14 Part 14
Conch stays low to the ground until he reaches the gorge and dives into the cloud pool. There are soldiers consciously swimming around the top of the cloud looking around the shipwrecks and rocks that surround them. Siren's cry hungrily in the distance scaring them away from the deeper side near the ship. Conch makes it to the ship to find Coral swimming around aimlessly. He must have been worried with the soldiers so close to them. Conch rushes past him to the pearl room. He had a crazy idea that would scare off the soldiers for a while so they could leave peacefully.
Coral-
Conch?!
He looks into the pearl and sees a larger view of where the soldiers were spread around. He then concentrates on what a large group of sirens would look like storming out of the clouds. Coral peaks in the room to see what conch was doing. Soon the cries of sirens surrounded the ship and echoed into the distance. The soldiers looked to the deep end and made a dash for the outside back to the kingdom. They were being chased out by the sworn that mysteriously vanished once the soldiers left the area completely.
Coral was in awe after seeing what his friend could do with the pearl. Conch released the illusion and checked the map again. It was clear of soldiers for miles.
Coral-
Conch.... What the hell was that?
Conch-
A peaceful way out of here. Let's get this big boy out of here, shall we?
Coral-
HELL YEAH!!
Conch moves away from the pearl as it pops a bubble and releases a new one that grew and expanded around the ship. The more space it filled, the higher the ship rose. As the water was drained out of the ship Conch and Coral returned to their human forms. Coral smiled from ear to ear exited from the feeling he got from the rising ship. Soon the ship surfaced and rocked back and forth ready to sail.
Coral danced and ran and jumped around happy as a clown squealing at the top of his lungs. Conch goes to one of the rooms and grabs a set of clothes for each of them.
Conch-
Cut that out before you hurt yourself. Put these on in case we see other people at sea. We tell them we're lost at sea, lost our crew, and they can help us. So long as they're not pirates.
Coral-
What if they are pirates?
Conch-
They're lunch. It's not good to socialize with the bad end of the sea.
Coral-
Well played. Messed up. But well played.
Conch-
Get dressed. You're minding the ship.
Coral-
YEAH!!! Dibs on wheel!! Whoa!? . . . Rickety.
Conch-
Hahahah!
Conch walks up to the top deck and sees the sky as clear as the sea surface below them it was amazingly bright. The clouds were in the sky instead of on the floor white and fluffy like cotton. Conch felt a completely new feeling from what he used to feel on the island. He felt full just from looking at the vast ocean from above. But that fullness soon died to a Heavy emptiness. And anguish. And eventually regret. In that instant he realized he couldn't be apart of the place he felt the most at home.
Coral-
Haahahaha! Whoo!! . . . . Conch? What's the matter?
Conch-
.... Where did you say you found me when we first met?
Coral-
At the end of the trench. Why?
Conch-
I don't think I ever told you this, but every now and then I'd go to the trench at night and wonder what would be down there. What would I see if I can see the night like it was day? I would look into it, mesmerized, because what I see there is this exact image from above it. I once went into it and I thought I could stay there under the clouds forever. Watching the stream below me flow like the rivers you've always dreamed of seeing up here. I see them in the darkness of the the trench.
Coral-
You've never told me any of this before. You've told me you could see in the dark. I thought that was a bit strange before, but.... Conch?
Conch-
. . . . I'm going to sit by the pearl for a while. I think I need to stay away from this for a while.
Coral-
Conch, wait! Wait a minute. What's wrong? You look like you're going to cry.
Conch-
.... I am. And it hurt. And I don't know why.
Conch walks back down to the pearl room and closes the doors behind him, leaving Coral on the deck confused. In the room Conch sat in the darkness with the dim pink light of the pearl pulsing steadily as he stared at his sand colored hands dyed in the pink light. It was horribly strange to him now. How painful it was to leave the ocean so fast. He could feel his chest crumpling inside. He neck felt cold with his stingers. The regret for leaving went to fear of betrayal. He knew feeling this way made him betray his friend and the promise he kept to him all those years. He could hold back the pain and tears any more. The pearl released a soft cloud into the room before he let out a cry.
