Chapter 53

'This isn't looking as stable as before,' Jennifer commented looking at the cracks in the rock of the tunnel and the rubble amongst the sand on the sea floor. 'Should we keep going?'

'Yeah, we can use our powers if we do get trapped,' Leila said nonchalantly. Eric and Jennifer looked at her with wide eyes.

'But that won't happen' Jacob said reassuringly.

They kept following the tunnel not realising how fast time was passing. It was if they were in a time vortex. Jennifer looked at her watch after what seemed like five minutes swimming slowly down the tunnel and discovered it had been over an hour.

'Guys! We need to head back now otherwise we won't back in time before the full moon,'

'Relax Jen,' Charlie said, 'We can go a little further and then we'll turbo swim back,'

'Okay,' she replied hesitantly. Besides, their mothers would check in on when they should head back.

Little did Jen and the others know, but her watch stopped five minutes later when they passed a certain point. If they had noticed, they would have seen a perfect line of small pebbles on the sandy floor.

OoOoO

After that certain point, there was a strange air pocket – the ceiling of the tunnel rose to where there was air above the surface of the water. They all took a breath, just in case.

Jennifer looked at her watch; it had only been five minutes, so they could go a little further if they were going to turbo swim back. In reality is had been forty-five minutes. They were supposed to be back. The kids did not know that they had swum into a very magical tunnel.

OoOoO

Rikki, Bella and Emma were preparing dinner when they were approached by a worried Cleo.

"I can't get through to them; it's like their minds are blocked." With a frown the others tried to reach their kids.

"You're right; actually, it's kind of the same blockage as when you were stranded on that island," Emma said.

"That's not good." Cleo said and Emma shook her head in response.

'It works between us though,' Rikki said. "What about Anna and Ben?"

Bella tried to reach them: 'Anna, Ben, can you hear me?'

'Loud and clear, what's wrong?' Anna replied.

'We can't seem to contact the Jen and the others' Cleo said.

'We'll be right there,' Ben said.

OoOoO

"It's too late, the moon's rising," Rikki said.

"I'm sure they'll be fine," Bella said trying to be optimistic.

OoOoO

It was timeless down there.

'Hey, look at this,' Eric said as the came across a rectangle of glowing blue crystals. It was about thirty centimetres high and ten wide. He reached out and touched it. 'Guys, it has a weird texture and…it's warm…'

The others all reached out and touched it at the same time, Eric's hand was also still touching. Suddenly, a screeching noise filled their minds and they flapped their tails around aimlessly as they put their hands to their heads as if it would make the pain and the noise go away.

OoOoO

Jacob's P.O.V

The pain. The pain filled my mind. That piercing screech reminded me of how horses or dogs react to those high-pitched whistles. It was a weird feeling being so immobilised by pain that was just in your mind. Yet it filled every fibre of my being. My eyes were blurry, despite being underwater, I'm sure they must have been watering. Despite this, I noticed that the crystal rectangle's blue light had dimmed and suddenly was very dull. I tried to contact the others but replacing the screech, a sharp light filled my vision as I lost consciousness.

OoOoO

The first thing I thought as I regained consciousness was that I was drifting underwater. How long had we been under? We could only hold our breaths for just over three hours – being young mers. As I took in my surroundings, I saw the others were also drifting. I was the first to wake up. Those rocks looked very familiar. I realised we were in the moon pool. With a flick of my tail, I was at the surface. How did we get here? We were in a tunnel right? The others met me at the surface. Everyone hoped nothing bad would happen because of that nights episode.

I felt very weak as I pulled myself onto the sand surrounding the moon pool. Charlie and Leila soon had everyone dry. We just lay there exhausted.

Unexpectedly, I heard my mother's voice enter my mind.

'Jennifer? Charlie? Leila? Eric? Jacob?'

'Yeah?' I replied groggily. She sounded surprised that I had responded.

'Jake! Finally! We've all been so worried. We haven't been able to contact you lot for six hours!'

'What's the time?' Charlie interrupted.

'10pm'

'Wha-! How?' Jennifer exclaimed.

'You tell me!' Mum responded. 'Where are you honey?'

'The moonpool…' I felt Mum leave the mind speak conversation before I had finished.

OoOoO

A few minutes later, a flustered Cleo, Emma, and my mother and a less flustered Rikki, came into the moon pool, via the land entrance. What had happened exactly? We had probably been in the moon pool while the full moon was overhead…I wonder what that meant. I remember swimming through a tunnel and something about a crystal? It's all so vague…I feel so strange…

OoOoO

Normal P.O.V

The women came down to see some of their children sprawled out on the sand looking exhausted. Everyone returned to the village to the dinner that had been saved. Jennifer, Jacob, Charlie, Leila and Eric found themselves starving hungry, devouring all the food in front of them, even the greens.

A/N: Hey everyone :-) sorry for the long delay again. Unfortunately the next update may be long in the future because of christmas coming up and my first trip to Australia :) [Speaking of which i'm going to seaworld (and bonus cos h2o was filmed there)] but i'm leaving on wednesday, so unless I get my act together the next update won't be till mid january - i'm terribly sorry.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks very much for reviewing, especially to:

Waterlily2002, k8sastar, jeremygilbert12, Tj, Lauren111, PeacePinkSeddie, BlazingLegend, Kat238, Obwan14, 'Unnamed Guest' [its funny how u've chosen that name for yourself when I wanted something other than guest to call each guest by in these authors note thankyou things...] , Zikki3, XxRaindr0pxX, xmangal, charlotte bird, Sparksfly3737, Quillcox, YaleAceBella12, Samantha Scarlet and another 'unnamed' Guest. Those thinking you are the unnamed guest, please sign your review lol. :P

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