking down at her.

“There is no beauty in being cursed.” she bluntly retorted.

“If not because of my condition, we will not be living on this island. I will not have to hide from everyone. My parents might still be alive by now.” She bitterly stated. Pearl sat beside her on the shore, where the waves were just right to splash the siren.

“Crystal, don’t let gravity pull you down. All of us have lots of difficulties in life. It may be in different scenarios, but the feeling is almost the same. It feels like you don’t want to live anymore and are afraid to continue because the people who used to be beside you all the time before have gone. But think about this, do you really want your parents’ sacrifices just to fly away like that because you felt so hurt to give an effort to it and be courageous?.” She told her while squeezing her hand.

“Don’t embrace the sorrow that could lead you to death, instead, embrace life, because it could lead you to a thousand reasons to move ahead.” but Crystal is just quiet on her spot while playing with the sand beneath her with her hands. Pearl just heaved a deep sigh, she understands that Crystal needs to gather strength after what happened and she also knows that it will surely take time before she can totally move on, but believes that someday she will.

“I guess we need to go back. There is no signal in here. Roxanne and Carol might worry about us by now.” Pearl invited her, standing up already.

“Pearl, I think it’s better for you if you just leave me here. I don’t want to bring trouble to you and your family. You have done so much for me and that’s enough.” 

“Come on, don’t say that. How can I leave you alone here? That will not happen. You are coming with me, whether or not you like it. I’ll tie you up if I need to, so don’t argue with me.”

“But what if the surrounding people become suspicious? I can’t stay with you,” Crystal kept on refusing as she shook her head negatively and about to get into the water when Pearl spoke again.

“Crystal, please. My father has a hidden shack in the coastal inlet, and people rarely go there so you can stay. You’re safe there, I promise.” Pearl keeps on convincing her but instead of answering, Crystal dive into the deep, leaving her with a troubled heart.

Pearl hopped onto the boat already and started the engine, and before she could get too far from the island, she saw Crystal swimming along with the boat on the side. She smiled.

*****

“Where have you been again this time?” Joemar disappointedly welcomes Gabriel, who just arrived from his desperate adventure. He was in the living area with his wife when Gabriel suddenly came.

“You didn’t even inform your fiancee and just left without saying a word?” He added.

“Joemar, would you stop that?” Camila interrupted her husband and walked towards her son.

“What are you doing here? You should be in the office right now, right?” Gabriel inquired, diverting the topic.

“Son? What happened to you? Are you okay? Are you sick?” Camila inquired, cupping her face.

“I’m fine mom, don’t worry about me.”

“You sure?”

“Of course, he is! Stop treating her like a kid Camila. How would he become mature if you keep on tolerating his misdeeds?”

“Misdeeds? It is you who forced him to get engaged. He was never like this until you chose your company rather than your child.” Camila retorted in a hostile way.

“Please, could you stop it already? Don’t worry, dad. I’ll finish everything tomorrow, I swear.” Gabriel interrupted, rubbing his temple because of the sudden pain.

“How can you be the next president if you can’t handle your current position well? You keep your appointment in the queue, aren’t you aware that some of our clients withdraw from their deals because of that attitude? Why do you keep on failing me, son?” but Gabriel seems not to like the words that came out from his father and looks at him with a serious expression.

“With all due respect, dad, how can you say that I fail you when I obey each of your demands? I even agree to be engaged to Rachel, and it’s only because of you. Tell me, is there something else that I haven’t done yet to please you?” but his father didn’t respond to him. Gabriel just heaved a deep sigh.

“Excuse me,” He said and went ahead of his room.

He slumped his back on the bed, looking up to the ceiling as he also pulled out Crystal’s pearl bracelet.

“Why didn’t you wait for me?” he mumbled and brought the bracelet to her chest before he closed his eyes when suddenly his phone rang. Rachel is calling, but he just declined the call and turned off his phone.