Pure Blood

  Chapter 17

  Holidee’s bedroom door creaked open.

  “Where’re you going?” Crix was leaning against the doorframe.

  “Sailing.”

  “With who?”

  “With Zeke, Tom, Rip, Rebekah, and some other kids.”

  “Where?”

  “On the ocean. By our house.”

  “How many are going?”

  “Eight ta ten.”

  “All kids?”

  “Yeah.” Holidee stopped packing and eyed Crix suspiciously. “Why?”

  “I don’t know. Ten kids sailing on the ocean alone. Sounds like something is bound to go wrong.”

  “There’ll be three Oceains there. Everything’ll be fine. Relax.” Holidee closed her bag and walked to the door and past Crix and down the hallway.

  “Just because you’re an Oceain doesn’t mean you’re invincible!” Holidee stopped walking and turned around to look at Crix. “And plus, we’re supposed to be working on your skills, not goofing off!”

  “Does it always have to be about ‘saving our race’? I’m still a kid. I need to have fun too! Why do I have to be the one to carry the burden?! Why couldn’t’ve been someone else?! What if I don’t want to save our race?!” Then she turned around and walked out the front door. Crix just stared after her, unable to move, and unable to react.

  “So, are we all set?”

  “I think so. Everyone on?”

  “Yep.”

  “We got the coolers?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Alright. I think we’re ready.” They pushed off from the dock and headed out to sea.

  “Great weather today.”

  “Yeah. Perfect.”

  “So where’re we headed?”

  “Out.” There were ten of them on the small ship. Zeke, Rip, Tom, Ty, Jack, Holidee, Rebekah, Trish, Amy, and Kristie. The girls were in their bikinis. The boys were in their trunks. They sailed a couple miles, until the shore was no longer visible. Then they took down the sail and drifted in the ocean. They were all relaxing and enjoying the sunshine beaming down onto their skin. Holidee was lying on the starboard side of the boat. Zeke had his head resting on her bare stomach. Tom was sitting on the edge of the boat, with his feet in the water. Rip was talking with Ty. Jack and Amy were with each other. Rebekah was talking with Trish and Kristie. After a while, the sun’s rays started to get hot, and some of them decided to go swimming. Zeke, Holidee, Jack, and Amy stayed on the boat. Holidee was stroking Zeke’s hair.

  “Zeke?”

  “Hm?”

  “Are we dating? I mean, are we boyfriend and girlfriend?” Zeke turned his head to look at her.

  “I think we are, but it takes two to decide that.”

  “I think we are too.” Holidee smiled. Zeke smiled too and lifted his head up. He crawled closer to Holidee’s face. One arm was on the other side of her. He leaned down and stroked her cheek. Then he leaned in closer to her and touched her lips. The kiss was gentle. Then just when it was going to deepen, Holidee stopped. Zeke looked at her, but she wasn’t looking at him. She was looking at the ocean. Her eyes were intense.

  “Holi-”

  “Sh! Look!” Zeke turned his head and looked at the ocean. Holidee pushed him off of her and stood up. Zeke sat up. They both looked up at the sky. It was dark. Very dark.

  “We should head back to shore.” Holidee agreed. Before they could tell everyone to get back on the boat, however, the storm hit them. It hit them hard. Rain about the size of small rocks pelted them and the water. Lightning started to flash everywhere in the sky. Thunder followed. “Everyone out of the water!” Everyone scrambled out of the water and onto the boat. The waves were getting bigger and rougher. Zeke was about to say something to Holidee, but she dove into the ocean. “Holidee! What are you doing?” Zeke didn’t see her surface. “Guys?” Zeke still looked around in the water for Holidee. He saw Rip, Rebekah, and Trish still climbing up the ladder to get onto the boat. No Holidee. Zeke looked again. No Tom. “Guys!” Zeke’s voice was hard to hear over the storm. “Holidee’s gone!”

  “Gone? She was right there with you. What do you mean she’s g-?”

  “She dove into the water! She hasn’t come up yet!” Ty helped Trish up the ladder, as Zeke ran to the edge of the boat. He looked into the water where Rip and Rebekah were swimming. “Hey.” They didn’t hear him. The storm was getting worse. The waves were getting big enough to capsize their boat. “Hey!” They looked up at Zeke. “Where’s Tom?” They looked around. They hadn’t noticed that he was missing. “Holidee’s gone too. She dove into the ocean and didn’t come up.” Rip and Rebekah looked at each other. They stayed in the water and looked for Tom and Holidee.

  “Do you see anything, Bek?”

  “No. You?”

  “Not a thing.” They didn’t give up. Rebekah kept searching, while Rip decided to try to reach Holidee.

  Holidee? Can you hear me? He waited a few seconds for a response. The lightning was coming closer and closer to hitting the water. Holidee? Where are you? Are you okay? Do you know where Tom is? Holidee?

  Rip! I can hear you! Make room on the boat! I’m coming up! Rip jumped onto the boat.

  “She’s coming. We need to make room on the boat for her.” Everyone started moving. Rebekah hopped onto to the boat. Zeke looked the most worried.

  “Is she with Tom? What happened? Is she all right? Will sh-”

  “Zeke! I know as much as you do. Just, calm down.” Rebekah walked over to calm Zeke down. They others looked confused and scared. Rip kept staring into the water, waiting. The boat was rocking harder. One wave almost turned the boat over. Then, after what seemed like an eternity, Holidee surfaced, holding Tom, who wasn’t breathing.

  “Help me with him!” Rip leaned down and grabbed Tom. He laid Tom on the deck and then helped Holidee up.

  “Holidee? What happened?”

  “Tom’s not breathing.” She crawled over to him and listened for a pulse. Rain pelted down onto her skin. Then she put her hands together and pressed down on Tom’s chest repeatedly. “One, two, three.” Then she breathed into his mouth and listen. She repeated this motion over and over. Some of the girls started freaking out.

  “Is he dead?”

  “What’re we gonna do?”

  “Oh my God!”

  “He’s dead, isn’t he?”

  “Are we gonna die?”

  “Will you please shut up?! He’s not gonna die! I won’t let him.” Holidee was determined. She kept performing CPR on him. The thunder and lightning got louder and faster. Then, after several minutes passed, Tom coughed up water. Rip helped Holidee turn him over onto his side. Tom held himself up with his hands and continued to cough up salt water. Then he collapsed onto the deck. His breathing was heavy. He looked up at Holidee. He mouthed two words that couldn’t be heard, but Holidee understood them clearly. Thank you. He was shivering from the water. Everyone else just sat there. They were all in a daze, and they were all scared.

  Holidee looked around at everyone. The waves were getting bigger. “We have to get back to shore before the storm gets worse!” They all nodded and got up to help get the boat back to shore. Holidee turned around to look at the storm and saw a ten-foot swell coming their way. “Hang on to something!” Everyone turned, saw the wave, and clung to something that would hold them. Holidee went to grab the rail, but didn’t reach it in time. The wave hit them so hard that it threw Holidee off of the boat and into the ocean.

  “Holidee!” The ocean pulled her under and tossed her around. Wave after wave hit her. She tried to get to the surface, but her arms and legs were exhausted. She stopped fighting the storm and let the ocean take her.

  “Holidee!” Zeke ran to the edge of the boat and was going to jump into the water, but Rip grabbed him.

  “Zeke!”

  “We can still save her!”

  “Zeke! Listen to me! There is no way you could find her in this storm, and even if you could,
how will you get back to the boat? The storm’s getting worse, not better! We need to get back to shore!” Zeke kept staring into the ocean. Then he nodded. Rip let go of him and started to put up the sail a little bit. Rebekah got out ores. They started to head for the shore.

  The storm calmed down after about an hour. The waves were still high, but not as rough. The sky started to clear, and the rain stopped. Birds came out and started singing again.

  The boat docked, and everyone jumped onto the dock. They walked until they reached the beach. Then they all collapsed onto the sand. Rip and Jack helped Tom off the boat. Zeke was the last one off. He walked slowly onto the beach, but he didn’t sit down like the others. He stood there. Then Zeke heard something. Or rather, someone.

  “Holidee!” It was Crix. He came running into view above the beach. He ran down the wooden steps and across the hot sand. Then he slowed down as he scanned the beach for Holidee. He walked up to Zeke. “Where’s Holidee?” Zeke didn’t answer. Crix grabbed his shoulders. “Zeke! Where’s Holidee? Where’s my baby g-?” Then he stopped and stared down the beach. Holidee? Crix started sprinting down the beach as fast as he could. Rip heard him and ran after him. He wasn’t nearly as fast as Crix, though. Sand flung up into the air as Crix ran across the beach. He ran for a mile, before he started to slow down. Then he saw her. There she was, lying on some stones on the beach. She wasn’t moving at first. Then she sat up slowly, holding her head. Her eyes were closed. “Holidee!” She turned and saw Crix running toward her. Crix ran up to Holidee and hugged her. He didn’t let her out of his arms. “I was so worried,” he whispered. She looked up at him. Her eyes were watery.

  “I’m sorry, Crix. I should’ve lis-”

  “Sh. It’s okay. All that matters is that you’re okay.” There was silence for a few seconds. Crix held her close to his body. Rip finally caught up to Crix and Holidee. He crouched over to catch his breath as he saw Crix hug Holidee. Then he slowly walked toward them. Crix looked up at Rip. “How is everyone else?”

  “Fine. Scared, but safe.”

  “What about Tom?”

  “He’s alive…thanks to Holidee.” Holidee knew Rip was talking, but she didn’t want to let go of Crix. She felt safe in his arms. Crix leaned away from Holidee a little. He looked at a cut on her forehead. Crix kissed her forehead gently. A wave of blue washed over Holidee’s face, and the cut vanished instantly. Then he smiled at Holidee and stood up. Crix looked at Rip and clasped his shoulder.

  “Way da keep your head on straight.” Rip smiled at Crix.

  “Thanks.” Crix looked down at Holidee and picked her up. He cradled her in his arms and carried her back to where the others were. Rip followed. Holidee wrapped her arms around Crix’ neck so that she wouldn’t fall. When the three of them finally reached the others, they noticed none of them had moved. Crix looked around at everyone. Tom was lying on his back with his eyes closed. Rebekah was sitting Indian-style. Zeke was on his knees, staring off into space. The other girls were huddled together, and the other boys were sitting. They were all dripping wet and cold.

  “Well, now, aren’t you a bunch?” All of them looked up and saw Crix carrying Holidee and Rip right next to them.

  “Holidee?” Zeke stood up and ran to Crix. Rip stopped him, though.

  “Give her some room, Zeke. She’s tired.” Zeke nodded. Crix looked around at everyone again. They still hadn’t moved, except for their heads, which were now looking at Crix and Holidee.

  “Well, it looks to me like you all could use a nice warm cup of tea. Let’s get you all inside.” Crix led the way to the house and everyone followed.

  After handing everyone a cup of warm tea, Crix took a cup upstairs. He knocked twice on Holidee’s door before entering. He walked over to her bed, where she was laying.

  “Hey, Ocean Eyes.” He sat down on the edge of the bed and handed her the tea. “Here. This’ll make you feel better.” She took the cup and drank it down. Then she handed it back to Crix. “Now get some rest. You’ve had a long day.” Crix stood up and started walking toward the door.

  “Crix?” He stopped.

  “Yeah?”

  “How did you know I was thrown overboard?”

  “I didn’t.”

  “But you knew I was in trouble.” Crix sighed and walked back to Holidee’s side and sat on the edge of the bed.

  “I knew you were in trouble because…well…I’m your Guardian.” Holidee looked at him funny. “When given the position of a Guardian, there are certain things that are given to you, besides the responsibility. In order to protect someone, you have to know when that someone is in trouble. Your parents gave me this…they gave me something so that I can feel whenever you are in trouble. It’s hard to explain. I feel what you feel when you are hurting. I feel what you feel when you are frightened. I know whenever you are in trouble. I have to, in order to keep you alive: in order to be your Guardian.”

  “Oh. Okay. But, then, how did you know about Tom?”

  “How did you know Tom was drowning?” Holidee opened her mouth and then shut it. She thought about it.

  “Well, when I first showed him what I was, I had to transfer some of my soul to heal the cut I made on his arm. I forgot to transfer it back. I was going to, but then Tom started having these nightmares and acting really weird, so I decided to keep an eye on him. Good thing, huh?”

  “Yeah, but I want you to get your soul out of him. He’s not an Oceain, Holidee. You don’t know what’ll happen.”

  “Okay. First thing tomorrow.”

  “Good.”

  “Oh, and Crix?”

  “Yeah?”

  “On the beach, you kissed my forehead, and the cut there vanished almost instantly. Why? Why was a kiss so powerful?”

  “If an Oceain kisses another Oceain that is hurt, and they kiss near the cut or whatever, their healing power almost doubles. It is a very powerful healing remedy. But it only works if you love that Oceain with all of your heart. And I mean all of it. Now rest. You need to get your energy back.” Holidee lay down and closed her eyes. Crix walked to the door and stopped. “And remember, Holidee. I have many eyes watching for me when I’m not around. Night, Ocean Eyes.” Then Crix shut the door behind him and walked back down the stairs.

  Early the next afternoon, Holidee got out of bed and walked slowly down the stairs. She expected to see a room full of sleeping teenagers, but was wrong. She saw no sign that there had been more than one teenager in the house. She rubbed her eyes, to make them less sleepy, and walked into the family room. There she saw Crix on the couch. He was sitting upright, but his eyes were closed. He was sleeping sitting up. Holidee tilted her head in curiosity and wrinkled her forehead in wonderment. She smiled in amusement and walked closer to him. She stopped inches from him and watched. Her smile faded as she looked at Crix’ face. She tried to imagine him young with her dad. She smiled again. Then she lifted her hand and gently pushed Crix’ head with her index finger. His head slowly teetered and then his whole body fell sideways onto the couch. Holidee sniggered. As soon as Crix’ head hit the cushion, however, he awoke with a start. He was in a state of confusion of first, but then saw Holidee laughing.

  “Very funny.”

  “I’m sorry.” She suppressed a couple more sniggers. “I couldn’t resist.”

  “I know you couldn’t.” Holidee looked at him funny. “Your father would always do that to me when I fell asleep sitting up. Then he’d tell me it serves me right if I was too busy to walk a few feet to my bed.”

  “And he was right. Why did you fall asleep on the couch? Let alone sitting up?”

  “Well, I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night. Ten teens, y’know. And then I woke up early to take them all home to their families, who were anxious to hug their kids. I guess I didn’t realize how tired I actually was, until I had time to sit down.” Holidee giggled.

  “Yeah, I guess so. So it’s just you and me here?”

  “Yep. You and me.” Crix yawned.
“So whadduya wanna do?”

  “I don’t know, but we can’t do anything for long, because it’s a school night.”

  “Yeah. I thought we could skip.”

  “What?!” Holidee couldn’t believe that Crix, a teacher, was asking her if she wanted to skip school.

  “Well, I feel a little rebellious, and I thought you needed another day because this weekend was a little stressful, and I don’t know…I felt like using one of my sick days. So whadduya think?”

  “I think you’re crazy! How did I ever end up with a Guardian like you? All the other kids’ Guardians probably make them go to school, but mine wants me to fake being sick! Unbelievable.” Holidee took a breath. “Yeah. I could go for a sick day.” Crix smiled.

  “I thought we could just stay here. Mer works tomorrow, so she can’t join us, but I called her and she doesn’t mind. She has a huge report due tomorrow night so she said she’d need the quiet house.”

  “Okay. So, what kind of things am I gonna learn this time?”

  “How not to get caught in a storm. That’s twice a storm has snuck up behind you.”

  “But-”

  “No. No buts. I already know that you can read the weather, but you need to be better. I want you to be able to know when the storm is going to hit at the precise second. I want you to feel it coming and know how fierce it will be when it hits. I want you to know when the worst part of the storm hits and how long the storm lasts. I want you to be able to read the weather in days in advance.”

  “Days? But isn’t weather unpredictable up until it hits?”

  “Not necessarily. You can still feel what and when something comes. It’s predictable to a point.”

  “Are you really good at it?”

  “I was taught by your father. Of course I’m good at it. I never was as good as Gregoric, though. He would tell the whole week’s weather down to the last raindrop…two weeks before it occurred. He was magnificent in everything.”

  “Do you think I can live up to his expectations?”

  “You already have, Holidee. You are going to surpass them.”

  “It’s just…I don’t know. I feel like I know my dad better now that he is gone than I did when he was alive.” Crix stood up and faced Holidee.

  “You would’ve known him like you do now if he lived just a little longer. He would’ve been the one here, teaching you, instead of me.” Crix smiled. “I would’ve been just another guy on the street.” Holidee didn’t smile.

  “You mean, if my father and mother had lived, then I wouldn’t’ve been allowed to know you? Just because you’re my Guardian? That’s so stupid! Why can’t I have both you and my dad in my life? Why do I only get one?” Holidee felt tears sting her eyes, but she held them back. Something cracked in her just then. She felt she had cried enough over the past months. She didn’t want to seem weak. Crix reached a hand out to her.

  “Holid-”

  “No!” She had had enough of all of these rules. “I hear all of these stories about you and my dad! I can see them in my mind! But I want to watch it for real! I want to have cookouts with you and my dad grilling and Mer and my mom drinking lemonade! I want to see you guys laugh like I do in my dreams! I want to…” A burning sensation reached her throat. She swallowed and pushed it down. “I hate these stupid Oceain rules! I’m the last Oceain, right?! Then I’m going to change some of the rules! First, there’s going to be no rule about not being allowed to know who your Guardian is! Second, why sixteen? Why not twelve? Or eight? Why wait until your adulthood is knocking at the front door?! No! I’m going to make it when you reach the ninth grade! High school! Four years of Oceain learning! And what’s this about studying alone? Oceains are going to study together from now on! In one school! Just for Oceains! I’m tired of these rules we live by! And since I’m the last true Oceain, then I’m changing them!” Crix just stood there silently, waiting until she was done. He had nothing to comfort her. He had nothing to counter her. He had nothing to say at all. He looked up into her angry face.

  “Holidee.” She looked at him hard, but then softened her face, feeling guilty about yelling. “I know none of it makes since to you, and believe me, it never made since to me either. I asked Gre…your dad countless of times. He didn’t have the answers and neither do I. He would’ve gladly of changed them back then, but he wasn’t the only Pureblood alive. He suffered just as much as I did, but we met regularly and I cherish every minute I had with him. I did not regret my decision of becoming your Guardian, and I still don’t. I made a choice, and I’m sorry you feel you have suffered from it, but I cannot change the past as much as I can change the future. You, however, do have the power to change the future. You can, and will by your determination, revise the rules for Oceains, and I will stand behind anything you change one hundred percent. I give you my word.” Holidee looked at Crix. She wanted to apologize but knew Crix wouldn’t let her. She just simply nodded her head and turned away. Crix grabbed her shoulders and made her face him. He knelt down on one knee and looked up into her eyes.

  “Holidee, my mind spins as I wonder if you really do know how important you are and how much power you really have. I can’t even begin to think how you feel everyday. The burden that was laid upon you is heavy for anyone to carry, let alone a teenage girl. And I agree, it’s unfair. But that will not change what is laid before you. And I will try my best to help you and guide you, but eventually you will surpass me through all my abilities, and you will no longer be the student, but the teacher. And through all this pain and suffering you have endured, you will feel something stronger. Something beyond your wildest dreams. But until that day comes, the road is still rough and at times difficult, but we can get through it. You and I. We can do it. We can overcome the impossible and achieve miraculous things. All you have to do, Holidee, is believe.” Holidee had not taken her eyes away from Crix. Then, once he was finished, she looked down at the floor. Crix, though, quickly grabbed her chin and lifted it up. “Remember what I said to you about looking down to others? Don’t. Not even to me. I am not better than you. No one is. You be proud of who you are, and don’t let anyone make you look down to them. Hold their eyes and let them know you’re strong.” Crix smiled. “’Cuz no daughter of Gregoric’s is weak.” Holidee looked into his eyes again and smiled. Then she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him.

  “Thanks, Crix.”

  “No problem, Ocean Eyes.” Then she let go. “Now, what do you say we work on your weather skills?”

  “Okay.” Crix stood up and walked toward the back door.

  “You coming?” Holidee caught up with him, and they both walked down toward the beach. “Now, the first thing you have to remember about predicting weather is that every little detail matters. And, like all skills, you have to clear your mind and concentrate. Got it so far?”

  “Yeah, I think so.” They walked down the wooden stairs. “But how do I see the weather coming?” They reached the edge of the water and stopped.

  “By clearing your mind and concentrating. Watch.” Crix closed his eyes. Holidee watched him for a few minutes, but nothing happened. She looked around on the beach. Nothing. Then Crix opened his eyes. “There’s a little storm off to the Northeast. ‘Kay. Now there are two ways you can predict when this storm is going o arrive. The first way is to look at the things around you.” Holidee looked around. “No. Look closer.” Crix bent down and grabbed a handful of sand. Then he slowly let it fall through his fingers. “Feel the condition of the sand.” Holidee did what Crix did. “What do you feel?”

  “Sand.” Crix laughed.

  “No. Listen with your hands. Oceains do a lot of listening, but not just with their ears. We listen with every part of our body.” Holidee cleared her mind and grabbed another handful of sand. She slowly let the sand fall through her fingers, feeling every grain. Listen with your hands. Holidee closed the sounds that came in through her ears. She heard the grains of sand fall off of her hand. Then she started to hear each
grain of sand individually. She listened until every grain of sand fell to the ground.

  “I heard them, but how does that help me predict the weather?”

  “Patience.” Crix put his hand over the moving ocean and stroked the top of it gently. Holidee did the same. She heard the ocean whisper to her. She felt the temperature change briefly. “Now look up at the sky.” They both stood up and looked at passing clouds. They were white and fluffy. “Breathe in the wind.” Holidee closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Crix waited for her to finish. She opened her eyes. “Tell me.”

  “I definitely feel a storm coming, but it’s still pretty far away.” Crix nodded. Holidee’s face still looked puzzled.

  “What else did you hear?”

  “Something else. Another storm, but bigger. Much bigger. I’m not sure where it is, though. It’s far away, but that’s all I can gather.”

  “Another storm? Are you sure?”

  “Yeah. I’m pretty sure.” Crix thought for a few minutes.

  “Show me.”

  “What? How?”

  “Travel to the storm with your mind. Take me with you.”

  “How do I take you with me?” Crix took Holidee’s hands and placed them on his temples. Holidee and Crix both closed their eyes. Holidee thought of the storm she had felt and heard. She pictured the size and strength of it. Her mind raced over the ocean. Then it stopped and Holidee was looking right into the eye of the storm she had felt. She stayed there awhile and looked at it. Then she opened her eyes and the connection was broken. Her and Crix were both on their knees in the sand. She was staring into his misty gray eyes. Then she saw a smirk spread across his face. Holidee removed her hands from his head and sat down, facing the ocean. “Was it the same storm?”

  “As the one that I saw? No.”

  “Then why’re you smiling? What’d I do wrong?”

  “Nothing. You just never cease to amaze me.” Holidee looked at him funny as he sat down beside her. “That was a big storm alright. And you were right about it being far away.” He paused. “It’s on the other side of the Atlantic.” Holidee stared at him.

  “What?”

  “Yep. It’s going to hit Europe sometime this week.” Holidee’s mouth was open.

  “But how did I…?” Crix laughed.

  “I told you that you would surpass the teacher.”

  “But I didn’t know what I was doing.”

  “You don’t have to, Holidee. You just need some guidance and control. Don’t worry. In no time you’ll be able to control which storms you want to feel and exactly how far away they are.” Both Holidee and Crix got quiet as they listened to the waves wash up onto the beach. Minutes went by with no sound from either one of them.

  “Where’re you gonna build your school?” Holidee turned her head and looked at the side of Crix’ face.

  “Huh?”

  “Your school. Where’re you gonna build it?” Holidee cocked her head to one side.

  “My school?”

  “Your Oceain School.”

  “Oh! That school.” Crix laughed. “Where am I gonna build it?” Crix nodded. “Well…how many acres do I own?” Crix turned around and looked at the land behind them.

  “About ten…counting beach.” He turned and faced Holidee, who was looking at the land. “Why?”

  “Well, I was thinking about building it here. One this land.” Crix surveyed the land again and then looked back at Holidee.

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. Whadduya think?” Crix thought for a moment.

  “It would be perfect because of the beach being so close…and there is a lot of land…but do you really want it so close to your house? I mean you are gonna live here when you’re older.”

  “I know, but the school will be farther that way.” She made a gesture with her hands. “A couple acres at least. I’ll still have a little privacy. Plus, some of the teachers could live in my house. It’s too big for me anyway.”

  “Maybe you’ll have a big family.” Holidee blushed a little.

  “I don’t know. I’d have to find a guy first.”

  “I think you already have.” Holidee blushed again and turned away from Crix.

  “But he’s not an Oceain. Wouldn’t that defeat the whole purpose of me being a Pureblood?” Crix shook his head.

  “No. You’re more than pure. You have so much Oceain blood and soul in you that it won’t matter who you end up with. Your kids will still be as strong as you. And if your kids live around an Oceain school, then their powers will be advanced beyond anyone’s.” Crix paused to wait for Holidee’s reaction, but there was none. “So you want the school here? We should start planning.”

  “Really?” Holidee turned toward him again. “You really think we should start planning this early?”

  “Yeah. Next year is your last year in school. We’ll have to build the school next year and get it approved by the government.”

  “True.”

  “So what subjects do you want to teach?”

  “Well, we’ll need to teach all of the basics like they do in high school. Algebra, geometry, English, history, biology, chemistry, Spanish, French, earth science, calculus, physics…is that all?”

  “I think so. I get the point, at least. What Oceain classes do you want to have?”

  “Well, I want one class for each skill. Each year the class gets harder as they move up a grade.” Holidee paused. “So we’ll need quite a few classes just for the Oceain skills.”

  “What about kids who want to learn more than their skill?”

  “Can they do that?”

  “I’m not sure. There hasn’t exactly been fours years of strictly Oceain study.”

  “Well, maybe we’ll have to experiment.” Crix raised an eyebrow. “With Rip or Rebekah.” Pause. “I also want to have a class for Oceain history. Everyone will have to take that. I want a class to learn about pollution.”

  “That sounds like a good idea. Now, where’re the students going to sleep and stay?”

  “It’s gonna be like a college almost. With dorms. They’ll get Christmas break and summer break. Other than that, though, they will stay on school grounds. They’ll still have weekends to themselves, of course. There’s a small fishing village not far from here where they go for fun. What do you think?”

  “So far so good. Anything else to add?”

  “Yeah. I want a class strictly about marine animals. I want a class strictly about marine plants. I want a class about ocean currents. And I want tanks and small aquariums for fish and small sea creatures.” Holidee paused. “I think that’s about it.”

  “Alright. Sounds like a plan.” The sounds of the ocean fell in around them.

  “Crix? Something’s been on my mind.”

  “Something’s always on your mind.” He smiled.

  “Yeah. I guess you’re right about that.” She smiled. “You know those two pictures sitting on the table in your room?” Crix thought for a minute.

  “The ones with your parents, Mer, and me?”

  “Yeah. Those.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Well, how old were you guys when they were taken?”

  “We were twenty-three when the first picture was taken.” Crix smiled to himself as he remembered the day the picture was taken. Holidee watched him as he stared out over the ocean, his eyes becoming watery.

  “Can you tell me about it? The day it was taken?” Crix slowly shook his head.

  “No.” Holidee looked disappointed. “I can show you.”

  “You mean like you did with my dad’s death?”

  “Yeah. C’mere.” Holidee got closer to Crix so that he could place his hands on his temples. Holidee was anxious and nervous all at once. She couldn’t wait to see her parents young and happy with Crix and Mer, but she also knew that this was only a memory and that her parents could never be brought back. Holidee closed her eyes and immediately started swirling around until her feet hit the soft ground. She was outside.
It was a beautiful day. Holidee didn’t know where she was. Then she saw four young people posing for a picture. She ran over to stand next to the guy taking the picture. A big smile spread across her face as she watched her dad, her mom, Crix, and Mer pose for the picture. When the camera snapped they all relaxed and started laughing. Their voices were carefree. The cameraman handed the camera over to Gregoric.

  “Thanks.” They were still laughing. “Tha’s one for the scrapbook.” Crix and Gregoric smiled at each other. “So, now what? It’s not everyday we’re all together.”

  “Nope.” Crix pulled out an apple and tossed it into the air. He had his hand out, ready to catch it, but Mer snatched the apple out of the air before it could hit his hand. Crix glanced at Mer with a crooked smile on his face. She had a huge smile on her face too and took a bite out of the apple. Crix shook his head at her as she taunted him.

  “Hey you two!” Mer and Crix looked over at Gregoric who had an arm around Katre’s waist. “Come over here! We have something to tell you.” Crix and Mer walked over to them and Holidee followed. Gregoric pulled a little away from Katre and interlocked his fingers in hers.

  “Yeah? What is it?” Crix casually put an arm around Mer’s shoulders.

  “Well,” Gregoric glanced at Katre. “Katre’s going to have a baby!” Mer screamed with delight and hugged Katre. Crix stood there shocked.

  “You? A daddy?” Crix laughed and slapped Gregoric on the back. “Good for you guys!”

  “Do you know what it is?”

  “No. Not yet. I’m only a month along.”

  “Wow.” Crix brushed his hand through his thick brown hair. “A baby Galygin.”

  “Yeah, I know. I couldn’t believe it myself when Katre told me the news.”

  “You should’ve seen him.” Katre smiled. “He yelled at the top of his lungs ‘I’m gonna be a daddy!’” Crix laughed.

  “You two are gonna be wonderful parents.”

  “I hope so.”

  “C’mon. Let’s go celebrate.”

  “Okay, but no alcohol for me. I have a little one to think about.” Katre rubbed her belly. They were all smiling as they started to disappear. Holidee knew the memory was over. She started spinning through memories and expected to end up on the beach next to Crix, but stopped in another memory. She was in a house. Holidee looked around and immediately knew where she was. She was home. She looked around and saw things that were different than she remembered. She saw a few baby toys lying on the light brown carpet. There were tons of pictures on the tables and shelves. Holidee walked around looking at all of the pictures. Then she knew why she had never seen them before. Crix was in every one of them. Then Holidee heard voices coming down the stairs. She turned around in the room she was standing and noticed some other things. There was tinsel, holly, mistletoe, and lights hanging from the walls. It was Christmas.

  “Shh. You don’t want to wake them. It took forever to try and get her to sleep.” Holidee turned and looked toward the stairs. Her parents appeared a few minutes later, carrying wrapped gifts. They quietly tiptoed into the other room. Holidee followed them. The other room was decorated just like the previous room, but in this room, there was a tree. The tree had lights, beads, and ornaments hanging from its branches. There was an angel sitting at the very top. Holidee knew this room was the dining room. Everything had been moved out of the way for the tree. There was, however, one small sofa still in there, up against the wall. That’s when Holidee noticed Crix, laying on his back, asleep, on the sofa. His head was slightly propped up with a pillow, and his feet hung over the other end. And lying on his chest was a baby girl, no older than one. Holidee looked at the baby and knew it was herself. Baby Holidee was clutching Crix’ shirt with her tiny fists. She was sound asleep. Crix had one hand on her back, slightly stroking her hair, and one on her bottom, supporting her tiny weight. Holidee smiled with tears in her eyes, because she never knew Crix was so close. Then her mind jumped back into the memory at the voice of her mom.

  “He’s the only one that can put her to sleep, it seems,” she whispered to Gregoric.

  “Yeah, but he goes to sleep right along with her.” Katre giggled.

  “He loves her so much. I don’t know if I could bare to think about what we are going to ask him.”

  “We have to. He’s the only one. Who else are you going to trust with our baby girl?” Katre sighed.

  “No one. I just wish he could stay and be in her life as she grows.”

  “Me too, Katre.” They started putting the gifts under the tree. “I’m going to ask him tonight.” Katre looked at him. “I know he’ll say yes.” Katre nodded. Gregoric stood up to go get more presents. Katre followed, but let him go ahead. She walked toward the couch and smiled down at Crix and her baby. Tears welled up in the back of her eyes. Crix opened one eye and looked up at Katre. Then he opened the other eye, as he stopped stroking the baby’s hair.

  “Did you want her back?” Katre shook her head.

  “No. You keep her a little while longer. We’re still bringing down presents.” Crix looked down at baby Holidee and smiled.

  “She is one beautiful little girl you have.”

  “Yeah. She’s our pride and joy.” Baby Holidee startled a little, and Crix went back to stroking her hair. She nestled comfortably back onto Crix’ chest. Then Katre walked out of the room to help her husband. Holidee continued to watch Crix as he stroked baby Holidee back into a deep slumber. Then Crix, too, closed his eyes again. She heard her parents walking down the stairs again. Then she heard the front door open. Holidee walked into the room where she had first landed and saw Mer taking off a coat and brushing snow out of her hair.

  “Sorry it took me so long. The lines at the grocery store are horrendous. You wouldn’t believe how many people are still shopping.” She looked around. “Where’re Crix and Holidee?”

  “Sleeping. On the couch in the dining room.” Mer smiled.

  “He is so good with her.”

  “Yeah.” Mer saw that something was wrong from the expression on Katre’s face.

  “What’s the matter?” Katre tried to force a smile, but couldn’t.

  “Nothing. You’ll find out later.” Mer shrugged and pulled off her scarf to help with the gifts. Mer and Katre were placing the presents under the tree as Gregoric brought them down.

  “That’s the last of them.” He set down two more boxes.

  “There’s one more, remember?” Gregoric looked at Katre and nodded.

  “Yeah, but he’s still…” Gregoric looked over at Crix. Holidee could only imagine what was going through her dad’s mind at that moment. Crix opened his eyes and looked at Gregoric.

  “Yes?” Baby Holidee started to stir. Katre got up and picked her up off of Crix’ chest. She cradled her baby and rocked her back into her sleep. Crix sat up and looked at his friend.

  “Let’s go on the porch and talk.” Crix followed Gregoric out onto the porch. Holidee followed them too. The night air was thick with snow. Crix took a seat on the ledge of the porch and hung his leg over the side. He clutched one knee to his chest. Gregoric put his hands behind his back and leaned against the side of the house.

  “Crix,” he looked at Gregoric. “I’ve known you for how long?”

  “Our whole life.”

  “Yeah, and you’re the best friend I’ve ever had.” Crix jumped off the ledge and leaned against it as he stared at Gregoric. There was something on his mind. “And it’s because you’re my best friend and you’re the only person I trust with my life that I’m…” His voice trailed off. Crix stood up a little straighter. “Crix, I not only trust you with my life, but also my wife’s and daughter’s. You’re a part of this family and…”

  “Gregoric? What is it?”

  “I don’t want to! You’re like a brother to me, Crix! I’d hate to see you suffer, but…and you love her so much…I just can’t…”

  “Gregoric!” Crix grabbed his shoulders. “I’m not suffering! No
w will you tell me what you’re babbling about? You damn Babbler!” Crix smiled and so did Gregoric. His eyes were glistening with tears.

  “Katre and I want you to be Holidee’s Guardian.” Gregoric looked down at the ground. Crix took a step back and let go of his shoulders.

  “Really?” Crix turned around and looked out into the night sky. He was quiet. Holidee peered around Crix and looked into his face. He was staring into the darkness, thinking. His eyes were expressionless.

  “Crix?” Crix was jerked back onto the porch.

  “Yeah.”

  “So…?”

  “Yeah. I’ll be her Guardian.” Crix turned around and looked at Gregoric with tears in his eyes. “Only because I love this family so much.” Gregoric hugged his friend.

  “I know what this means for you.”

  “Yeah.” Crix’ voice was soft. Gregoric leaned back and wiped his nose on the sleeve of his shirt.

  “Here.” He handed Crix a small box. “An early Christmas gift.” Crix took it and slowly unwrapped it. He opened the box and saw a choker necklace inside. It had one black leather string with seven silver cubes with letters on two sides in the front. They spelled ‘Holidee’ on one side and ‘Believe’ on the other. Crix took it out of the box and clutched it in his hands.

  “Thanks,” he whispered.

  “Crix, she’ll be one in the summer.”

  “Yeah, I know.” They both knew what the other was thinking. Holidee watched as they both walked back inside, without a word. Then Holidee started spinning again, but stopped almost right after she had started. It was the next morning, and she was standing in the room with the tree. All of the presents were unwrapped and paper thrown on the floor. Gregoric and Mer were cleaning up and Crix was sitting on the couch. He had one leg up, resting on his other leg where the ankle meets the foot. He had one arm on the arm of the sofa and the other one was up to his mouth. He was thinking. Katre walked back into the room.

  “She’s finally down. All the presents made her sleepy.” She looked at Crix and touched his arm. He looked up at her.

  “I should probably get going.” Gregoric and Mer stopped what they were doing. Holidee looked at Crix and realized that in one night, he looked as if he had aged about five years.

  “No. Stay awhile, Crix.” He smiled wearily up at Katre. Then he stood up and kissed her on the cheek and whispered in her ear.

  “Your baby girl’s safe with me.” Tears welled up in her eyes as Crix walked over to Mer and Gregoric. They stood up. Crix kissed Mer on the lips and whispered, “I love you,” before he hugged Gregoric. He looked at Gregoric and smiled. “I’ll see you around…brother.” Then he turned and walked toward the doorway. He turned around and faced the other three. He opened his mouth and then closed it. Then he opened it again.

  “I’m just gonna say good-bye. You know, since I won’t ever get to again.” Then he walked up the stairs to baby Holidee’s bedroom. Holidee followed him, tears stinging her eyes. When she entered what was her old room, she saw Crix stroking baby Holidee’s head. “Good-bye, little one. I’m gonna miss you.” Then he leaned down into the crib and kissed baby Holidee’s forehead. “Take care, Ocean Eyes.” Then he turned around to walk out. Holidee saw tears in his eyes and they fell without him caring. He swallowed hard and then walked out of the room and out of baby Holidee’s life. Holidee’s cheeks were stained with tears as she started spinning again. Memories flew past her until she felt the sand beneath her once again. She opened her eyes as tears rolled down her cheeks and looked at Crix. He wiped the tears away, and she threw herself into his arms, crying. He slowly stroked her head and listened to her sobs.