Secrets of the Sea

WARNING: this story contains suffering and suicidal thoughts. Viewer discretion is advised.

NOTE: This contains Greek mythology. I apologize for any incorrect information, I do not know much about Greek mythology and had to do research to find the information I needed. Please leave feedback and constructive criticism.

ANOTHER NOTE: If you do not understand Greek mythology, please read this (otherwise move on). Amphridite is the goddess queen of the sea, wife of Poseidon, and the eldest of the fifty Nereids. Cordelia, the main character of this story, is a character that I made up (I will not tell you who she is because that would be a spoiler).

Sorry for all the long notes, I needed more words and I didn't know what else to put.

Sorry for the long wait, here is the story.

SECRETS OF THE SEA

by Abigail Cross

I ran down the beach, the grainy sand shifting beneath my feet, salty tears streaming down my face. My black hair flew over my face, temporarily blinding me. I tried to shove it out of my face, getting more and more frustrated. This hair would be gone soon anyway, just like everything else. My toes hit a hard surface, and I fell forwards into the sand. Instead of getting up, I simply sat in the sand and cried. I cried over the loss of my mother, the neglect of my father, and now the rejection of my one and only brother. I cried over the struggles of life, the days I've spent going to bed hungry, the words the doctor said that split my world in half...

I pulled at my hair, small black clumps becoming entangled in my fingers. I would have bald spots later, but I didn't care. It wouldn't matter in a few weeks when I will be forced to wear hats and headbands for the rest of my life.

If I even survive the day...

I tried to remember my mother's last words to me.

"You must never give up. Never. You are the light in this world, Cordelia. Do you know why I named you that? It's because you are a princess, a goddess, royalty, and you should be treated as such. I remember I would place you in front of the ocean, and you would jump in and go under. Your father was scared and tried to take you out, but I stopped him. I told him you knew what you were doing, even though you were only two. You were laughing and playing and gurgling the salty water... until you went under and didn't come back up. I carried you to shore, your eyes shut closed, not breathing. I though I lost you that day... but you woke right up, coughed up a bit of water, and ran right back into the ocean. You weren't afraid of it, weren't afraid of anything... so don't be afraid now.

Cancer is a horrible thing, honey, and I'm afraid it's genetic... I refused their treatment because I didn't want to spend the rest of my life fighting and hurting, and I want you to remember me as a strong loving mother... not the one who laid in bed, unable to get up most days. But please, don't make the same choice I did. You have a life, my princess, a life worth living. A life worth fighting for.

Don't let anyone knock you down. You must keep your head held up high, or the world will fall apart. Please, promise me you won't give up, Cordelia. Keep going, for yourself, for the world, if not, then for me..."

I stopped yanking at my hair. "I'm sorry, mother," I whispered. "I can't do it anymore. I'm not the unafraid princess you thought I was. I know you told me to never give up, but I have nothing else left. I have nothing to live for, not that I will live long anyway. I'm sorry... there's nothing else left for me here. I'm worthless. There is no other reason for me to live..."

"Yes there is."

I jumped, surprised by the sudden voice. I looked around me, but found no one around. "I must be losing my mind," I thought. "From that stupid chemotherapy. I knew I shouldn't have agreed to it..."

"It's me."

I stood up, startled. I couldn't have imagined that. "Who are you?" I shouted. "Where are you?" I frantically searched around me for the source of the voice.

"Right here."

I noticed a movement in the ocean next to me. The water seemed to swirl, like someone pulling a plug from the sink. Then, the water rose, moving around a mysterious figure before dropping, revealing the one hidden underneath.

I covered my eyes with my hands as a blinding light emerged fro the figure. "Who are you?" I shouted. The light dimmed, revealing a tall, pale figure. Her dress was the color of the waves, and a net was wrapped around her long, black hair. The claws of a crab seemed to emerge from her hair, and her vivid blue eyes, the same shade as mine, seemed to gaze into my very soul.

"I am Amphridite, Goddess of the Ocean."

"W-why are you here?" I asked.

"For you."

"Me?" I croaked. "N-no, there must be some mistake." I started to back up. This had to be a dream, a hallucination... yeah, that's it. The chemotherapy is messing too much with my brain. I'll just mention it at my next check-up, get some more meds, and I'll be fine.

But this doesn't feel like a hallucination. It feels so... so real. This has to be a mistake.

"It is no mistake. You are Cordelia, are you not?"

I gulped and nodded my head.

"I am here to take you to Zeus. You must learn the ways of a goddess. Come, for a dark evil has emerged from the rocky depth of the Earth, and I have been called to bring every god and goddess to him-"

"Woah woah," I said. "I'm no goddess. I mean, my mother always told me I was a goddess and a princess, but that's just... she was just..." Tears started to form again out of sadness and fear.

"No, dear one. You are Cordelia, Demigoddess of the Ocean, and I have come to take you home."