- Feb 1925
Nicolas pushed the branches away as he tried to open his tent with Rupert and 2 geographers. Everyone got a huge back pack on their shoulders, each of them carried essentials: Maps, food, modest timepiece. It's been almost 9 months in Amazon, They can't explore too deep due to their traveling by boat. They have took notes, and photos along with few specimen collected in their boxes.
They create a little bonfire, and start cooking their dinner. Nicolas talk about his family as they grilling hotdogs. Rupert couldn't listen to it any longer so he decide to go for a walk. He wandering for a while, and then he found a folded leaf that were folded in the shape of shoes. He quickly run back to the camp with the leaf shoe in his hand.
"Nicolas, look!" he said and show it to his friend.
"Wow! you made that?" Nicolas asked as the geographers take a good look at it.
The bushes fluttered as something hidding in the woods, watching the Occam's group as they talking in their camp.
"No, I found it" Rupert said.
"Maybe it's just another undefined kind of leaf." geographers replied.
"I know, what I'm looking at, it's not natural, someone must have made it. I know it because Janis have more than 100 of shoes!" Rupert explained.
"SO…" the geographers said slowly, "You believe she's here?"
"No, but what' I'm trying to say is there might be tribes a-"
Rupert didn't have enough time to finish his words because the tribes of people that dress modesty with feathers, and painting. They pointed their wooden weapons at the team, cause them to stood up back to back with their hands up in the air.
The tribe took the team back to the villege, and burned all the photos, and guns. They set all the specimen freed as the Occam team were tied against a wooden pillar. Nicolas, and Rupert along with the geographers mourned for the work. They traveled so far just to watch their work being destroyed.
The noises outside was louded enough to cause Karian, and Janessa to woke up. The house was dark due to the night time, but the orange fire light still can shone in from the outside. Janessa rub her eyes as she sat up on her bed.
"What the hell is going on?" she said sleepily as the noises outside still goes on.
She stand up slowly with Karian's help, they open the door, and found the Wayanas gathered outside as they captured something. It took awhile for her eyes to adjust, but her eyes have catch a person who she remembered all her life.
"Father!"
The tribe quickly turn their head from the Occam's team to where the voice came from. Rupert, can hear the foot step running to him. And there she was, stood in front of him in a tiny white dress and her belly was round!?
"Janessa?" he said in disbelieve.
A fishman ran to stood by her side as she turned around to face the tribe. The Occam's team look at her in surprise. Nicolas and Rupert can't believe their eyes, how did she survive from the ocean? and did she got pregnant!? however the thing that fascinated them the most was the amphibian man that stood next to her.
"Não o machuque, ele é meu pai" she said to the tribes
The tribe apologized the team, and greeted them with kindness before went home as Janessa and Karian took them home. She asked to have a private talk with her dad while Karian take care of the others.
She explained to her father how she survived, how she lived with the tribe, found her lover, and married. She told him she's expecting another child, and begged him to let her stay in with her family.
"Are you crazy!? Absolutely no!" he protest.
"Why?" she asked in horror.
WHY!? how could she asked him that!? he's her father for god sake! she dissapeared almost a year, and then showed up with her fish boyfriend that knock her up!
"Because you're my daughter, and I can't let you marry that fish man too!" he tell her.
"But he sarcrifice everything for me!" she shout at her father, "I won't leave him!"
"You've watched movie too much! It's a freak! I take care of you all your life! and you choose it over me?" He asked in anger.
He gave her everything! everything he did he did for her, but what she gave back was the grief in her eyes. Their second beginning still wait for them in Baltimore. Why can't she be happy for him?
"You're not understanding me." she cried.
What had gotten into her!? She's never been this way! She is desperate, maddened with animalistic terror that grows in her eyes. Her eyes glisten with tears as the feelings inside her burst out like volcano.
"You said I watch to much movies, read too much book. You said I'm too naive, and each time I tried to explain you never let me finish, have you ever let me speak?" she aske simply.
She looked at him in the eyes as her both eyes were red rimmed with tears still there. She want him to look at her, want him to understand her for once in her life.
"He accepted me without regard to who I was or where I came from." she started, "He loves me even he can not express himself as much as he should.", her face light up as he talk about his good side, "But still he stand by my side no matter what happen.", and her eyes become determind, "So thank him, I will never leave him, or take his child away from him. "
She've said all she can, she know she was young, but she want him to stop thinking she's living in a fantasy. She won't ask anything more from him except just let her stay with her family.
"Go pack your clothes, we'll return to baltimore tomorrow," his words cause her to break.
Sohoka, and Charley were hidding behind a tree, they heard all the conversation, and quickly return inside the barrier, and rush home to tell their family.
"Why should we help them? they got themself in trouble." Banowi asked.
How could he!? Karian is his brother! for god sake! why can't he just let go of his pride, and do what should be done?
"But they are our family, aren't we suppost to help?" Charley asked.
"You are still young and naive, son. You don't understand white people, they are wild like beast." Banowi told him, "They destroy river, and nature!"
"But not all of them!" Sohoka protest, "Why you have to be so racist?"
Why does he hated them so much, they have never done any harm to him, why can't he accept Janessa like everyone?
"As soon as you set eyes on Janessa, you made up your mind about her!" Charley shouted, "She love Karian, and that's already made her our family!"
"So if you aren't gonna help them, fine!" Sohoka shout sarcasticly, "I'll go ask others instead.".
Sohoka leave the house with Charley to go ask others gods family to help them for whole night. Sohoka told all gods what happened outside the barrier. All of them know Janessa, and her good deeds. So they don't hesitated to help.
Charley notice the dawn is coming, he need to go check on Janessa, and Karian. So he sneaked out from the group, and went out side of the wall. The Wayanas greeted him as always, but he don't have anymore time. He asked for Karian's location, and the tribe told him, the way.
He feared for his small mate, pregnancy was never easy for her, she've became more stressed and tired everyday. She sobs in his arms as her whole body shuddering in pain after her conversation with her father.
She told him what her father said to her, and it made his heart clench. He wished he could make things easier for her, he hates to see her suffer. She should be safe and comfortable with his family as they prepares for their baby instead of being force to return to where hse hate.
"We'll runaway, together. He signed to her as she cried, "I promise." she nod as he held her tight.
They pack their bags ready, and look around to make sure the white people aren't around. They sneaked out from the window, ready to leave without notcing that Nicolas was watching them. He quickly run to them, They frozed in horror, Karian pulled out his claw.
Nicolas quickly held up his hands in defends, he knew what happened, and he want to help them. He know it's crazy, but to him they were just like a normal teen couple, they desurved to love and be loves.
"You're running away together, right?" he asked
They nods, but I know they can't do it alone. he open his bag, and handed them his note book. They look at him in confuse.
"It is my whole life" he told them as they took the but, "I think it's better if something will remain as secret"
Karian place his finger on Nicolas forhead as his body illuminate in blue. That's was when Nicolas realized, he was blessed. He handed them the boat key.
"My boat is docked at the river, about 2 miles away from there" he said, and point his direction.
"Thank you" Janessa replied, and took they key.
They smiled at him as they took each other hands before ranaway together. He smile as he watch them leaved. He understands the importance of duty and responsibility in his job. But he's also a human too, and if he do nothing he won't be any different from Rupert. He was ambitious willing to get the job done at any cost, everything must be like what he want. But little do he know how lonely he truly was because of his ambition.
This world still have so much to learn, He was sure no one would believe him if he tell them he saw an Amphibian man. However, he rather have it remain secret. He smiled as he walk back inside the house, he glad he finally did something good in his life.
Next chapeter will be the last Janessa and Karian's chapter, and after that will be Elisa's childhood. Thanks for read it until here.
