The Lonely fish in the sea

Heeey! Look at me! Rad! Raddie! Look what I can do! – shouted a young Water Nightmaren girl, tan skinned with jade eyes and watery hair as she carelessly stroked a large wave with her surfboard, performing a brand new trick that she had taught herself.

You're doing great, Amani! But you know you'll never be as great as me! – The boy said smiling and rushing to the water to meet his sister.

Oh yeah? I can be better than you! I am better! – She squealed as she got on top of the surfboard, immediately falling right after, making her brother laugh hysterically while clapping – Hahaha Yes totally! Very good and so much better than me! Hey! Melani! Come on! The water's great today!

Yes! Please come! – the younger Nightmaren said while clinging to her board, trying to throw water at the resting older Water Nightmaren, who sighed and pouted in response.

I don't want to go now, it's cold and I hate it when I have to leave it and get my fins freezing!

Nonsense! – Rad exclaimed as he quickly jumped out of the water, while a calm chilly wind made his fins rise a bit – OH NO YOU'RE RIGHT! – He shivered and proceeded to roll on the warm sand and hide his head, lying like that for a good while. Melani sighed and Amani rushed next to him, disturbed by his sudden silence.

Raddie!? Are you okay?! – Said the younger maren as she poked his back fin knowing it was sensitive spot – It's not that cold in here! What are you doing?! -

Even though he had his head stuck in the sand, he was still able to mumble some things impossible to understand. Amani just pouted and kept poking his fin – You're no fun like this. I can't hear you. –

He stopped moving and didn't reply, not even breathing could be heard. He just stood even more silent than before, covered in water and sand, one could even say he had died just there. Melani stared neutral and Amani stared slightly worried.

Raddie…? – She asked without receiving any response. Her frown grew bigger and her widen a bit – RADDIE PLEASE ANWSER ME – She cried as she hugged his torso and he look back at her laughing – You fall for that every time! –

D-DO NOT! I… I was faking! – She said as she cleaned the tears from her cheeks, trying to look brave, he smiled and hugged her softly – There, come on. You're not a little baby to be crying like that. –

The girl pouted and hugged him back, still frowning

You're mean…

I know.

Come on you two, it's getting late, let's go home. – Melani said as she got up and cleaned the sand from her hands, only to have two pairs of huge blue and jade eyes staring at her – Aww… Can't we stay for a little longer? – The younger said.

No puppy eyes, you two. Let's go.

They sighed and proceeded to follow her home, it actually was getting late and maybe a bit cold outside. Luckily, their house wasn't that far away, just on the other side of the beach. After leaving the younger at home with a short "I'll be right back, don't leave the house" warning, Melani left to the ocean to go get something for her two siblings to eat.

They had no parents and it was her job as the older sister, to take care of them. Even though both Radwan and Amani were old enough to go get it themselves, or maybe just Rad, since Amani was barely seven. But Melani just worried too much.

The sea was never a safe place, even for the most experienced Water Nightmaren, danger lurked in every corner and they could easily fall prey to whatever kind of Nightmare creatures that lived in the sea. Naturally she came back safely and soon enough, after dinner, they all went to bed, simply to rest a bit.

Just you wait, Raddie! Tomorrow I'll beat you in surfing! – Amani said to her brother who chuckled even if he was half asleep.

Yeah, that'll be fun to watch! – He replied

Go to sleep you too. It's late. – Amani sighed while her two younger siblings giggled a bit, Amani covered her mouth to stop the giggles and Rad yawned – Fiiine. Just cheer up a bit. Good night! –

He curled up a bit more on his bed, feeling uncomfortable because of his back fin that grew bigger every day, making it impossible for him to lay straight and feel comfortable at the same time. He hated that fin but knew that it meant that he was growing up and soon enough he'd be a grown up, though he was thirteen years old, so he had much better things to think about, or so he thought. It took him a while, but soon enough he fell asleep, along with Amani and Melani.

It was probably not even 7am, and Rad had woken up a bit confused. He had heard a suspicious noise and when he looked back at his younger sister's bed, he noticed it was empty. Even though he was used to her always waking up before everyone else, he felt like it was a bit too soon. He got up for his bed, avoiding making any sort of sound that would wake his resting older sister. He rushed outside their room but a voice startled him

Up so soon? – Rad jumped scared and looked back at Melani who grinned at him with a mocking look

What are you two planning to do so soon? – She continued a bit worried. Rad just looked at her and pouted – Where's Amani? – He asked

The older girl just yawned and looked at him confused

- What do you mean?

- She's not on her bed. Didn't you see her leave?

- I did, but I was too tired to say anything, though you getting up got me quite curious. – She looked at him still mockingly and he just groaned and walked out of the room. He explored all over their house despite how small it was she wasn't inside. Though while looking around, he noticed a small detail that had caught his attention. Her surfboard was gone. He sighed and smiled, silly girl just went out to the beach, which happened to be right in front of their house, and out to practice to become better than her much more experienced older brother, so he thought.

He just looked outside, just to check on her, but the sight he saw would shock him forever. He did saw her, but surrounding her, were three other Nightmaren. Rad had never seen that kind of Nightmaren, they were very tan and their hair resembled flames, were they Fire Nightmaren? Amani lied on the floor crying as they laughed at her, kicking her while mocking her inability to get up.

Rad shivered, he would never EVER let anyone bully his precious little sister, so why? Why did he felt… afraid? Were these guys any different from others? No! They weren't and no one would ever touch her or hurt her in any way! He stepped out and rushed to them, trying to keep a brave look while hiding his shaking fins.

Hey! Leave her alone! – He shouted at the group, which stared back at him, looking indifferent.

Who's this douche? – One of them asked

RADDIE! HELP ME! – The little maren begged before she was grabbed by the horns and got her fins pulled, strongly enough for it to hurt. Rad groaned and punched the one who held her, a strong female, whose glare could scare the strongest of their feet. Hit in the stomach, she tried to keep a plain face and stared down at him

LET HER GO OR ELSE I'LL –

Or else you'll what? – She said interrupting him – You're going to hit me again and make me cry? Think again! – After finished that sentence she pushed him to the sand and the other two who came with her, two boys, laughed hysterically. Rad kept his serious scared look as he tried to get up, being quickly stopped by the fire girl who pressed him against the floor with her foot.

Hey gimme the girl, I wanna try something! – One of them said as he grabbed Amani who sobbed desperately as the stranger held her body then proceeded to grab her horns, he grinned maniacally and looked at Rad

Is it true what they say? – His grin grew wider as Rad looked at him confused, unable to move. – Do tell me – He continued – Are Water Nightmaren's horns really as fragile as everyone else says they are? – After finishing that sentence, he tightly held one of Amani's horns and broke it the same way one removes a small branch from a tree. Amani cried and screamed at the pain and the sight of her own blood being mixed in her watery hair, Rad struggled to move despite the girl's boot to be hurting his chest. Furious, she glared at him

Stop moving or else you'll be next!

The one who held the little girl groaned as he got more and more annoyed by her screaming, and proceeded to stab her in the chest with her own horn which resulted on her screaming even more while coughing blood that made his body dirty, he quickly broke her other horn and stabbed her with it. Her screams grew silent as her once lively jade eyes lost their sparkle and she just stared at her brother with lifeless eyes, but before she could say any last words, a strong stab in her small heart was enough to take her life away.

Disgusted, the male threw her body at the floor and as the waves from the beach washed up her blood the other one just laughed hysterically

Fragile as glass! At least you made it look like it!

Urgh… yeah but her screaming…

The female smiled and looked down at Rad, who was in tears staring at her terrified

WHY?! WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!

My dear friend just wanted to test her horns but she wasn't cooperating, though we didn't quite prove anything. She was very young and her horns were still very weak – Still glaring at him, her grin grew wider – But you're a much mature specimen, perhaps yours are stronger? – She smiled sweetly and rubbed his chin, but unlike their horns, Water Nightmaren teeth were as strong and sharp as the ones of sharks and she had to learn that the hard way. As soon as her hand was close to his face he bit her as hard as he could though her reflexes were quicker and punched him, leaving him almost unconscious. He stared at her and mumbled with blood falling from the corner of his mouth – I'll… I'll kill you…

Ow he nearly chopped out my finger, huh? What was that?

I'LL KILL YOU! EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU! – He screamed with tears streaming down his face, feeling even dizzier from the punch. The group laughed and the girl laughed the most but soon stopped as soon as she saw yet another Water Nightmaren who looked deadly and furious, with a few tears rolling down her cheeked – What did you do…? – She mumbled and without a second thought, she rushed and fought the fire girl and the other two. Rad stared almost unconscious, mumbling – No… Mel… Melani… Just go away… They will hurt you… - Though his mumbling could never be heard by his fighting sister and his dizziness just made him more tired, so he thought of resting a bit. He laid his head on the sand and stared at Amani's corpse. Melani kept fighting but the fight had turned silent for the young boy, he kept staring at his dead sister still crying – I'm so sorry… - He whispered as he closed his eyes.

Perhaps he was dreaming? Maybe when he woke up, his sister would still be alive and both would go surfing together as he would teach her his best tricks, and maybe… just maybe, Melani would join too, and then they would be happy. Yes. That would be amazing…

He didn't hear anything at all, was he dead? Had the fight ended? It didn't matter anymore, he kept dreaming of having a good time, but at some point he had to wake up. He opened his bright blue eyes and noticed he was in the same spot as before. The sky was clear and the sun shone bright as ever. The water was fresh and the small waves would wet his scaled legs. He was alone and simply got up and walked home, Melani cooked in the kitchen and Amani hummed a happy song that she came up with. Rad smiled, it was all a dream. He walked to his room like nothing had ever happened and stared at the beds, but his thoughts were interrupted by two echoed voices – Coward. – They said. He looked behind himself and gasped. Amani and Melani stared at him, yet they didn't look like themselves, their skin looked rotten with visible bones and their eyes were gone leaving only two large black gaps on their faces. Rad was about to scream at the sight when he noticed something. Melani had one of her horns stabbed on her stomach while Amani had both craved in her chest and was filled with blood and scars. Rad didn't wonder why wasn't Melani as bloody as Amani, he just screamed, begging for forgiveness for being such a coward and the worst excuse for a brother, both of them walked towards him, trying to grab him and he just felt his breath being taken away, like he was drowning and suddenly just gasped for some air. Sand…? Water...? He was lying on the sand with half of his body underwater, he stared shocked at the sky and got up. It was the same sky as before and he was back in his first spot on the sand, he looked around terrified with everything and he saw a dirty red spot on the sand, the same spot where little Amani's corpse was thrown to, except it wasn't there anymore. He pinched himself all over his body, to make sure this wasn't another twisted nightmare, but nothing happened. This was real. This was what happened. The Fire Nightmaren group and both of his sisters were gone and the sudden thought crossed his mind "Where's Melani?" The last thing he remembered was her fighting the group and now… she was gone too…

He shivered at the thought of her also being dead, they weren't very close but he would never want her to get hurt, but he had to accept it, there was more blood on the sand, and if she did have survived the fight, she would still be around, probably helping him. He noticed their house far away and with a hint of hope, he rushed inside. The house looked exactly the same as when he left, except that there was no one inside. Not even dear Melani. The only thing left was some furniture and the memories of a happy life. He cried a bit but quickly cleaned his tears. From now on, he was alone and would have to take care of himself, something he'd always thought to be capable of doing, yet realized he had no idea of how to do so. He walked around the house feeling stressed, irritated and hurt, looking around the rooms always in hope to find someone. It was all pointless, he felt empty, not knowing what he could do, he just stomped his foot on the floor and screamed while shouting laments for his loss, all that for five whole minutes until he just lied on the floor sobbing exhausted. There was nothing else left for him, he was all alone in a scary huge world and he had to live like that from now on, his only family was gone and he would never have the courage to venture himself too far from home.

The next days were like hell for him, he had to go deeper in the ocean to get anything to eat while avoiding the terrible sea creatures, and for the first time he understood why Melani never really liked to be in the water. He had to learn how to cook and clean the house that would always have sand everywhere, but he wasn't good with any of those. But the nights would be even worse, he would normally have vivid dreams but those were nothing compared to the ones he was having now. His nightmares were twisted and vivid. He'd dream about his sisters, corpses, blood and getting his horns twisted and his body bent in unnatural ways. He soon tried to stop sleeping, fearing his own dreams. But his exhaustion would never allow that. He grew paranoid and even started to see things from the corner of his eyes, mostly two female shapes, always a young adult and a small girl. One day he just snapped, he had to leave that house and whatever was tormenting him to find a new home where the nightmares would find him no more. Grabbing the cover from his bed and making a small bag with it, he went to get everything he needed to get out of that hell, it was only 5am but he could care less about the time. His sanity was what truly mattered at the moment. As he prepared to leave he saw something. Next to his bed was a seashell necklace Amani had made for him, even though he had refused to wear it because "necklaces are for girls" are couldn't help but go get it. It wouldn't be his sister's last wish for him to wear the necklace, but it would be the least he could do. He walked outside and stared at the house, several memories came to him, and he shivered and closed the door. It was time for him to leave but he couldn't help but stare, but he had to go, he shook his head and walked away, he didn't know where he was going, he didn't know anything, all he wanted was to start everything all over again and that would require a lot of emotional strength. It didn't matter anymore for him, nothing mattered anymore.