3 Sea
Geale gasped and excitedly turned around.
The sound was a warning call. It meant that the festival was ending and it was time for the participants to return home. It should have alarmed Geale, but it filled him with hope instead.
If he couldn't approach the singer on the island, perhaps he could meet him on their way home. Schell managed to snag a partner that way in the past.
Geale's friend didn't flirt with the person on the island, but he accompanied them during the end of the festival. He managed to impress them while they were making their way home.
Geale could do the same with the singer! He could meet him again while everyone was heading out of the island. He could say it was a coincidence and that they should return home together since they were already with each other. He could get to know him better, probably learn where he lived so they could catch up and meet each other again.
The pain in his chest ebbed. This could work!
Geale quickly sprinted back toward the patch of the island where the lights flickered. The crowds of people previously dancing mindlessly were slowly waking from their intoxicated reverie.
Geale squeezed himself through the shuffling bodies, determined to return to the old beach house bar.
Another loud bellowing sound echoed around them, causing the people to start walking towards the water; directly opposite Geale's direction.
He winced as bodies shoved him toward the sea. His feet almost slipped against the sand as shoulders carelessly slammed against him.
Geale squeezed himself into the tight, narrow spaces in the moving mob, ignoring the curses and complaints he received in response.
He spotted the array of establishments first which gave him the strength to continue. He was making progress!
"Geale!" It was Schell.
Geale turned around to look at him.
Schell was still with his female companions. He was looking confused and worried at Geale. "Let's go!"
Rightfully so. Geale was heading away from home after all.
"I'll be right behind you!" Geale assured before turning away from him.
Schell could only watch in confusion as his friend disappeared into the crowd.
Geale finally spotted the end of the road. The crowd had considerably thinned, allowing him to sprint toward the beach house bar.
He caught a familiar shade of red in the group of people walking away from the establishment. Geale paused. It was the couple! They were leaving the place with the rest of the people from the bar.
Did that mean the singer had left too? Surely, they wouldn't just leave him there. Had he lost his chance to reunite with the singer?
Geale quickly ran toward the couple. He grabbed the man's wrist to stop them. "Where is he?!"
The couple turned around in panic. "Just leave! Leave before it's too late!"
Geale's eyes went wide. "Are you saying you left him there?!"
"Just leave him alone!" cried the woman.
Another warning bellowed in the distance, beckoning everyone to abandon the island.
"How can I leave him alone?!"
"Please!" the man said, pulling his wrist free from Geale's grasp. "Leave him."
Geale glowered at them. "What kind of friends are you?" he hissed before sprinting toward the direction of the bar.
The couple looked anxiously at each other. The man finally shook his head and led the woman to the shore.
Geale reached the entrance of the bar and quickly scanned the premises for the singer. The place was empty. Everyone had probably left for the sea, except for the singer.
Where could he be?
Geale remembered where the man disappeared to after his performance. Could he still be there?
He sprinted toward the doorway behind the bar where he last saw the singer. It led to a room that he recognized as a kitchen. Geale looked around, wondering where the singer could have disappeared to and found a doorway at the end of the hall.
He sprinted toward it and realized that it led to another side of the island: a dark shoreline with an array of boulders and a long stretch of pebbles.
Geale's chest ached when he realized how much of it had been claimed by the shadows. His eyes could only catch the silhouette of the rocks against the sparkling reflection of the moon on the moving water.
Did the couple leave the singer behind? Did he wrongly accuse them?
Geale scanned the horizon again and suddenly spotted something white on top of a boulder at a distance. He remembered the white shirt that the singer wore during his performance.
It could be the singer!
Geale ran to the boulder, a surge of excitement filling his veins. The closer he was to the boulder, the more he realized that he was right.
The white splash of color was the singer's shirt glowing under the faint light of the moon overhead.
Another warning call bellowed on the island. This time, the ground trembled. It replaced Geale's excitement and relief with a wave of panic.
"YOU!" Geale shouted as he reached the singer.
The man curiously turned around to look at him, his curls dancing carelessly in the breeze. His striking eyes went wide. "What are you doing here?"
"What are you doing here?!" Geale then grabbed the singer's wrist and dragged him toward the edge of the boulder. "Let's go!"
"No!" the singer protested, tugging his hand back. "Let me go!"
"I'm not leaving without you!"
The last warning call bellowed in the distance, leaving the boulder trembling beneath their bare feet.
"Let's go NOW!" Geale wrapped his arms around the singer's waist. He jumped into the sea with him before the man could protest.
They plunged into the cold water. Geale kept his eyes open as they sank into the darkness. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the shadows.
Bubbles surged around him. He released one arm from holding the singer and allowed his lower half to get swathed in foam.
The bubbles soon dissipated, revealing a long fish tail with shiny dark blue scales where his two long legs previously were.
Geale smiled, relieved that he was finally back in the arms of the sea. He dove deeper into the water; one arm still gripping the singer's wrist.
He continued to lead the singer further into the ocean, not noticing how he had become dead weight behind him.
