CHAPTER 15- What Am I?

I remained at Embers side until it grew late. Knowing that Mr. Fredrick would come soon to order her to sleep, I prepared her for rest beforehand. I stood up, after placing the blankets around Ember, when Mr. Fredrick walked in. He was about to open his mouth, but stopped when he saw she was already ready, and lying in her bed. Instead, he grumbled, turned and walked out. I calmly said good night to Ember, and slowly left, turning of the light behind me. She curled into her blankets and closed her eyes.

I returned downstairs to the living room, where Mr. Fredrick again sat, another bottle of the alcohol in his hand. I scowled at him, for I could not understand his fascination with that vile liquid. He shot a look up at me.

"What do YOU want boy?" he snarled at me.

"Nothing from you Mr. Fredrick." I replied coldly. He eyed me for a moment, and then held up the bottle.

"Want a drink boy?" he shook the bottle.

"No thank you, I told you before, I do not wish any of that alcohol." I replied. He snorted at me.

"Coward."

"Fool." I calmly replied. At this, he suddenly jumped to his feet. I jumped back, instinctively taking a defensive pose. Mr. Fredrick suddenly swayed, and fell back into the seat, muttering incoherently at me. I snorted. "I will be outside; I need to enjoy some fresh air. I will return shortly." I told him, turning and walking out the front door. Once out, I looked up at the night sky. It was a cloudy, damp night.

…oh Ecco… what will you do now? Slowly, I made my way to the back of the house, to the 'yard'. The grass felt cool under my feet, as did the air around me. It bothered me not, and I sat down on the grass, gazing upward, hoping to see stars… or perhaps the moon itself. To my dismay, the cloud cover was far too thick for any stars to show. I sighed to myself as it then began to rain. However, I did not move, instead, I closed my eyes.

By the almighty…the rain… it feels so good upon my flesh…like swimming through an evening shower… My thoughts began to drift back to my old home, to my pod. As old memories of good times, and of bad, drifted silently through my head, I slowly sunk down, until I lay upon my back. I began to envision swimming through the cool ocean waters at top speed, my tail thrusting and pushing me forward, faster then any other dolphin. I could remember my fins moving and tilting ever so little to keep me going straight, to keep me heading towards my goal. I could remember the current of the water as I pushed through it, feeling the cool, and then the warm pockets of the ocean as they allowed me to pass. Memories of leaping high out of the water into the rain, where the cool water of the ocean met the luke warm water of the rain upon my back, upon my fins. I would leap, leap high! Higher then any dolphin! I felt I could fly, that I could soar in the air through the rain, to join the feathered ones, the birds. But I would always splash down into the ocean once more, never allowed to leave its confines.

After a long while, I opened my eyes once more, looking at my surroundings. I sighed sadly to myself. I am not in the ocean… not anymore. All those times I wish to leave, now why do I feel myself wishing to return? Do I truly belong there? I looked down at my hands. Do I… truly belong anywhere? I am Ecco… but Ecco the what? I know the choices I have made in life, and I now know the path I must take. I must save my pod members… but will they recognize me? Will they want my help? I sat up, and looked down at the now wet grass. The lights from the house and the light trees, caused it to shimmer slightly. Have I indeed betrayed them? Am I but nothing more then Ecco the human now? I plucked a few blades of grass and inspected them. I have seen… what no dolphin has ever seen before… if I were to go back, could I live with this knowledge? My gaze drifted up towards the treehouse. Perhaps I could… perhaps not. I simply do not know anymore! …all I know… is I must save my pod members; but I must help Ember as well. This human child… she has come to mean so much to me now. She is such a special child… perhaps she can aid me, as I have aided her.

My head turned slowly, looking at everything around me. I glanced up at the house, and noticed the light in Embers room was on. What by the Almighty? Should she not be asleep? I stood, and walked back towards the door. Walking inside, I realized just how wet I now was. I shook slightly, looking around for something to dry myself. In doing so, I noticed that Mr. Fredrick was not in the living room, as he was when I had left him; however, the TV was still on. Perhaps he has finally gone to sleep for the night…I made my way upstairs. As I reached the top, Mr. Fredrick came out of Embers sleeping room, having turned off the light. I stopped and looked at him.

"What were you doing in Ember's sleeping room?" I demanded quietly, as to not wake her if she was asleep. Mr. Fredrick glared at me and mumbled, then stumbled into Embers parents sleeping room and closed the door. I watched him go, and then I walked into her room myself. I made my way slowly to her bed, and whispered to her.

"Ember? Are you awake? Is everything alright?" I looked at her small form in curled under the blankets. She seemed to shudder at the sound of my voice.

"Ecco… I'm...okay." she replied quietly. She was facing away from me, blankets wrapped tightly around her little form.

"Why was Mr. Fredrick here? Was there a problem?" I asked quietly. I reached out my hand to touch her on the shoulder. When I did so, she shook and pulled away. Surprised, I pulled my hand back. "Ember?"

"Ecco… I'm okay… just… I need sleep Ecco… good night." She curled tighter into a ball under the blankets. I looked at her quietly for a moment, and looked at my hand.

Was my hand still too wet? Is that what bothered her? I slowly turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind me. I returned to the living room, and saw the now empty bottle of alcohol lying sideways on the floor. I lied down upon the couch, and looked up at the ceiling. Suddenly, something felt very wrong, but I could not understand what. All I knew was that something was indeed extremely wrong…