8.3: Underwater Adventures

 Third person perspective...

   He took a deep breath, not able to believe his eyes. The ocean's floor was beautiful. The colorful coral, brightly colored fish, and breathtaking aquatic plants that went on for as far as the human eye could see were marvelous; they were much better then whatever humble thing he'd imagined. The pamphlets on diving hadn't done them justice. After he had received and accepted the generous offer from the lady he saved at the beach, Harbor immediately began taking the lessons. After months of hard work, they'd paid off; he was now scuba diving by himself, looking for the mermaid that was spotted so long ago. If there was anything you could say about the Janes, it was that they were determined. He was no exception. He was determined to find her, talk to her, tell her about the morning.

   "That's odd." He whispered, to no one in particular. The small fish that had been curiously swimming around him had began to clear out. Other then him, the vicinity was empty, abandoned by the lifeforms that frequented here. Swish. The gentle sound of someone moving the water, trying to swim through it, entered his ears. Who was it? He slowly turned his head, expecting to see another diver or possible a mermaid.
   The teeth. The gleaming white, large, pointed teeth, was the first thing his eyes spotted. The looked like they could easily be used to chomp a helpless human like me in half. The teeth. It was hypnotizing, as the creature swam closer to Harbor, circling him as if the diver was its next meal. Humans were the prey, they were the predator. He was aware that most of what he knew about sharks was false. This doesn't keep you from feeling terrified, though.
   It happened so quickly. One slight movement of the arm, hoping to use it to slowly paddle himself to safety, when it jolted forwards. He didn't know what to do; he panicked. He wanted to live. He wanted to find the mermaid. He had so much ahead of me, so much he wanted to do with his life. When you panic, you do the irrational. What he did was not so much irratioanl as it was foolish. He grabbed the fin. The creature probably would have not bothered him, if he hadn't touched it. I suppose we'll never know now.

   Panting. Hitting. He hit it in the nose, it became angry. The teeth poking holes in the oxygen tank that was the only thing keeping poor Harbor alive. It swam away, away from him. He began panting for air, floating up, up, up. The battle was over and he had not won, but he had survived and isn't life enough?
  He reached the top of the water, and instantly began gulping the air, as if it would disappear soon. He felt weak from the lack of oxygen. The shark had not bit him, but his lungs still suffered. His vision became blurry as he swam to the shore. He was tired. He pulled himself onto land, stumbling, standing.

  He rested his head against his palm, hoping the pain would go away. He breathed slowly, still feeling dizzy. The black blurs that covered his eyeballs suddenly became more than blurs; he cou;ld see nothing. He stepped backwards, not sure what to do or where he was. If he could see, he would have noticed that the Earth was coming to closer to him, as his body tumbled down to the sandy beach. He had passed out from the exhaustion of the fight. Or was it an attack?
   The time began passing, as the afternoon began ticking away, turning into the evening. The night's moonlight shown down upon the still passed out Harbor Janes. He was tied, his lungs had suffered from a little damage, and most of all there was no medical attention available on the tiny island, miles from the main one. One-thirty-six am. One-thirty-seven am. Thirty-eight, thirty-nine, forty, forty-one. Three-fifty-two, three-fifty-seven, three-fifty-nine. Four-twenty-eight, four-twenty-nine. Five-fifteen.

   She was swimming around, bored. Her parents disliked her swimming around unsupervised, but she was twenty-three now. She was able to make her own choices for five years now, and dammit she was going to. She spotted a man on the island. A human. She hadn't seen a human in months... it was forbidden to go on land that a human occupied. She was twenty-three, though. Not a child. She was going to make her own choices and her choice was to go onto the land and see who he was.

   She  climbed out of the water, waiting a few seconds for her tail to turn into scaly legs. She liked having legs. She liked being able to walk around like the humans did. Since her parents were so strict about the rules, she didn't often get to walk around. Swimming got rather dull after awhile, she thought. You need to be able to change your tail into legs once in a blue moon to keep things interesting.

   "Are you alright, sir?" She asked him. He was laying on the ground, sleeping. "Are you sleeping or hurt?" She bent down, to listen to his heart. The beats were irregular. "You're hurt aren't you?" she glanced around, wishing someone who knew more about people could appear. "Would a serum hurt you? I've got a vial that I found on the ocean floor... daddy said it could heal the injured and that since mermaids and merman had healing powers when in the water already, it was useless. Maybe I can give it to you?" She didn't know what to do, but she knew she had to do something.
   She took the vial that she had kept in place by tucking it into her swim top out, and gently removed it's top.  The liquid was thick and syrupy. She gently tilted his head up, pouring the syrup down his throat.
   "You should feel better now. Do you?" In response, his hand slightly moved. "You're better." She smiled. Something about him was different; it was as if she had somehow seen him before. "You look familiar... do you boat?" He did not move. "I think I might need to go. You probably shouldn't see me." She stood up, drop a small shell next to him. "If you ever are hurt again, blow the shell. I have some serum left." She took off running, diving into the water, as her legs disappeared and her tail reappeared. Whether Harbor remembered it or not, he had just met a mermaid. But was it the mermaid he had spotted?

NOTE: I do not know lots about sharks, so if you are a expert I apologize for the incorrect details. I also thought maybe with the more pictures less words thing I could avoid errors. P.S. Thanks for reading and, because why not, I'm going to advertise my newest story Tracked. Which you can read here. Critics [TheJanesLegacy] have called it, "A story you can read if you're into the Sims 3 or my that one legacy or you know reading and mysetry/suspence." ...haha, so yeah.

8.2 Part Two: The Daily Grind

   Loop the beach, survey the area, go back to the chair, watch over the water, every hour blow the whistle and have people come out of the ocean so you can check the water, tell them they can go back in, then repeat. I had nabbed the lifeguard career and now my life was rather repetitive. I went to work, did the routine they hammered into my brain, then went to the gym to workout, went to the library to do some research about mermaids and Isla Paridiso, went home, ate, watched TV, went to sleep or sailed around a bit, woke up, got ready, and went to work.
  "Looks good." I mumbled to myself, after walking around the beach for the second time in a row. It was Saturday afternoon; one of the most popular times for people to visit the beach. That also meant that I had more rescues to do, on average, and therefore more money was earned. I walked up to my lookout chair and took a seat, glad I got to have the umbrella above shade me from the perilously hot rays of sunlight.

   Some claimed that doing the same thing over and over was pointless; what  was the excitement of it? What was the point of life if you never did anything special? I disagreed with them. This job I instantly began after acing the interview and tests started as a way to get an income, but ended up turning into something I legitimately enjoyed doing. I liked seeing toddlers smash sandcastles and kids go boating for the first time and woman suntanning and men trying to show off what they worked so hard to earn by flexing.

    The beach was serene today; nobody had needed my assistance yet. Everyone was relaxing, soaking in the summer sun and reading a novel or swimming or messing around with sand creations. While I did like the fact that no harm had come to anyone, I was anxious for something to do. Someone to talk to maybe. I liked it when the children came up to me and thought I was a superhero, like the police officers and firefighters. Appaloosa Plains had one public pool that had no lifeguards and a beach that was lifeguard free; I didn't know that they could be idolized.
   "Everyone, out of the water!" I shouted, as I blew my whistle. It was time for the hourly inspection once again. children groaned, as their parents led them over to the concession stand, promising them ice cream if they didn't cause a scene about the lifeguard who was only doing his job.
   "Hel-whu-up-" I heard a panicked voice shout. I glanced at the ocean, seeing a dark haired head bobbing above, then below, then above the water. Someone needed help! Someone was drowning!

   I tossed off my lifeguard shirt, revealing my red swim trunks. I blew my whistle again, as I began running towards the victim.
  "Out of the way!" I exclaimed, as people began crowding around the edge of the water, their eyes absorbing the scene that was unfolding around them.
  "Ble-ove-g-" The lady gurgled, as she spat water out of her mouth.
  "Excuse me, sir!" I shouted, diving into the water with my red lifeguard floater.

   "Blqut-wuick-!" The gargle stopped, as I lifted her arms onto the floater.
   "Here. I grabbed onto the float and began pulling her back to shore. "Can you talk? can you hold on?"
   "Yes and yes." She said, smiling at me.
    "Good." I helped her onto the beach, as the crowd cleared. "Do I need to call the ambulance?"
    "I think I'm good, thank you. I can't believe you responded so quickly!"
    "It's my job, ma'am. Just trying to protect the citizens."
    "Thank you so much. You're a hero, what could I do to thank you?"

   "Oh, I'm not a hero, thank you, though, but I couldn't accept your offer. I'm glad you're alright and that's enough for me."
    "Surely I can give you something." She said, leaning forwards and placing her hand on my shoulder. "You saved my life."
     "Ma'am, not to be rude, but if you are alright, I need to check the beach once more."
     "Of course you do. Look, my husband works for La Costa Verde, maybe a free night there?"
     "Well..." I said, trying to not sound promiscuous. "There's something else."
     "What?"
     "Scuba lessons there."
     "Scuba lessons? Why, my husband's on the board of activities and guest recreations! Perfect, I'll get you the sessions free."
      "You don't have to do free, ten percent off, maybe?"
      "Oh, nonsense. Free or nothing."
      "Thank you so much."

   "You're welcome, even though I should be thanking you again. Keep up the good work and I'm sure you'll go far."
   I couldn't believe it; I had went to work, saved someone who just happened to be the right person, and now I was going to get my lessons. This was wonderful; I had a job I loved and soon would have the ability to find the mermaid I thought I might love.

NOTE: Thanks for reading! Also, the next chapter of Tracked is out. You can read it here.

8.2 Part One: Applications

  "Hello?" I asked, standing at the check in and guest relations desk, in the front lobby of the La Costa Verde resort.
   "What do you want?" A man in a silly beret snapped, clearly tired already with his job, even though it was only eleven am. Apparently, while this place was known for the Spanish inspired architecture and unique classes and lessons, was not a place that hired good customer service.

   "I was wondering if you offered scuba lessons?"
   "We do indeed."
   "Great! Where can I sign up?"
   "Here."
   "Okay, is there a form or is it verbal?"
   "Form."
   "May I have the form, please?" I asked, becoming frustrated. I wanted to take scuba lessons, I had announced that to him, why could he not hand me the form already instead of giving my pointless one word answers?
   "No."
   "Why not?"
    "We need to see valid identification and credit card or payment method first."
    "How much is it?"
    "Five hundred."
    "For how many lessons?" My bank account was lacking in funds; five hundred would be a risky investment, but I could live without it if it meant finding my mermaid dreams.

    "Per lesson. You see sir, we have some of the best teachers on the Virgin Islands and, in order to keep them from straying to a better resort, we pay them quite nicely. This mean that the students has to pay quite nicely for lessons."
    "I guess if they're the best... how many lessons would it take to be proficient enough at diving?"
    "Biweekly classes for three months."
    "That's eight classes a month... that's twenty-four classes for..." I began doing the multiplication in my head. Twenty-four thousand times a thousand dollars was twenty-four thousand dollars, so time five hundred would be have of that, equaling twelve thousand dollars. "I can't afford that!"
    "What is your career?"
    "I'm unemployed, sir."
    "Ha! Obviously the luxurious options available here are not for bums."
    "I'm not a bum, I'm trying to find work. Could I maybe be hired here? I could fold towels or something."
     "No. We do not need you. Try City Hall, they always hire useless people like you. I here maybe you could even become a lifeguard; swimming would be good practice for diving."
     "I'll try there next, thank you." I said, trying to be polite even though he just insulted me. I was not going to be spending my money here any time soon.
   I quickly exited the lobby and hailed a cab to City Hall. I was determined to find the mermaid I'd seen a month or two ago. After I'd discovered the truth that may be hidden by the myths, I did more research on the best way to search the oceans, without drawing attention to yourself. My search landed me on a website about scuba diving and the only place lessons were available at here; La Costa Verde had a monopoly.
   "Thank you." I said to the cabbie, quickly handing him a ten before I stepped out of the cab. I suppose I could stop taking cabs to save money, but in truth the island was too big to walk everywhere. Bikes where a big cost at the beginning that could pay off, but considering how much I wanted lessons, I wasn't going to spend much on a bike right now.

   I began prancing up the stairs, to my hopefully future place of employment. As I climbed I glanced down, suddenly regretting my comfortable flip flops, breathable cotton t-shirt, and handy cargo shorts. I did look like a beach bum, even if I wasn't one. Hopefully my attire wouldn't leave too large of an impression upon everyone.

   "Hello, welcome to City Hall." A smiling receptionist said to me, as soon as I opened the front door.
   "Hi. Are there any job openings available?"
   "Of course. Are you a high school student?"
   "No, I'm a legal adult."
   "Excellent! But I do suppose that means you can't apply for out internship that's open to politically intrigued juniors and seniors. Any who, a handsome fellow like you is sure to nab a job here. Why don't you take an application to be a lifeguard; you look like someone who loves to workout and spend days in the sun, sweating, muscles bulging through the thin fabric of your shirt. Oh, sorry, hon! I do that sometimes, hopefully you don't mind. City Hall supplies every public beach with one and lately we've been acquiring so much property, we've needed more. Here's the application."
   "Thank you." I flashed her a white, toothy smile as she blushed. I didn't know if she had any power within the system, but maybe she could help me out; this awkward her turning herself on by describing me experience had to count for something.

   The application process was a breeze. Name? Easy, Harbor Cohen Janes. Current address? Not available, I live on a houseboat. I do have a cell phone, my number's 340-000-0000 . Wanna contact me some other way? Here's how I'm best reached. I do not have a criminal record, I can swim, I am physically active, I do have good health, I did graduate high school, I am a legal citizen.
   "Here you go, ma'am."
   "Thank you, Harbor. I'll give this to my boss and see what happens. We'll call you within a week if you make it to have an in person interview, then a physical fitness test."
    "Alright." I gave her another smile and with that, I was off to the gym. I was one step closer to having a job that would earn my money that I could spend on scuba lessons that I could use to go diving and then maybe see the mermaid I spotted weeks ago; might as well exercise to stay fit for all of it.

8.1: Myths and Truths

   "Whatcha looking for?" A lady turned to ask me. I was standing in Isla Paradiso's public library, browsing the shelves for something about mermaids or sea creatures. I had ignored the fin and tail for a week, but eventually it was all I could think about. It was no longer some hallucination or mirage my mind made due to my lack of sleep, it was now real.

   "Um, yeah. A book..."

   "Honey, I figured that. Ya are in a library." She chuckled, looking me up and down. 

   "It'll sound foolish." I had only been on the island for a few months; I didn't want to earn a reputation as a crazy person.

    "Do you see that man over there? Tariq." She gestured towards a guy who was sitting at e table, reading some piece of literature. I nodded, waiting to find out what she'd tell me. "See I married him. I swear the things husbands say to get out of dinner parties and chores. Trust me, if I've lived with him, there's no way I could hear anything crazier."

   "Mermaids." I whispered, glancing down at my feet. "Sea creatures."

   "Why, you aren't going to find anything by looking in the skills section. Wanna learn how to fish? This section. Parenting? This section. Cooking, piano, foreign languages, technology? This section. Not history or mermaids or sea creatures or oceanic facts." 

   "Where would I look for oceanic creatures?" I asked, hoping she wouldn't create a large fuss about my choice of reading materials.

   "Not here, not in the library." She shook her head, holding onto her stomach. She caught me looking and smiled, saying, "We're reading parenting books. I'm determined to raise this child right, you know? Chandell, my step-daughter, is the only type of experience I've ever had. Plus, with Rubisel and Tariq thinking... well, let me just tell you that this town's got more secrets and scandals then any other one I've ever lived in.
   "It does?" I asked. The brochure bragged about lovely resorts, scenic cliffs overlooking the ocean, and white sandy beaches. Not scandal and secrets.
   "Yep. That's why the library don't got any of that mermaid stuff. People want to keep this town looking pretty for tourists. You wan the real spiel? The bar across the street had old geezers who've got all the rumors and dirt."
   "I'll try there tonight." I said, hoping I would be able to get a lead. I wanted to find out what was going on as soon as possible.

   "Good luck." She said, turning towards another shelf of books.
   "Thank you and congratulations on the baby."
   "Oh honey, you don't know the full story." With that, I placed my book down on the table and turned to the exit. I walked quickly, trying to avoid running in a library. I wasn't wanting any elderly ladies to shake their canes at me while stamping the books and frowning at children who returned books late. I arrived outside the bar quickly and glanced up at the sign. I'd never been a bar before, if you excluded my Vegas casino trip.

   "Um, hi?" I said, once I opened the bar's door and the bell rang, alerting the bartender that a customer was here.
   "Hey, honey. You okay?" The blonde lady wearing sunglasses asked me, as she wiped off the bar.
   "I'm fine." I said, taking a seat on the rickety bar stools. "Why?"
   "It's Tuesday night at seven. Not even the drunks are here on Tuesday night. Monday to get the stress of the beginning of the week gone, Wednesday and Thursday cause the week's so long, Friday cause they're happy that the weekends here and they have nothing better to do, Saturday and Sunday same as Friday. Never Tuesday."
   "I heard this was a good place to catch up on gossip."
   "Gossip? That's the beauty salon's purpose."
   "Rumors, then. I need to know something."
   "Okay, I suppose I can fill you in, depending on what it is. I've overheard lots of things about Isla Paradiso while filling people up with booze and bar food."
   "Mermaids. Strange sea creatures. Do you know anything about that?"

   "Well..." She said, glancing around the empty building. Lucky for me, the place was as dead as the flies on the library's window sill. "Years ago, and I mean a century probably- wait. I'm working here. You going to order a drink or not?"
   "I'm under aged."
   "The age is eighteen, but it isn't really enforced unless you're wearing a school uniform or it's obvious you're a kid."
   "But in Washington-"
   "You're on the Isla Paradiso now; welcome to the Virgin Islands, drink up."
   "Fine. What do you suggest?"
   "Cherry Casanova."
   "Sounds a little fruity."
   "Casanova yes or no?"
   "Sure." I shrugged, figuring that I might as well just go with it. I hadn't ordered a drink before, just took the shots I was given. I watched her pick up the shaker and the vodka and some cherries, among other products I couldn't describe because I wasn't fluent in the language that was mixology and bar tending.

  "Here ya go." I took the glass and glanced down at its fluorescent pink color and stirring straw.
  "Can I get one without the pink heart thing?"
  "Nope. If you wanted it to be a specially made drink, should of said so at the beginning."
  "It's my  first drink."
  "It won't be if you keep chatting." I took one glance at the drink, then decide to suck it up. I took a sip, not sure what to expect. The vodka and overpowering cherry taste washed down my throat. It wasn't a warming, burning sensation, more of a gentle, thick syrupy taste.

   "It's good, thanks. Now what about the sea creatures?"
   "Seven sixty seven please."
   "Huh?"
   "The cost of your drink."
   "Just tell me the story."
   "Okay, since the customer's always right. I've overheard several things. A century or two ago, there was a group of sailors and their wives who everyone thought were crazy. The sailors had gone out to the ocean and claimed they saw a sea witch who cursed the boats that came too close to her cove."

   "Was she a mermaid?"
   "Nah, sea witch. Anyways, the sailors told the island people their stories and no one believed them. They thought they were the ones who were witches or warlocks; something of the magical variety. Everyone was afraid of the magic, so they trapped everyone on a row boat and sent them off. They ran into the Kraken, who sank their boat. Apparently, they swam to an island and, o
n the brink of starvation, were saved by the witch. She took pity on them and gave them some kelp. Little did they know, the kelp was cursed. The ate it and turned into mermaids, forced to live in the sea forever. I think maybe they killed the witch, in hopes of becoming human again, but to no avail. One of the families took over and began ruling the mermaids. Ever since, there's been so many rumors, I don't know what to believe."
   "So mermaids are real?" This was stunning; I wasn't crazy. The mermaid with the shining blue and violet tail and fins could be swimming in the ocean's depths, waiting. All I had to do was find her.
   "Maybe, but even if they're real, it could be a merman. Rumors don't mean you saw one and son, you just had some pretty strong alcohol; I wouldn't advise doing anything rash."

    "I have to find her." I said, staring into the mirror across from the bar, my empty glass tipped over on the counter next to me. There was a chance mermaids were real and I needed that chance, that hope. I was going to try and find her.

NOTE: The first chapter of Tracked is out, if you would like to read it please go HERE. It's rated PG-13-ish (Basically, mild language, you know. Nothing worse than what you read here.) Thanks. ☺

8.0: Fin Over Tail

   "Rain!" I exclaimed, glaring up at the sky. I was just about finished with my lap around the island, trying to scan for empty ports that were available for anyone to dock in; I never minded a change of scenery. I jogged towards my houseboat, trying to avoid being pelted with the tiny rain droplets. I unlocked my door, thankfully stepping inside my humble and dry abode.

   My stomach let out a low growl, asking for food. I had a protein smoothie for lunch and whole grain toast with eggs and bacon for breakfast, but all of that was hours ago. It was dinner time. I wandered over towards my mini fridge. I had hooked up several rechargeable batteries to the boat and a regular sized fridge would have used too much power, therefore, instead of buying another expensive battery, I bought a smaller fridge. There was plenty of water, orange juice, eggs, and smoothies, but I was lacking in the food department; the only thing I had left was a wilted salad.

   I grabbed a fork and sat down at the dinner table, hungrily eating the lettuce. That was the big downside of living on my own for the first time; I didn't have my parents to whip up some tasty homemade meal for me whenever I asked. When I finished I loaded the plates into the dishwasher. I'd do the dished tomorrow; it was already two am and I didn't feel like cleaning up. That was the advantage of living alone, nobody nagged you to clean up or do anything right then.
   Two am was too late for anything decent to be on TV, too late for me to go to the gym and workout, and too early for me to begin my morning routine. That only left me with one thing to do: sleep. My bedroom was the largest, but it was big enough to fit a king sized bed and a night stand, so I'd decided that it was big enough for me. I stepped out of my clothes, slipping on a pair of my comfiest sweats that Basil had given me as a birthday present. She knew that, after sailing and working out, lying around thinking was my favorite activity.
   I collapsed onto the bed, my day of running finally catching up with me. My eyelids felt heavy, as they slowly closed. I drifted off into a dreamless hibernation, my body refueled for whatever tomorrow would bring.
   Caw! Caw! I groaned, as the sound of gulls ripped my out of my peaceful sleep. According to my iPhone it was only five am, still too early to workout, watch TV, or begin my morning. I could always move the houseboat. It was quiet, sailing around. I'd spotted several decent docking spots while jogging; why waste perfectly good time? I was looking for ports and had found them, now I needed to re-dock.

   I rolled out of bed, debating on whether or not I should get dressed in real clothing. I had only slept three hours in my sweats and no one would see me sailing the empty waters... I decided against wasting clothing and having to add more to my always growing stack of laundry; I'd go shirtless with sweats. I jogged out the front door, to the ladder that lead up to the wheel.

   The cool metal rungs of the ladder pressed against my bare toes and fingers, as I climbed up, the early dawn's light breeze ruffling my hair. There was something peaceful about the ocean in the morning. The world was quiet, the waves were gentle, it was almost as if nature was holding its breath, waiting for the first boater to destroy the serene scene. The ocean's dawn and the ocean's pre-storm were similar. The breeze was light, the skies a cloudy gray blue color, the waves were the only noise you could here, along with the cawing of aggravating birds. I had never experienced a storm, but from what the locals had conveyed to me, a fairly horrid one had passed through a few years back, wrecking the tourist industry when all the resorts were ruined; I had arrived shortly after the town had gotten back on its feet.

   I took hold of the wheel, glancing at the radar. There was nothing in my vicinity. I powered up my boat and slowly began steering away from the port. I was tired of this location, I needed someplace quiet. The islands were excellent at providing a scenic, peaceful place, provided you knew where to look. I did.
   My mother and mum, Rosie and Hazel, had been able to sell the family home for a fairly high price and gave my sisters and I a sum of money that would give us each a comfortable life. I, since we had to use the money to support a passion, decided to buy a top of the line sailboat and sail from Washington's coast to the tropical islands of I didn't know where.
   I set sail shortly after my moms moved to Paris, Basil went with them; she said she had a life in Washington, and she did, but she wasn't sure what to do without parental guidance. I wasn't sure where Wren went. She disappeared one summer day, without leaving a note or a trace. We thought about hiring a private detective, but realized it wasn't worth it. If she wanted to disappear, she would and we couldn't find her until she wanted us to.

   I sailed along the western USA's coast for a bit, until I needed more fuel and food. I docked in California and, after seeing an ad for Vegas, abandoned my boat and decided to rent a car and road trip to Nevada. I'd never drank alcohol or gambled before and, after finding a casino in Sin City that would overlook the fact that my real ID said my age was eighteen, I hadn't been intelligent enough to buy a fake, I spent too much money. I lost it all; I was horrible at black jack and craps and drank a bit too much. When I woke up passed out in the dumpster of some chapel that advertised having the 'Realest Fake Elvis' with only my debit card and a strip club's business card, I realized I had to get out of there.
   I traveled back to California to find my boat missing. The bank told me I had ten thousand or so dollars left, I had been irresponsible and now was paying for it. I purchased another boat, a smaller, crappier one, and set sail once more, determined to not dock until I reached where ever. I'd settle down and live where ever my boat ran out of gas at. After a few months of seeing scenic Mexican coasts, taking a trip through the Panama Canal, and seeing islands I couldn't name without a map, I reached the US Virgin Islands. The Islands spoke English, used the US dollar, and were still US citizens; it was the perfect place for me. I docked at a small island named Isla Paradiso, sold my boat, and bought a houseboat. I had a thousands dollars left and was content sailing, with no job. Soon I'd have to get one. Soon was not today, though.

   The sun had risen and I had yet to find the port I wanted to dock at. My thoughts often left me off-course. I glanced out at the ocean, spotting a place I could dock. It wasn't ideal, but it was peaceful looking. It would work for now. As I looked at the port, something shiny caught my eye. A tail. It was too large to be a fish's, too gorgeous. It couldn't be- could it? Mum had shown us The Little Mermaid when we were kids; we even met an Ariel actress at Disneyland.Was I really seeing what I thought I was seeing?
   A tail. A violet-navy fish's tail. I was sure I had seen something that was peculiar. Either my mind was playing tricks on me, there was a mermaid, or some new creature was lurking around my island home. It didn't matter which of the three was the truth, I was determined to find out what the tail was and who it belonged to.

NOTE: Tracked, my newest spin-off story, now has its own blog. If you want, be on the lookout for the first chapter, which will also be released soon. ☺ I apologize to everyone who wanted Basil to win, but I still think this generation will be lots of fun! I'm excited to let you guys see how it unravels.

And the Generation Heir Is...

   Harbor Janes! Since the votes were tied, 5-5, I decided to let random.org pick who the heir would be, that way it would be fair to everyone who voted and I didn't have to decide since I was honestly unbiased about this vote... which I find odd, considering how I biased I was all the other heir votes. Either way, Harbor is the generation eight heir! Yay!
     I've taken the pictures for the first chapter and just need to write it. I have school stuff tomorrow, my mother's birthday celebration Saturday, and a mother's day celebration Sunday, plus two exams each day next week, so I'm not sure when it will be out, so I've decided to give you a few pictures.

Generation Seven Heir Vote

   Welcome to the heir vote for my legacy. There are two different people who you can vote for to be heir, so let's get started!

  The first choice is Basil (pronounced like the herbal plant, bay-sell, not bah-zel) Janes. She dreams of becoming a nature photographer. Her lifetime wish is Visionary (max out the painting and photography skills) and her traits are loves the outdoors, artistic, photographer's eye, loves the heat, and family oriented.

  The second choice is Harbor Janes. He dreams of becoming a sailor and will move to Isla Paradiso. He might even meet a mermaid along the way... ;) His lifetime wish is Grand Explorer (find all the mysterious/uncharted islands) and his traits are loves to swim, absent minded, clumsy, sailor, and loves the heat.

   You may be curious about Wren, who I didn't include in the heir vote, because I'm planning on creating a spin-off story for her, called Tracked. I've set up the blog for Tracked and am working on the first chapter, which will be released as soon as possible, sometime this week.

Thanks for voting!

Basil- 5

Harbor-5

Total- 10


Vote on the FORUMS.

7.14: Family Time

    "Can you believe how much time has passed?" I asked Rosie, as we sat on a bench, in the same park that we got married in.
    "I know." She said, smiling, glancing around. Our three children, Basil, Wren, and Harbor, had all grown up so quickly... Basil had announced that she wanted to be a nature photographer; she was turning twenty-one soon. Wren and Harbor, who were also eighteen and legal adults, had recently graduated high school. Harbor, who had always loved nature and the beach, was thinking of maybe buying a boat and sailing around the world; the ocean was a perfect place for him. Wren had become more skittish and was frequently running off to who knows where. "They're all grown up."
    "It feel like just yesterday we were standing here, saying I do."
    "It does." Rosie agreed, holding onto my hand. "I love you Hazel."
    "I love you, too Rosie." I kissed her cheek, as I heard the familiar sounds off the children. I felt a pang of sadness; I couldn't call them children anymore, they  were grown up. "I wonder what Harbor's doing." I said, glancing over at him.
   "I don't know." Rosie shrugged, also looking at our only son, who was climbing up the ladder of the play set.

Harbor's Point of View...

   "Hey, Wren." I said, glancing up at my twin sister, who was sitting on the playground set. "Whatcha doing?"
   "Not much." I heard her say, as she sighed. "You know how I feel about family time."
   "You think it blows?" I asked.
   "Yeah." I heard her chuckle a little, as I began climbing up the ladder.

  "What's funny?" I asked, as I sat down next to her, almost hitting my head on the low roof.
   "Oh... I mean, everyone knows that I hate family time. I-" She took a deep breath and glanced at me, as if she was going to say something important. "I care about you guys, though. Ya know? It's stupid, but... family is family, right?"
   "It isn't stupid." I reassured her. "I care about you guys, my family, too."
   "Yeah, but you like hanging about with our parents and Basil and stuff."
   "Nothing wrong with that." I shrugged, feeling a little offended. I liked my family and why bother insulting that? "They're actually kinda cool."
   "Harbor. You think our parents are cool?"
   "I mean, you know. They aren't super lame and give us a lot of freedom. They don't mind taking me on weekend boating trips or Basil to LA for photo ops and contests."
    "Hey, guys! Smile!" I heard Basil shout, down on the ground.
    "Speaking of Basil, looks like she's got the camera." Wren sighed. She hated have her photo taken, even though Basil did it all the time. "She's gonna be the crazy camera lady we see at events, telling her kids to pose and stuff."
    "At least we'll get some freaking awesome holiday cards." I tried to be optimistic; why bother being upset or looking at the bad side when life was so great?
    "Yeah... at least she actually knows how to use a camera and isn't someone who takes crappy iPhone pics and Photoshops the hell out of them."
    "I got the perfect shot!" Our sister shouted, waving her camera in the air.
    "Delete it!" Wren called out, standing up. "Delete it, please."
    "Only if you can catch me." She teased, turning to run.

   "I gotta go catch the blonde who's being a bit bitchy."  Wren said to me, as she told a hold of the pole and slide down it.

Basil's Point of View...

   "Catch me if you can." I shouted, as Wren began sprinting after me. I felt like a five year of again, playing silly games with my sister.
    "Caught you." Wren said, as she grabbed onto my arm. She could always run faster then me.

  "Do I have to delete the picture? It's a nice one. The lighting reflects off of-"
   "Yes, yeah ya do." She said, interrupting my photography babble. "I hate my photo being taken, you know that."
   "But you're so photogenic. Isn't it a tiny bit ironic?" Flattery usually worked on the subjects who were reluctant to let me capture their image; why shouldn't the trick work on Wren?
   "No. Come one, you said if I could catch you, you'd delete it and I did."
   "Fine. But it's a really pretty shot."
   "I'm naturally really pretty, so it makes sense that my photos would be too." She smirked, playing the flattery game with me, as she grabbed for my camera.
   "Here." I sighed, as I handed her my camera I'd received for my birthday a little over half a decade ago. "Be careful, that thing may be old, but it's still worth a couple hundred bucks."The camera was my prize possession and if Wren hurt it, I would probably have to hurt her... not that I actually would, considering my lack of physical strength.

    "Don't worry. Even if I do drop it, I've got the money."
    "How do you- never mind." Wren shot me a look, as if to tell me not to ask. She fumbled around with the buttons for a few seconds, then handed me back my pride and joy.
    "Thank you." She said, just as her phone began beeping.
    "I think you have a message."
    "Yeah, I probably should check it." She said, pulling out her phone, walking away from me. She was so secretive; what was going on?

Hazel's Point of View (Again)...

  "Hazel, I think we should tell them now." Rosie said, adoringly looking into my eyes. I looked back into hers. They were a pool of melted chocolate and I wanted nothing more than to be able to go swimming in them, all night long.
   "You're right." I agreed, as we stood up off the bench.
   "Harbor, Basil, Wren!" Rosie exclaimed, walking over towards the picnic tables. I followed her, hoping everything would go well. We hadn't just gathered in the park for family time to have fun, we had news. Basil and Harbor gathered around us, as Wren stood off to the side of the park, playing on her phone.
    "We, mum and I, have something to tell you."

    "What is it?" Harbor asked, worry spreading across his delicate face. "Is everything okay?"
     "Yes." Rosie nodded, "We- what's Wren doing?"
     "She got a text." Basil told us, gently placing her camera on a picnic table; she was preparing to be shocked and didn't want to drop the possession she loved so dearly. "Please, tell us. She'll come over in a second."
     "Hazel." Rosie softly nudged my arm, prompting me to announce the plan.
     "We've decided to move to France. I'm officially retiring from the science facility; we've done all the research needed, so I'd be losing my job soon anyway."
     "Mother, you're too young to retire." Basil said, looking confused. "You're not even fifty."
     "I know, honey. I'm not officially retiring retiring, but that's what I'm calling it."
     "Why France, then? Why not stay here? I know they have beautiful scenic views and I would love to take a vacation there to capture them, but I have a life in America."

     "We're all not moving. Your mum and I are. I can garden in France just as well as I can in Appaloosa Plains, but she'll be able to make better wine."
      "What about us?" Harbor asked. "What will we do?"
      "We're giving you your inheritance money early." Rosie said. "Instead of waiting another thirty or forty years. Hopefully you don't mind."
      "Of course not!" Basil and Harbor articulated unamiously.
      "We're selling the house. I bought it for a fairly high price; we'll be able to sell it for a decent price and split the money evenly between you three."
       "Mother..." Basil said, looking at me with wide eyes. "You're leaving to go live in a foreign country and giving us a large sum of money. Are you sure everything's alright?"
       "Nothing is wrong... There's just so many memories concerning the past here. My father was pretty infamous, so there's still things named after him here. We want to help you all out with something you love doing; the money we're splitting between you three should be used to support a passion, such as boating, or photography, or college, not just to buy front row tickets to some concert or a luxurious car or mansion."
       "We love you all and want to help your future." Rosie said. "What's keeping Wren? She should be hearing this."

       "Guys, guys!" As if on cue, Wren shouted while running up to us. "We have to go home. Now."
       "Sweetie, calm down. What's going on?"
       "I just... feel... off? Yeah. I feel off. We need to go. Now."
       "I suppose it is getting dark and if you feel bad, we can talk more about the news at home."
       "Yeah, yeah. We need to get home." She said, out of breath. I shook my head, sighing. Wren was always mysterious. I began walking to our car, holding hands with my wife. The children slowly followed us. I had a wife and children; after everything we'd gone through, life was wonderful. I had my family and my garden and was about to move to Paris, as soon as the realtor could find someone to buy the home. Wasn't life fabulous?

NOTE: This is the last chapter of Hazel's generation and the heir poll will be out soon. Hopefully switching from Hazel's to Harbor's to Basil's and then back to Hazel's POV wasn't too confusing for anyone; I wanted to cover a bit of everything.