shark boy
Abby
Fuck, Abby thought over and over. Fuck shit shit shit fuck.
It wasn’t in Abby’s itinerary to be running through a Seraphite island with the little Seraphite boy she’s befriended and yet, here she is.
She glances over her shoulder, watching the Seraphites slowly start to lose the two. The little boy was nimbly making his way through the woods. She, not as gracefully, tails behind him, letting out a curse every now and then when she trips over a stray rock or tree root.
They emerge near a dock of boats and Abby claims one, throwing her gear and wasting no time. She shoulders off her jacket, hot and sweating from all the escaping and panicking, and lays it across Lev’s shoulders. He mumbles a “thanks” and Abby begins rowing away as fast as she could.
As the distance between the island and the duo increases, Abby’s rowing slows down, her arms burning from exhaustion. She knew she wasn’t far from the aquarium, so she slowly paddles along, looking across the gray-blue sky. Everything these days seemed downcast, that depressing gray settling like dust everywhere.
“I’m sorry about Yara, Lev,” Abby says softly, staring at the boy’s face. He looks so broken, so defeated, it nearly broke Abby’s heart. She recognizes that feeling: shock and sorrow.
“How can people be so cruel?” Lev whispers and Abby purses her lips and looks away. She agrees, Joel momentarily blinking through her mind. But then guilt overcame her in waves, as her cruelty to Lev's people over the past years recaps in her mind. She thinks of Mel's disbelief that Abby has the capacity to think of others than herself because she's been so cruel. She shakes away those thoughts, burying them deep within her mind, reminding herself yet again what she needs to do because she's experienced this cruelty firsthand. It's justified.
Abby tears her eyes away from Lev, realizing she zoned out for a moment, and sees the aquarium along the horizon, and she cocks her head in the direction of it.
“There it is,” Abby says. “We’ll stay there for the next few days.”
They were silent for a little longer, less rowing and more drifting toward the aquarium. Once on land, the two silently climbed out of the boat. Abby looks back at Lev, whose face was drawn and grieving, weighed down by his older sister's murder. Abby wasn’t sure how to comfort him, wasn’t even sure if she’d say the right thing. So she figures the next best thing would work: distraction.
“Here, follow me,” she says, opening the doors to the aquarium. Abby knows exactly where the spot is, leading the two through corridors and hallways, past barren fish tanks and hanging whales that were now gray and dim.
They step into the shark exhibit, and Abby glances over at Lev’s face, slightly eager to see his reaction. His face lit up, much to her relief, a smile starting to hint at his lips. He slowly walks around, observing the sharks hanging from above, and the mannequin divers in the cage suspended in the middle of the ceiling. The low blue lighting made an eerie glow in the room, fully exemplifying the underwater experience.
“Have you ever seen a real shark?” Lev asks, reaching up to touch one of the model sharks. Abby smiles and shakes her head.
“No,” she responds softly, continuing to watch him explore the space. “But not because I’m scared of them. I feel like they’re so misunderstood.”
Lev’s eyes light up, nodding excitedly. “They are! They are seen as horrible monsters like that old Jaws movie”--Lev rolls his eyes when he mentions the movie–-“but really, they’re just curious. They bite not to hunt, but to explore.” Lev looks at one of the shark’s faces, cocking his head to the side. “Just like little babies.”
Abby stays quiet, listening to Lev spew more random facts about sharks, and snide comments about dolphins and how “they are the monsters, not sharks.” Abby smiles, feeling warm at the fact that she helped him cheer up, no matter how fleeting this feeling may be.
“It’s a shame I’m terrified of the ocean,” Lev says once he’s finished, wandering out of the room and throughout the aquarium. “All this stuff is so amazing but…” He shakes his head. “Terrifying.”
“Trust me, I understand,” Abby snorts, thinking of the time on the Ferris wheel with Owen. She shakes her head, knocking the memory away, before remembering something else she wanted to show him. “Wait, Lev, I have something else.”
She takes Lev’s hand, guiding him through the building until she reaches the gift shop. She scours the shelves, remembering she had seen it earlier…
“Aha!” Abby exclaims, unveiling a plush shark toy to Lev. Lev nearly squeals, ripping the shark from Abby’s hands. She laughs, watching him admire the fluffy cartoon shark. Abby feels herself really beginning to care for this boy, feeling responsible for him especially after seeing his older sister die. Abby realizes she would do almost anything to protect him and make sure he’s safe.
The two continue throughout the aquarium, taking their time to read through the signs and facts, and strolling through the exhibits. Although everything seemed dull and shabby, it surprised Abby how much she was interested in really observing all the marine life.
They finally end up in the room they were staying in, sleeping bags sprawled on the floor with a small collection of food stored in the corner.
“Did everyone leave?” Lev asks, sitting down on the floor with the shark in his lap. Abby shrugs, joining him on the floor. The radio was nearby, and she could check if she wanted to. But she didn’t really care.
“I’m sure they’ll be back.” Worry passes briefly in Lev’s eyes at that remark, and Abby gives him a reassuring look.
“Don’t worry, Lev. You’ll be safe with me.”