Chapter 7
Ally stares at her hand in the water feeling out the tremors. She can feel the sirens rampaging through the waters; looking to stop them from reaching the temple. "We must get to the falls before they do." Ally races into the thick forest and Austin follows behind her closely. Streams of colors fading behind them, fading so familiarly…
Rain, it's raining, and a bright eyed girl with an over-sized football jacket on sits under a gazebo. The smell of rain is refreshing and exciting. She only hopes her father find her bed vacant. The familiar brunette slides an annoying strand behind her ear; an annoying strand that had escaped her pony tail. She fiddles with her fingers as she waits; nervous and only 16 years old, some would say she is too young to know what love is, however she has loved this boy since the second grade. He is her best friend but so much more. A light brown haired boy, nearly appears soaked, heaving to catch his breath. His eyes a dark brown, and his smile soft. The girl's cheeks blush a bright pink with extraneous heat. Green surrounded the gazebo, foreshadowing happy and new beginnings. There is a rush of bliss as Anders strolls over to Ally, and kisses her tenderly; a flame of passion awakens within her and she finds herself at peace.
Austin and Ally arrive at the center of the forest, to a deep and deceptively small lake. She walks into the water, of what she found to be warm and comforting. She feels herself become one, and slips deeper to the bottom towards the falls. How strange that there is a waterfall hides under the water. Behind the falls is an entrance to the temple. Ally feels her blood rush within her and she suddenly becomes a siren again. 'They are coming,' she realizes. The sirens are rushing in a rampage and it will be a matter of moments before they arrive.
The water fall suddenly splits over the temple, it is aware of her arrival. She swims the water surface, with her heart racing in haste. As her head rises through the water she glares at Austin with a hint of urgency, "We have to hurry, they are coming. They are coming with a full force army, because the tremors are telling them intruders want to get into the temple. They will not listen to reason, because the temple is their first and foremost concern. I need you to open the door as I hold them off. Use some of your supernatural wolf strength if need be, but we have to go now."
Austin sighs, "Nothing can ever be easy huh?"
She gives him an unamused scowl, "Quit complaining and let's go."
"Alright," he strips of his shirt, socks and shoes and takes the tool out of the bag. It is a circular tube with two holes on one side and lined openings on the other.
He jumps into the water and comes up for air. Ally swims over to Austin, "Ready?" He nods in answer and places the tool in his mouth. Ally grabs his arm and pulls him under. She laughs to herself, if he didn't have that tool on it would be a siren situation. He would drown and die. 'Perhaps that isn't so funny,' she checks herself. Austin gives her a peculiar look. "What?" she asks.
"You were thinking about drowning me, weren't you?"
She bites her lip and looks away, "No, not at all."
"Gee, thanks," he growls.
She directs him towards the temple so he can begin attempting to open the door. She scoots further away to view the river opening to the lake. Ally waits for the Sirens. Austin feels around the door, and presses something into it. It causes a warning tremor in the water. Ally realizes if she could feel that so did the other sirens. She feels intense ripples and vibrations in the water. "They're coming," Ally yells. Austin is working on pushing the door open. Ally molds the water into a big wall to keep them back. "You may want to hurry, I know the door is difficult, but they're coming and I don't know how long I'll be able to hold the wall once they get here." He pushes harder.
A brief creek and click sound came from the door. It moved but not enough. Ally uses one hand to hold the wall and the other to increase water pressure to attempt to get the door open. Sirens began appearing and they were infuriated to see a fellow siren assisting a vile human, so they think. They worked at fighting through the wall. "Sorry Austin I can't help you anymore." Ally takes her hand away; she is going to need much more than a wall to fight them off; she didn't want to harm them but may have no choice.
Sometimes things become difficult in life, and there are things you do not want to do but you have to do what is best for yourself and family; so Ally's father says. It has been ten days since Anders has been killed in combat in Afghanistan. It has been nine days since she has found out and eight and a half since she has eaten. She is weak, frail, and thin. She lays constantly in bed sleeplessly, restlessly wishing that death would take her and bring her to her love once again.
Anders had been blown up beyond recognition. It was easier for them to cremate him. He made sure Ally would be taken care of had anything ever happened to him such as this. She did not want the money. Money means nothing, all she wants is him. The man she loves. She ignored her father's worrisome phone calls, Dez's condolence phone calls, and Trish's calls that she would twist everything around to be about her (Narcosis). She paled from staying in bed. Sleep gets away from her. She tried to sleep but sadly she is haunted by his face. Sitting together under that gazebo, she fears what he wants to say, and she wakes; over and over again. Her father finally shows up with her Aunt, "Damn," escapes her dry pale lips.
The wall breaking disrupts her concentration. Ally's eyes glow, and water swirls. Austin grasps on the edge of the door. A massive whirlpool takes the sirens and spins them violently. More show with weapons, many are harmed. Their leader, the siren's daughter, arrives. Stunned, is the best word to describe how the new siren queen felt, at the sight of Ally's great power. She simply says to Ally, "Please stop."
Ally sees her sincere plead, and the whirl pool disperses. The sirens float in the water exhausted and wounded. "You know who I am?" Ally asks tilting her head.
"My mother came to me in a dream. Told me you would come." The wounded sirens look at Ally with disdain. The queen speaks, "Stop, let them in, help her friend. She is welcome, as is her friend Austin."
The other sirens look at the queen peculiarly and read her face. The sirens bow to Ally welcoming her and assist Austin in opening the door. "We guarded this place, so that no one but you may enter," her demeanor is so cold, her eyes as ice, and her heart transparently swells with sorrow. "My mother, her last moments were with you."
"Yes, she… helped me, with many things. Don't hate her. She made peace long ago, and would not wish this life upon you. You were her greatest love and accomplishment. She loves you, deeply."
"How would you know what love is? Look at you. A siren."
Ally smirks, "So it seems… but who knows, perhaps I am something else."
The queen imprints a bitter expression upon Ally, "I don't understand how you can take things so lightly, so nonchalant."
"It only seems that way. I internalize it all. Just as I do not completely trust you or your people."
"With what reason would I have to want to hurt you? You have the blood of the priestess that will free us all. There will be a war, and we will side with you. You are the only one who can become one with the elements. Please." She responds monotone.
"You think I don't know that, however you are all cold creatures. Tell me if you weren't pissed enough that you wouldn't side with William and his gang."
"I despise the man, I would side with my greatest enemy to bring him down."
Ally holds out her hand, "Glad to hear where you stand."
The leader shakes Ally's hand, and then inquires, " Curious, how your survived and how you have changed. I also wonder how it is you overcame the siren's call?"
Ally glances at Austin, "Sometimes you have to face your inner demons, and have some sort of motivation."
"You mean love."
"Not quite sure if it is love. We have an undeniable magnetism, however nothing is as simple as it looks. Your mother saved me. Helped me to look at myself in the mirror without thinking I am cursed or being disgusted at the sight of myself. I am not normal either, so I have just learned to accept myself, but I am still learning a lot about myself at the same time."
"Cherish him. I fell in love once, and it broke me, but he… Austin is a good man. Clumsy and fearful when it comes to those feelings, but do not let him push you away, just as he will not let you." The door screeches open. "We will keep guard, find the gem and we will lock up after you are in, there is an alternate exit. We will be sure no one comes to stop you. See you soon. I will send some away; this may be a blood bath. Oh and be careful, strange things happen in there."
"Thank you, however like I said it is never that simple," Ally touches her arm. She nods. Ally swims over to the entrance and looks at Austin. She enters in first, and he follows behind. They close the door behind them and a water shield covers the door. They swim up and there is an airy area. He takes the piece out of his mouth. "Great… How…" Ally is interrupted by the water. It glows. She feels her tail split into two legs. "Well, this may get interesting," she makes black pants and a tank top appear on her, with leather boots; then she climbs out.
He gives her a funny look, "What?"
"Nothing," he shakes his head.
Ally rolls her eyes, "Whatever, we don't have time for funny looks."
He climbs out, and looks over Ally's legs, "I missed those, and you're right they look great in pants."
She runs her tongue over her teeth and sucks on them, "Shut up, let's just get to work."
"Awe come on, I'm sorry, don't be mad. I was trying to give you a complement." Ally purses her lips and looks away in irritation. She does not have time for this.
Ally sits in the corner of the sun room of Sunrise Mental Rehabilitation. She sits on a bench and stares up at the clear blue skies. Her father placed her here a couple weeks ago. She complies to most things there, such as medication, eating at least a small amount of her food, and then of course daily activities, however she has not spoken once. She feels dull and dead. Hopelessness steals away her soul. She has nightmares and crying fits. The psychiatrists and therapists are unsure on how to handle her. Then a man is brought in; light blue eyes and dirty blonde hair. He yells at the nurses as the techs throw him in the sun room.
His face is a little scruff and he sets his eyes on Ally. He is unruly, and she could see that. She turns her head away. She doesn't have time for this, any of this. She just wants to die. He keeps his eyes fixated on her. Ally can feel it on the back of her neck. None of this was going to turn up well. She bites her lip out of a nervous tick. The stranger strolls over to her, and sits behind her and leans on her back. She lets out a frustrating sigh, and moves. She then gets up, thinking she can go back to her room. He grabs her wrist, "So what're you in for gorgeous?" he says in a low sinister voice, that she found enticing, exciting and attractive.
