Chapter 13

HYDROPHOBIA: Fear of water

I fell with a loud splash.

Before thinking of any other thing, I wrapped both my hands around the plank. I held it so tight, the wood was against my chest. It was rough, uneven and spiky. I could feel the spikes poking my skin but i couldn't care less. The water was my biggest concern at that moment. The pressure pulled my body away from the plank but my hands held it firmly.

The water was so cold and harsh against my skin, I could feel it bite through. It was only then I noticed little sharp ice went with the water and as it moved, it tore through my vulnerable skin. Blood from my hand washed away with the water, leaving behind fresh injuries. At that moment, I could see the white layer beneath my skin.

Asides from the water filling my, the constant splash and the movement of water, I couldn't hear any other thing.

My hear was pounding fast. I was more than scarred. I could feel the rush of blood pumping through my veins. All my energy and mind was concentrated on my attachment to the rough cold wood.

I had no idea if I was crying but if I was, the water washed every tear away.

I tried to open my mouth to speak but it was no avail. I either had water rushing into my mouth in the process or I started coughing. Either ways, every effort turned out to be useless.

I could still see Axel standing and starring at me like he didn't do anything.

Believe me, if I knew they brought me here just for the purpose of killing me then I'd rather stay in the asylum listening to Red and eating the same type of food everyday. I was stupid for not asking why they brought me here and dumb for choosing a guy as weird as him to spend my day with.

I knew there was something creepy about him but I never expected him to try to kill me.

He could've at least asked for they type of death I preferred.

"Help" I managed to say but I ended up coughing after.

He ignored me.

My arms we're giving out on me already. I was straining my arm muscles by holding unto the plank but I couldn't let go cause my life depended on it. The strong pressure of the water wasn't helping either. It made me feel like my arm would snap at any second.

I definitely didn't plan for my death to be like this.

"Caeli!" I heard a loud distant voice. I was relieved when I heard it belonged to Ignis. They were yelling my name but the water made it sounds like it came from a far distance.

I felt the plank begin to vibrate. It was then I noticed there was another pair of arms on the plank. I couldn't see it clearly but I knew it could only belong to Lux.

At least, not all three of them were trying to kill me.

Seconds later, I felt a strong warm arm go round my waist. It didn't take time till I figured out it was Lux. I slowly peeled my eyes open to see him right next to me. He had one of his arm around the wood and the other holding me firmly.

His hair was plastered to his head due to the water and his skin was oddly white and pale. It looked like he lost all the colour he had in his skin. His once red plump lips turned faint pink and smaller in size.

He too couldn't keep his eyes open for that long. He blinked severally and slowly pulled me as if telling me to let go. Of course, I would.

The day pigs fly.

"Let go!" He managed to yell. I didn't follow his instruction. I had a feeling as soon as I let go of it, the water would pull me away.

With his bulging arms, it looked like he had the power to pull us both but it didn't look like anything was stronger than the water.

When he noticed I wouldn't let go, he started pulling me along with my hand still attached to the plank.

As he pulled me along, I felt my arm move against the slippery wood.

I looked back and saw Axel take slow steps behind us. I had to blink multiple times to see he the expression on his face.

He was smiling?

Before I knew it, we were already at the bank . As weak and pained as I was, I could still make my way out of the water. I detached myself from both the wood and Lux and tried to walk my way over to Ignis.

Keyword, tried.

I fell as soon as I got on my feet and luckily, Lux was there to catch me. He already knew all the energy had drained from my body and I couldn't hold myself. He held me in place, starred at me for a while before lifting me up. My legs circled his waist as his hand held me firmly by my lower back. He made it look like I weighed nothing.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Lux yelled at Axel as he made his way to us looking all dry and definitely not as cold as I was.

It didn't look like he regretted his action at all. He wasn't sorry and it didn't look like he would ever be. The only good thing was that the smile had erased from his face and his face was once again emotionless.

"You told me to train her"

"Exactly!" Ignis yelled "Not to kill her!"

For two guy I'd met about three weeks ago, I didn't expect both of them to love me this much or even worry at all. If we lived in a world made of cartoon, both of them would have steam emitting from their ears. I mean, Axel was like their brother and with the way it looked like, they'd been living with each other for a while.

What he did was very dangerous and uncalled for but I was just a girl they rescued from dying in a messed up asylum. To see them take my side made me feel important.

For the first time in my life.

"She wouldn't have died" Axel replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I wanted her to unlock her inner capabilities"

"Did you ever think of taking it slow like we did?!" Lux yelled back. I could feel him vibrate as he yelled and I could also hear his fast heartbeats. "Do you have any idea what would've happened if she let go?!"

"I do_"

"That water leads to Bellum you idiot!" Ignis spoke up and I could've sworn I saw a vein pop out in the process.

"They're psychos there! You know how much they hate her!"

It felt like I'd heard the word Bellum before then but I couldn't put a finger on it. Even if I'd remembered it, I would still be confused on why they hated me so much. After all, I just got there. The way they said it made it feel like they would've killed me if I step a foot on their land.

I wanted to ask questions but I chose to keep quiet throughout. Mostly because I was tired and if I'd said a word I would say things I wouldn't want to.

"Nevertheless, she wouldn't have died"

"But they'd make sure she goes through so much pain than she can bear!" Lux yelled "She knows nothing about this! It would be torture!"

"Why don't you go over there and see what happens"

Axel didn't reply after that. Instead, he gave me one last glance and in a second, he was gone. He didn't disintegrate or glitch a bit. He just erased and he was gone. I'd never experienced someone disappearing before but there's only one thing I'd learnt in the past three weeks it would be that everything was possible.

"Great" Ignis said "He left"

"Are you okay?" Lux asked me "You look hurt"

"I'm cold" I tried to say but it came out like a strangled cat. They started walking back towards home and I couldn't have felt happier. The last thing I wanted was for then to waste my time taking while I slowly turned to ice.

"Let's get you home" Ignis said "I'll make you tea. If that makes you feel any better"

I smiled at him in reply and he reciprocated. "We're sorry about that. I had no idea he would go that far"

After that, he got the hint I wasn't ready to talk so he didn't say anything after. He went in front of us and led the way through the dried burnt trees. If it were to be up to me, I'd be lost. I didn't understand how they knew the way through the forest when everything looked the same.

"Why am I here?" I asked, whispering to Lux. "What do you want from me?"

"That's a story for tomorrow"

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