The Sea's Guide
This will be the last story I am updating on Fanfic because I will be moving fully to just Ao3 now under the name "Fishandnear". There will be a second ending for this story, I will try to update it asap. Thank you for anybody who is reading it!
"Hello? Braginsky speaking." Ivan muttered.
"Good evening Mr Braginsky, there's an incoming call from a Natalia Arlovskaya claiming that she is your sister. Can I confirm that?" the facility's call center speaks.
His brow slight a little together. "Yes, confirm."
"Alright. Please note that the call will be recorded for security purposes as she is not listed as your family member in the system, please do that in your spare time as soon as possible. I will forward the call over now."
"Thank you." the sound cut off with a beep before Ivan could even finish and went dead for a second before it was put on hold. A few seconds later the call went through. "Brother." Came a monotonous voice from the other end.
"Natalia. H-How are you?" Ivan answered, slightly hesitant from the guilt that he never once went back ever since he left, he did not even call, even though he did left his number behind, his sisters never called either. Until now.
"Brother…" she started and stopped. Her hesitation is different from Ivan's, it's uncertainty. "She's not that well. Do you want to come back soon?"
"What happened?"
There is a soft intake of breath and slow exhale on the other end. "She's…. having a surgery soon, I.. know you always hated this town, and I know it's your dream to work there, but we only have each other… Can.. Can you come back?"
Silence. Ivan could only answer with silence as he wrecked his brain for a reply.
"I understand." Natalia answered after a brief silence at Ivan's end. "I'll give you an update on the surgery."
"Natalia I-….." Ivan quickly added, but the other line was cut off. "I do. I really do." Ivan continued to the beeps. "I just… just need awhile more." He took another stuttered breath to calm himself. Heading back into the room again, Wang Yao is still sitting in the middle of the room, dressed in an oversized patient wear, looking exceptionally stiff but calm.
"Mr Braginsky, can you look after the subject for a moment, I'll be getting more test tubes for the second round of blood test." The personnel asked.
Ivan nodded quickly and the personnel quickly left the room. He walk closer to Yao and took a seat beside him. "Are you okay?" Ivan whispers tenderly, he found himself asking Yao the same question over and over again every single time he sees him, because it is obvious that the experimentation or something, is taking a toll on him.
Wang Yao nodded. His eyes always downcast, always avoiding Ivan's.
"I'm sorry." Ivan muttered under his breath. There's a slight guilt that everything that happens to Yao right now, is on him. But there's really no other choice right, still…. He thought. Maybe… he should go back to his sisters. To that town. Maybe he is not cut out for this.
It's only been a month, and it's pretty hard to tell what they have done to Yao for him to look this listless and tired. "It will be okay, just a bit more and they will let you go back to the seas. You'll be free again."
"I want to be with Ivan." Yao blurted, talking over him.
Ivan lifted his palm, hovering over the back of Yao's head, hesitating, but ultimately patting and stroking it. He let out a sigh. "I wish. But you belong to the seas, I belong to the land. I cannot be with you forever."
The long, soot black hair slid down from Yao's shoulders, covering his face from Ivan.
"What's wrong?" Ivan asked, he could feel slight trembling.
Yao shake his head vigorously. And from in between, Ivan could hear a sniffle.
"Are you crying?"
"No!" Yao snapped.
Ivan know that Wang Yao is lying, but he did not say it out. "I'm sure we will meet each other again one day at the ocean." He reassured Yao, perhaps lying, perhaps wishing. "I was born in a town near the sea. It's always hard to get out but whenever I can, I would always sneak out to the harbour and the beach to look at the waters. Sometimes, I'll bring my sisters along. Sometimes, I'll go alone. My sisters thought I hated the town but no… I really love it. I love the ripples in the horizon glittering the sun lights into the ocean breeze, I love the sound of waves crashing against each other, the salty, howling wind that leaves its mark at the back of your throat and in the dead of the night, when you can't see anything, it's scary, and you wonder if there's anything out there, in the depths. It's beautiful, it's always calling for me. Like you. I love the waters; that's why I came to study and work here. I don't have much, but I gave them all up to come here, I've seen and learnt so much about the ocean, I don't regret it, yet my heart is telling me that something is wrong. I just don't know what it is….."
Then, Ivan look down onto the floor, the rectangular tiles are cold and white, the grout lines blackish brown. He let out a self-deprecating chuckle. "Actually I do know what is wrong. It's been a month after all, things add up, but I just chose to turn a blind eye again, and again. At the expense of you. Now tell me Yao, should I go back? Should we…-"
"Ivan…"Yao whine, his hands reaching out for Ivan's.
The door handle turns, spooking his hands back to himself. Wang Yao's head quickly look up to see who came in.
The personnel came back with Jens and William, Ivan turn to look at Yao staring at them. He look back to see William grinning from ear to ear beside Jens. "Ivan, you're here." Jens called out.
"Yes."
"Great, I have something to inform you as well, we will be moving on to the next phase of the project, so you don't have to come in anymore. I have talked to Constance about it, she would like you to continue on your previous project."
"I thought you said to gradually minimize the contact?" Ivan asked. "It's just the first month, I don't think Yao is fully adjusted yet."
"Stop putting yourself onto such a high pedestal Ivan Braginsky." William cut him off, irked. "Look at that thing, it's obviously fine on its own and with us. You think that 'oh, I kept that thing alive for a few days alone I am now an expert on it.' Huh?"
"Don't put your filthy words in my mouth." Ivan raised his voice, standing up facing William.
"Ivan, stop this right now. Could hear the both of you from the outside." Constance interrupted as she walked into the room.
"Professor Hansley. I don't think the time is right yet."
"Enough Ivan. The time is right. We have a schedule to keep, we cannot keep concerning ourselves over whether the creature is comfortable or not." She replied irritably, waving her hands dismissing Ivan's concerns.
"But-"
"Enough. You are dismissed." Constance cut off, a little louder. Then turning towards William, she commanded: "Go get that creature prep up for moving."
"Me?" William asked incredulously, pointing to himself.
"You expect me and Jens to do it?"
"Fuck fine, you old witch." William replied rudely, going to the other room.
"Can I help?" Ivan asked quietly.
"No Ivan. You should not be involved in Project Blue anymore." Constance retorted.
"I'll just help out this one last time." Ivan insisted, he felt Yao's hands wrapped around his own, gripping it tightly.
"No!" Constance raised her voice. "Ivan Braginsky, you might not have realised it, but you are letting your own emotions getting the better of you. I have told you time and time and again that we are scientist, researchers, we must detach our personal feelings away from the research. The committee are proud of your achievements and discovery, but you are deemed unsuitable for further involvement to Project Blue."
"All- I..." Ivan uttered; his face distorted as bitter words got stuck in his throat. He swallowed them back down and nodded. "I understand."
William pushed the huge tank from another room and then walk towards Yao, he grab his arms roughly and started pulling him away from the seats. At the start, Wang Yao struggled violently against the scientist's grip, almost sinking his teeth into William's skin, but before he could do that, William whispers something in his ears and miraculously, Yao immediately stops.
The creature looked up to Ivan, seemingly looking for answers, hesitating. William saw the window of opportunity and pulled Yao's loosening hand from Ivan and dragged him away. Ivan could feel his heart, figuratively, wrenched out with Yao's touch, leaving an empty space of ache in its place. He don't dare to look at Yao, he don't dare to know the kind of expression he is giving him, nor does he have the guts to even know if he is still looking at him.
"Alright alright, stop all these fiasco at once and make your move now, go go." Jens casually shooed.
Ivan let out a soft and subtle, but obvious snort in disbelief. Then he walks out of the room, not quite knowing anything else to retort. He continues to walk, down the stairs and by the oceanarium. It's bright blue lights are glaring, but it's void of any life. It's empty, Ivan thought. Just like a dream. Just like his heart.
He walked all the way back from tower E to tower D, and towards the passage back to the hostel, to his room. It's been quite some time since he came back to this room, everything is still the same. The only thing that have changed is his feelings. He sat on his bed; the base of his palm pressed against his eyes as his elbow propped against his thigh.
"Enough. You are dismissed." Professor Hansley's words repeats itself in his brain, the image of her dismissively waving her hands, the look on her face that borders disgust, every single word and action, they hurt him.
" How could she say that to me." Ivan muttered silently; indignation tainted the very fiber of his beliefs. His fingers scrunched up and his knuckles turned white from the intense grip. Tears seep through the crack of his tightly shut lid and stained his skin. The realization hit harder than anything else, she is his teacher, the person he admired from the bottom of his heart that he would do anything to prove her right, so why…. why does this deception hurt?
Ivan. He heard.
That phantom grip that lingers hauntingly on his arms, the image of the beautiful monster in the water resurface in his head, and the softness in the voice that beckon his name over and over again in the violent storms within. But it does not belong to him. Ivan felt an empty ache in his heart again, not the same kind that he felt from Professor Hansley's words nor her blatant lies, but one that fills him with silent desperation.
I want to be with Ivan.
Now, he knows why the sailors wreck their ships upon hearing the siren's call.
Ivan dried up his tears and had a hot bath. "Wait for me, Yao. I'll come and get you."
The next morning, Ivan woke up and continued working on the project he was previously working on, it was in its ending phase where it just requires some compilation and tidying up on his end. The rest could be easily done by liaising with the editors who will arrange for the peer reviews.
Days passed by when Ivan finally knocked on Professor Hansley's door, he knew that she was back in her office.
"Professor Hansley, the project I am working on is almost done, just really tying up the loose ends now. I have a request… can I be there for the release of the subject from Project Blue… ?" he asked, tentatively.
Constance finally looked up at Ivan from her writing, she took a breath and hesitated. Then she said: "I don't think that would be possible Ivan. I'm sorry."
A knock on the door. "Hansley. Time for the meeting with….." Jens said as he came into the office. "Oh Ivan, Congratulations. I heard your research have provided significant breakthroughs in the community. What are you doing here?"
"He wants to join the release program for Project Blue." Constance answered.
"I'm afraid that we can't do that, you see Ivan…" Jens said, then turning to Constance, he lowered his voice: "I think we can let him on a little on this."
Constance shrugged. "Up to you. You're the boss here."
Turning back to Ivan he continued: "The release was actually done quite some time ago. The area of release is pretty confidential, I mean we won't want it to be caught for nefarious purposes now do we?"
Ivan looked back at Jens for a second, not really reacting. Then a smile slowly spread across his face, "Of course, you are right, Professor Jens." Ivan commented. "Ah…" He then sigh dramatically, crossing his arm and turning his head away, seemingly thinking. "But what a pity. I was wondering really hard on the reasoning behind such a short project period for a wonderful chance with such an interesting creature. Oops, would that happen to be confidential too?"
Jens let out an awkward laugh. "Well.. I mean, it really depends on what are the goals and objectives of the project, we don't really need to make any decisions this time round because the.."
"Jens." Constance cut off sharply.
Jens' forefinger that was pointed upwards during his speech gradually lowered down as he look back at Constance. "What?"
"The meeting?"
"Oh no. The meeting have already started, I'm supposed to get you immediately." Jens said. Constance stood up immediately and began to leave her seat when Jens pointed to her table, "Access card."
Constance turned her head towards where he pointed and swiped the card away.
Then turning to Ivan, Jens gave a few heavy pat on his arms. "Keep up the good work, Ivan." Then both Jens and Constance hurried out of the room.
Ivan looked out of the door after them for the longest time.
Then walking out of the office, Ivan went back to his room, waiting till midnight before walking towards the I.T. department again. There again, he found the same plump personnel with specs as the other time. Messing his hair a little, Ivan pushes himself into the office hastily.
"Who is in charge here? I need help." He quickly rushes to the personnel's side where the personnel reacted to Ivan's presence with an obvious shock.
"What? What? What?" the personnel ask, he sat up straight looking at Ivan with blurry eyes, his specs barely straighten. "I'm on duty."
"I am locked out of the labs for Project Blue. The specimen is out from the enclosure, inside the rooms." Ivan grabbed the personnel's arm.
"P-Project Blue?" The personnel asked, knitting his brows, still trying to make sense.
"Yes, Project Deep Blue! My access card is stuck inside the room. I can't get in, there's nobody around to let me in right now." Ivan shook the personnel.
"Okay. Alright. Chill."
"No, I can't. My head will roll."
"W-What room do you need access to?" the personnel pushes up his specs, pushing up his laptop lid which is obviously stained with dried drool.
"Can you check? There's loads of rooms. I need an access card that have access to all the rooms for Project Blue. Please hurry." Ivan urged, his feet pacing uneasily. "The specimen is out; we can't risk anything."
"I need the management's approval for this sort of stuff though…" the personnel said grumpily, rubbing his eyes and blinking hard again before focusing on the screen again. "There's like so many rooms…."
"I'll get the approval for you after. Please help." Ivan emphasized.
"Uh…. I don't think I can provide an access card for so many rooms in Tower E without any approvals." He mumbled, squinting at the screen.
"Then what can I do?" Ivan exclaimed dramatically.
"Chill." The personnel held his hand up. "Can't you use your thumbprints…." He mumbled more to himself, touching his chin. "No…. That won't work.. Hmmm.." Then after a few moments of typing, he dialed his phone. It got through after a few rings. "Charles. Are you in charge of Project Blue? Do you know anything about it? Yes.. Deep Blue. Why is the map so weird? And why the heck do they use access cards instead of thumbprints? Uh huh…." He nodded. "Somebody was locked out of the rooms with his access card in it, and he said that the specimens is out right now…. What do I do? Is there a way to gain access to the combine rooms in Tower E without the access card or something then? Uhh…." He started moving his mouth and looking at some sort of details on his screen. "Yes… I see that, yes, the rooms all start with Z, oh, there one J though. Okay… I guess that's the only way. Thanks." Then he hung up.
Turning to Ivan, he said: "Lucky for you, there is a way to get into the rooms without the card."
"How?"
Pushing his laptop to face Ivan, the personnel began showing him the full map of Tower E with the nitty gritty details peppering it. "So basically, Tower E's rooms are categorized in from A-Z. With Z being rooms that requires like, loads of approvals, because they are rooms that are hidden more towards the inner part of the tower. Anyway for whatever reasons, Z rooms can all be combined to create a really huge area should a project requires, so thumbprints don't really work that well if whatever projects required that much space and-…"
"Can we get to the point?" Ivan suddenly cut him off.
"Uh…" The personnel let out; his memory blacked out for a moment with his momentum. "Point.. The point is… Oh yeah, the point is that there will always be at least one other alphabet room that is required to connect any amount of the Z rooms for any combination. For context, other alphabet rooms, A to Y, are rooms that can be accessed with thumbprints, so for Project Blue, the combination only have one alphabet room and that is the J room."
"So where is this J room you are talking about?"
"Mariana research lab."
"Oh…" Ivan wondered aloud in realization. "How to get into the Z rooms from the research lab then?"
"You don't know?" the personnel asked.
"No… I don't go to the rooms from Mariana research lab." Ivan quickly covers.
"Uh…." The personnel muttered, turning away to squint closely at the maps on his screen again. He zoomed in on a particular rooms very closely and began staring at it. "Ah." he let out. "Here, here here." he turned his laptop to the side and pointed to a particular part of the room.
Ivan bent downwards to stare at it, and the personnel zoomed in even more. "Here… There's a hidden sliding door from here that can permit access into the rooms. Basically, open this sliding door, and go into this little space here and then it allow access to the Z rooms. Got it?"
"Ah.. Oh wow, so it's hidden here. I didn't realise it. Can you double confirm that my thumbprints works for this room?"
"It will work."
"Please, just double check it." Ivan insisted.
"Fine." The personnel replied with annoyance, fingers once again tapping and clicking away. "Ivan Bra…gin…-"
"Braginsky. Yes, I see my name on the list. Okay, oh my god. Thank you so much for everything." Ivan added. "What's your name?"
"Uh.. Nicky." The personnel said.
"Thank you Nicky." Giving a heavy pat and grateful eyes for Nicky, Ivan quickly rushed out of the room.
Ivan's face gradually changed from the fake smiles into that of a worried one. Is he too late, he wondered. Did the worst happened? Yao might be used to the dark in the vast ocean… but still, is he scared of being alone…. Before long, Ivan found himself running towards Tower E.
The tower is deathly quiet save for the very distant sound of crashing waves and mostly dark, void of any signs of life. Ivan stood in front of that familiar oceanarium, desperation tethering his heart on the edge as he tried to catch his breath. Slowly again, he walks up to the Mariana lab with resolve in his steps. Pushing the door inwards, he reaches out to open the lights.
Everything is cleaned up, placed in order, and covered in plastic again. Ivan looked towards the room behind the lab, he recalled how the lawyer made him sign that non-disclosure agreement. "So it's just beyond that door huh." Ivan said to himself, touching the walls in the room before feeling one that is just slightly different. Pressing it down, the wall pops up to reveal another metal door with thumbprint and card access function.
Letting out a single breath, Ivan presses his thumb down onto the scanner. It quickly identified him and provided access to the room. Ivan doesn't know what kind of feeling he uses to open the door, but when he saw it was just an office, he breathed out a sigh of relief. It is a room where they made documentations, there are whiteboards full of scribbles, tables with filled paperwork and boxes strewn all over the floor.
He walks to one of the whiteboards, scanning the words. They are all scribbled with notes on the experimentations they have already done to Yao. "Fucking liar." Ivan muttered with gritted teeth; angry tears filling the brim of his eyes. "And I am a fucking idiot for ever believing it. Simple cell extraction." Then he walked over to the tables where there were stacks of yellowed folders with large, bold, and red words of confidential, classified all over it. Ivan's original intention of finding the way to the other rooms was replaced by an intense curiosity, he pulls out a few of the folder with various numbers on them and flipped through.
The files talks about the capture process of these humanoids, the experimentations and its results by a team led by a head biologist Han Yuan Jun. One of the humanoid was found pregnant, and it died shortly after giving birth. The head biologist and a few others, with prior basic knowledge of how the humanoids work, decided to try an all-round social and language experiment. The head biologist will expose the humanoid to enough human blood for its body to register the genetics information, then they will try to teach it to act and speak like a human in Mandarin and English, in addition, the head biologist will act as a mother figure to the humanoid in an act to prevent the self-destructive behaviour that mostly ends in death exhibited by most humanoids.
In addition, this bond is also needed for the intended vivisection experimentation that was planned during the 10th year. As the humanoid's body disintegrate fast when exposed to air, the only way for effective research is to maintain the humanoid at a 90% human form and extract the living flesh from it.
"This is fucked up." Ivan breathed out in disbelief the more information he took in. Then looking up, he found himself looking at a particular whiteboard. It talks about the precise timing for the humanoid to become human. He knitted his brow, looking around wondering where the keys might be. "Where would she hide the key." Ivan touched his chin, he turned to his side and notice a rack of ring files, he walks up to it, and at the third shelves from the bottom, three files from the left, he poke a finger into the hole at the spine of the file.
There, he managed to touch a chain of keys.
Ivan scoffed. "Still the same."
He pulls it out and walk to one of the multiple doors located in the office. Cold air burst into him together with the loud machinery noises, the sound of water swooshing and bubbling, they all greeted Ivan as soon as the door was opened. The large space is dark, save for a bright, reddish light coming from the front, where a row of tanks with transparent glass lined up the walls at the other end of the room, tables and chairs are scattered and placed sparingly all over. From this distance, Ivan saw a figure floating in the luminated tank, multiple tubes extends out from various part of the figure.
"Yao.." he muttered, making his way over to the tank. "Wang Yao." He called out, rolled fist banging on the thick glass. The few thump send shockwaves in the water, Yao's eyes stirs and weakly, it opens up. The happiness from the bottom of its heart that carved the surprise and pure joy on its face broke Ivan.
"I.. I came to get you." Ivan stuttered, choking back on the tears that had already fallen. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry." He muttered while pointing to the top of the tank, he walked up the flight of stair that led him to the top of the tank and unlocked it with the keys.
Wang Yao's head immediately popped out from the surface. The tubes was already violently pulled out by Yao as it called out Ivan soft, it spread out both of its arms eagerly towards him. This time, Ivan indulged in Yao's wishes and lifted it out of the metallic-smelling water.
"Ivan.. I miss you. A lot." Yao whine, burying its head in Ivan's chest.
"Yao… I'll bring you home. Do you want that?" Ivan said, tightening his arms around Yao. He could feel the nod on his body. "Let's get you clean up quickly and I'll bring you back to the ocean then."
"Ivan, can I find you again?" came the meek, muffled voice.
"What do you mean?"
"I want to find you again after I go back to the ocean."
Ivan look down at Yao as it press its face deeper into his clothes. Ivan's arm slid upwards, patting its head. "I…-"
A clap, then the second and third…. Ivan and Yao turn towards the direction of the sound. He could feel the creature tense up in his arms.
"How romantic." Came a condescending sneer. The clapping stop, in full view right in front of them stands William, drenched in that ominous red lights, grinning.
Wang Yao half snarled, and half huddled deeper into Ivan's arms, it gripped on tightly into his waist.
"Ivan!" William exclaimed out of the blue. "You know something." He started, lifting a finger up. "I agree with that old witch Hansley. You are a very good researcher you know? But you have one, teeniest tiniest trait that separates you from the great ones. You can't see the big picture. You see this little fishy thing here and you go right ahead and get your sad, little boy feelings involved in it. Ahh…!" he paused, licking his lips, and continuing his monologue. "Maybe that old witch haven't let you in fully on what this project truly is! Do you know what this is going to be? You. You passed by the rooms right? The government is paying some really good money, highly classified stuff. And they will be used in the military, in the medical fields and that's just the start, can you imagine? This little relationship you have with this humanoid will pale in comparison to all the possibilities this project will bring for the future of humanity. So last chance, let that thing back in, come down and I will tell Jens and Noah, and heck even that old witch that we are all in this together!"
"No…." Ivan started.
"Alright, fine." William replied decisively, reaching out from his lab coat and took out a gun, immediately shooting at Ivan. But thankfully, the duo were alert from William in the first place and shunned the shot that hit the stairs at their back with a loud collision.
"What the fuck are you trying to do!?" Ivan shouted, as he moved actively from William subsequent shot.
"Well I just thought that since you don't like listening to nice words, maybe some actions will let you get moving, but you know what? I'll have you know that I'm still going to kill you even if you agree; I really fucking hate you. The government will cover this up anyway." William laughed, as he continued firing more shots. "You wanna know something? I lied. I lied to your naïve little fishy friend that you will die horribly if it keep getting in touch with you, and that the only way to mitigate this is to undergo every single one of those nasty experiments we-, oh oh! I have to say though, that this thing is quite tolerant of everything at the sound of your name, my favourite one was when they are cutting and examining the samples straight on its body, its literally trembling, but still continue lying down there quietly." Then he let out a dramatic sigh at the recollection and continued his taunting: "But you know what, I guess it's not going to be a lie that you will die horribly now. How humorous."
Ivan hid behind one of the tables he had knocked over to shield himself. William's shoes click against the floor as he walks towards the table, his lips curled up assuming how scared Ivan must be hearing his impending doom. Last bullet in the barrel just for the head sitting on his neck.
A sharp friction of skin against tiles and some dull thud prompted William to turn to his nine o'clock direction, the image of a snarling monster scares the instinct out of him, he pulls the trigger on Wang Yao.
Then William felt an arm wrapping itself around his neck, next moment, a sharp painless blade sinks into his throat and as it slid halfway across, high pressure blood spits out like a fan. He fell to the ground, pressing the wound and the blade. His eyes turn to the culprit standing above him.
"You.." he gurgled out.
"As you said, the government will cover this up anyway." Ivan stood over him, the blood splattered across his face cannot hide the twisted expression Ivan is giving him. "I hope you take a long time to die."
Ivan quickly rushes over to the motionless figure curled up on the floor.
"Wang Yao." He whispers.
"Ivan." Yao breathe out lightly. "Can you… bring me to the water?" Its head turned towards Ivan, hiding the front of its body away from him.
"What happen?" Ivan said agitatedly "Show me." he pulls Yao around and saw blood. Red blood.
"Don't be angry." Yao sniffed, letting out a soft, pained cough.
"I.. I'm not angry." Ivan shook his head lightly. "Why is it red…"
"It's very cold." Yao whined; it lift out one of its bloodied arms towards Ivan for a hug. Ivan moved in at held him close, he lifted Yao up, grabbing a coat hanging on a rack he wrapped the body in his arms up.
"Hold your wound tight, I'll get you treated."
"No…" Ivan heard it faintly. "Water."
"Don't sleep Yao. I'll bring you to the sea, keep yourself awake. Please. Just be awake." Ivan muttered, quickly moving out to the lab.
A particular door at tower E led to a beautiful beach at the back of the facility, Ivan pushed pass the door and hurried out. "Yao, wake up. Look. It's the water." He said, pulling slightly apart at the limp body to look at Wang Yao.
"It's not that fair right. You can't just barge into my life and leave just like this. We didn't even spent all that much time together. Wake up, Yao." Ivan sobbed. "Please." He pleaded softly.
The twilight in the horizon illuminated their path to the crashing waves, the sun will rise.
Ivan walks into the waters and kneeled down, placing Yao gently into the sea. The gentle stir and the fluttering eyelid reignited hope in Ivan's heart, the wound on its chest started coagulated into jellied substances.
"Ivan." Yao smiled, lifting its arms for Ivan's face, touching his warm skin with its cold, damp fingers. "I'll go back now. When you look at the waters, you will see me."
"No…" Ivan started crying. The jellied substances did not close the gaping wound, it started corroding the body into clear fluids, Wang Yao's body started disintegrating in his arms, into the waters, soaking the coat, his body, and back into the sea.
Ivan sat on the beach staring at the horizon, he recalls the story of the little mermaid, how she failed to be kissed and so, turned into the sea foam to be dissolved in the morning sun. Just then, his phone started ringing.
"Hi, is this Ivan Braginsky?" the voice said from the other end.
"Who is this speaking?"
"I am Dr Brown, calling from the hospital. It seems that Miss Natalia Arlovskaya have filled you in as the next-of-kin for herself, I have called with bad news Mr Braginsky. I am sorry to inform you this way, but Miss Arlovskaya and Miss Yekaterina Braginskaya have perished in a car crash. My condolences."
A short pause hover in the morning air.
"Natalia too… Huh…" Ivan mumbled.
"Yes. It was snowing heavily that day, the car skidded and fell…. Over.. the cliff. Are you okay sir?"
"Yeah… I'll manage."
"Okay. I'll leave alone with this first, please call me again for the arrangement."
"Sure." Ivan answered, hanging up the phone.
Ivan stood up, patting the sand from his pants. Then with a chuckle, he shook his head, but the chuckle turned into a sob, then tears started falling again, he wiped them away with the back of his hands and walked towards the waters.