Of Different Waters

“Well, I’m ready to leave whenever you are, Rebecca,” Ronan’s dad called to his wife.

“Hurry up Ronan or we’re gonna be late,” Rebecca hissed at the 22 year old. Honestly, that child was late for everything.

Ronan wanted to reply that he saw absolutely no reason to wake up at the ass-crack of dawn to go to the beach. It’s not like it was going anywhere anytime soon.

But he had to admit, he really did want to get there. After all, the beach was his favorite place in the world. Even though his family never went in the ocean It was nice. Peaceful. And he had a nice chlorinated hotel pool at his disposal, which was amazing considering water was like a second home to him.

Even so, Every year Ronan longed to swim in the salty water of the ocean. He longed to let the cool water caress his skin gently as he explored the underwater coast. But he could never work up the courage to defy his parents. It was one of the only rules they had really been strict upon while he was growing up. No salt water. Apparently he had some kind of bad allergy to it.

But maybe this would be the year he’d swim in the ocean, if only for a little, allergies be damned.

“Coming mother,” Ronan bellowed walking out the door with Fisk.

"No Ronan...” Rebecca warned, giving that look only a mom could give. The one where he knew he’d be in trouble if he went against her.

“What?” he smiled innocently.

“Absolutely not. John make him put it back,” she pouted to her husband.

“Oh, come on Dad,” Ronan practically pleaded, turning toward the man, “it’s not like Fisk is going to hurt anyone.”

John shrugged, and received a hearty slap from Rebecca. ”Ow, what was that for?”

“You’re the father. Put your foot down. We’re not taking a fish on our family vacation!”

Two hours later they arrived at their hotel. They started unpacking the car. Ronan grasping Fisk’s travel bowl tightly.

“I can’t believe we have the fish on our family vacation,” Rebecca said gloomily.

“Fisk says he’s hurt that after one day, three hours and seventeen minutes you don’t consider him part of the family,” Ronan told his mom after hearing his fish gripe about it.

“Well you can tell Fisk that unless he cans it, he’s gonna end up in a can,” she grumbled.

Ronan just walked to the room chuckling softly. Room 519.

I don’t see what’s so funny. She wants to kill me. Fisk cried frantically swimming back and forth in his small fish bowl.

“No she doesn’t really believe that I can understand you.” Even though I pretty much told her that, he added silently. “Plus I wouldn’t let her get rid of my best sea water friend that easily.” Ronan reassured his fish.

When Ronan arrived at the room he did a quick cursory glance of his surroundings. Yup. It was the standard hotel room. Two beds. A dresser to put clothes in, that Ronan would never use (he kept his in his suit case) a TV on top of the dresser. Sparse lighting, a chair and small table. Some nondescript painting, a spackled ceiling and an end table in between the beds with the standard Bible and, of course, a bathroom.

He went to put Fisk down when he heard some sounds of struggling coming from the door.

And there was John. He was juggling four very large bags. “Hey sea monkey, how ’bout giving me a-ah...

Crash...

Bam...

Bang...

Thunk...

"Ow."

John was now laying in the most awkward position on the hotel floor. Suitcases and clothing (one of the cases opened) were strewn about, a good deal of which were on top of him.

“Are you alright?” Ronan asked not even bothering to hide his laughter.

“If I said ‘no’ would you stop laughing?” he answered flatly, already getting up and putting the spilled contents away.

Ronan turned around and placed Fisk’s bowl down on the dresser.

“This spot okay boy?” After asking the question Ronan watched his fish intently as if waiting for an answer. He then nodded and picked up the fish bowl. John watched as his son talked to the fish. Sometimes he truly believed Ronan could talk to them. Right now was one of those times. After asking the question Ronan gazed at his fish intently, nodded as if he agreed with something the fish had said and picked up the fishbowl.

“The window it is,” Ronan said to the fish as he set the bowl down on the table that was positioned in front of their window. The window had a breathtaking view of the... parking lot. Ocean views were expensive, and in Ronan’s case, very distracting. He’d often find himself lost in the waves. Just staring at them in wonder.

“Hey Ronan, thanks for the help,” Rebecca’s sarcastic remarks were heard over an enormous pile of pillows and beach towels.

“Ok come on mom, I helped,” he tried to convince her by taking the pile of stuff off of her hands. “I even left the door open for you,” he added in the most charming voice he could muster.

“Oh shut up and put those away,” Rebecca huffed, trying to hide her grin rather unsuccessfully.

An hour later when all of their belongings were carefully stashed away Ronan asked the question. ”So... what’re we doing now?”

“Well your father and I plan to relax. You can go have fun. Just make sure you let us know if you’re coming back for dinner,” Rebecca smiled.

“Alright then. I’m gonna go swimming.” He heard the sharp intake of breath from both of his parents. Oh for the love of-“In the pool,” his tone clearly screamed duh.

Geeze, there wasn’t any way he was going in saltwater if it hurt him. Although, he really wanted to test that theory...

Still, Ronan changed into his swim trunks, grabbed a big fluffy beach towel and scuttled away from the room as fast as possible. He walked to the main lobby of the hotel and began following the signs to the pool.

There it was. He saw it through the window. It was an outdoor pool of a fairly decent size. Fenced in, no doubt to keep the beach goers out.

And there behind the cheap wrought fence was the most beautiful, glorious sight Ronan had ever laid eyes on. The ocean. He had never been this close to it before... and if he went outside, he’d be even closer.

He quickly made his way out the door that lead to the pool and sat down in one of the beach chairs. Ronan gave a content sigh. He could smell it from here. The gentle salt smell. The waves sounded soft and soothing, as if singing a lullaby he had long since forgotten.

It was as if those waves put Ronan into a dreamlike trance. He felt lethargic. His eyes grew heavy. Before he knew it, he was asleep.

He was underwater. And he had a tail. What was that he heard? Singing. Yes it had to be singing. The most beautiful voice. Sounded so familiar. Embraced in warmth. Who was this person? they sounded so familiar. He felt protected. Loved even.

Whoever was holding him cared for him deeply. He stopped singing and looked at the young boy in his arms, a wild desperate look in his eyes. He began to speak to Ronan in a strange language. A language Ronan was shocked to find out he understood. ” Chromis-Rasha,” well, he understood most of it, “you must leave this place. If they find you, you won’t be able to swim and play anymore,” he kissed Ronan on the forehead. He could tell this strong man was crying the tears glistened like diamonds even underwater. “I will save your life by making you miserable. You will hate me one day for this, I’m sure, but it’s the only way I know to save you. To make sure you can come back here someday, I will send you up there,” he pointed upwards to the surface world.

"Gamara, nra!” the young Ronan cried, “Don’t send me away!”

“I have to,” his father, birth father, cried.

“Don’t you love me?”

His father made a strangled noise halfway between a choke and a sob. “Of course I love you. That is why I must do this,” he said kissing his son’s head once again.

He placed his hand gently on Ronan’s head and worked his magic on him. It would make him a land walker until he was ready to mature as one of them. It would keep him safe.

His beautiful blue tail disappeared becoming a pair of scraggly looking things he thought might be called legs. Honestly, how were they supposed to swim with those?

The spell complete, he focused his forlorn but loving gaze upon his son and ascended to the surface world. Clutching the child to his breast, he swam swiftly to the shore. He placed his little Ronan in the shallow waves, not able to go any farther out of the water. He didn’t have enough energy to cast another land walking spell. All his energy had gone into his son. And he still had to place another spell on his son.

A spell to forget.

A spell that left Ronan with only his name. He quickly cast the spell on his son. Ronan stared at with question in those big blue orbs. “Etu ra maru?” Who are you.

The words cut like a knife. Sure, that’s what the spell was supposed to happen, what needed to happen, but it still hurt. It was better for Ronan this way, safer, if he remembered nothing of his life under the waves. To grow up ignorant to what he was, to who he was. If he didn’t remember he could live a normal carefree life.

He answered his son’s question, “Nobody important. Your family will come and get you soon.” Ronan watched as the sad looking man turned and left before he could ask any more of him.

With tears in his eyes and a heavy heart Ronan’s father swam to sea, stopping to say one last goodbye.

“Seschbarta ma lio, ma sol.”

He hoped someday his son might return to the sea.

Ronan awoke with an intense feeling of longing... for home. Tears blurred his vision and he hastily wiped them away. That must have been an intense dream for him to react that way, but he couldn’t remember any of it.

All he had left were the feelings.

He felt safe, protected, loved.

And most of all, he felt like he had come home after being gone for an extremely long period of time.

He sighed. Maybe in time he’d remember the dream.

The sky was dark. It was well past time for him to be heading back to the room. He stood up and picked up his towel. Maybe tomorrow I’ll actually go swimming.

He was opening the door to his room, quietly as to not wake his parents, when he heard a whisper.

Ronan, ceva ow mo...

Well, that was weird. He decided to ignore it and went into his room, locking the door behind him. Ronan did his best to crawl into his shoddy double bed without waking his parents and was swiftly met by sleep.

Someone was calling him. A strong but wispy voice, beckoning him closer.

Ronan, ceva ou mo...

The feelings surrounding him. They were the same as earlier. Safe. Protected. Loved.

Ronan, ceva ou mo...

The voice sounded familiar, but Ronan was sure he had never heard it before in his life.

Ronan, ceva ow mo...

He could see the figure reaching out to him. But couldn’t quite make out any details of the figure. A bright light behind it blocked out any chance Ronan had of getting a better look. Silhouetting everything in front of it.

Ronan, ceva ou mo...

What was it even saying? Ronan had never heard a language quite like it.

Ronan, ceva ou mo...

Okay now the voice was getting kind of annoying.

Ronan, ceva ou mo...

Was that all it could say?

Ronan, ceva ou mo...

“Will you...

Shut up!” Ronan yelled the last word, waking up with a start. His parents were both staring at him wide eyed from the doorway to the kitchen.

“Bad dream?” his father asked.

“Dunno, can’t remember,” Ronan shrugged it off, as no big deal, fumbling out of bed.

“So Ronan, what time did you end up getting back last night?” Rebecca asked him slyly.

“I’m not sure.”

“Go anywhere exciting?” she pried.

“Nope, just the pool.”

“You spent all that time at the pool?” She didn’t believe him. He was gone for hours.

“Yeah,” Ronan ran a hand through his hair, a sheepish grin on his handsome features, “I fell asleep. Didn’t even get to swim.”

His dad snorted. “So, what’s on your agenda for today, sea monkey?”

“Nothing why?” Ronan answered.

“I thought maybe the three of us could go to the aquarium,” John said with a big smile.

An identical smile appeared on his face and he quickly agreed that they should indeed spend the day there. Ronan would never pass up the opportunity to go to that place.

He went about his morning ritual and was ready to go in seven minutes. Six minutes and forty-nine seconds, according to Fisk. Then they all piled into the car and were off to Ronan’s second favorite place on earth.