Boundless Waves - Chapter 5

The metal wasn't coming out! The fresh blood from Laboon's wounds were running down the cold steel, onto my fingers. I couldn't get a good grip on it. My hands... they were too wet! Laboon must be in such pain... why didn't he let me block the second flying spear?! I tugged at the steel again but nothing I did was working. The spear was in too deep and the dark blood was trickling slowly down into my palms. Laboon's eyes were directed at me. He wants me to leave him and run from the ship?! No way! Laboon... don't you dare abandon me...!

Suddenly, something flew around me, restricting my arms and legs. The waves of the ocean rose up and I sucked in a deep breath of air instinctively before crashing into the surface, plunging down into its dark depths.

What happened?

There were ropes surrounding me. Above my head... below my feet... I was trapped...! I kicked out at the ropes floating around me. No opening. The ropes stayed closed. It was refusing to let me go! Get this thing off of me right now! I clawed at the net. I fought against it, kicking and punching. But the ropes didn't budge and they seemed to be closing in on me. Like a prison... Maybe if I stayed calm, the ropes would let me go...?

As I stop kicking and punching at the ropes, something in the water caught my eyes. A few meters away, a dark figure was sinking deeper into the ocean. It was... a person...

Zoro!

My heart was beating fast again. How long had he been down in the water?! Before I saw that ship, he was already too exhausted from swimming without rest...! And now, the green haired man wasn't moving at all. Floating in the sea like a lost weed.

Zoro!

And Laboon was still up there, bearing those wounds... These stupid ropes! Let me go! I kicked out at the ropes again angrily. They did not part. The ocean is supposed to be cool against my skin... but my body is feeling so hot now. My blood is burning under my skin. There is a numbness in my arms and legs... my stomach is rising high in my chest. Zoro is sinking down fast... and Laboon is still up there, bleeding. What was this feeling called again...?

Fear...?

Fear...

I latched onto the rope and clamped my teeth down angrily on it. There was no time to think! There was no time to waste! Zoro was drowning. Drowning! And Laboon could be being shot by more spears up there! If the ropes wouldn't release me, I would get out myself!

When... had been the last time I felt... fear...?

So long ago... Ace... when you pushed me off of the ship, leaving me to fall into the coldness of the ocean. That feeling from years ago... it could rival the fear in me now.

I battled the cage around me furiously. What kind of ropes were these?! Why couldn't I get out?! Zoro was sinking into the darkness. He was so far away... I couldn't see any air bubbles around him...

"LABOON!" I don't know what to do! Zoro is sinking. Sinking. To the bottom of the sea! And these damn ropes are still around me...

Someone! Anyone! Save Zoro...!

My first human friend since Ace pushed me into the ocean... he was drowning now. Sinking into the darkness... How could this happen?! We just met two days ago! He was someone I could finally talk with other than Laboon. He was someone important. Is someone important. We're all best friends! He can't just abandon us...!

... someone help him.

... just bring him back to me...

My chest is starting to swell. I need air... and Zoro is disappearing into the murky darkness under my feet...

The ropes around me suddenly loosened. A miracle! I spot an opening at the top of the net. Who did it? It doesn't matter right now... I need to get to Zoro! Now! No time for air!

Kicking my feet hard behind me, I maneuver myself as fast as I can towards the green haired man. There is a new feeling in me... what is it...? My heart is still beating fast and my stomach is still rising high in my chest, nearly squeezing the remaining air in me out. But... I don't feel so bad anymore.

I dive deeper. The water is starting to crush against my body. Zoro...? Where is he? If I don't get him now... I'll lose my chance... A figure of a person appears in the waters. He looks so unreal... floating there in the water. Eyes closed. Lifeless.

Wasn't he just fine a few minutes ago?

I pull myself faster to him and grab the heavy body, bringing him close to me. Zoro! I'll save you. I won't let you leave me! The light dancing along the top of the water looks so far away though... and the ocean is choking me. But, I have to save Zoro! My friend! The water is getting harder to swim through and the light where air lives is still too far away... I reach a hand towards the flickering lights. If I can get back up there, Zoro will be saved...!

Something from under me gives me a rough push. What is it...? We are speeding towards the light now. My head breaks the surface of the water and the stinging air rushes into my lungs. I cough for a moment, gasping in breaths of air, and glance under me, finding a land of dark rubbery skin.

Laboon! You're okay!

He smiled at me weakly. I'll get those spears out of you soon. Don't worry, Laboon! But the green haired man lying lifelessly beside me... His body is cold. So cold... I shake him a few times. Why wasn't he waking up? There was plenty of air up here to breathe in! I lean over, pressing my ear to his chest, listening for the usual soothing beats coming from his body. But there is nothing there...! Nothing anymore.

"Zoro...!"

To be continued...

I want to thank Clarobell for giving me this idea so that I could continue adding onto Boundless Waves. Thank you!

Oh, and... was it angsty enough...? And I think there might be problems with my past and present tenses... does that get that annoying?