Chapter Ten:
Pulling my Leg
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Sam swam towards the pull, feeling it getting stronger by the fin stroke. Excitement and energy coursed through his veins as he stretched his muscles out with the vigorous swim. Finally, something to answer the questions that had been following him for nearly his entire long life. The biggest one, what the hell is that pull?!
He slowed marginally when he sensed more than saw something in the near distance. He could tell that the sun was just starting to rise by how the light above was playing on the deep. He stuck mostly to the ocean floor as he swam, expecting the pull to be somewhere low to the ground but was puzzled when it seemed to be higher than that. He got closer and closer and felt it for sure now. Somewhat towards the light, towards the surface.
Sam felt a little nervous going up but he told himself that he would go find out what it is. He couldn't back out now. Not when it's this strong and insistent. His heart started to beat a little harder as anticipation was now thrumming through him. Slowing his wing beats and relying more on his hands and tail to swim quieter and more smoothly. He used his wing fins when he had to get somewhere quickly but they often disrupted the poor ocean floor if he beat them too harshly so he kept them tucked in for the most part. Using them more for changing direction minutely instead of moving his hips side to side. Focusing on just moving his tail up and down to propel him forwards. All five fins on each side of his tail moving smoothly, save for the one that that shark had shredded back in his childhood.
He could feel some of the muscles cramp up from the impromptu long distance travel. He didn't often have a reason to move fast in his day to day life. But this was important. He couldn't wait one moment longer, and ignored the burn in his body.
The area was gradually sloping upwards towards the surface, the waters getting lighter and lighter. More plant life and living things were seen here and he remembered a few of them from his childhood. Recognizing some of it from his memories and dreams. He was about a day's swim from his nesting ground and had to swallow hard to focus on anything else but his past here. Those early days when he was a scared lonely merkid. It didn't matter right now.
He felt the pull getting stronger and stronger until it actually started to fade. He abruptly stopped and looked around. Surely he couldn't have passed right by it? He swam in slow circles around the ocean floor which was littered with dappled light coming from the sun, filtering through the seaweed and grasses that stretched up high. He sifted careful fingers through the sand and puzzled why none of it was unique. Why the hell was the pull here? He looked down and around and randomly had the stray thought to look up. Past the kelp and grasses above there seemed to be something floating up there. It didn't look like an animal but it did have a rounded triangular shape to it. A few long deep fins sticking out from underneath it, with several more in a circular pattern towards the rear of it that were black and didn't match the rest of the body. He drifted closer and was a little upset when he realized what it was.
Sam's mouth drew into a frown. It was a floating thing. But, not nearly as big as any other that he'd seen before in his two centuries of travel. Was it a baby floating thing? An absurd thought but, he pondered it all the same. The shape was similar to one of his side fins but more symmetrical. It bobbed on the surface of the water without a care in the world. He was about to swim away from it, as he usually did when he sees one but the pull was urging him upwards, towards it.
Sam saw a school of fish now swimming in a circle around underneath it and he gave them a bit of space. Wondering if he will see how this thing reacts to the fish. How it would hunt them.
Sam kept the floating thing within sight but out of striking distance of himself. He still didn't know how one of the big floating things managed to kill his parents and wasn't about to risk his life just yet. He had to learn more about it. He let himself drift a bit upwards, keeping what must be the front of it, going by the slightly elongated pointed nose, away from himself. The shadow of it gradually started to move as the sun climbed higher. The fish were unconcerned with it and he let some of his guard down at how peaceful it sat there bobbing away up there.
Sam slowly rose closer to the surface of the water. Heartbeat pounding out a rhythm in his chest he was sure would have given small fish concussions from the hearty beat. He startled when the school of marlin that were lazing about underneath the floating thing darted away, his long tail flicking upwards and causing a little wave up top. He froze instantly and felt a foreign feeling in his chest. Fear.
The pull was now laced with a rising sense of panic and fear.
Sam darted down to the ocean floor again, trying to figure out why he was suddenly feeling such a strong sensation that seemed to originate outside of himself. This wasn't like one of his dreams. This was happening now while he's fully awake.
He stayed still and silent as his eyes fixated on the thing above. It started to rock side to side slightly. Feelings that weren't his own rushing into his head. Faint, but there. He closed his eyes for a moment and listened. He waited patiently and the frantic movements and thumps from far above slowed down and stopped. The floating thing was alive?!
It was alive and waiting. As still as he is. Water passed through his gills quickly before he held his breath to calm down. When he was finally calm and focused again, he could hear some soft thumps from it again, something moving around. Did it eat something and its prey was able to move about the body? He swallowed hard and made up his mind, he would go up to it for a closer look.
Confident that this thing couldn't hurt him for how small it was compared to him. It wasn't even as long as his tail. The ones that killed his parents were at least as long as he is now at 212 feet. Maybe more. His memory is a bit skewed since he was so very small back then. He extended his wings a little to keep himself stable, hands coming out to his sides to push at the water. He felt that outside feeling again. Confusion turning to growing fear all over again.
Sam grinned to himself. If it feared him, it might not be able to kill him. Confident he was the stronger of the two, he pushed himself up off the ocean floor towards the floating thing. Stopping just short of breaching the surface. His momentum caused great waves to crash against the thing, causing it to move side to side. The feeling of fear turning into great terror.
The pull felt like it damn near snapped with how close he was to the source now. It stunned Sam into stopping altogether to stare at the underside of it. The pull stopped and he waited for a moment before reaching up and touching a clawed finger to the underside of the thing. Pushing it upwards and watching in fascination as the whole thing bounced on the surface of the water. The waves surrounding the thing calmed since he was now still and the foreign feelings were finally done with bounding around his head. He poked at it again, pushing it a little more firmly to one side and gasped at how it almost seemed to tip over to that side. The hard skin of it denting slightly at the pressure point.
A muffled sound came from above the surface and he recoiled his hand altogether, backing up a bit to stare at the thing. The sound petered out and he could hear what would almost be considered breathing and panting, but different. Probably because it wasn't underwater. Was it dying?
He bit his lower lip and poked tentatively at it again. The deep ridged fin that went underneath the thing got poked next. Hearing a renewed shriek of sorts that sounded similar to the higher pitches that dolphins make. Sam pulled his hand back just a little and paused for a moment before lifting his fingertips above the surface of the water.
He'd never done anything like this before, quickly lowering his hand and looking at it. Expecting his fingers to be bleeding, injured, or... or something. His parents had warned him against going up to the surface. Punishment would follow. But, he's not really seeing all the fuss. The air didn't hurt his hand at all.
The shrieking sound continued on and seemed to be moving around the floating thing in a strange path. Clear thumps were heard from inside of it.
Sam stared at the rounded ridge on the bottom of the thing and tapped a few claws at it. It sounded almost hollow. Trailing his fingers along the smooth underside of it. Surprised and delighted to feel the small thumps now. Wherever his fingers went, the thing thumped quickly away as if startled. This was kinda fun!
He took a few more deep breaths to center himself and lifted up his hand above the surface again, gently curving the ends of his fingertips to feel around what was up there. He could see the rough shape of it, but the waves continually made it terribly distorted. There was a long white thing that jut out from the center of it on up. The pole was almost twice as tall as the thing was long. Another pole of sorts was along one side of it and waved about as if it wasn't connected securely to the rest of the thing. Moving with the waves. He gingerly poked a finger at the secondary smaller pole and laughed at how it waved and moved away from his finger before swinging back to it.
Sam decided to hold the bottom of the floating thing in one hand to stabilize it and found that it would be damaged easily with his claws. Pushing in too far might puncture the thin skin of it and he tilted his fingers back a bit to keep his claws safely away. He didn't want to hurt or kill it. Not yet at least. So far it didn't show any hostility towards him. Right now he just wanted to know what it was.
He gripped it gently and grinned at how it still bobbled a bit from the waves caused by his tail that kept on moving to keep himself floating in place. He decided to use his wings as well to even out the crashing waves that seemed to be scaring the poor thing.
Now that the bottom was more or less still in his hand, he lifted his other up again to poke at the pole that swings horizontally. Chuckling to himself at how it would swing back towards his finger if he tilted the floating thing just right in his other hand. Finally pinching it in two fingers and rubbing the soft material through his fingers. Sam tugged lightly on the pole and heard something tear. He tried to retract his claws but one got caught in it and tore off a long strip of skin from the pole. He pulled his hands down quickly and stared in shock at the strip of white skin that was still stuck onto his claw.
Guilt welled in him that he injured it without meaning to. He wiggled his finger to dislodge it and it came loose and flitted down a little before the current started pulling the white scrap away. He was confused why it didn't smell like blood at all and plucked it up again in his fingers, bringing it to his nose and inhaling the things scent. It wasn't organic. Huh.
He looked up when there was a few frantic thumps coming from it again. A rhythmic beat from one side to the other, then up higher than that. Something groaned towards the rear of it and before he could move his hand there was a sound and movement coming from the circular fins. They dipped more fully into the water and started spinning to life. He had to reach forward quickly to snag the front end of the floating thing as it started to move away from him.
There was a whirring noise coming to life, and the circular fins were really spinning now. A tiny growling coming from just above. It started to turn in place since his left hand was holding onto the nose of it. The rear turning away from him. He moved a couple claws towards the spinning fins and heard and felt them thumping against his claws. Juttering the whole floating thing and causing it to groan louder before stopping completely. The spinning fins were nearly shredded now and bits of them started sinking downwards. The appendage that held the spinning fins wiggled up and down before staying down and motionless. The growling sound didn't start up again, but there was a tiny whining groaning sound coming from near it. There was this black cloud of stuff coming from it and drifting about up above. Just like how blood drifts in water. It bleeds, it is bleeding. It's injured.
Oh no. Sam cast a look upwards at the nose of the thing, and felt it go eerily still and silent. He hurt it!
Sam retracted his hands from it, pulling them both towards his chest in worry and guilt. Blurting out, "I'm sorry!" to it. He waited for something to happen but it was almost like it was trembling. The thumps turned to slight taps that moved towards the poles now. He lifted his head slightly to see up top, and moved around to get a better look at it and saw that the tall pole was actually slowly unfurling itself. The horizontal pole too was soon coming undone. The strip he'd torn off of it more apparent now that it's being hoisted up and stretched out. The movement stopped again as something was heard flapping. Moving about as if it was alive, but that can't be right because he'd smelled it. That white thin thing wasn't organic. It moved like kelp did when he waved a fin at it.
Sam poked at the side again, trying to initiate another natural movement out of it. Not something caused by the air above the surface. To reassure himself that he didn't kill this thing, that it was fine.
It started to move forwards slightly. The air catching in the tall flat white things that unfurled from the poles. Oh! It acts just like kelp leaves caught in a current! He fully let it go, and saw the floating thing pick up a bit of speed. Creating triangular shaped waves in the surface behind it. He smiled broadly. It was alive! But. It was trying to leave.
Sam wasn't done with it yet. The pull that's been following him around for ages was centered around that floating thing and he wants to know why it suddenly stopped when he made contact with it.
This time felt differently than all the other times the pull stopped on him. It was like... that was the last time the pull would stop. In two to nine months, he just knew it wouldn't be starting again like it always had. He did what it wanted him to do. It wanted him here. And now he's here. He accomplished the goal it wanted. If that was even such a thing. But what in the world did the pull want?
Sam shook his head and turned towards the floating thing as it started to pick up a moderate speed. Heading off to who knows where. Sam followed along lazily underneath it, flapping his wings every once in awhile to keep pace. The thing turned in a wide arc to his left and kept on turning. Sam stopped and stared at it. It leveled off its coarse and then kept going in a more or less straight line in that new direction. The triangle shaped white things that were attached to the poles up above were angled differently now.
He shrugged to himself and turned to follow after it as it swam along on the new path. Sometimes Sam would swim higher to try and get a peek at the wobbly image of the top again as it moved swiftly along the surface of the water. Moving from one side of it to the other with ease since it wasn't very big compared to him. He noticed after a little while that the ocean floor was steadily getting higher. The water brighter. He realized belatedly that it was heading for the shallows and maybe even beyond.
Sam had a decision to make. He couldn't follow it if it got to the shallows. He was just too big to swim up there and it made him nervous to think about being able to be seen by things above the water. Here, he had a chance to dive deep if it decided to attack him. To escape if it wanted him dead.
So far, that wasn't the case, but maybe... maybe it needed shallow water to attack? And it was leading him into a trap! What if this was the lure and he was the prey?
Sam scowled at the floating thing as it kept on going. Same speed and direction. Heading for brighter waters. Sam beat his tail twice to get up to speed again and reached his hand up to poke none too gently at the underside of the thing. Not enough to punch a hole in its hide, but enough to let it know it's not going to get what it wants. Not before Sam gets what he wants first. Which is some damn answers.
The floating thing nearly spun off with that poke and the white triangles spun around wildly for a moment. A sound similar to a yelp was heard and a few loud thumps. Sam winced and firmed his jaw again. Not letting it phase him. Sam lifted his hand again and gripped the thing's pointed nose firmly, hearing a crunching sound coming from it and a loud groan reverberating through it. He halted its movements and turned himself to be lined up with it in both hands now, his other gripping onto the back firmly, but not so tight as to crunch that side as well. It didn't feel like any shell he'd experienced, but at the same time, parts of it bit into his skin like a sharp rock blade.
His blood dripped a little from his right hand as he took and held a breath. Preparing himself for the confrontation. He planned on pulling it down from the surface to get a real good look at it and to ask it properly what it was doing to him. Why there was a pull bringing him to this strange thing. What it all means.
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Dean knew he must be loosing his mind because that feeling that took over his mind and body for the last hour that was so intense he was in a constant state of panic, had just stopped abruptly. He was still panicking of course, but now it was all him, not influenced by those foreign feelings coming from below his ship. He panted hard, eyes bugging out as he tried to figure out what to do now.
Dean felt the first impact on the hull shortly after the violent waves calmed marginally. He couldn't hold back a very manly yelp as whatever the underwater thing was hit his ship again. Likely the keel or centerboard. He raced around, trying to find the source of the impacts but it seemed to be coming from underneath. The fish finder was useless as it kept on pinging that something big was underneath his ship. No shit. Whatever it was, it was over twice as long as his entire ship.
The sonar reflecting back far to quickly. The image was taking up the whole screen now, unable to tell shape beyond the random hole in it's mass, seeing past it to the ocean floor. The whole thing was moving far too organically for Dean's liking.
Something then pushed up on the underside of the port side bow and made his whole ship tilt drastically to the starboard side. Dean scrambled for a good hold on the steering wheel and helm to keep himself from going over the handrails. When the pressure abated, the ship immediately sank backwards towards the port side again, and it wobbled drastically in the water, trying to right itself.
Dean was praying loudly that it was all over but then just as it seemed to be going quiet, a hard push came up again from underneath and he's not ashamed to say that he screamed. Red faced and terrified because it just wouldn't go away. His scream petered out and he was left panting and praying quieter this time.
Just as he was about to let go of the helm he saw it. Huge claws lifting into view from the front bow pulpit. Rounded bulbs connected to the claws underneath raising up just after, moving independently of each other and at different heights. Dean stared wide eyed at it, breathing stopped short for just a few seconds before he belted out another round of screams as the huge black claws turned slightly before dropping back down below his line of sight into the water again going by the splashing sound and displaced water that sprayed up onto the deck.
Dean bolted up from his crouch and ran towards the cockpit entrance to the living quarters, feeling more thumps against the hull no matter which way he scrambled to get away from it. He'd hide along the wall next to his dresser and suddenly feel the actual shell of his ship dent inwards behind his back. Running to the galley produced another hard shove from the wall there soon after. It was chasing him and he has nowhere left to go.
Dean went to the center of the ship to get away from all of the walls which meant he was wedging himself on the stairs leading topside again. Clear view of those claws as they once again came over the edge of the walls. The rounded things underneath the claws dragged around on the walls for a second before trailing off towards his sail. Dean heard something being hit up top and felt his ship move slightly side to side.
He sighed out of frustration and forced himself to shift upwards slightly to see where they were going and gaped at the sight of the horizontal boom being pushed around by the round things. A loud sound came from underneath that sent him reeling back down. He clutched the hand rail so tight in both hands when his ship was suddenly jostled from underneath before stilling completely.
Dean knew, without a shadow of doubt, that it had caught his ship. Whatever this thing is, had managed to restrain his entire ship. He felt it tilt to the side and heard another strange revving sound in the waters below as he heard the mainsail being pushed again. It was toying with it.
Dean pulled his head up just enough to watch. The huge black claws catching at the sail and then tearing a strip from it without even trying. It recoiled completely and his ship was suddenly let go again. Left to move about with the waves. He was free of it now. But for how long?
He knew that he had to get away from it and fast. He swallowed down his fear and knew he'd need to get the engines going asap. So he ran up top and twisted the key hard to start it. It choked on him and he realized that he'd forgotten to fill up the tank all the way. He didn't want to stop halfway during the getaway so he got to the fuel line and hit some buttons, getting it flowing again towards the engine from where it was rerouted towards the generator. Damn his need to watch movies into the night and forgetting to turn off all the unnecessary electronics before bed.
Dean raced to prop engine and lowered it back into the water carefully, mindful that he wasn't seen by whatever it was that insisted on terrorizing him. He then went to the helm and started up the engine with all due haste. Eager to get the fuck outta dodge.
Before he could even get anywhere he saw those things reach up and actually grip the front of the ship, stopping the forward momentum and nearly making him flip his ass over the helm.
The things curled around the front bow and now that he's counting them up, there is five of them. Fuck. They almost look like fingers. Big ass fingers that have two foot long claws at the ends of each one gripping the bow and making his engine struggle in the churning water, fishtailing it sideways since the boat can't move forward.
Then there was a screeching sound coming from the engine as it shuddered around like it hit rocks. He tore his eyes away to look at the smoke coming from the rear engine and it finally stopped with a grinding cahchunk.
Dean couldn't believe his luck. He let off the gas and turned the key to keep from wasting anymore fuel. Fuck. ok. He gasped as the gigantic fingers quickly recoiled from the bow and dove back underwater. A loud sound coming from underneath again, belting out and making him clutch his ears at the volume.
He stayed silent and motionless, even if he couldn't keep himself from shaking uncontrollably. Knee bouncing along to its own rhythm. He had another option than the engine. The sails were still tied up from earlier so he's gotta get those set up while he has this moment of peace.
He has to sail on outta here. Perfect. He wasn't that great at the sailing part of this trip. Relying probably a bit too much on the engines. He had to admit to himself that he should have practiced more on the actual act of sailing. Fuck. No time like the present.
He knew that any loud movements would just attract more attention from the thing so he tip toed on over to the main mast and started to carefully uncoil the ropes from around it. Letting it pool at his feet. He'll worry about cleanliness later. Hand over hand, he hoisted up the secondary sail as well, even if that thing tore a good long strip of the sail out of it earlier. Damned fucker.
The wind had thankfully picked up a little now that the sun's shining again and it caught it beautifully. He kept waiting for the thing under the boat to react to his movements but for now, it looked like it would be alright. Maybe the engines had scared it off? God he hoped so. The fish finder kept on pinging away but at least he didn't see that shape lift up out of the water again.
For a few minutes, it looked like it was working. His ship didn't hit anything as it started off and he turned his head to see the area he'd been. A simply massive shadow moved around underwater and he had to keep himself from staring at it too long. Once he's free and clear he can radio again for help, right now, he has to focus on just moving forward.
The minutes ticked tensely by and he realized that his ship was headed away from the mainland so he bit his lower lip and risked moving the sails and rudder about to head back to the mainland. No sense going further out from land, and further from help.
He looked around himself for the SAT phone again but it was nowhere to be seen. Double fuck.
Ok. So long as the CB radio is still working. He took another glance behind himself and sighed with relief that it didn't seem to be behind him. The fish finder indicated that it was far far below his ship, following along near the ocean floor. Why the hell did it feel like picking on him? Fuck.
Dean hesitating turning on the CB radio. If this thing was tuned into electronics or engines, it would explain why it reacted to the SAT phone's SOS and the engines being turned on. Right now, it's following him because the ship is still on. Navigation, the fish finder, lights, there's dozens of things that are turned on. Maybe it doesn't like those things. Well... he can technically sail without the electronics but, he'd be relying on the compass instead of his GPS and navigation. He silently started switching off everything besides the necessities. The rudder was electronic, and he definitely needed that. The sails could be tied off instead of using the computer to make the calculations for the perfect direction to angle them. It would be a bitch, but doable.
But before doing that, Dean made sure he was still aiming for land before calmly walking below deck and turning off everything down there. Even the fridge and night lights. Coming back up in the dark with a pocket knife tucked into his swim trunks now. He wished he remembered where he put the flare gun but it was probably moved last minute before he set sail. Too bad he wasn't a fan of guns. He could sure use one right about now. Or a ship cannon. Shit that would be great. Oh well.
Dean looked at his gauges for fuel usage and amps being used and grinned to himself. Well below normal. Practically electricity free. But, it might not be enough. He looked sadly at his fish finder and saw that it was pinging merrily away. Probably acting like homing beacon to the monster. Could it sense sonar?
He grimaced as he flipped it off and unplugged it for good measure.
Before he could cry over it, he turned off navigation, and everything else. Silently coasting along with just the wind blowing and waves around the ship as it steadily made its way to shallower waters.
He figured an hour in peace was long enough. The monster probably left by now. He was still cautious as he clicked on the old CB radio and turned to the frequency for Bobby's. Knowing without a shadow of a doubt that he couldn't radio the authorities just yet. No one on earth would believe this tall fish tail. Bobby would believe him. He's gotta. Then Bobby could get all the resources and people together that they need to come back here and take out this monster.
Dean lifted the microphone to his mouth and whispered, "CSQ. This is frequency 27.01500, Call Sign The Monster, CB amateur radio ID Number 3876962 Calling Hellsing, do you read? Over." Pausing for a response back. Hearing nothing. "Hellsing? Damn it, come in Bobby. Over." Dean grimaced.
He let up and heard static for a short bit, repeating the message and double checking that he had the right frequency and that he wasn't on the channel 9 - the emergency band. Yet. If Bobby doesn't pick up in a minute...
A familiar voice scratched through, "CSQ. Frequency 27.01500. This is Hellsing. I hear ya, Monster. What's up. It's not time for your check in yet. Over."
"Bobby!" Dean practically cried. "I'm in real big trouble here. There's this.. this... this thing that attacked the Monster, big bad Mother Fu -" Dean got the air knocked out of him when his ship abruptly tilted forward from something that came up from the starboard quarter. The sail swung wildly about, nearly knocking him over with the motions and the flailing ropes he'd yet to secure. Before he could stand up again, he toppled ass end over teakettle when the ship stopped it's forward pace and he nearly cracked a tooth on the cockpit floor.
"Monster? Monster are you still there? Over." Bobby's voice came through the speaker. The CB had been knocked around and hanging by it's plug over the side of the helm.
"Bobb-" Dean gasped out as he lifted himself upright again only to loose his breath the next instant at the sight of the clawed hand clutching angrily at the bow pulpit, crushing it in it's fingers and making the ship groan. "NO!" he screamed as it continued to knock him and his ship about. He crawled over to the radio and shouted frantically into it, "Bobby! Help!" before another hand rose from the water and gripped the rear stern and encompassed the engines in it's wide palm.
Bobby's voice came through the static, ordering Dean to give him his location so he can come find him but Dean couldn't get back to the helm to grab the CB again. The plug coming undone and the whole unit slid right off of the deck and into the water.
The ship swayed dangerously back and forth from the clawed hands that moved it around wherever they felt like. Dean threw up and only just managed to avoid falling into the puddle.
He tried like crazy to get below deck but his leg was tangling up in the ropes and keeping him from moving very fast. Then the pressure on the front and rear of the ship groaned and squealed with the metal grinding against metal and plastic in a deafening crash as Dean saw the horizon rising up around him. He was being pulled under!
"NOOO!" Dean screamed and scrambled but it was no use, the ship was going down, waves crashing past the rails and flooding the compartment below. Once it was full of water, it went down much easier and Dean fought and swam hard to make it past the sails and mast as it slipped downwards past him. Kicking and thrashing like a wild animal to escape the vortex caused by the ship going down at unnatural speeds.
He broke the surface of the water and sputtered and gasped as the top edge of the mast slipped down beside him. He couldn't stay here. He chose a direction at random and swam hard, crying for help. Hoping beyond hope that someone heard his SOS from earlier, that somehow there was a passing ship that saw him going down. That overheard his message to Bobby. For Bobby to suddenly be there and help him. Dean had nothing on him to help himself. Just his swim trunks and a pocket knife that was hitting his leg with every other breast stroke he made.
Trying in vain to stem the panic that flooded his mind and body.
He could sense the creature below him more than see, not wanting to waste any time at all stopping and taking a look at the terrifying death that awaited him below. The monster under the sea-bed.
Dean tried to think of what to do now, his arms and legs were turning to jelly as his muscles burned and cramped. Too much adrenaline over too long of time. He didn't even have anything to eat or drink today and now he might end up on the menu himself. He ignored the painful cramps and swam harder. Desperate to get away. A part of his mind suggesting that since it got his ship, it wont be looking for him. He has no electronics on him now. No reason for it to hone in on him.
The hand from before rose up underneath, Dean felt it on his feet first before it slid up his sides and gripped him around his shoulders. His scream chocked off as he was dragged underwater and spun around. Thick blood poured out from the hand that held him, smearing all over his sides before the water diluted it.
Too fast! Dean swallowed down the small amount of air in his mouth as he squinted his eyes open.
It was enormous. The creature was too big to comprehend in its entirety but what did cross his mind was how human it looked despite the colors. It had a face like a man but it was massive! Blue and brown and tan, pointed ears with long brown hair that was probably three times longer than Dean was tall. Dean saw two massive things behind its back lifting and twisting in the water behind it, looking for all the world like wings?
It opened up its mouth and Dean saw nothing but how big that gaping maw was. How easily he could fit inside that mouth and he screamed in horror at the sight. Loosing all of his air in a mass of bubbles. His fingers scrabbling at the huge fingers surrounding it and it let him go. Startled at the reaction it got. A couple of the claws scratched Dean's side but he couldn't care about that now. Dean wasted no time at all, swimming towards the surface because his life depended on it. Thankfully he reached the air and gasped deeply. Coughing out the small amount of water that made it into his mouth.
Delirious and dizzy he tried to float in place just to get oxygen back into his lungs. Weakly crying for help between great gasps.
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Sam successfully pulled the hard shelled floating thing down below the surface. Studying its strange shape. He frowned when he saw that it didn't really look like the others that he'd seen his whole life. Similar in design, but this was something new. He traced a claw along the edges of it and saw many things trapped inside it. He shook it and saw a few things start to float up to the surface again. He sniffed at the white triangle and saw the hole that he'd made in one of the sides. He tapped a claw along the edges of it, hoping to illicit another response out of it but heard nothing much coming from it. It was about the length of his arm, collarbone to fingertip, but it appears that whatever made it move, was gone. He brought the opening closer to his eyes and poked around for a few seconds before hearing some splashing noises coming from the surface.
Odd. He turned around so that he was belly side up and noticed something small in the water. Moving along at a painfully slow pace away from him.
With a new thing to focus on, he let the formerly floating thing go and it sunk slowly to the bottom of the ocean. Few random things drifting out from the mouth of it to scatter around.
He could come back to that later, for now, he drifted upwards and took a closer look at how this new small thing moved. Far more like an animal but unlike anything he'd ever seen in his long life. It had four main appendages and they moved independently of each other. Its head was still above water and it was making mewling cries. Sam frowned. Was this the thing that was pulling him all this time? This tiny little thing? It must have been trapped inside the larger floating thing until Sam rescued it from its belly.
Sam found himself reaching up his right hand and carefully wrapping it around the small creature. Briefly worried it would bite him, but ignoring the notion soon after. Sam's hand was only bleeding now because he was the one to cut it on the floating thing's shell. This little one's teeth would be far too small to break skin on its own. He solidified his hold and pulled it down to take a better look at it.
It struggled against his hand but it didn't have the strength to break his hold on it. Sam noticed that it had a Mer face and arms, but it's coloring was solid throughout its form. No patterns to help it hide in nature. He tilted it forward and saw tiny tiny fingers grabbing at his claw, trying to pry it off of itself. He loosened up a fraction but it didn't seem like it noticed or appreciated the consideration.
It looked terrified and now that Sam's really looking hard at that Mer-like face, he suddenly realized it looked familiar.
It was his brother's face.
Dean.
But how can this be?
Sam's mouth opened in shock and then wider at how the small thing suddenly screamed at him, letting out an impressive amount of bubbles for how small it is.
Startled, Sam's hand opened up and he watched dumbfounded as it swam towards the surface again. Its little limbs waving about in the weirdest way. He supposed it worked for the little one since it broke the surface quickly and made some soft noises while it was up there. A tiny amount of blood was coming from it, but it must have been Sam's blood from the cut on his hand. He didn't remember scratching it. At least, he hoped he didn't scratch it.
Sam slowly leaned forward to listen in to the pathetic cries. Watching as the limbs slowed and stuttered their movements. It was getting tired. Or in pain?
Sam's heart broke at the sight. It looked almost exactly like his brother and he couldn't deny that he felt a kinship to it. Maybe it somehow was his long lost brother. Maybe the pull was Dean trying to reach him all this time!
Sam couldn't figure out what was going on and it made his head and heart ache. His brother, or whatever that thing is, is making all kinds of sad sounds. He saw something trailing down from one of the lower limbs. A thin line of rope like his kelp ropes from long ago. He tugged at it and saw that it was attached pretty securely to the limb and so he used it to pull the little one down under again.
Sam wrapped his thumb around the rope to make sure that this thing couldn't escape him again, with his other hand, he gingerly pushed the being over onto its back in his cupped hands. Getting an unobstructed look at it.
It had something pale green wrapped around its middle that looked like it was the same inorganic material that he'd torn earlier, but, fitted around the lower two limbs.
The thing that looked like Dean was starting to turn a bright shade of pink now, hands going to his mouth and eyes starting to roll around. No doubt trying to see all of Sam at once as well. Sam obsequiously arched his tail up and over to shield little Dean from harm, and partly to show off how big and healthy he'd grown. Hoping for a little bit of that admiration he sought from his older brother ages ago.
Sam could cry. First from happiness at finding Dean again after all this time, and then crying from shame. Conflicting emotions welling up and pouring out. This little one looks exactly like his brother did when he last saw him. When Dean was dying.
Sam couldn't stop the stream of apologies.
"Oh Dean, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for everything I did back then. I'm sorry for screwing up. I'm sorry you... you died. Oh Dean. Dean do you forgive me? Have you come back to be with me again?" Sam's thumb brushed against Dean's side. More bubbles flitting up from past those tiny little hands. The shade of pink turning to red and even a little purple. Sam's blood drifted out from the cut in his hand, clouding his view of Dean sometimes. Teasing his memories of the last time he'd seen Dean alive, but that time it was Dean's blood that drifted in the water.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Dean. I swear, I swear on my life that I wont let you go again. That I wont leave you. I'm here for you, Dean. I'll always be here for you. I will look after you now. I promise. I promise, brother." Sam brought his tiny brother closer to his upper chest and face, cuddling with the small form. It pushed against him weakly and he felt and saw bubbles drifting up past his nose and eyes. Tracing them on up to the surface before looking back down at the tiny form.
Dean started to convulse in his hands. Gasping in water and flailing his limbs, clawing at his throat and chest.
Sam pulled his hands away from his face to see how much pain Dean was in now. Horror dawning on his face at what he had done. What he was still doing. Dean wasn't able to breath water like he used to. He was breathing air before. Oh no.
Sam's hands trembled and shook with the revelation as the form went deadly still. His claws accidentally scratching Dean's sides, causing him to bleed more.
"No... no I didn't mean... I didn't know!" Sam cried out, shaking the body in his bloody hands.
Sam's hand wrapped securely around Dean and he rose quickly to the surface, breaching his hands but not his own head. Desperate for Dean to take a breath. But nothing happened. Blood dripped down from all sides of his hand and Sam wasn't even sure anymore if it was his or Dean's.
He sadly brought the body down again and stared at it for a long moment. Unresponsive and still.
He killed him.
Sam killed his brother.
Last time, it was an accident, it was the shark that killed Dean. This time Sam held him underwater until he died. This time it's his direct fault. Not just an accident... oh no.
The pull. It was pulling him to his brother. It completed it's goal of reuniting them and he knew that it wouldn't start up again. That Dean wouldn't come back to life again. All this time... all this time he had been seeing Dean's previous lives. Was that possible? Was fate or something else pulling them together and now that it happened, they reunited, that it's done with them?
Please no.
"One more time? Oh please... please bring him back one more time! Bring him back! I'll do anything! Just please!" Sam begged and trembled. Sinking to the ocean floor. His brother's body in his hands. "I can't wait another nine months. Would he even come back again?"
Sam was so caught up in grief that he didn't immediately notice the slight movement in his hands. Didn't notice the flutter of a tiny heart start beating again. The blood from both of them that mingled inside of Sam's hand but also pressed into Dean's limp body by the curled fingers that surrounded him.
A gasp of water going into reforming lungs and exhaling out of newly formed gills along his sides. The tiny form shifting and changing. Transforming into something new.
Dean took a deep breath of water and opened his eyes.
Merman-Sam-and-Dean