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  POSEIDIA

  By

  J.L. Imhoff

  Copyright 2014 JL Imhoff Cover Design by Simon Graeme of Lost Art designs

  Edited by JW Troemner & Shaner Media Creations

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Dedication

  For my mother, whose love transcends death.

  Chapter 1

  “You’re a cheat and a liar, David,” I yelled, pointing my finger in his face. I turned back to the dresser and looked at his reflection in the mirror. His disheveled and unshaven appearance betrayed the days of partying. Once clear blue eyes were bloodshot and his breath stank of whiskey. The ancient Hawaiian shirt he wore was unbuttoned and wrinkled. Somehow, he managed to pull his boxers back on. I guess I should be grateful for that.

  I unhooked the locket from around my neck and gently placed it on top of the dresser. Pulling my favorite white nightgown from its drawer, I slipped it over my head and dropped the towel, which had been wrapped around me, to the floor.

  He shrugged his shoulders as if nothing was amiss. “I’m playing and relaxing. I deserve it. If you took care of my needs, then I wouldn’t have to turn to other women. This is your fault.”

  “Wait—what? I work eighty hours a week to take care of your ‘needs.’ Don’t twist this back around on me.” I pounded my finger into his chest. My retort not nearly as icy as I wished it to be. I was more tired than angry.

  “You’re lucky I’ve allowed you to be here with me,” he scoffed as he grabbed my finger mid-air and enclosed his fist around mine.

  “Oh, I’m the lucky one? You talked me into maxing out my credit cards for this… this… luxury stateroom so you could mingle with your hospital buddies. I’m stupid for letting you do it. You just started there—we can’t keep up with their lifestyle.” I jerked my hand out of his grasp, walked over to the bed, and turned down the covers.

  “I told you, as soon as I get a promotion, we’ll pay it off—I need more time. Mingling with these guys will ensure my future,” David blasted as he stalked after me, across the cruise ship stateroom.

  “Oh, your future? It’s always been our future.” No longer tolerant of his games, I pushed him aside on my way to the bathroom.

  He grabbed me by my arm, and twirled me roughly around to face him. “Do not turn your back on me.”

  Livid, I spat in his face and tried to struggle out of his grasp.

  He threw me on the bed and pinned me down, with his knees on my biceps. Hands clamped around my throat as he slowly squeezed.

  I kicked, but quickly grew weak and dark spots formed across my vision. He finally lessened his grip around my throat, but kept his hand in place. Subdued in the face of his rage, I coughed and gasped for air, but was still unable to move.

  “Get off me,” I whispered with a now hoarse voice, trying to break through his temper.

  “You will listen to me and respect me.” He lowered his face to barely an inch from mine. The veins in his forehead bulged and his face turned an ugly shade of red.

  I squirmed as my fear grew.

  “You will obey me,” the last, whispered in my ear.

  It was all I could do not to gag; his body reeked of day-old sweat.

  “You will obey me, Anna,” he threatened, as he started to tighten his hand around my throat again.

  “Baby,” I choked out.

  “What?” his fingers went loose as he tried to assimilate my word through the fog of anger, and booze. “What are you talking about?” He let go, removing his knees from my arms. “Tell me.”

  I rubbed my neck where his hands had been, then rolled over on the bed, and pushed myself up. “I’m pregnant.” A wave of nausea swept over me. I have to get out of here, now.

  David got up and paced along the length of our cabin, cursing under his breath.

  I ran out of the room, onto our private deck, and threw up into the ocean below. The meager contents of my stomach expended, I dry heaved until the cramps brought me to my knees. Rubbing my belly as more cramping started further down in my pelvis, I crawled over, leaned against the rail, and looked up into the black, starry sky.

  His footsteps echoed on the metal floor of the balcony. I shivered under his intense stare. Fear crept over me—a black cloud of suffocating hatred.

  “The baby,” I whispered, to the emptiness of the night. “How could you do this to us, David? Tonight you’ve ruined any chance of us ever having a happy family. It’s over.”

  He ran his hand anxiously through his thick black hair, a trademark move indicating his anger still fumed and the information about my pregnancy hadn’t quelled it. “You pick a fine time to tell me you’re pregnant. I’m not ready to be a father.” Looming over me, he ranted on, but his words quickly faded to random noise.

  Resolute, I wrapped my fists around the metal railing of the balcony and pulled myself into a standing position. Leaning on it for support, I summoned my inner strength. “I was planning on telling you tonight, over a romantic dinner. You stood me up for two bimbos in a hot tub.”

  “Stop trying to make this my fault! You made this decision on your own. I don’t remember being a part of a discussion about a baby. I make the decisions, not you.” He stopped and jammed his finger into my chest, accusingly, “You betrayed me.”

  “I betrayed you?” I closed my eyes and rubbed my belly. “It wasn’t a premeditated decision.” Tears broke through and ran down my cheeks. “This could’ve been the start of the family you promised,” I sobbed. “After all I’ve sacrificed for you, how can you say that?” Calm down. Take deep breaths. Don’t let him upset you anymore. It’s not worth it.

  The fight had drained every ounce of strength I possessed. I wiped my tears away and wanted to retreat to the bedroom, but he blocked my path. Bowing my head, I tried to push by him.

  “We’re not done,” he growled, pulling me back painfully by my long brown hair.

  “We are done and I give up. You win—let me get my stuff and leave. For the remainder of the trip, I’ll stay in another room and you can have your fun. I’ll raise this baby on my own. I don’t need you.”

  He grabbed both of my forearms, dug his fingers into my skin, and shook me.

  “Let me go! I’m calling security and I’ll have you arrested!” I screamed at him, trying to wrestle out of his grip, but his hands had clamped brutally around my arms.

  “Go ahead—I’ll tell them everything you’ve done. I’m a respected surgeon and you’re nothing. They won’t believe you.”

  When I looked up into his blue eyes, it was as if something had snapped in him, and the David I knew was gone. In his place was an evil so dark, it sent chills down my spine.

  Panicked, I changed tactics and begged for mercy. “David, no, no. Please, let me go. Please stop. Please stop. We’ll work it out, I promise. I won’t call the police. I promise, I won’t. You can do whatever you want and I’ll be good, I swear.” My thoughts now focused on the baby—I only wanted to end the fight and retreat to safety. I’d say whatever it took to get him to stop.

  T
he intensity of his grip on my arms grew with each shake.

  My pleas only infuriated him more—because I’d ruined his fun. The real me didn’t fit into the picture of what he envisioned his life to be.

  With one final and violent burst, he shoved me. I stumbled back and lost my footing.

  The momentum of the push sent me flailing over the railing. I did a somersault, which wouldn’t seem possible until you’re completely not in control of your body, at the mercy of force and gravity.

  I didn’t scream. You would think after all that happened, I would have screamed my head off, but I couldn’t catch my breath.

  As I tumbled over the balcony, my hands reached out to grab hold of anything, and after what felt like an eternity, but in reality wasn’t even two heartbeats, they eventually gripped one of the rungs. It was slippery, covered in a slime of salt water, and rusted decay.

  “David, help me, help us,” I cried, as I dangled out over the ocean.

  He stood there staring at me, no expression on his face at all. Then he turned and walked back inside, sliding the door shut behind him.

  My hands, having reached the end of their strength, let go.

  I fell.

  The impact of my body hitting the surface of the ocean knocked the air from my lungs and stunned me.

  I sank like an anchor into the black abyss.

  It didn’t happen in slow motion, the way they portray it in movies. And they say when you meet your end, your life flashes before your eyes. None of that happened for me. Only an intense sense of sadness weighed down my heart as I drifted deeper.

  I wouldn’t have the “happily ever after” of my dreams. For me, nothing ever came easy. I aimed too high, wanting to have a slice of happiness. Now, my punishment would be our death—my baby’s and mine—as I sank to the bottom of the ocean.

  This is it.

  My life is over.

  During my descent into inky oblivion, an inexplicable calm came over me, filling me with a numbness that ordered my thoughts. I wouldn’t have another chance at my life, to go back, or make better choices. My mind and soul resigned to their fates, ready to transition to the next chapter, but the involuntary forces of my body screamed to survive as they struggled for air.

  Death wasn’t long and drawn out. It wasn’t even especially painful.

  The unforgiving sea swallowed me whole.

  A sudden surge of adrenaline ran through my body, and I had a vision of someone with white hair swimming toward me, surrounded in a bright, glowing light. An angel has come to take me to heaven, I hoped. A shot of joy burst through my veins. All trace of fear now wiped clean at the realization this was not the end.

  It was only the end of this life. Mom will be waiting for me. For us.

  Her arms reached out, and a sense of elation lifted me. As I placed my hand in hers, the tickle of numerous hands brushed my skin. In the space of my last heartbeat, darkness took over, and I fell into nothingness.

  Once you give into the darkness, death becomes easy.

  Chapter 2

  Cocooned in blissful warmth, I tried to open my eyes, but my body resisted the movement. My whole body ached as I tried to move; toes and joints popped nosily when I stretched out my legs as far as they would go, my head pounding. I did manage to open my eyes a sliver before the blackness took over again.

  Voices roused me from a deep pit of unconsciousness. As I tried to pry my eyes open again, the lights above my head blinded me, forcing me to close them. An adjustment from total darkness, to glaring light, required time. The emptiness offered peace, whereas this was painful.

  Where am I?

  The memories came back to me in pieces. My baby. The cruise ship. The balcony. The fight. Drowning. My lungs burning for air as I sank into the depths of the cruel sea. Losing consciousness as death’s tentacles pulled me down into a seemingly endless black pit. I held my breath, waiting for it to happen all over again. My hand went to my abdomen, brushing over a thick satiny blanket covering me.

  My baby?

  Am I dead?

  Am I in heaven? Hell?

  My eyes fluttered open and closed and I raised my hands, shading them. The pounding in my head was relentless. Fingers laced over my eyes, I massaged my temples with the heels of my hands, but it brought no relief from the deep ache.

  Finally adjusted to the light, I brought my hands to my mouth, running my fingertips over the obviously dry skin, crusted to resemble badly-chapped winter lips. Using care, I manually pried my lips apart—they felt stuck together with glue. My tongue had the texture of sandpaper. When I swallowed, it was audible and the action hurt. I need water.

  Exhausted from the simple movement, I briefly closed my eyes to allow them a bit of rest. I didn’t have any sense of where I was. Maybe I’m in a hospital or… heaven.

  The whisper of voices and movement startled me, yet comforted me I wasn’t alone. At first, unintelligible noises, similar to someone trying to speak through a pillow was all I heard. As I focused, I made out the distinct voices of a man and a woman. It’s no one I recognize.

  “Hello? Hello? She’s coming around,” said a soft and non-threatening female.

  I jerked my head in the direction the voice came from and squinted. Everything was blurry, a blanket of fog had settled in my visual field.

  “Her heartbeat has sped up, indicating a regaining of consciousness,” said a man’s voice.

  Who’s there? Daddy? No, no way, not possible. My heart sank at the disappointment. I turned my head to the other side but my neck cramped, forcing me to return to a neutral position.

  Groaning, I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths. I stretched out my legs again, joints and tendons loudly adjusting, as the blood rushed throughout my body, bringing a surge of life into it.

  “Where am I?” I managed to croak out, finding but not recognizing my voice. Coughing, more of a weak rasp due to the lack of moisture in my mouth, I again pried open my eyes. Everything was fuzzy shadows, so I blinked and rolled my eyes around in their sockets, adjusting to the strange soft, bluish lighting without pain, but still not in focus.

  “Well, hello there. We have been waiting for you to wake up. What is your name?” the man asked.

  Straining, I could only see the blurry silhouette of two figures standing at the foot of my bed. “My name is Anna. Anna Ryan. Who are you? Where am I?” I repeated the last, louder. Maybe they hadn’t understood my first request. Though, I wasn’t sure I had verbalized anything.

  “Anna, you are in our Healing Center. My name is Lucas, and I am a healer here. We have been taking care of you these past few weeks. You are safe. Have patience, and don’t push yourself. It is going to take some time for you to have a total recovery after what you have been through,” he explained.

  My mind swirled with lots of new sensations and confusion littered my brain. I pulled several layers of blankets tightly to my chest as if it would protect me from the unknown.

  Weeks?

  Healing Center?

  Is that a hospital?

  Maybe they called it that on the ship. “How long have I been here, and what happened? Where are we? What healing center? Is my baby okay?”

  More memories surfaced. Oh, crap. David, you bastard, how could you? I tried to sit up, but a surge of vertigo followed by a wave of nausea, forced me back down. To stop the spinning, I stilled.

  Again, I opened my eyes, and the outline of the man who spoke to me finally came into focus. When the world became clear, I stared at the two figures in bewilderment and shock, white knuckling the blankets to my chest.

  “You are where we say. A Healing Center, here in our city. You have been here for several weeks. We were unsure if you would live, but are glad you did. This is Lily and I’ll let her explain the situation in more detail to you in a moment, as I’m sure you will have many questions. But now, I need to scan you, to evaluate your progress. Is this acceptable to you?”

  Staring at him, I absorbed what he said and lay s
till, my heart racing in my chest. I must have permanent brain damage. These people aren’t normal.

  “Am I dead? Is this heaven? Some kind of dream?” I whispered, my belly flipping wildly.

  “No, you are alive and this is not a dream. We are quite real,” he assured, glancing at the woman, Lily, as if for some kind of guidance.

  This had to be a hallucination so I shook my head and refocused, my mind trying to talk me down. My eyes are playing tricks on me.

  The woman and man both had iridescent skin in this lighting, and lines of strange looking bumps going down their arms.

  Aliens?

  I kept blinking, thinking my eyes weren’t working. Perhaps the lack of oxygen had damaged them. They must have me on some weird drug. Taking a deep breath, I tried to gain control of my senses. My head cleared.

  More than luminous, their skin had a pinkish hue, but when either one moved, it turned to pearl white, and then to a light blue, depending on the angle. What in the world?

  The man, whom I assumed was a medical doctor, wasn’t wearing normal hospital attire. Instead of scrubs or a white coat, he wore a long almond-colored robe-type garment. He had long white hair, and a white beard, which wouldn’t look out of place on Santa Claus.

  Maybe my mind has placed me into some kind of childhood fantasy for protection.

  In his hands, he held a small device. It reminded me of one of those hand-held video games the kids play with these days. He lifted it up to me and asked again, “May I? It is perfectly safe, and will not cause discomfort, I assure you.”

  Reluctantly, I nodded, now having pulled the blankets up to my eyeballs.

  He ran it down the length of my body, not touching, but hovering a scant couple of inches above the blanket.

  What is that?

  After he typed something into the device, Lucas spoke to the woman—Lily?—in a strange language. Then he stopped talking altogether. It almost seemed they conversed inaudibly, because she responded to him in her movements—her arms waving, and at times, indicating me.