Our group came quickly, we swiftly rushed Sage to the nearest hospital.  I held onto a trashcan as she coughed into it. Maya was crying softly in the back seat, and we all looked at our friend with worry. Sage kept insisting she were fine inbetween coughs which only made us worry more.

Brody’s uncle parked the car infront of the emergency entrance and Brody leaped from the car to go get a doctor. The girls and I lead Sage towards the doubledoors in panic. Five nurses brought out a stretcher and we helped her on it. She clutched the garbage can in her hand still hacking up blood. Then she closed her eyes, and her back lay flat on the stretcher.

*

We waited in the waiting room for what felt like hours. Brody's uncle was on the phone,  talking to Sage’s parents. Maya, Chelsea, and I were huddled together in our chairs, tissues were crumpled in out hands as we feared the inevitable. I looked up as someone cleared his throat and saw that it was a woman in her mid thirties wearing scrubs.

“Are you here for Sage Underwood?” She stared at us all, and we nodded.

“I see,” She paused for only a moment and went on talking, “Are any of you family members?”

“No,” John, Brody’s uncle stated, “But I have her parents on the phone if you would like to talk to them.”

“Yes, let me talk to them.”

John stood and handed her the phone, which she talked on for a few minutes.

Once she was done, she handed the phone back to John, who told Sage’s parents he would tell them when anything else regarding Sage happens and then ended the call. We turned to the woman expectantly.

“It seems that Sage has gotten really sick. Which has caused her to cough up blood. Which means, we had to remove the blood in her lungs and she can't breathe on her own. So she has breathing tubes.”

“Will she ever get better?” Brody asks.

The doctor hesitates, “We have faith she will.”

They don't know what's wrong with her. What's wrong with Sage? Will she ever get better?

The doctor said we can go home and see her tomorrow during visitor hours, but when we got home we were to worried to eat anything when John made us lunch. My friends and I sat on the couch and stared at the blank TV. We fidgeted and worried about our best friend, scared for her safety.

**

That night, I lay in bed, a strange calmness moving over me, as if the recent events hadn't happened. It felt strange, but good at the same time and I wondered why. Slowly, I began to dream.

I saw the waves crash towards shore with a roaring thunder, and then I saw a man. His black hair fell over his face, nearly covering his gray-blue eyes that were in contrast with his tan skin. He stood in the water, waiting, as if he wanted me to follow him. Scales covered patches of his skin, but I didn't care. It was just a dream, right? Quietly, I made my descent into the cool ocean water.

My eyes flew open then, panic gripping my heart as I realized where I was. Water flowed up to my ankles, sand squished in between my toes and the moonlight shone, glistening across the ocean in front of me. I had sleepwalked into the water. I felt like screaming, running back to where it was safe inside my room, but I couldn't move. I could barely breathe.

Nearly ten feet in front of me something began to rise to the surface. I wanted to leave then, wanting it even more so now than ever. Whatever this creature was it wanted to kill me. I looked away, thinking that if I didn't look it in the eyes it wouldn't attack. And then, it spoke.

“Hello.” The voice was deep, and crisp clean English. Why would a creature know that?

I turned my head, curious as to what I was being faced with, but also scared at the same time. Looking over at it, I instantly recognize him. It was the man from my dreams.

I started to back away slowly, confused as to why I would suddenly see someone from my dream. Am i going crazy? Am I having some kind of mental breakdown?

“Are you, Alana Mathews?”

Oh crap, he knows my name. Is he going to take my soul? What should I do?

“It’s okay, I’m Tanner, Tanner Cummings.” He said as he slowly started to move towards me, “I just want to talk.”

“No, No, please,” I begged, “Stay away from me.”

He backed away, clearly understanding that I needed space. “I'm not here to hurt you, like I said, I'm just here to talk.”

“Why are you talking to me?”

“I will tell you, but you need to trust me.”

“I-.”

I'm talking to an imaginary figure. Im probably still dreaming. I will wake up and I will never have to see him again.

"This is a dream."

“No, it isn't. Just trust me, you don't even have to believe anything I will tell you, I just need you to listen.”

“Okay,” I said, “then tell me how you know my name?”

“It is your land name. Its your fake name that your mother gave you to protect you.”

“What's my real name?” I ask, not believing a word he says.

“I'm not allowed to tell you.”

“Okay, so why did you come from the water? Are you saying Im some creature from the water? And why would my mother need to protect me by changing my name?”

“She was trying to protect you from someone.” He said, “Or, more accurately, a group of people. They wanted your crown, your kingdom. So, in order to protect you, your mother went onto land with you.”

“So what are you?” I was confused, terrified, and curious all at once. I was talking to a strange boy who surfaced from the water and said I was some strange princess.

“You should be asking what you are. Because, you are also what I am.”

“What am I then?”

“A water nymph.”

“A what?” I ask in disbelief, Wow, I'm finally going crazy. Good job Alana. This is what happens when you go to a wild party and get yourself drunk. I start to turn to walk away but he yells at me to stop. Strangely enough I do.

“You need to be careful, they found you before, they will find you again.”

“Who will?” I turn but he disappears, leaving only the moon and the salt filled waves.