The Ocean’s City

An overwhelming sense of thankfulness flooded through me as I processed his words. Then, like a broken dam, I began to have questions. One after the other, they piled into my mind.

I didn’t know if it was because I was going through some form of shock or because Dalton watched me like I was about to become unhinged. Still, when I opened my mouth, I didn’t ask all the questions I had.

Instead, curses flowed out of me as if it came from another soul. It ended with, “You manipulating asshole.” Causing me to cringe inside. I watched as his already stark features became even starker. The wind outside picked up like a giant whistle.

I didn’t bite my tongue as I have since I’ve been abducted and was scared of what he might do to me with his scary ability to change reality. Instead, I was ready for whatever he would throw at me.

His eyes darkened, and so did the room, as the thick wall of dust blocked out any signs of light. He tucked his hands in his pockets and turned on his heel to leave the room.

The action made me see red, and before I knew what I was doing, a plate flew over the breakfast bar and across the living room, missing his head by a foot and shattering against the wall.

Anger doubled in me, and I threw the next plate after the next. He dodged each plate that flew across the room and advanced toward me.

I threw the plates faster, raging screams muffled in my chest. When Dalton was finally in the kitchen, he was close enough that I couldn’t miss him. I threw with all my might, and he caught it, causing me to sober from my hysterics.

His left hand caught my throwing hand, and his right hand snuck an arm around my waist. He smelled like a forest after it rained. His warmth touched my skin, giving me the comfort I hadn’t requested.

He barely contained a snarl as he put his head leaning against the side of mine and shushed me like I was a fussy baby.

“Where is she, Dalton?” I asked in between whines.

My sobs caused my body to shutter, but when I finally calmed down, he took my chin and rose to look at me. He searched my pitiful eyes. “I will find her and bring her back to you.” He whispered, his voice voided of his own emotions.

Then his lips softly dusted the tops of mine. It was so fast I couldn’t react, and when he saw I wasn’t pushing him away, he delved his tongue in, taking more from the kiss in a demanding way.

The salt from my tears remained in my eyes and burned my eyelids when I closed them. I found a sliver of comfort in Dalton’s touch and felt myself lean into it. But my confused mind slowly reminded me of reality. He was already pulling away before I could push him from me.

His body was tense, like he was fighting himself from giving in to temptation and forcing himself to walk away from me.

The room felt thick with his anger as it raged off his shoulder, and he meticulously paced out the door into the storm.

A thick dust gushed into the house, causing his silhouette to vanish completely. He closed the door with ease, and with the sound of the door shutting, silence followed, and the thick, raging air simmered to nothing.

I stood still, staring at the door, waiting for him to return. Air filled my lungs as I realized I had been holding my breath. My fingers touched my lips that were brushed against his warmth seconds ago.

I rushed to the window to peer outside, but the thick brown wall seemed darker now with gray; the rain patted down the stray dirt, and a new storm raged outside.

Then, a force of air, much like a hiccup, pushed into my lungs as my mind reminded me that Dannie was still alive.

I crumbled to the floor and fought for air. A strain of relief flowed through me, making my airways tingle as my brain registered the news and told the rest of my body. But as the sense of relief sent its messages, something much more strained crept alongside the good news.

It took hold of my lungs, seeping itself deep into my guts and causing my mind to become unhinged. It was an emotion I had never experienced before. As it dominated my heart, I felt an overwhelming feeling, causing me to be helpless and out of control.