Page 148 of The Sea Witch's Son

The sails flap in the wind, pushing my dad just out of my reach. I swallow hard, looking down at the rolling waves.

I’m not a strong swimmer, but maybe if I get close enough...

Clutching the handle of my suitcase, I take a deep breath and jump. Saltwater splashes into my eyes and mouth, making me cough and splutter when I break the surface.

“D-Dad! Wait for me!”

I swim away from the dock, kicking hard against the weight of my clothes. My suitcase is getting heavier the farther I go, but I hold on.

The ship I built for my dad is more than a silly figurine. It’s a token of my love, proof that I care about him more than anyone else in this world.

I know I’m a weird kid. I know it frustrates him that I like building puzzles instead of playing ball. I know that sometimes he feels like we have nothing in common.

But I canlearnto be normal. If I can learn how to build a perfect replica of my father’s sailboat then I can learn to do anything.

Even love him like a normal son.

“Dad, please! Don’t leave me.”

Every wave seems to push me back, stinging my eyes and putting a terrible taste in my mouth. I’m struggling to keep myhead above water, struggling to hold on to the ship I spent six weeks building for my father.

He needs to see it.

He needs to know I care.

“D-Dad-

A wave crashes down on me, and I get pulled under. The suitcase is like an anchor, dragging me into the depths below.

The current of the water rips the suitcase free from my hand. I try to grab it, but another wave knocks me backward and the brown case disappears from view.

My head breaks the surface and I inhale a gust of air. Another wave hits me before I can catch my breath, and suddenly I’m under water again.

Saltwater burns my eyes, and if I could, I would cry. It’s so dark down here, an all-consuming darkness that paralyzes my mind. I don’t know which way is up, I don’t know which direction I'm swimming in, I don’t know why there’s a fire igniting in my lungs.

There’s water everywhere – in my mouth, up my nose, down my throat. I can’t find a way to breathe, and every time I open my mouth more water pools in.

I claw at my neck, desperately trying to make the pain go away. The fear is consuming me, the darkness closing in until I start to scream.

The water muffles the sound and tosses me around some more. I don’t know if my father ever did see me, but I do know he chose to leave me.

He chose to leave me withher.

It was foolish to think he cared. Foolish to think I was strong enough to make it to the boat. Foolish to think he would have turned back even if he did see me.

I start to choke, spluttering and coughing on the water that won’t go away.

I’m going to die here. I’m going to die here and nobody will ever know.

I’m going to die a fool.

Chapter 55

MELODY

Present day…

I’m in fucking pieces.

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