When a family visits a town over the summer, they fall in love to move there. Little did they know it would be so different during the rainy seaons. People go missing and a legend revolves around 4 statues of the daughter's of Mr. Brindelton who founded the town hundreds of years ago. Hera and Eros, siblings, fall into the towns cult to be slaves of Lord Bathyal and learn what truly lurks in the water around town.

This was my 16th completed story. It is also in my top 10 Favs! 

I had written this for 2 contests! The summary was a limited word count, and I apparently broke rules by sharing the full-length version and a Facebook link to the page I had it on before my Facebook was disabled. Both contests were Horror theme October 2021. The other contest was a screenplay contest, and years before I started learning proper Screenplay formatting. 

My outline. I really don't need more than 10 lines of words to write a story. I had wrote this in about 2 1/2 weeks.  

 Brindleton Bay 

A family takes a vacation to Brindleton Bay for the summer. Staying at the beach, exploring the town, and each other’s company they have a blast! Hera and Eros may fight often, but they are truly great friends and siblings. The vacation was so much fun they couldn’t stop thinking about it. What did they do? They move to Brindleton Bay! A place having 4 statues of the town's founder Mr. Brindleton's daughters located in historical places around town. A new school year for Hera in High school and Eros in middle. With their mother as a history teacher at the high school Hera would take the bus.  

They all missed the summer as the early fall had dense fog every morning. It always unsettles her. Weird noises with breezes passing by the feet not being able to see beneath your knees. She meets David and they click right away. Bennet Bay, son of the owner of the Bay, Bay, Bay restaurant, also has a liking of Hera. He threatens to expose her and her mother's relationship to the whole school unless she went on a date with him. As a teen not wanting to face embarrassment, she allowed him to pick her up and go to his family’s restaurant. A storm knocks out the power and the date is cut short. A relief for Hera, but it was curious to her why Bennet was easy going over taking her home. She noticed everyone in the restaurant seem too worried over a rain storm.  

At school everyone is rowdy over some holidays reflecting events of the past. Hera's mother, Mrs. Halley asks about it for David to tell her how three girls and a mother disappeared in the town during the storms they have at this time of year. All in one school year they disappeared month after month during rainstorms. Their youngest brother and grandmother still live in town running a restaurant that has been their for a long time. Having a Japanese lineage, the grandmother grew up with her family having deep Shinto religion. Rumors say the grandma is often found out in the storms to always return home unharmed, where as the storms have a reputation for taking lives from how violent they can become. Destruction and devastation follows each morning after the heavy storms that build up over days. 

Since arriving in Brindleton Bay, they have encountered many who refer to themselves as Brindelzens throughout the town. Most have a lineage being dated back hundreds of years, but not as old as the towns founding. Not only has the creepy past of the sisters and mother been on Hera's mind, but her re-due date with Bennet. They visit all 4 statues of the daughters of Mr. Brindleton. Thalia within the pond at Town Square being the oldest, Daphne on the rocky overlook under the Lighthouse, Iris is located in a museum on the boardwalk, and Phoebe is out by the mansion owned by Lord Bathyal. Bennet takes her to the end of the day town celebration ball at the mansion. After running into Lord Bathyal earlier in the day, Hera has never been creped out by somebody before having a strong desire to not go. While looking at the Statue of Phoebe in the garden of the mansion, David greets Hera and Lord Bathyal interrupts expressing knowing David and Bennet as children. From that night on, all of the Brindlezens would stare at Hera anywhere she went. Creeping her out more than ever. 

After school one day, Hera and Eros go to the museum with David to see an exhibit relating to another town holiday dating back before the founding of the town of a storybook about a Water Sprite. Bennet interupts trying to gain attention for Hera until the storm began. Eros has an unusual conversation with Bennet who takes off suspicious looking at the rain out the windows. David then expresses the need to leave the museum due to the strom and takes Hera and Eros home. The brother and sisters were joking around about the Water Sprite Exhibit. David was worried and angry at the same time about it. It rains so fast and so much some of the roads are covered in water through entire intersections. David refused to drive through one to take a different route.  

Hera and Eros' parents are out of town for the weekend. David is worried over the storm and un-eased. He insisted on a specific driver when they ordered food from the Asian Fusion restaurant. Rentaro delivers food with Omamori, Shinto Charms. David is slightly relived, but still jumpy. The storm hits hard and Hera finds herself outside in it. With Eros they quickly find out the more to the truth behind what makes the storms so deadly. David was frozen inside the house as if he knew what was about to happen outside. Hera hears a woman’s voice just before being attacked! Water Sprites! Just like the statue at the museum! Having female like bodies on their upper torsos the rest of them was 3-5 times long being snake like. Each one has four arms and long curly wavy like hair. Covered in grayish scales, fins, and tentacles in various places their eyes are deep black completely like fish and teeth sharp as their talons. Two antenna dance around their heads as they move and membrane like fins come out of their backs like wings. Hera and Eros flee back to the house. What seems just a puddle on the ground had one of the creatures within it snatching Eros and Hera pulls him free with a fin like tentacle being detached. When inside, one of the Sprites busts through the living room window attacking  David stops doing nothing to stab some kitchen knives into the creature causing it to escape. He leaves and the next day Hera and Eros have the window replaced. They only tell their parents it was from the storm and the news helps back them up. Watching it now, Hera and Eros think differently about it.  

Now when walking to the bus stop, it was known what was lurking in the fog. Having to avoid being attacked by another creature, Hera finds herself always feeling best with David. The Sprites have been lurking about the house during storms at night. School is canceled when the town is covered in fish. They say it was from the storm, but Hera and Eros know it was from the Sprites.  

After school one day, Hera notices David and Bennet both leave right away focused. She and Eros follow their phones locations to the mansion. Sneaking inside, they fallow Lord Bathyal down a secret passage into a sea cave below the house. All the Brindlezens were there having a secret meeting. They speak of Hera and Eros being chosen for that seasons offerings with some sort of ritual they have performed for a very long time. It was all of them working together responsible for the missing sisters and mother years back! They control the Sprites! David and Bennet seem to have different points of views from their parents, while others in the room disagree with all. Lord Bathyal does hot best to compromise and motivate the new plan. Trying not to be caught, the brother and sister make their way back home to be attack by Sprites! Not only are they using forceful attacks with their hands and tails, but using elements of water and lighting with the storm. Rentaro and his grandma arrive in a car to save the day! Crashing into one, running over another, they escape safley. 

Hera and Eros visit Rentaro and his grandmother to hear about their pasts. The grandma was raised with traditional heavy Shinto and her oldest granddaughter took on the practice too. She was first to go missing in a storm to have successfully been turned into one of the Sprites. Her sisters and mother did not survive the rituals. Hera is told that every time a girl is turned into a Sprite, she is forced to breed with their ruler. Currently, they hadn’t had babies being born from fleshy sacs falling from the sky and they felt the Brindlezens were at their weakest now due to so many years of failed rituals. The heavy negative of the situation is not knowing how to defeat their ruler or prevent the young brother and sister from being taken by the Brindlezens for their rituals. 

Waking up from a nightmare in the middle of the night, Hera keeps the charms given to her close by. They glow whenever a Sprite is near and keep them back most of the time. Any chance they get the Sprites are watching Hera and waiting for their moment to strike. She had been avoiding Bennet and David after spying on the meeting they attended. Each make attempts to engage her attention. Doing much thinking she decides to trust both of them. David ends up taking Hera on a date. Down by the beach within the mouth of a sea cave the two enjoy a picnic! Bennet arrived to take a photo with a frame famous from his family’s restaurant. Unexpectedly, the water rises fast and Sprites attack from all over. Hera is pulled out to see and beaten up by Sprites in the water trying not to drown. She ends up taken away toward the mansion through the water by a Sprite. Eros had been nearby seeing Bennet leaving the beach to also be grabbed by a Sprite and drug into the ocean. Through underwater tunnels into a sea cave near the mansion. Lord Bathyal greets them and escorts them to the ritual chamber where they had eavesdropping on the Brindlezen meeting. Everyone was awaiting for them. The decision is made for Lord Bathyal to marry Hera. Lord Bathyal calls Thalia, the real Water Sprite from the towns history. She isn’t hideous and scaly like all the other Sprites they've seen having shiny colourful scales and a human like face. She attacks Lord Bathyal for him to absorb her life essence into his Trident. The Brindlezens are told to prep for the upcoming ceremony and Hera is locked in a cell. Eros is put under strict etiquette training taught by Lord Bathyal nonstop till he collapses from exhaustion. 

A couple days pass and Eros was left alone in the mansion. He does his best to snoop around and figure out some sort of plan. Sprites are outside and he has been told they would eat him if he tried to exit to outside. When in the kitchen he cooks up a plan. Ordering from every food place in town and putting it on Lord Bathyal's tab he didn’t want to make it suspicious asking for help from Rentaro. When the food arrived from the Bay, Bay, Bay restaurant Mrs. Bay surprised Eros. She decides to go against Lord Bathyal's plan and can control some of the Sprites. She mentions about them being from her bloodline, granddaughter of a sort. Eros uses his words to try and reason. The entire exterior wall of the ball room's glass window shattered with a Sprite coming in having a charm with her. Others from outside protect Eros under Lord Bathyal’s order and fight Mrs. Bay's Sprites. Her Sprites defeat the others and the one that broke the window paralyzed them with magic from the charm. Rentaro shows up just as Mrs. Bay was holding a gun to Eros and uses his shotgun to blow her head away! Other Sprites consume the bodies and Eros fills Rentaro in about Hera to be wed to Lord Bathyal along with how the Daughters of Mr. Brindleton really do exist as beautiful, powerful, Water Sprites. Rentaro explains to Eros that was not what they had done in the past and with Lord Bathyal consuming the original sprites into the Trident leaves him vulnerable. Using the Trident to stab Lord Bathyal’s heart is considered the only solution to kill him. Lord Bathyal absorbs the life essence of Daphne into the Trident with her willingness.  

The day came for the wedding. All of the Brindlezens were there ready for the ceremony and ritual afterwards. Before they can begin, Lord Bathyal has Bennet call upon one of Mr. Brindleton’s daughters. With Mrs. Bay gone Bennet now has a connection with all the Sprites born under his family members who had been turned into the evil ugly Sprites from rituals in the past. The last  daughter, Iris, is chained up in the waters watching. Lord Bathyal is attacked by Pheobe and devours the life essence of the third sister into the Trident. Iris breaks free from her chains having reserved her powers to strike him when vulnerable. During the battle between the two, Hera and Eros managed to grab the Trident and enter a tug of war with the help of David and Bennet. Iris had been using tidal waves from the ocean in the sea cave to help aid her and the siblings used one of them and its strength to stab Lord Bathyal in the heart with the Trident. With Lord Bathyal consumed by the Trident, Iris attacks for the power! Rentaro shows up to shoot her with his shot gun multiple times. The grandmother appears and uses some of her powers to summon her granddaughter who was turned a long time ago into a beautiful Water Sprite having shiny glittery scales and human like features. Hera hands her the Trident. She makes her exit and the grandmother disappears with Rentaro.  

The sea cave below the mansion begins to fill with water and it sounds like the tunnels are collapsing. Everyone hurries into the mansion upstairs. Water is erupting from all the pipes and the floors are flooding. They make it outside and the house slowly crumbles down through the tunnels into the ocean. As they spent hours watching this happen they were back to back within the fog. All of the Sprites from all around town were fleeing to the ocean. The sun came out and the fog dispersed. Rentaro’s sister was out in the ocean waving good bye and pointing to a rainbow. Hera and Eros return home making it seem like nothing had ever happened.  

A family sits in an SUV. In the front the father is driving while, the mother is in the passenger seat scrolling through her phone. The entire back is full of luggage, camping gear, coolers, and other various vacation items. Within the center a teenage girl sits with headphones on looking out the window leaning on it just as her younger looks over at her as his earbuds battery dies. He takes out a case for his earbuds from a backpack on the floor, while continuing to look at his sister repeatedly. 

The boy displayed agitation toward his sister and pulled out her headphones by the cord. “Get into the real world! Cords are stupid!” He smiles as she makes an upset face looking forward to the front seeing her dad look in the rear view mirror at her glaring. “I guess they actually suit you.” 

“Shut up! Just cause my headphones always work, doesn’t mean you need to bother me cause you’re bored.” The teen girl puts her headphones back in and looks forward blankly, “I've been bored since the day you were born,” She drops her voice looking over at her younger brother slowly, “Deal with it!” 

“Ugh!” The boy exhales a large breath of disappointment and crosses his arms slouching into his chair. He looks out the window to see a sign for Brindleton Bay. He murmurs, “Brindleton Bay, next three exits.” He looks forward and into the rear view mirror making eye contact with his dad. 

The dad smiles and pushes encouragement, “Don’t worry, bud! We're almost there.” 

The girl pulls out an ear bud after reading a billboard for the Bay, Bay, Bay! Restaurant right at the next exit. She notices a sign for other food establishments and fuel right after. “Hey dad!” 

“Yeah pumpkin?” The dad replies using the mirror to look back at her as she only looks out the window.  

“I thought this was supposed to be a vacation away from the city and away from the civilized life of suburbia?” She pulls out her other ear bud and leans forth complaining with arm gestures about, “what is the point of this stupid trip! Mom’s still on her phone all the time.” 

“Yes, honey! My phone's battery is good, thanks.” The mom is zoned into a game. 

“You’re still always happy and smiling!” She looks over at her brother who is making faces at her, “You're son will always be a Neanderthal! And I will just be sour about everything and everywhere just like being at home.” She sighs and sits back in her chair seeing the same billboard for the Bay, Bay, Bay restaurant with a lower mileage count still reading right at the next exit.  

“Aw… Here… At home, yes, you are a sourness. But out here!” The dad looks all around out the front window as he drives using an arm to elevate his words almost like he was wiping the dash inches above it. “You will complain about anything and everything. The same stuff as you do at home, but also new things! The types of things I will remember and think fondly of long after you have moved out and had your own babies!” 

“Ew! Babies.” The son stops making faces and has a face of disgust as he sits normal in his seat. 

The dad laughs, “babies are cute! You were once a baby and when you were there was this time…” 

“No!” Both the son and daughter shout simultaneously. They look slowly at each other glaring over how happy their dad is when they are in sync.  

“This place better have some good BBQ somewhere. Or else the whole town can line up and kiss my ass!” Hera begins to speak. 

“Ass!” The son shouts simultaneously with his sister. She clenches her jaw and pushes him hard. “Ow!” 

“Hera! Eros! No fighting! And… don’t say ass.” The dad speaks. 

“You're an Ass!” The mom puts her phone down looking over at her husband smiling. She giggle some and leans over to kiss him staring at her, “you know I'm kidding. I love you!” She turns around to look at her kids behind her, “It’s okay to say Ass appropriately as you did,” she points to Hera. “But, not to mimic it like he did!” She points to Eros and raises her eyebrows at him to display authority. The mom sits back forward and upright in the seat. “I'm glad I didn’t raise a set of Sailor talkers how most of my students are. Ha! Sailors! Harbor!” She smacks her husband on his knee as he drives and laughs. The son and daughter look at one another not understanding their mom's humor.  

They drive up to a house that is right along the coastline in a long run of homes within a neighborhood. A woman opens the door and comes out greeting the parents. Both kids remained seated in the car. They watch the woman hand their parents a set of keys and put some more signatures on some documents on a clipboard. The woman leaves in her car waving at the kids. Both had turned their heads to fake smile and wave to the woman. They look forward put the main window of the car to see their parents waving them out. Both sigh and unbuckle.  

The next morning the mother was making eggs and bacon as the husband read the local newspaper. 

“Can you believe this? Look at this babe! Right up your alley!” The husband holds out the paper for the wife to read as she turned around with a spatial in hand. “It says this town has had a shipwreck on Gleam Island, where the lighthouses are, every year! Dating back to the early 1800s! Wow!” He pulls the paper down excited looking up at his wife, “We're not going boating!” 

“Boating is dumb!” Eros walks in and takes a seat at the table. 

“Now I wish I had rented a boat instead of this house.” The dad replies as the mom sets bacon and eggs on a plate for the son. 

“Was your sister up?” The mom asks the son. 

“No.” He takes a giant bite of eggs and holds bacon near his mouth that he took a big chomp out of, “So I woke her.” 

“More like, just shoved me out of bed! Ooo! If I wasn’t still road lagged…” The girl sits down for eggs and bacon to be placed on her plate.  

“Good thing we’re going to the beach today!” The dad speaks. 

“What’s there to do at the beach? Sand and water, ooo.” The girl mocks and eats some bacon. 

At the beach the girl sits under and umbrella as her parents frolic in the water together happily. She smiles watching them and a bunch of sand is tossed into her face. 

“Oopps! You looked happy, and I didn’t want your face to get stuck like that!” The younger brother was building a town with many moats in the sand. 

The girl spits out sand and brushes it off of her standing up fast. She flinches a fist at her brother to hear her mom scream. Both kids look fast! Their father has picked her up and toss her into the water. Hera looks around and notices the beach goers. Many of them have out of state sports teams merchandise. She looks to the parking lot to see all the plates are also not from the state.  

“I wonder what a local looks like?” Hera asks herself allowed. Eros looks around to notice not very many children around. He pulls put his phone, that has a lot of sand stuck to it. He looks up his vacation photos to look at beaches in other areas that always had more kids to adult ratios. He also notices all the people by themselves seem to constantly be looking out to the ocean as if waiting to see something or weary.  

Hera watches the sunset from the balcony of their rented beach house. She finds herself watching the waves. Her brother sneaks up from behind her and screams!! She doesn’t flinch, instead her eyes flutter and she turns around looking at her brother who is confused.  

“Aren’t you guna yell! Hit me? Something?” Eros asks as Hera walks by. 

“No. I'm glad you snapped me out of that. The waves are hypnotic.” Hera walks by and goes to her room. Eros begins to watch the waves. 

The next day they drove around the town and surrounding areas. They passed the town square where a park was. In the center was a pond. 

“Hey Hera! That’s you out in that pond! All green and moldy! It’s an exact copy of your horrendous state.” Eros mocks. 

“It does look like you Hera. Minus, the whole moldy green. You always maintain a good pasty complexion. What’s the term I'm looking for? I’m? Porcelain! Like the dolls! You should do your hair.” The dad speaks. 

“Like a toilet! Porcelain Moldy face.” Eros speaks. 

“Eros! Your sister has Porcelain face with a green ashy complexion. Just like me!” The mom turns around and lowers her sunglasses to make eye contact with her son. “I think that statue looks more like me! She clearly has a woman’s figure that has birth children.” She sits back forwards with her sunglass back on looking in the mirror checking herself. “Not a beautiful young body that hasn’t been ruined by two kids that bicker all the time. Just wait… you will be looking a naked girls who look just like your sister.” 

Eros thinks and cringes his face with disgust. “Ew!” The parents laugh and Hera watches the statue become distant as the light turned green.  

They all have fun at the boardwalk. They noticed most of the theme was set around a mermaid like woman with two arms. The mom eventually drug them into a small museum with a statue kept inside. Hera walks up to the statue looking at the woman’s eyes. She is standing with a man holding his hand. It has the same face of the other statue, with shorter hair. She activates the audio recording for the plaque in front. 

A pre recorded woman’s voice speaks, “Iris Brindleton. The third daughter under Mr. Brindleton, founder of our glorious town! Here she stands with her husband under pre-arranged marriage by her father. The first of the four daughters to be married. She inherited all of Brindleton fortune and raised a large, healthy, successful family. Always taking charge over her sisters she always believed in a balance between fun and studies for her children. She had declared this ocean front land to always be used for fun. The statue was removed from its original location over 500 years ago out front of the Bay, Bay, Bay restaurant. The water’s shoreline used to be a lot higher until the canal was built 300 years ago that starts a quarter mile from here and goes to the Thalia statue located in the Town Square Park.” 

They had stopped at the town square park to admire the statue. Lights lit it up well to blend with the fountain sequence making rainbows all around the statue. Hera walks up to the plaque and reads it, “Thalia! Oldest and first born daughter of Mr. Brindleton! Always known for her beauty from child till death, her most exquisite quality was her compassion and desire to help others. This location is where she would bring all sorts of good made by her to give away to others. From cooking to sewing she would even make assorted accessories from shells of the ocean.” 

The vacation in Brindleton Bay comes to an end. The family leaves the beach house. As they drive along the coastline Hera gazes at the ocean. She is mesmerized and dazed. She falls asleep for the car ride to be woken up by her brother in the mountains with tents set up outside of the SUV. He was banging on the window she was leaning on. For a moment she zones him out to hear the ocean waves. She snaps out of it when the door is opened and Eros pulls her out of the car.  

The family travels all over and heads back home. They all unload their stuff from the car. 

“Hera's stuff first! Ready when needed as she likes to say.” The dad pulls out her decorated suitcase first and sets it down for her. She raises the handle and wheels it away from the car some toward the end of the driveway more. She looks down the road. She becomes slightly mesmerized and pictures the waves of the ocean. She flinches a bunch and then hears her mom scream as Eros squeezed water out on both of them from a squeezable bottle filled with ocean water.  

“Eros!” The mom screams wiping water off her eyes. 

“I brought the ocean back with us! It didn’t want to say goodbye.” Eros replies shrugging his shoulders with arms out to his sides having one holding the water bottle.  

The family continues on with their basic day to day life. Waking up for breakfast, going to school and work, with coming home to watch TV, eat, and go to sleep to start the day all over again. Hera is distracted. She is constantly zoning out in class thinking of the ocean waves. At dinner everyone was quiet and zoned out.  

“I miss Brindleton Bay…” Eros looks down at his face speaking with a sad tone of voice. “We all seemed more… more alive there.” 

The mom and dad look at each other. The dad looks at both kids at the table, “Funny you should mention that place. He sets his fork down and sits up. I looked into transferring my job. I can to Newcrest and make the hour commute everyday. We miss it too!” 

“Really!” Eros is happy. Hera tries not to smile still thinking of the ocean waves at that sunset.  

The family packs up and moves to Brindleton Bay. This time on the highway, most of the traffic was heading away from the town. As they drove through the town this time, less people were out. The business and homes seemed to be de-decorating. Making everything outside plain, boring, and basic. They moved into a home not too far from the ocean. Hera gets out of the car and looks up the hill beyond their neighborhood. A large mansion could be seen to the North with much greenery surrounding it. It overlooked the entire town and was right on a Cliffside on the ocean. 

The mom looks too and tells her, “They said before the canal was built that mansion was right on the waterline. Now it’s a cliff.”  

“Ugh! I don’t want to school right now.” Hera tolls her eyes and walks away.  

“Well… I've been meaning to tell you.” The mom says. “They only have one high school in this town. I can give you rides now.” 

“Sweet! No more bus!” Eros comes over to his mom and asks. “Mom, what’s for dinner?” 

“Bay, Bay, Bay! Did I hear dinner?” The dad slightly shoves Hera in the shoulder trying to get her emotion to change from the bottled up state she was in. 

As soon as they walk into the restaurant they are greeted by a middle aged woman, “Bay, Bay, Bay! Table for 4 today! I can seat you now, right this way.”  

“Why is it called Bay, Bay, Bay?” Eros asks. 

The woman shows them to a booth where the family sits. She hands them all menus while answering the question, “There used to be this old saying in this town, Down by the bay, watch the waves sway, and your worries will swim away, way, way. We sort of used the Bay as a substitute for hey and like to connect it.” She looses her cheery attitude to stare at Eros seriously crossing her arms,, “Why does any restaurant name it anything?” She walks away. 

“Sorry.” Eros opens his menu, “It was just a question.” 

On the front of the menu is a sketching of the four sisters together. One is cutting a cake on a picnic blanket. Another is playing a game of chess by themselves with a fried chicken leg in one hand. The third is petting a cow while the fourth is picking corn off the stalk with a basket of other vegetables. In the restaurant others begins to talk about the rainy season is approaching. Some men at the bar said they were about to head clear out of the area before the deadly storms come.  

The sky is very grey one morning with fog all over the place. Hera gets up from the breakfast table fast after looking at the clock. 

“Gotta catch the bus!” Hera shouts grabbing her stuff.  

“I can drive you!” The mom shouts. 

“Nooo.” Hera puts on her shoes.  

“I heard them saying not to wear open toes shoes in the fog.” The mom tells watching her daughter put on shoes. 

“Does it look like I'm putting on sandals?” Hera makes a snooty face to her mom. 

“Could be a good ice breaker.” The mom says. 

Hera opens the front door with a hoodie, jeans, back pack, sneakers, and hat. “I don’t plan on talking to nobody because you will be working there.” She closes the door and steps outside. Walking toward the sidewalk she makes the fog move around as she steps through it. She slips on the curb, but doesn’t fall. She can’t see below her knees and looks back at her house and the distant she has gone not expecting to be in the road already. She decides to walk to the middle of the street. Faint lights can be seen in the distant through the thinner fog above the knee. She looks around and up at the clouds. It almost seems like the fog is in-between to grey slices of bread, being the clouds and heavily layer by her feet. The mansion could not be seen. She looks fast in the direction hearing a noise like a trash can sliding across the ground. She can hardly see her neighbors homes that have no lights lit and moves to the sidewalk as the car nears from down the street. She begins to walk toward the bus stop. She walks past a hedging that runs to the end of the block. She flinched as the leaves began to rustle within the bushes and continues to walk. Before she reached the end of the sidewalk she stops hearing the sliding sound again. The leaves rustle behind her and she turns around. She takes a slow step back looking around at the fog and hedge. Footsteps could be heard approaching fast.. A car drives by and turns the corner. She takes another step back and… whack!  

She bumped into by a teenage boy who was jogging his way to the bus stop. He had wrapped his arms around her ribs and hips from the side making sure she didn’t fall. 

“Whoa! I'm so sorry! This fog…” The boy steps away nervous and blushing when he realized how close he was standing to her and where his hands were. “Sorry!” He brushes he hands through his hair taking a deep breath and then reacts fast with his other hand out for a shake. “I'm David. Eh hem!” He clears his throat, stands up tall and looks down at Hera with a very regal tone, “Franklin Howard Voleren. 2nd born son and middle child under my parents. 16th generation in this town!” They shake hands and he rotates Hera's hand to bend down and kiss it. “Pleasure to meet such a lovely lady in these circumstances under the worst of year.” 

“Worst of year?” Hera asks as she begins to blush from the kiss and pulls her hand away from him. 

“Yes! Don’t you know?” David begins to walk and smiles when his lead causes Hera to walk beside him crossing the street heading toward the bus stop. “I didn’t want to make presumptions, but I know I've never seen you at school before. From now till spring Brindleton Bay experiences a significate amount of hurricanes. This fog is just under mid grade level from what will have.” 

“So it will be foggy like this every morning?” Hera asks. She looks over for a moment to make eye contact with David looking at her. Both pretend not to notice and continue walking forward onto the sidewalk after crossing the street.  

“Yeah, unless it rains.” David responds. 

“Why were you running to the bus stop?” Hera examines her watch seeing the time nearly 7:50 a.m.  

“I always do that. The fog sort of creeps me out.” David leans toward Hera with a creeped out state longing comfort from her.  He stands up tall to walk normal again, “In all of my days walking to the school bus stop, I've never ran into any obstacles.” 

“Obstacles?” Hera asks. 

“No! I mean! Wait! We bumped into one another…” David stops walking to think with hand gestures about organizing his thoughts and interpretation of Hera's words. She continues to walk forward with him watching examining her backside disappearing into the fog. 

“I don’t care! Once we get to school, I know I'll gain new dispositions over how to I should adapt.” Her replies. She stops a few feet from other students all standing at the bus stop. David stands away in the distant thinking and watching till the bus arrives. Many others at the bus stop are listening to music, scrolling through their phones, or sitting about the ground on the grass or curb waiting.  

At school, Hera stands at her locker, she had been greeted by a group of females trying to pursue her into being like them. Her mom had walk by pretending not to notice, as she glared at her the whole time down the hall. The girls were upset that Hera ignored them displaying not interest. She goes to class and takes a seat to have David sit behind her. He smiles a lot and goes to tap her on the shoulder when one of the jock guys grabs his hand, tugs him out of the chair, and shoves him to the floor. 

“Oops! You were in my seat!” The bully scoffs at David and holds his hand out to Hera, “Name's Bennet. Maybe, I could treat you to a dinner at the Bay, Bay, Bay and properly welcome you to the town.” He looks at David who is sits in the desk next to Hera. “Make sure you get in good with the right people in town.” 

“Bennet?” Hera whispers loudly. 

“Whispering my name already? I'll meet you there tonight at 6.” Bennet is over confident in himself raising his eye brows, biting his lip, smirking at David who rolls his eyes and looks forward in class.  

“Bennet Bay! You’re that main guy in the football.” Hera says. 

“That’s right baby!” Bennet boasts. “It’s called the Quarterback! Don’t worry, you'll learn the terms.” 

“How about you, Bay, Bay, Bay away from me!” She glares at him. “I know your family owns that place. Whoever that women is that seats people, she was so nasty to my brother.” She faces forward in her desk. “I'm the only one who gets to pick on my brother.” 

“Welcome class!” The teacher walks in and slams a stack of paper down on a desk, “take one and pass em’!” They pace in front of the class, “We are entering the raining season. As you know on certain days we will be closed. It makes the whole curriculum jump around.” 

Hera looks over the sheet. It has a cheese drawing of different weather forecasts of sunny, partly cloudy, rain, heavy rain, storm, hurricane, with a coloured bar going from green, good, to red, bad. Below is a list of safety protocols. It was raining by lunchtime and Hera found herself avoiding her mom and going out to the hall. She looks out the window watching the rain for a few minutes uninterrupted.  

“Cupcake?” David holds a cupcake in her face. She smiles looking at him accepting it. “They didn’t have any chocolate. Or I would have been all over them all! My mom has always had an anti chocolate rule in our house.” They both look out the window. “Do you like the rain?” 

“I do. But…” Hera watches the raindrops on the window, “I don’t get why these raindrops all fall perfectly in line.” On the window every drop relates lading in the same spots instead of all over the window randomly like normal rain.  

“There’s no wind yet. It will rain like this for a few days. Then…” David looks over the whole window noticing what she is saying about the rain drops repeating their landings consecutively. “You won’t know what direction the water is coming from.” 

“Is it weird… I want to be staring at the ocean right now? I want to see what it looks like.” Hera looks at David. “Over the summer I took in so much. Since I moved here,” She looks back out the window. “It seems like the waves have been changing everyday.”  

It rains for three days nonstop. The pacing had shifted from larger drops to faster falling. By Friday, all of the students in the school were crazed over Four-ceful Friday! Hera's mom is stumbling around the students at their lockers during a break and sees Hera. She taps her on the shoulder. Hera is upset, “I'll be fast! What is Four-ceful Friday?” Hera looks at David.  

“There used to be a family with 5 kids who went to this school. Three of the daughters and their mother all disappeared in the same school year. The grandmother always spoke of their homeland of Japan and four being an unlucky number. Each time they disappear it rained for four days and on the last night was Friday over a course of four months . The grandmother still lives with one of her grandson’s here in town. She has always been know to save people in the storms. Before she got, like, old.” David explains.  

“Thanks! Oops. Sorry. I'll go.” Hera's mom flinches some to hug Hera and stops remembering they are at school. She goes back to her classroom. Bennet was watching the whole time and followed Hera's mom. He walks in and reads the nameplate on the desk, “Mrs. Halley?” 

“Yes?” Hera’s mom looks up. “May I help you?” 

“Well… I was going to meet Hera at the Bay, Bay, Bay restaurant for dinner tonight, but with your permission I would like to pick her up.” 

“Oh!” Mrs. Alley thinks for a moment, “She's never mentioned you. But then again, she doesn’t want anyone to know about me and must really trust you. Wow! Of course you can pick her up.” 

“Shh!” Bennet backs out the room, “Just keep it a secret!” 

That night it was about 5:30 p.m. when Mrs. Halley walks past Hera in her room listening to her headphones looking out the window at the heavy rain blurring up the window. “Aren’t you guna make yourself look nicer than that?”  

Hera pulls out her headphones, “What?” 

Mrs. Alley walks in, “Your date?” She looks at her watch, “He'll be here soon.” 

“Date? I don’t have a date.” Hera says. The doorbell rings. They both answer the door with David standing at it. 

“Hera! I heard around school you were going out with Bennet! I was hear to take you instead. Please…” David pours himself out covered in water. Another car pulls up. Bennet gets out with his umbrella and walks up to the front door.  

“Everyone come inside.” Mrs. Alley shuts the door and walks away, “I'll let you all handle this like adults.” 

“Thank you Mrs. Alley and thank you for allowing us into your beautiful home. It expresses the beauty within those who maintain it!” Bennet kisses the tips of his fingers and blows it out with fingers wide and palm opens facing up displaying flattering.  

“Don't make her over confident in herself.” Hera says. “You can just leave.” Hera starts to shine him toward the door. 

“Whoa! Whoa… whoa.” He stops her and brushes off a wrinkle in his jacket. “Bennet Bay is whole will control half this town one day. I always get what I want. I want you to go upstairs and out on something nicer than these… pajamas, borrow something from your mom if you have to, this is a date for Pete sake. Or… I will tell the whole school how skanky you were tonight and that your mom was a part of it!” 

“You’re disgusting!” Hera gets very close to his face and then walks away very upset to her room to change. 

Bennet watches her backside as she left and then looks a David putting an arm around his shoulders moving him to the door, “Thanks a lot Davey. You know I still value you very much so. You also know what will happen if you get involved!” He opens the door and shoves him out while pulling off his jacket and locks the door. David sighs and walks off in the pouring rain. The garage door opens and he is yelled at. 

“Hey!” Eros shouts and waves David inside. The door is shut. 

Bennet is looking at a family photo where Hera's hair is twice as long as it is now. He takes it off the wall and Hera watches him getting upset grabbing it out of his hand and hanging it back on the wall. “Don't touch our things!” 

“Why did you cut your hair?” Bennet asks picking it up on his hands. “It’s perfect…” 

Hera pulls her hair out of his hands and steps back, “people cut their hair. It’s normal. Let’s just get this over with.” She opens the front door upset and the power goes out.  

Bennet receives a message and has a serious face. “The power won’t be back on till morning.” He kisses her cheek and she makes a disgusted face and steps away fast, “Sorry!” He over looks her in a dress. “You look good! Make sure you wear something next time. Gotta go!” He runs off with his umbrella and leaves fast in his truck.  

“Save by the storm! Thank you! I wonder how long till it comes back on?” Hera closes the front door and flinches turning around to be scared by Eros. “Eros! Ugh!” She had been very startled to relax fast seeing David standing before her. 

“The power won’t be on till morning. This is common for Brindleton Bay. Maybe we could play a board game or something?” David says. 

Mr. Alley walks in shoving flashlights into his kids hands. “1..2…3? Oh!” He counted his kids and placed a third into David’s hands. “Hello! You must be her date. I'm not supposed to get involved, but if you stay here Eros is with you both at all times.” He exits using his flashlight. “Now… where is our camping stuff…”  

In the morning David had been woken up by Eros when the power came back on sleeping in bunk beds together. They went downstairs and sat with Hera watching the local news about the first of many hurricanes, common, for Brindleton Bay. 

“How did you sleep?” David asks. 

“I didn’t sleep.” Both Hera and Eros speak simultaneously. 

“Hey! He was my guest in my room!” Eros argues grabbing the remote out of her hand changing it to cartoons.  

“He was my date! Let me finish watching this and you can have the TV all day!” Hera changes it back to the News to see a report on them about an old house that collapsed when a tree fell on it. The mother of the home did not survive. Throughout the town people give their brief interviews of the devastation the storms always bring toward the people, animals, and community.  

The next week isn’t raining, but many of the mornings are filled with the fog. Since it rained the air feels more humid and everything outside seems to be constantly moist. Friday comes around and Hera returned home from school to have a bunch of pink roses waiting for her. The note asked her to he ready for the Brindleton Bash tomorrow. Various flyers from the events are with. She looks through them seeing a variety of things she knows she will have to do, “The Boardwalk is open for free being its last day open, the mansion has a ball by ticket purchase or personal invite only, the town squares shops are all having sales, the fisherman are all hiring for the boat crews to go on voyages, and of course he has a heart drawn around the flyer for the Bay, Bay, Bay restaurant of the couples banquet deal. Hera rolls her eyes seeing it comes with two bacon burgers, a sharable fry, two shakes, and a photo printed in a border resembling one of the four sisters famous portraits with her lover.  

She pouts the entire time as they walk the harbor after she refused the boardwalk rides being grumpy. “Come on!! You may not like me,, but this is the day the The town celebrates the birthday of Mr. Brindleton, founder of this place.” Bennet reasons with Hera as they stand by the ocean on a dock with benches. Hera looks at him and tries not to focus on the waves behind him. He turns around looking at her, “Please! You can hate me all you want, but try to at least accept this town and what it’s doing today! Be a real Brindelzen.” 

Hera thinks about how cranky she has been all day and looks down, “Can we just watch the waves for a while.” She looks back up at him. 

“Yes! Let’s take a walk! I want to share something with you. But first…” He had walked over and placed and arm around her lower shoulders above the rib cage and grabbed her hand. She wasn’t happy, but let him lead her to the railing to look at the ocean. It was nearly noon and all of the fog had just barely dispersed. “I want you to tell me something. They say you can tell a lot about a Brindelzen based on your replies of the four geographical landmarks of the town. The ocean…” He steps away from her gently pressing on her backside to let her watch the waves and look over her backside in the dress, “The Town square, the old lighthouse rock, and Mansion garden.” 

“I enjoy looking at all of them. I've seen two of the statues and want to see the others.” Hera says she watches the waves become calm and gentle. “I know I like looking at the ocean. I can’t believe how different it is than over the summer. I hadn’t seen in weeks and it’s changed so much since then.” 

“Perfect! We should go to the Town Square and make a wish after we greet the one here. It’s good luck to visit all four statues in a day. Many going to the ball tonight visit all of the statues today! Do you have a dress for that? My family technically owns the Iris Statue. We moved it from our restaurant. Well…” They had began to walk down the boardwalk toward the museum Hera visited during the summer with her family. “Not me or my parents, but my great grandfather was the youngest of a bunch and said he was told stories of it from his elders that he told who told you know.” 

After they visited Iris, they went west to Thalia in the town square and each tossed a coin into the fountain making a wish. Hera had turned around and tossed hers over her shoulders backwards. It had landed within the statues hand holding a goblet. Bennet had stared and no interest in the excitement Hera had pointing to the splash. She was confused for the first time she was happy and he was being serious. He bought her a dress from one of the shops nearby for the ball and took her south to the lighthouse dock.  

They had to take a ferry to the small island where the lighthouse was. It was full with many people of the town.  

“There’s a lot to do on this island. To fully take in the location, they say you have to first walk out to the rock where many would stand waiting the return if ships before the 1st lighthouse was built. The working lighthouse next to it three times its side was built about 200 years ago. We'll go to the top of both lighthouses first. The rock overlook is where the Statue of Daphne is. They go to the top of the new lighthouse and look over the entire town. They can see the town square to the west, the boardwalk to their east, and the mansion in the far distant to the north with everything else between. Looking out the other side of the lighthouse to endless ocean water with waves all about everywhere till it touches the blue sky with clouds.  

At the top of the old wooden lighthouse, it was only a few stories tall, they could see most of the island. A couple shops and restaurants, with many people fishing, one side having the harbor where many did store their boats, and over all the shrubbery path leading to the overlook where the statue was. Hera felt a need to run to the statue. Usually her brother can’t keep up so she didn’t expect Bennet to be right on her the whole time. She stops at the plaque of the statue, “Daphne Brindleton, 2nd born of Mr. Brindleton’s daughters; our town founder! She sits playing chess by herself looking out toward the ocean. As she always said, “I'm never alone! I have the wind, water, plants, animals, and spirt of this world with me always!” The most intelligent of the town, it was her designs that crafted this towns look.” Hera had read allowed.  

Claps can be heard by a single person coming out of the shrubbery along the path, “Spoken with both etiquette and emotion for the line!” A man wearing a nice suit with a cane approaches. “Ah! Of course I would expect a Bay, Mr. Bennet Bay, to find such a lovely,” He grabs Hera's  right hand and kisses the back of it, “Lady to bring to my ball tonight.”  He pulls away and she smiles politely nodding some, “It been a couple years since you been to my ball. It’s been going on for hundreds of years. You have grown up so much before my eyes. I still remember when you and young master Davey broke a whole rack of wine in my cellar.” 

“Davey?” Hera says intrigued if that was David. 

“Yes. He and Bennet used to be the best of friends.” The man tapps Bennet on the chest with his cane in elderly teasing. “I will formally introduce myself to make this moment more memorable later.” He steps forth toward the statue, “I feel the luck of this day already! Ah…” He takes a deep breath and begins to talk to the statue, “Lady Daphne! Looking as articulate and alluring as possible with your brilliance!” 

Hera walks off fast trying to loose Bennet in some of the shrubbery going back to the dock in hopes of catching the ferry without him. She reaches the ferry as it reads to board. The captain receives a phone call, “Oh course Mr. Bay. I will hold ‘er steady till you reach. 50 seconds you say? All right oh!” 

Hera rolls her eyes and sighs when Bennet reaches her. “Just for that. You get to go home and get ready all over again for tonight’s Ball.” He wipes some moisture from her face collected from a combination of the humidity and running. “I would rather be the one to make you sweaty at the ball when we dance. Not you running away in fear. Gives off a different pheromone that I don’t like.” Hera is unpleasant and says nothing looking away and out over the ferry.  

Hera walks into her house upset to see her brother and David playing video games. They both are happy to see her. Eros turns around on the couch leaning on the back, “So… How'd it go?” 

“It’s kinda early? Is that good news? I was sort of wondering if you would go to…” David begins to speak. 

“I have to get ready for the ball! How stupid is that? I'm no Cinderella!” Hera shouts interrupting David to storm off carrying the bag with her dress in it.  

“Damn straight she ain’t no Cinderella!” Eros sits back down to play the game. 

Later that night, Bennet drives all the way up to the tallest hill of the town where the mansion is. It has gates out front with a very long driveway through trees. He pulls up to the front doorway where a valet takes the keys. The main door is open and two stories tall. Bennet asks for Hera's arm. She rolls her eyes and accepts it. They proceed inside where a man recognized Bennet right away. 

“Mr. Bennet Bay! This way please!” They proceed to a set of double doors that are opend. They stand at the top of a few steps where the man pulls out a microphone, “Mr. Bennet Bay, and his date Lady Hera!”  

Hera is embarrassed and gladly walks off fast down the steps with Bennet to not be drawing attention to them. She wears a red medium length dress. It is very shiny with silver showing her shoulders and having a unique design cut for the lower half of the dress. She has her hair down and curled  being around her stomach in length while styled.  

“Bennet baby! Aw! You look so handome!” Bennet’s mom, the woman who seated Hera's family grabs Bennet. “I need to tell you something. Mamma to son.” She pulls him away and Hera is relived to have some time to herself. She looks over the banquet tables and takes a few bites of some foods. A glass of wine is offered to her and she accepts it gladly being an underage teen. Nervous of being caught not old enough to drink she decides to go outside on the balcony. A large fountain was first to see along with a large garden full of rose hedges and artwork. She takes a stroll going to where the statue is supposed to be located. It has a path coming around a long way up from the beach to it for the public to use that is closed off at the moment. She reads the plaque, “Phoebe Brindleton, the youngest of the four daughters of Mr. Brindleton; our towns founder! All of the Brindleton sisters were beautiful. Pheobe's far surpassed the others. She enjoyed the world of dancing and entertainment shown here dancing with one arm up and the other down holding onto a clam shaped hand mirror.” 

“Did you visit all of the statues today?” David speaks and walks up in a regal suit. “I did. I hadn’t in a long time.”  

“David!” Hera is happy to see him and blushing over what he is wearing with his hair styled up some looking like ocean waves.  

“Davey!” The man from before comes out in the most exquisite attire ever. His cane now has a solid gold woman on the handled.  

“Lord Bathyal! Excuse me for not greeting you first. I was making my tributes to the statue first when I bumped into Miss…” David begins to speak bowing slightly. 

“Hera! We've already met. If I do recall, she is Bennet’s date.” Lord Bathyal speaks. 

David sighs, “Why do you still call me Davy?” 

“Because you refused to earn the right for me to refer to you as David. Plus, your father is still alive and formally you don’t have his title yet. That goes farther. You and I both know why else. Hera, your date awaits.” Lord Bathyl uses his cane to separate the two and scoot Hera back inside. She looks back at David sad and is grabbed by Bennet fast to the dance floor. The rest of the night Hera looked around for David and never found him.  

It was after 11 p.m. when they left the ball. Many of the guests were still dancing and drinking the night away. It has gently began to sprinkle rain. Hera was the most nervous than she ever had been. Shortly after leaving the grounds of the estate they were pulled over by an officer.  

“It’s after curfew, you know that Mr. Bay.” The officer says having back his license and registration. 

“Just taking her home from the ball. It is almost midnight. What sort of prince of the town would I be if I didn’t have her home by then.” Bennet replies. Hera glares at him. 

“No other safer person than a true Brindlezen. Its starting to pick up out here. Drive safely and make sure to avoid the old bridge if this picks up any more. Have a good one!” The officer walks off and Bennet drives off. 

As soon as he stopped the car out front of Hera’s house she unbuckled opening the door and stormed out, “Thanks a lot for everything by!” Hurrying inside Bennet watches her backside. She enters the house and slams the door shut fast. She takes a big deep breath when she looks to see him drive off.  

Eros is on the couch playing a game and asks him, “Where’s mom and dad?” 

“Some party or something. I don’t care.” Eros turns around on the couch, “So… now will you tell me?”  

Hera takes a seat next to her brother, “He's not a bad guy. But, not my type of guy. But… I'm confsued.” 

“About what? Even girls in my middle school boast about how,” Eros raises his voice like a girl mimicking his classmates, “He's so cute! And rich! With all the muscles to carry me away for life as his wife!” 

“That was the problem. I didn’t like how he was mister macho, sportstar, with a family having connection in the town.” Hera explains. 

“Connections? That'd be nice!” Eros answers. “I'm not following? Your confused he is the type of guy you expected him to be, but… better?” 

“David was at the party too. He knew that creepy guy I told you about, Lord Bathyal. Owner of that mansion. Apparently David and Bennet used to be best friends or something. Called him Master Davey. I liked David… I didn’t think he was a part if that high end crowd.” 

“I like Davey too! I'm guna call him that.” Eros days as Hera smiles liking Davey too. “Maybe he was just raised under it and doesn’t embrace it. You should ask him about it. Don’t girl out and make all sorts of scenarios in your head.” Hera giggles and stares at her brother playing his game.  

The next week of school was spent having Hera avoiding Bennet and constantly being stared at in populated public places. One of the days she ran into the gas station to be given her drink and candy for free by the men at the counter, on behalf of Bennet Bay. Most of the Brindelzen’s she saw at the ball all know her by name now, always giving her a friendly hello. She is creeped out by it and does her best to be friendly, while ignoring it.  

The next Friday came along and Mr. Halley had found Hera at her locker again asking why the students were all riled up. She looked at David once again who began to explain, “Well… this marks the anniversary Friday after Mr. Brindleton’s birth when one of those girls disappeared. It’s also the same Friday being after our first set of storms for the fall that marks the records of an old story book found in our town that dates back to before anything. Monday is considered an easy day because they do a town contest related to anything with the old tale. Just another hallmark like tradition.” 

When school ended Hera had found David walking out of the building and yelled to him through the crowds. “David! David!” He stopped and waited for her smiling. His happiness soon went away as she approached. She walked right up to him a bit confused and noticed him looking behind her. Hera looks back to see Bennet standing there. In a lower tone of voice she asks, “What do you want?” 

“I'm just curious what your going to do for this Sprite-day?” Bennet asks. 

“If you must know, I was going to see if David wanted to go to the towns museum and view the Sprite Exhibit. And… I anticipated him to invite my stupid brother with.” Hera rolls her eyes. 

“Perfect! I'll see you there!” Bennet hurries off.  

About an hour later Mrs. Halley drops off Hera, Eros, and David at the museum a few blocks from the town square. Right away when they walked in Hera was greeted by the curator and told that Bennet was waiting for her in the Sprite exhibit. They are handed badges to allow them access throughout.  

“Nice! V.I.P.! I don’t care if it’s just a museum, I already know some of the stuff in here us worth so many bucks!” Eros rubs his fingers together in front of his face imitating the gesture of high money. They proceed to the Sprite exhibit on the 2nd floor taking the stairs over the elevator. Eros runs in ahead and Hera stops. David looks at Eros and jogs slightly to look back seeing Hera stopped gazing at a more modern statue of a water sprite in the center of the exhibit. She had wings, tentacles, two arms, antenna, a snake like tail covered in fins wrapped around her lower body.  

“Hera!” Bennet shouts as his boredom ended seeing Hera enter the room. He jogs over glaring at David taking her arm guiding her closer to the statue in the center of the room. It was of a mermaid like woman having fin like wings out of her back and shoulders with long curly wavy hair similar to Hera's. “They say the ocean has its own sway and helps others find their way. So does light. Light across the ocean...” Bennet steps away after being poetic with Hera watching him anticipating the next words. He relaxes and stands up tall changing his tone of voice. “That’s all there is.” He points over to a glass casing of the original book. Most of it is worn out with photos and typed versions with paraphrases next to it. The exact poem Bennet had recited was the most legible page of the book being presented after the center break. It had a drawing resembling the statue with it. A flash of lighting fills the exhibit through the glass. Small droplets begin to drop on the window. Bennet’s face glares for a moment. “If you'll… excuse me…” Bennet makes his exit passing by Eros. They bump into one another with Eros being pushed back a lot by the quarterback Bennet.  

“Yo! Watch it bud! I may be a kid, but I still have every right to push you around for mackin' on my sister man!” Eros shouts flaring his arms around as the two swap positions on the stairs. Eros takes a step up to be more eye level making a serious face.  

Bennet glares him down rolling his head left to right slowly squinting his eyes. Eros takes a breath, slightly nervous. Bennet relaxes and leans into Eros, “You have what it takes to be a Brindelzen.” He pats him on the back and steps away, “I'd love it if you could help her make the right decisions in the near future.” He runs down the stairs and turns around shouting in the lobby, “It’s my way… or Davy's way little dude!” He exits the museum. 

Eros changes his voice to mimic mockingly, “It’s my way or Davy's way. Yeah right! Davy’s not a creep. But…” Eros looks up the stairs hearing his sister laugh with Davy, “Davy doesn’t talk about the town. He always wants to talk about my sister and changes the subject about the town or makes it sound so serious all the time.” Another flash of lighting sets off with some thunder after. He hurries up the steps to look at the statue. After, he had gone over to a case full of jewelry. One of the broaches has a large Sapphire on it that would fit in his palm making the piece worth over a million dollars. “Whoa! Sweet!” More lighting goes off with the thunder really close to it.  

Davy looks out the window this time very seriously. He snaps out and grabs Hera's arm, “We should go. It’s going to be a bad storm.”  

The radio stations, TVs, phones, internet social medias, and all sorts are blowing up with hurricane warnings. Davy drives sweaty through the storm trying to get them home quickly as safe. 

“I don’t get why everyone is so freaked out by the storms. It’s just water!” Eros says.  

“I know right!” Hera giggles, “Eros! Did you hear that story of the old Asian lady who apparently saves people in the storms?”  

“Yeah! What’s there to be saved from? How can some old Asian lady, like, be strong enough to stop someone from blowing away?” 

“Or tackle them down when debris flies at them?” Eros adds in. 

“Don’t joke about it.” Davy says sternly. 

Hera and Eros ignore him and continue on, “You know how mom always tells us to take a sophisticated look or disposition on things? I was thinking of how they should make a movie of some monster that lurks in the town taking people in the fog how pirates used to Shanghai men for their ships! I liked that part of the museum.” 

“Yeah! As if the statues came to life around town and began eating people during the storms that happened at night.” Eros continued. 

Suddenly! Davy hits his breaks and slides some seeing a very large puddle across an intersection. “Damn!” He slams his steering wheel. 

“It’s just water. You have a truck.” Hera says. 

“No. It’s not safe to drive through an intersection like that in weather like this.” Davy says looking in his mirror backing up enough to make a U-turn.  

“What?” Hera wiggles her fingers in his face, “scared the statue of Thalia will come to life and eat you! Oooooo!” 

“Yeah Davy! Or be forced to have babies with her and suffer a miserable life of always smelling rotten fish!” Eros teases. Davy ignores both of them focusing on driving. Hera looks back at Eros confused.  

They arrive at Hera and Eros' home. The three proceed inside. Hera finds a note from her father reading; your mother freaked out hearing about the last history teacher disappearing and needed a breather. Took her to the city. Money for food and junk. “Thanks dad!” Eros snags the note out of her hand and murmurs reading the note as Hera pulls the Asian Fusion menu off the fridge. “What do you guys want?” 

“Don’t order in this weather.” David asks. 

“Aw com on! It’s just rain! It says the storm won’t hit for a few more hours.” She dials the number. “It’s ringing!” 

“Something spicy!” Eros shouts. 

“At least request Rentaro…” David sighs. “and some dumplings. I'll eat whatever else you get.”  

David makes sure he answers the front door and accepts the box of food from Rentaro. They both make direct eye contact and nod. David holds the box of food by one arm against his chest holding out his other hand. Rentaro opens his jacket to reach in pulling out various pieces of paper having traditional Japanese writing upon them. One word seems to be written downwards on each of them. After he pulls out one in particular being made of special silk fabric with hand stitched lettering, “Give her this Omamori.” 

David takes it, “Thank you Rentaro. I'll do my best this time…” 

“I know…” Rentaro bows his head very low, “Master Davy…” 

“Please…” David looks around nervous of Hera and Eros hearing to see them playing video games. David leans in close, “These ones are very linked with Brindleton. More than I've ever experienced…” 

Rentaro looks up noding and stands up straight, “she’s even watching g her too. All sides seems to think she'll…” They both watch Hera smiling happily punching her brother over a win. Rentaro turns around fast closing his coat and hurrying back to his car to make other food deliveries.  

Time goes by and Hera cleans up the dishes used as David and Eros play video games. She is scrubbing dishes when she jumps dropping one loudly that breaks on the floor when she hears a hard thud on the window in front of her. Looking toward the noise, only heavy, thick, raindrops hit the window. Nothing could be seen too far from the window, but water falling from the dark grey clouds. David rests his hand on her shoulder and she flinches again from him trying around to bump into Eros to shriek from being startled a third time in a row. She begins to take deep breath and falls sitting to the floor. 

“Oh God! You’re turning into mom with the panic attacks.” Eros rolls his eyes and walks over to where the broom is to sweep up the mess.  

David kneels down grabbing Hera's hand looking her in the eyes, “Are you alright? We heard the plate crash! What happened?”  

“S…something hit the window.” Hera says standing up with the help of David to get out of the way for Eros to sweep the broken plate pieces on the ground. 

David pretends to not notice what she said and pulls her away toward the living room. “Let’s just play some games and forget about it.” 

Hera pulls herself out of his grasp and looks directly at him. He doesn’t make eye contact the entire time ignoring her, “What is your problem?” Hera walks around some in frustration, “What is this whole towns problem!” She stops standing in place using her arms to express her emotions broadly, “Am I now a Brindelzen? I seriously lived this place over the summer! Since we’ve been here every day has changed! The people are creepy, the town is creepy, Brindleton Bay is so creepy!” 

“I'm not fallowing…” Eros dumps the dustpan into the trash.  

“Eros!” Hera expresses epiphany and turns from David still avoiding eye contact to rush toward Eros grabbing his shoulder shaking him, “My brother!” 

“Yes!” Eros speaks with a struggle being shared. 

“I know you feel the same thing looking at the ocean! Tell me what these storms make you feel! Please!” Hera shouts. 

“Hera!” David shouts and looks at the siblings. 

Eros picks up on the aggressive state of David trying to stop Hera, while also picking up on the same emotions and thoughts of his sister reaching out to him based on that. He shouts to Hera, “I hate these storms! I feel like this place should always be as it was over the summer! The people in this town don’t make sense unless…” He stops shouting to relax having a loud lighting bolt strike with thunder right after it. The lights flicker. The brother and sister look at the lights all around and slowly make eye contact with one another. “Remember when mom and dad told us not to go into the hall closet with all those stupid stories of ghouls and ghosts around Halloween because the candy was all kept in there?” Hera half smiles at her brother and takes off running to the front door. She opens it fast with Eros right on her and David frozen in fear standing still clenching his fists.  

Hera rushes out into the middle of her front yard and yells, “Hey Brindleton Bay!” Lighting strikes with so much heavy rain and strong winds blowing her hair with clothes about.  

“Brindleton Bay!” Eros shouts standing with her. He flinches and looks behind them both when he hears an unknown hissing serpent like sound. 

“If you think these stupid storms will make us cower and be stupid! You’re wrong!” Hera shouted and then flinched herself when she heard the same sliding sound across the pavement nearby to her left.  

“Hera…” A female raspy low toned voice speaks. She feels a gentle wind counter across the violent ones with cold air upon her. Eros wraps an arm around her waist standing close against her as the voice spoke again with the same breeze coming from the opposite direction still not with the storms. “Eros…” 

Hera is listening carefully. Through the heavy downfall, winds blustering, and her own heart beat racing with her brothers, she hears the sliding noise against the ground once more being on grass instead of a hard surface. Her eyes open wide in full shock tilting down embracing her brother as she shoved him to the ground. A large long snake like tail being longer than their heights had swung over them as they landed having fins and tentacles along it. They both look up from the ground in its direction seeing something blurr within the storm as the rain picked up even heavier and faster.  

“Let’s get inside!” Hera shouts over the storm. The two push themselves up to a stand and begin to run. Eros had stepped into a large puddle gathered in the yard and fell fast screaming. 

“Hera!” Eros grips himself onto the grass with his upper body as the lower part was all submerged beneath the seeming puddle. 

Hera looks back, “Eros!” she falls to him fast on the ground on her knees wrapping her arms around like a hug tugging him out. In between them one of the tentacles had been lodged and a wail was heard as it detached from whatever was in the water. They both lay on the ground hugging one another in relief that Eros did not drown. Both gasp at the same time when the same long tail exits the puddle fast to slam on the ground beside them. They both get up fast. Hera helps Eros who is frightened and pushes him forward to run, “go!” He stops after a step and Hera bumps into him shoving him again, “Move!” He feels his adrenaline and takes off running fast. The tail had slammed down again and Hera dived out of the way watching her brother escape. She rolls over as it strikes again against the soggy, muddy, drenched yard. She now feel fear and struggles to stand crawling slipping in the mud. 

“Hera!” Eros shouts as he stops looking back to see her on the ground. He begins to run back for her. 

“No!” Hera shouts and manages to stand running to him. They collide and run into the house together slamming the front door locking it. The lights go out and they listen as so many thuds slam against the roof and sides of the house. One of the windows is hit less hard with blood splattering all across it. Eros walks up looking at it as the window shatters and he is grabbed by one of the tails! Hera had dived grabbing him and enters a tug of war. All of the rainwater seemed to be aimed directly through the window forcing her and her brother to have eyes shut. Hera tugs as hard as possible with Eros trying to wrap his arms around her as best possible while being wrapped all around the rest.  

Davy stands in the kitchen still clenched and frozen. “Ugh!” He looks up opening his eyes to see Hera and Eros. He looks around to grab the knife set on the counter and runs forth. One by one he stabs knives into the tail. “Let them go!” Wails and shrieks could be heard. “They meant no harm!” He stabs one in very hard and twists it, “I will not let anyone have her!” This makes the tail unravel and Hera falls to the ground once again with Eros safely. So much wind and rain began to pass through they all were pushed back across the room. David first from standing up to imprint his whole body in the wall; to slide sitting on the ground. With Hera sliding across the ground holding Eros who slammed into her right next to David. They all moan and grain from the pain. Hera was first to gain full consciousness as the rain steadied. She looks down at her brother within her arms and brushes his hair smiling. She rolls her head to the side to see David looking at her.  

“I don’t want to explain everything. But… I already know you won’t let me not.” David clips the last charm Rentaro gave him to her chest.. “Please keep this with you…” David stands up and limps some as he walks out the front door.  

The next day, Hera makes waffles for her and her brother who don’t speak much thinking heavily over last night. Anytime they see lighting and hear thunder they look out the window. The rain goes unchanged. They both take all sorts of photos and send it to their parents telling them the storm had broke the window, just like the people of the town warn of. The parents hire services to fix the window, easily commonly fixed as the people of the town say, as they tell them of the main bridge being too danged to return home that day. The two were happy for the window to be replaced as it rained. Once it was fixed they both stayed away from the window and hung out in the kitchen together on their phones.  

The next school week comes along and the rain had ceased. The sun could be seen through the clouds as Hera left for school. She looks across her yard at the fog weary over that night in the storm. She stepped out onto the path for the fog to move about. This time whenever she heard the sliding noises against the ground she would pick up her pace. Before she knew it, she was jogging to the bus stop. She reached the hedging and felt as if something was keeping up with her just on the opposite side of it. An image of the sun setting from over summer flashed across her mind and she stopped. A tail had sliced through the hedging's leaves in front of Hera. She heard it move and ran forward as it struck right behind where she stood. Like her first day of school, she had bumped into David again! This time falling into his arms wrapping herself around him. He embraced her fast to look seeing the tail go away back on the other side of the hedge.  

Anytime Hera and Eros had gone into town her parents were still filled with joyfully happiness. They would look at one another always wanting to share with them the night they were gone to only save them from the fear, worry, and paranoia they both now have. Throughout the town, everyone from the ball became more and more creepy to Hera. She even began turning down David to hang out at the front door. Bennet would continue to attempt to whoo her at school. The first weekend of the next month struck with another violent storm.  

Hera and Eros were left home alone again to order from Rentaro again. Hera had answered the door this time to be handed another Omamori. “Take it! Please! This is on the house! Please trust in Master Davy!” Rentaro had shoved the charm at her and ran off with all their food on the ground. Eros picked up the food as Hera examined the charm closing the door. She spins it around by the thread in front of her face with the Japanese word upon it. They experienced the same loud thuds against the house that night as they did from the night last month when they encountered whatever was in the storms.  

The weekend ended with Monday morning having reports all over for a missing teenage boy. Hera looks at the photo not recognizing him. Mrs. Halley does and speaks with sorrow, “Aw man! He had such a great thrive for history! I was hoping for him to get the scholarship for it…” The news report explains how he was on his bike on the bad weather and neither him or his bike has turned up anywhere. Hera and Eros look at one another across the table.  

Before the next weekend hit, Hera heard the doorbell when home all alone after school. She was nervous to answer it over everything recently, but also excited for it to he David who hadn’t been around. She looks out the eye hole to see nobody standing there. Opening the door, the sound of rain filled the area. On the ground was a metal box having a design of the ocean, sun, and clouds decorating it. She kneels to pick it up hesitant looking around. It was very humid and slightly warm out when a gently cold breeze passed through her through the storm just as it had that one night. Hera hears her named whispered by the same female raspy, low toned voice. As she touched the box it had a layer of frost appear all over it. She hears sliding sounds along the pavement to see a tail sliding by in front of her house. The box is picked up fast with the door shut hard. Hera sets the box down on the table and opens it. Inside was a typed sheet of paper reading, They say the ocean has its own sway and helps others find their way. She looks around at everything to only see and hear water falling from the sky. The lights flicker then go out completely. Along the roof of the house she hears sliding all the way to the edge where she watches a long thick snake like tail with fins and tentacles. It begins to coil on the ground as the upper half of a torso is exposed. Round female hips with an hour glass shape having breasts covered by hair and scales. Arms drops down with the head of the creature. Hera stands in her living room looking out the recently replaced window from that night. She makes eye contact with the creature who gazes at her.  

Hera murmurs, “Why we move here… I don’t want this.” She takes a slow step back with fear. The creature notices and examines her as if she could hear Hera speak slightly louder, “I get now why the people of this town fear the rain.” She drops the sheet of paper from the box and the creature looks at it fiercely to then gaze back at Hera with a face of fierce admiration. The creature then looks away fast hearing something. She looks back at Hera blankly and then slides off away from the house disappearing in the storm. Hera falls to her butt sitting on the ground relived the creature left.  

The next morning during breakfast the news reported the damage of the storm. Apparently, a flock of sheep had been hit before reaching the town to leave blood all over the place in various areas. They continue to compare it to previous years storms when the town would be covered in blood as it was that morning. The last footage shown over the topic was lots of fish laying all over the town to also add the to the bloody appearance.  

When Hera opened her front door to proceed out for school the day after, it was raining gently and a fish had fell from the sky. It began to flop around on the ground suffocating for air. 

“Hera!” Eros shouts from the front door. She looks back at him stepping toward him to flinch in place as many more fish began to slam against the ground around her. “Schools closed today!” Hera hurries back into the house to watch the news. The entire town is under indoor isolation due to the storm picking up schools of fish. In the evening the storm had turned very violent and tossed around much of the fish. Loud thuds would hit the windows with blood and fish guts all about the place. Hera and Eros play video games while flinching anytime one hit the window. They look at one another after one seeing it dark outside now. “Geese! Good thing dad splurged for the expensive window.” They both stare blankly when they hear sliding against the roof. Eros takes off running fast and Hera listens as it moves to the window just as before. The tail begins to coil on the ground. In dark and only the lighting illuminates the creature this time. Eros returns with all of the charms David has insisted they utilize. He shoves the special one into her chest. “Here! Davy said these will help us.” He hangs them on his writs and ears. The creature looks in at Hera as she holds out the one charm and it slowly rotates. The creature hisses loudly with its jaw opened wide and all the fins with tentacles quiver. The creature slithers off fast into the dark of night within the storm. 

The next day mostly everything was still closed. The storm had let up some, but the town was covered in fish, fish guts, blood, debris, and water. Lots of puddles covered the roads. 

“Come on kids! Let’s go explore the damage!” Mr. Halley opened the front door trying to get the family outside. Hera and Eros look at one another. 

The mom puts on her coat and steps outside getting a whiff of the air, “Ew. Fishy." 

“You know, we already saw this when you guys have been out of town.” Hera slowly starts to tell her dad. 

“Yeah! Fish guts here in the yard, are exactly the same as the rest of the town.” Eros adds in. 

“Okay! Stay here then. Bye!” The dad closes the door and hurries to the car.  

When the next weekend came around, Hera had expected Bennet to push himself on her or involve himself in her plans. Instead, she found herself walking out of school alone. Not only did she spit Bennet leaving, but David too. This was curious to her watching both of them have serious faces. She decided to text each of them to see what they were doing for neither to reply. She spots her mom leaving and quickly catches up to get in the passenger seat. 

“Not so embarrassed to be seen by me?” Mrs. Halley asks as Hera buckles up. They pick up Eros and Hera sends him a screenshot of David's location being with Bennet. The siblings text back and forth and decide to go find out what’s up.  

They have their mom take them up near the mansion. “Hey look! Asian fusion sounds good for dinner!” The mom points out the delivery car behind them. It follows them all the way up to the mansion and then passes as Hera and Eros get out of their mom’s car. Rentaro glares at Hera with a look of worry and drives passed. Hera and Eros watch their mother drive off and then proceed toward the mansion. They stand outside of the gate looking in at all of the cars parked outside. Bennet and David’s vehicles were there.  

Eros grabs the bars of the gates within his hands beside his face squished in-between, “Think this place has cameras?”  

Hera had just began to glare at a camera she looked up at on the fencing, “yep.” She taps Eros and walks off. “Let’s go this way.” Hera leads them to the pedestrian path leading to the statue. Both are very cautious and jittery. It isn’t raining, but many clouds fill the sky hiding the sun. Waves crash upon the rocky cliffside with the winds. Hera and Eros both have their charms tied to their belt loops. They arrive at the statue and Eros climbs up on the shoulders of Phoebe. “Eros…” Hera whispers nervous looking around. 

“Look!” Eros points inside the mansion. Hera climbs up some of the statue to look over the shrubbery. They can see Lord Bathyal. He is looking around cautiously. 

“He looks like… he doesn’t want to be fallowed.” Hera questions. 

“Yeah! Exactly why we should!” Eros jumps off the statue and runs to the double doors leading inside. Hera is nervous following. Eros gently turns the handle and is able to open the door. The two close it quietly behind them and tip toe through the ball room to the fireplace. Hera pulls on the same lamp to twist it open exposing stairs. It shuts behind them as they proceed down a spiraling cement stairwell a few floors down. Eros leads the way and halts Hera and the two begin to creep down as they hear the Lord speaking. His voice echoes and the waves crash loudly. They look around the wall of the landing of the stairs to see him speaking to a group of people sitting before him. Bennet and David sit side by side. David looks unhappy and Bennet displays seriousness.  

“As Brindelzens it is our duty to make sure the sanctity of the town is preserved as is. Another year has passed and another year more hungry do our ladies crave a new addition!” The waves crash very heavily at that moment splashing water. Lord Bathyal continues to speak, “You all know. You've all felt it!” He leans on a podium looking down at the people, “the call this year…” 

Mrs. Bay speaks up, “I don’t approve! The entire family doesn’t fit. Them boys…”  

“I say Eros is more Brindlezen than us all!” Bennet interrupts his mom, but doesn’t look in her direction as he stands, “I need to know…” he passes looking around gaining their attention. Hera and Eros both flinch away not looking in fear as if he knew they were there, “why must we always take women! I want to be offered. The way little Eros had no fear against me…” he looks down at David who sits with his arms crossed and legs out, “I don’t think either Davy or I had that courage at such a young girl age against anyone.” He looks back around at everyone, “I! Will admit I still fear all of my elders here and know away from here! I fear nothing!” Bennet looks forward at the Lord, “I've spent time with Hera. I know she fits what the ladies want, but what about the first ladies… why not give them what they want over the wicked who came after them!” 

“Bennet shush!” Mrs. Bay screams at the top of her lungs with much anger. The waves crash hard splashing about loudly in the silence.  

“I agree with Bennet.” David speaks. 

“Davy don’t go trying at this again…” another gentleman begins to speak, “If your father was here, he'd tell you…” 

“He'd tell you to let my boy be!” David stands up shouting very aggressively knocking over chairs. “Year after year!” He paces about displaying his bottled up anger, “Years after years! We let those…” 

“Ladies…” Lord Bathyal says. 

“Things!” David shouts in a disgusted tone, “run amuck our town! Killing families! Sacrificing women to make them happy!” He relaxes Turing around to look at the lord, “to protect ourselves…” he looks at Bennet, “I for one give all of my father’s votes into letting Bennet be this years choice of offer.” 

Bennet nods, “I agree! But, I know my vote is only of my own.” 

“Your vote means nothing! Sit down Bennet! No way will we ever sacrifice one of our own! If you boys want a change, then I place my vote for that Eros boy! He's just like that snot nosed boyfriend that girl had. If he wasn’t around we may of not had to try and take the other two girls!” 

“The mother was enough!” Another woman shouted from the crowd. 

“If we never took any of the daughters!” Another shouts with her. 

“Let’s not speak of the past!” Lord Bathyal takes charge of the situation. “Everyone sit!” He relaxes, “No matter what, we know some one has to be offered. If you all want my choice in votes, I say we take them both.” The wave crash and Hera squeezes Eros who grabs her back. Lord Bathyal opens a book on the podium and reads strongly a particular entry hand written not in English, “when what has worked failed call upon the ruler of the seas himself, gods or goddesses other by name, give themselves to the king of seas veins to the king of seas over rules thee queens who seize!” Lord Bathyal uses his normal voice, “I say we utilize everyone’s choices. I will not let two children given names of gods let this pass us by.” He looks at the one side of the group, “Mistakes were made in the past. We got greedy. This time, we are just making sure.” He looks at the boys, “I won't let us loose our own, but I won’t overlook the future’s sights.” Hera tugs on Eros and the two make their exit. Their mom isn’t answering her phone to pick them up. They begin to walk back home down the hill freaked out. 

“Are we guna die?” Eros asks. 

“I don’t know…” Hera answers. 

“I feel sick to my stomach.” Eros says.. 

“Me too…” A shrub rustles with hissing. Eros backs up into Hera who squeezes his shoulder. The two find themselves frozen in fear as one of the creatures rises up. They both notice its bleeding and missing a fin. The one from the puddle that night. The two start to step backwards and dive away from one another when the creatures dives at them. With only the body portion of the creature hitting the ground it quickly wraps its lower body around Eros. Eros and Hera both hear a woman’s voice faintly in their minds chanting in another language. “Eros!” Hera shouts and grabs the creature around her body from behind trying to stop her from constricting her brother. She twists her upper fish like body around enough to toss Hera. Her side is slashed by the sharp nails of the creature and the creature turns fully to face Hera holding Eros up behind her. The creature begins to hiss with all its fins and tentacles quivering. Both antenna light up at the tips like an angler fish as lighting starts to build up in the sky directly above and Eros shouts in agony as the creature produced electricity through her body into Eros. Hera attempts to stand to be pushed down multiple times by any of the four arms of the creature. Hera refuses to stop her attempt to save her brother. She chanting seems to be louder, but Eros wails in pain from the electricity. Hera manages to grab the arm of the creature for it to then dig two sets of her nails into Hera. Hera refuses to give up looks up into the eyes of the creature as blood starts to gather in her mouth while other blood drips from the wounds. The creature leans in close to her, face to face, and then nose to nose squinting her eyes back at Hera. Hera looks deeply into the pure black eyes of the creature. “You’re just a fish.” Hera manages to speak drooling blood. 

“Fish!” Eros attempts to stop his struggle and speak encouraging his sister. The creature notices Eros resisting the pain and holds him higher into the air unraveling him some. The lighting gathers more greatly above them in the sky. 

“Let us go.” Hera speaks again regretting breathing as the pain began to become to unbearable for her. She starts to cry many tears concentrating on the woman’s voice chanting. 

“Charm… use da charms!” The woman’s voice speaks to Hera as if she was nearby. Both Hera and Eros unhook their charms and hold them out. The chanting can be heard aloud nearby. The creature tosses Hera hard against a cluster of trash cans and turns her body to face Eros. She sees the other charm and starts to ravel her tail around him hearing a horn honk loudly lights approach and a car slams into the creature hard. It is knocked far and drops Eros who manages to land rolling onto the ground. The creature attempts to get back up with many parts of it manged on the road. The car backs up and they notice it is Rentaro. He stops next to an old Asian lady standing on the sidewalk who he helps get inside the  backseat of the vehicle. He then gets back in the car. 

“Hit it again.” The old woman speaks. “It is not one of them.” Rentaro floors the gas pedal and hits the creature hard again driving over parts of it to back up stop by Hera and Eros. 

“Get in!” Rentaro demands them. They listen hearing more of them approach. They drive off just as a large lighting bolt struck down on the creature ending its life completely and vaporizing its body to dark fluid all about the place. It began to rain washing it away. “Your family needs to move.” 

“Move? I would love to! But, what high schooler’s parents would move on their demand? If I tell them what I just saw, they’d say I was on drugs!” 

“Maybe we could just go rob a place and make them embarrassed they would make us move!” Eros suggests. 

“Yeah right! This who town's against us! They'd just use it as a reason to lock us up and say we hung ourselves.” Hera panics.  

Eros punches her, “I tried! We need to at least try!” Hera is irritated and turns around punching her brother, “Hey! I don’t want to give up like this! Your not one to just let people boss you around either!” He punches her back. They fights from the front seat to the back and Eros accidentally elbows the old woman. Right away he sits right up and apologizes, “Sorry! So sorry! My sister may be in shock to not have manners, mam. Miss… I mean…” He does his best to bow in the car buckled up, “Lady and gentleman of this vehicle, I apologize for my sister and I’m quarrel. We are humbly grateful for your rescue. The stories of your heroness has not been exaggerated.” Eros looks at the woman who looks at him. “I know your culture is different and I am in no way an expert, but I in now way would ever wish to be on your bad side. We can all be friends. Right?” He looks forward at Rentaro driving. 

“Yeah, thanks for saving us. I don’t think we'll be going back there again.” Hera looks back at the old woman, “My name's Hera and my brothers Eros. Our mom loves European history most.” 

“So you know about water sprites.” Rentaro asks. 

“Eh… a little. More of the cheerful mom versions. But, Eros and I would always read into the vulgar scary versions. Is… is that what those things are?” 

The old woman speaks, “A water sprite is very beautiful, very magical, and very rare.” She looks at a photo of her family long ago. Eros notices the daughter and three granddaughters. “I tried to raise them all to be the best of the best.” She looks put the window, “The creatures you have seen are the result of disrupting the way of life. When people see power, they seek it themselves. No matter the cost of others! Evil magic only spreads more evil. To use good for evil…” Rentaro slams on the breaks of his car a tree feel onto the road in front. Everyone looks around the car and then shouts as the hood is slammed. One of the creatures sat coiled up leaning down looking through the front window. It looks at Rentaro and then strikes at Hera. The glass cracks and Rentaro backs the car up doing donuts till the creature fell off. He drives off fast, but cautiously. He keeps turning around when reaching intersections covered in water. Eventually, he looks in his rear view mirror to make a grim face. Hera and Eros look back to see the entire road was covered in water. He floors the pedal right through the intersection. So much water splashes all around making it impossible to see anything but running water. Hera's door is hit and the car tilts some. Rentaro does his best to control the car and they are hit from the other side. Eros window cracks enough for the water to seep in and shatter it. Rentaro predicts the next strike to swerve hard in the water hydroplaning. The car comes to a complete stop. Three of the creatures surround them. The old lady begins to chant and lights an incense. Hera and Eros notice the writing on their charms begin to glow. They each hold them up between their faces and the windows. The creature flinch and fallow the charms as if hypnotized. Rentaro attempts to start the car. The old ladies chant changes and a warm sudden gust of wind is felt going from within the car to outside. Rentaro manages the start the car and drives off slowly. Hera and Eros watch the creatures begun to Bob side to side slowly submerging themselves within the water. Rentaro and his grandmother do not speak the rest of the way. They drop Hera and Eros off at their home. 

Rentaro hands Hera a piece if paper having an address on it, “Our door will be open all day tomorrow if you choose to visit.” He rolls up the window and drives off. The grandmother was smiling toward Hera. Hera felt as if she was looking right through her to turn around in a slight panic expecting to see something behind her. She looks around in the gentle rain to see nothing in the dark. Eros tugs on her sleeve worried and the two proceed into their home. 

In the middle of the night, everyone was sleeping. Hera was having a dream. She had dreamt of being in the 1950s. Everything was in black and white. She is powdering her face sitting at a very large old time vanity. She hears a car horn honk and looks out the window to see David entering the domicile. She proceeds out of the room to run down the curved stairs of the mansion in a long ball gown. A hand rests on the railing dragging behind her body for balance as she uses the other hand to hold up a portion of her dress above the steps below her feet. She stops when seeing Bennet walks out and confronts him. The two both look when Lord Bathyal slams his cane on the ground. Hera picks up both sides if her dress to follow all three of them fast as they processed through the hidden passage. She followed them to find herself unable to catch up with the concrete steps spiraling endlessly. Hera stopped suddenly pressing her back against the wall frightened hearing the Asian grandmother’s voice call out her name. She relaxed and stood normal to hear her named called out once again. Hera sits up fast breathing heavily waking up from the dream within her own bed in real life.  

Her room lights up by lighting from the storm. Looking out the window she sees the rain dripping down against the window shift directions to fall away from the glass. Clearly she could see out the window into the neighborhood. Removing covers she steps out of bed to approach the window seeing the street lights begin to flicker. A loud thud was heard upon the roof. Hera hears one of the creatures sliding around briefly. She exits her bedroom to be in the hall. A skylight illuminates the hall along with all the bedroom doors by a flash of lighting. Hera looks into the bedrooms to see her parents and brother sleeping. More lightning fills the area as she proceeded into the living room looking out the window. Another few loud thuds hits the roof and Hera awaits looking out the living room window. Many of the creatures had passed from the roof to the ground looking inside at Hera. The final one had a small waterfall of blood drip before she coiled onto the ground. Eros had woken up to enter the room seeing it was the same one that was in the puddle previously. He holds out one of the charms in front of he and Hera. The creature quivers and snarls to slither off. The storm continued throughout the rest of the night. In the morning a lot of fish were all about the town again.  

Hera and Eros are dropped off at the address written on the piece of paper handed to them from Rentaro. He opens the front door as they approached and greets them. The grandmother is in the living room sitting in a chair. She gestures her arm for them to sit on a couch across from her chair.  

“Um… thanks for inviting us. I'm sure you already know what… what we're guna ask about.” Hera speaks with some hesitation.  

The grandmother nods and looks out the window just as it beings to rain against the glass, “We moved to this town when I was young. My mother got sick and eventually passed from it. Many people of the town couldn’t understand our ways and customs for that type of life situation. When her funeral came round the funeral home was very pushy and my father had to make sure my mothers families wishes to be traditional passed on the home insisted that everyone be buried or cremated within their home. It was raining… we were driving home when I saw something in the puddle in the main intersection in the Town Square. I was still a little girl and asked my papa what that fish was in the puddle. He had replied saying there were no fish in the puddles on the road as he looked back at me. Before he could say anything else, the glass was broken from all of the windows. The creatures took him away. I was told he crashed the car. I went to live with my aunt, uncle, and cousins. The town used to be more scary at nights when people weren’t out much.” She begins to file with a ring on her finger. When I got older… I did leave the town and I got married. The night of my wedding night I had a horrible dream about my… father… He was drowning in the Town Square pond and I saw my mothers with him smiling. I did my best to ignore it. The dreams became worse and worse. Always of my father in different water sources drowning with my mother just watching. My husband insisted we move here with our son. The nightmares had stopped and I would just see my parents in my dreams. I always avoided the town square. My son never knew about any of that. He went out into the world and got married. Then one day… my husband got sick. Our son hurried him to the hospital when he fainted on the floor. I couldn’t go…” The grandmother's arm shakes some on the chair and Rentaro holds her hand, “I refused to go and I began to panic thinking back to my mother fainting the same way. He was diagnosed with the same illness. I made us leave town and started having the nightmares against much worse. My husband wanted to pass with me more stable and we came back. In the middle of the night we started having the doorbell ring. Our son would get out of bed before me and look at the door saying he saw a woman each time and I would never see or find nobody. The night my husband passed… I couldn’t sleep. My grandson Ichiro, Rentaro’s oldest brother got out of bed and I heard him walking to the front door. He opened it and walked out into the night. I went and grabbed him fast and he passed out asleep in my arms. I could hear a hum of some sort. It was familiar and scary at the same time. I always made sure to watch over everyone each night. I did my best to keep my son's kids more American to not draw attention to us as when I was young. But, then they found those other documents of the towns legend and re did the exhibits at the museums… I couldn’t help but allow my family to know all of our old ways. Ayaka was the next oldest, Akemi, Aiko, and Rentaro. Ayaka was not into the high school fabs and was always with the goth kids. Ichiro was always upset saying she was embarrassing. I just let them be teens and go on about it. I should of… I could of… Ayaka had borrowed one of my Japanese tarot card decks one weekend. She never came back home. I began having the nightmares again of my papa drowning. Now my mama and granddaughter was with. I began using all sorts of methods and rituals once again to dig deeper into my dreams. The storms had stopped for almost a month. I had the worst nightmare of all where my mother's face aged really old and she had fins with gills all over her face. The eyes went completely black a bugged out. My son woke to a bad nightmare and we both went to the door when it rang. I pushed him away from opening it and had dropped a photo of me as a kid with my parents. My son had froze up looking at the photo and then looking out the window of the door. He opend it fast looking around holding the photo. When I asked him to come inside, he begged me to tell him who the woman was in the photo was and screamed calling out saying it was okay! I asked what was okay very sternly as a mother. I held my hand out for the photo and he told me, the woman looks just like the woman at the door. We sat down inside for him tell me about how he has always spent time with the sprite of the town. The one who would ring the doorbell. He began to tell me about the Brindlezens and I interrupted telling him it was my mama. The storm outside became very violent. After the next month, my son came home one night drenched in water. He just cried to me and told me how the water sprite creatures took his wife and how the Brindlezens tried to initiate him into some ritual tied with the legend. I followed him a few nights later to watch him die before my eyes in an attempt to rescue Ayaka. She was now one of the water sprites young and beautiful as I would see my mama in my dreams. I know she saw me and helped me by attacking my son. I heard Lord Bathyal congratulating the water sprite Ayaka and welcomed to the family. My son was attacked by a couple dozen of the creatures. A night came when they tried to come for me. They almost had me when tiny Rentaro grabbed the knifes from the kitchen a few of the creatures attacked. I haven’t been able to leave this town without havung dreams of many of the missing women over the lifetime. Ayaka used to be too.” 

“Till this storm hit one time. I had just began working at the restaurant and was making a delivery when it was raining. A jelly like sac had hit my car. I stopped and got out to see it moving on the roof. I ran seeing a sharp talon like hand break through the sack. The creatures had surrounded me and took me out by the mansion into a cave. I was being offered to the water sprites. Ayaka was one of the last to exit the water from the ocean and she began to attack all the other sprites as soon as she saw me. I noticed she used some of our ritual hand techniques to use water power against the other creatures. She freed me and as I was exiting she was stabbed by a Trident in the back by a male sprite being 3 times her size and drug back. I just ran. My grandma hasn’t had a dream about her since then and we used to see sprites with our families faces. It’s been years since we see one of Ayaka’s offspring. It’s also been years since any of the sprites have procreated. There numbers have been lower than any other time.” Rentaro had explained.  

“Are you saying if they get us…” Eros begins to ask. 

“It would only work for Hera. Eros is too young to breed. But, if she is taken and they succeed in their ritual you will be one of the sprites. In the springtime their male will mate with you making a new generation.” The grandma speaks. 

Rentaro licks his lips and seriously speaks using hand gestures to amplify his words, “They are interested in Eros based on his bond toward you. Ichiro and Ayaka may of fought often, but they had a strong bond. A male has always had a strong attachment to all of the woman successfully made into sprites. I snooped around the mansion a few times and I did find an old document about the male sprite. It says he controls all of the females and if he dies, they die. I think I'm the only one who’s ever seen him. I think he has to make an appearance for the ritual.” 

“Are you saying you want to bait and hook me?” Hera asks realizing what was being insinuated.  

Rentaro and the grandmother refused to make eye contact with her. Eros looks down and sees the charm having from his pants. “We'll be protected by the charms… right? And then you strike or something?” 

“Eros!” Hera punches her brother in the shoulder. 

“What! We should save the town! We're not Brindlezens. Unless you have some plan to get mom and dad to move.” Eros replies.  

Hera was very distracted by her thoughts over everything. Walking into class David was weary some. 

“How's Eros doing in his game? You and him have been distant. Hibernating?” David asks. 

Hera cracks a small smile as Bennet kicks him from his chair behind her, “Humans don’t hibernate. She just doesn’t like you.” 

“I haven’t seen you boasting her around town.” David turns around to face Bennet, “Why is it you took her to your restaurant, but you’re mother didn’t hang her photo up with the rest?” David notices Hera looking at him. She's thinking about seeing them inside the sea cave at that meeting, while also thinking back to how she always felt before that day and still feeling it now.  

“Hera's not into that sort of thing. Besides… our date was cut short due to rain.” Bennet speaks. Hera thinks about her date with Bennet and how he was when she first moved there. While also thinking about how he and David always seem to be enemies at school, but down in that cave it seemed they were on the same side against some enemy. When school ended Hera had seen David watching her and he passed by. It felt ice cold as he passed behind her. She had been avoiding him and inside couldn’t no more. 

“David!” Hera shouts stopping him. He turns around smiling relived she is engaging conversation. “Could you tell me how to feel if I said I wanted a photo of us hanging on the wall at the Bay, Bay, Bay restaurant. I used to just to shove it in Bennet's face, but… now… I still want to, but I don’t want to hurt his feelings. And… I'm… I'm scared of his mom. I think she'll eat me or something.”  

“Well… if you let me, I'll come over tonight. I just have to run elsewhere prior.” David nervously asks her.  

“Okay.” Hera says. David hurries out.  

Bennet walked up after watching them, “I would say my mom wants to eat you is a close enough exaggeration of her disliking you.” Hera jumps some startled turning around. “Relax. You seem like you've seen a ghost or something. Lately.” Hera takes a deep breath. She puts on her backpack and starts to walk with Bennet. 

“I'd actually enjoy seeing the sun and the beach of summer again. This school year has definitely been one I will never forget.” Hera says. 

“I know you like David. I’d like to think I don’t have to tell you to be careful. But…” Bennet runs off without finishing his sentence.  

A couple hours later David had picked Hera up. They had drove to a far beach from the main boardwalk. It didn’t have any signs of picnic area or recreational activities posted. David had a large picnic basket with him and lead her to a cave. Hera could see the mansion in the distance and was a bit nervous thinking of the last one she seen. David grabs her hand and leads her inside. The sun is setting and Hera watches all the waves. David pulled a blanket off his shoulder and laid it down and unpacked some of the food. When Hera turned around David was taking a giant bite of some mashed potatoes.  

She giggles looking at all the food, “You brought all of this food for a picnic?” 

“I didn’t know what you liked and this way you get to enjoy the Bay's cooking without fear of Mrs. Bay.” David points next to him and Hera takes a seat. David hands her a plate with a fork and was digging into everything with just his fork and hands. “Oh!” He wipes his face with a napkin after taking a big bite of some fried chicken. He reaches into the basket and pulls out cup. Two straws are placed into it and he turns around smiling holding it between he and Hera. “It’s pretty much fully melted, but…” Hera is blushing and looks over hearing footsteps as David anticipated what came next. 

“Bennet?” Hera asks. 

“Yeah! He's going to take our photo. We have to drink from the cup together.” David starts to drink looking at her. 

“Make it fast. If someone orders any of the dinner date meals and the camera is gone…” Bennet explains. 

Hera is somewhat nervous and wants to make Bennet leave as soon as possible. She grabs the start with her hand and begins to drink. David had sucked on the straw hard to pull her lips through the other straw causing her to laugh. 

“David!” She coughs some with melted milkshake. 

“That should work.” Bennet says. 

“No! No.” Hera stops coughing. “You have to take another one. 

Bennet looks at her very seriously directly I. The eyes near the mouth of the cave with the sunset and waves behind him. Hera looks at him back, “Will you admit I'm a good guy.” Hera thinks for a moment, “well…” 

“You are. You’re a really good person Bennet. Thank you.” Hera leans in to the straw and this time they take a normal happy photo sharing the melted milkshake.  

“When you get bored of David, come find me. C'ya!” Bennet walks off.  

Hera takes a deep sigh, “Why do I feel like crud inside right now.” 

“It was his idea to get the camera to take a photo with the Bay, Bay, Bay frames.” David says taking a bite of some corn bread. 

“But why? I don’t like him like that and yet…” Hera stops when she feels a cold breeze upon her backside. David looks at her noticing her body tense up and feeling the same breeze. He looks around and notices the tide suddenly rise rapidly in seconds. He beings to slowly reach his arm toward Hera when the two both hear a loud thud and crashing of cave walling.  

“Hera!” David dived and tackled her to the ground as one of the creatures busted through the cave wall with water spewing in as the tide rose. The two make an attempt to stand and the tide pulls them out to the ocean. 

“Daaavid!” Hera shouts as she became submerged momentarily looking around for the shore. Bennet heard Hera's voice and turned around to see her out in the ocean. David is crawling on the beach and wrapped around by a tail of one of the creatures.  

Bennet rushed forward running, “Don't even think of it Bennet.” Lord Bathyal walked over and Benet stopped to turn around looking at him. 

“Yes… as you say Lord Bathyal.” Bennet looks down with a face of sadness and looking sickly. 

Lord Bathyal walks slowly passed Bennet, “Good boy. Go join the others.” 

The ocean waves began to crash violently against the shore. Every time Hera began to swim toward the land one of the creatures would pull underwater. They would tackle her and whip with their tails. Each time she gasped for air she was closer and closer to the mansion. David had took off running down the beach toward it.  

Bennet sat in his car with his head down when a knock was on the window. He looked to see Eros trying to open the door. “Let me in!” Bennet freezes staring. Eros notices and looks behind him slowly. Before he fully turned around one of the creatures had snatched him and slithered off into the ocean. “Heeelllp!”  

Bennet punches his car's dash in frustration!  

Hera is being drug by the tail of one of the creatures and is pulled under the water far. She struggles and worries as they go deep into the dark waters. Her head beings to go lightheaded from holding her breath. She is pulled out of the water as the creature leaped and slammed her hard on a cave floor. Hera gasps for air and looses that breath from the impact hitting the ground. The antenna of sprites illuminate the dark cave. Shortly after she hears another loud splash and Eros' voice. She sits up fast to see him being tossed by a creature onto the ground. Hera is sore and drenched, but manages to throw herself down catching Eros. The two hug each other and Hera begins to squeezes him tightly pulling him close as possible to her. Around them the sprites are gathering. 

“Hera! Eros! Welcome!” Lord Bathyal turns on lights leading down the cave. “Aw. Don’t be frightened. This is such an honor. You can either cooperate or… well, let’s just say it’s better off that way.” He turns around and walks off with his cane out beside him, “This way children.”  

Eros runs off to Lord Bathyal fast. He looks back seeing Hera and stops, “Come on Hera! Please don’t give up.” Hera looks around at all of the Sprites fidgeting and gawking at her. 

Lord Bathyal turns around and shouts back, “They love you Hera! They await you to join them." Hera makes eye contact with one of the sprites and thinks she resembles Rentaro. Within the black eyes of the sprite she saw the reflection of her charm on her waist. She looks at it and feels it. It’s completely dry and un-ruined. Looking back into the eyes of the sprite, she sees herself holding the charm. All of the Spites begin to hum and rock side to side. Lord Bathyal slams his cane on the ground and yells very loudly and sternly echoing throughout the caves, “Stop!” All of the sprites display fear cowering as many fled into the water. “Hera. I suggest you join your brother and I this way. Obedience must be implemented.” Hera takes a last look at the Sprite and catches up. 

They walk down the cave with echoing footsteps, “what are you going to do to us?” Eros asks. 

“I've found a certain order or routine for going about this. Tell me Eros, how much do you love your sister?” 

“She's my sister whatever amount is the sister amount. I have it. You’re not guna make her into one of things right?” Eros looks grossed out at one of the Sprites as they walk and then places an arm around the waist of Lord Bathyal, “I see you more of a man who wants to marry my sister. As her brother, I have to make sure the man she marries can take care of her. How do I know you aren’t nearly bankrupt about to die of some illness leaving a vast debt to her and my family?” 

Lord Bathyal begins to laugh as they reach the end of the tunnel in the large cave where all the Brindlezens are gathered awaiting.“Eros my boy…” Lord Bathyal let’s Eros take one step more forward than him to sand behind him grabbing his shoulders to lean down and speak into his ear, “Do you know? What you just said to me…” He removes the hand below his chin by Eros's ear and points out to everyone and speaks loud enough for them all to hear in the cave, “makes you more of a man over everyone in this cave!” He stands up tall stepping forward addressing the Brindlezens slamming his cane down, “next to me!” The waves crash hard and splash all over the area. In the center of the room a ritual of some sort was set up instead of the chairs. Hera looks behind them being un-eased as Sprites begin to lurk behind them. Lord Bathyal places a hand on the backs of Eros and Hera gently pushing them forth and down into the cave. “Go on down. I have a speech to give.” Hera looks at David who refuses to look at either Hera or Eros. Bennet tries to look and then looks away hurting. The siblings stand beside Lord Bathyal. He gestures Hera to stand on his right and then halts her, “Actually… why not listen to young master Eros.” He uses his cane to point to his right and then places his hands and cane on Hera's shoulders moving her to his left. “Hera must always be on my left.” Lord Bathyal kisses the cheek of Hera and slides both of his hands from her shoulders to her hip pulling himself in close squeezing her to step aside holding her hand in front of the podium. “As my new fiance we have new arrangements to make.” 

“What!” 

“You can’t be serious Lord Bathyal! We don’t have many chances like tonight to do this!” Mrs. Bay shouts.  

“Oh, the night won't go to waste.” Lord Bathyal begins to concentrate. Hera and Eros squint their eyes at each other looking at him confused. He rocks his head to the left and releases Hera's hand. To grab the podium as of he was about to fall. He looks down grunting and his eyes turn red with gold specs. He turns around screaming violently pointing his cane that shifts into a Trident, “I command it Iris!” Lighting and thunder clash with waves dousing everyone. Some of the sprites are alerted and become scared fleeing the area. The waves stop crashing so much and bubble begin to cover the waters surface making it white and foamy. Other spites start to hum as some begun to wail and screech. A large group of sprites pop out of the bubbles. These ones have shiny scales on certain portions of their bodies and faces with normal human eyes instead of the fish ones. They all dive and swim out like synchronized swimming. In the center after so many a light began to glow approaching in the water. Another sprite pops out glistening with even more shiny scales and some looking like gemstones lodged within the body. She dives right at Lord Bathyal tackling him over the podium with her human like face shifting to aquatic and scary face like the other sprites. She slashes and slashes with her sharp talons and multiple arms. Lord Bathyal pushes her off of him and the Brindlezens all move away from the ritual platform set up. The sprite begins to slash her tail down attacking Lord Bathyal. He carefully is watching and timing her tail when he slams his Trident down onto the tail. The sprite wails as do all of the ones she came with and she looks extremely frightened at Lord Bathyal. The Trident begins to glow and the ritual circle does after. The sprites attempts to crawl away scratching the exposed cave surface floor. Very slowly the body of the sprite begins to fade into the Trident. It didn’t take long for the entire body to disappear. The Trident stopped glowing, but one of the spokes did not and looked to be hot off the forge. 

“Brindelzens! Tomorrow we shall summon Daphne together. Go!” Lord Bathyal demands. “Ah! Boys…” David and Bennet both flinch to slowly turn around looking at him. “Go ahead and give the Halley's the Lord Bathyal of the year package.” Bennet and David walk off each taking a glance at Hera. They each look off at particular sprites. Hera notices they resemble Rentaro and his grandmother. Lord Bathyal turns around, “I want you to meet someone.” He walks over to the water. Some of the sprites who had shown up remained and were cowering to him. “Iris…” He speaks calmly looking down at the water. “I know you’re there.” Some bubbles show and another sprite rises having shiny scales. She has chains around all of her limbs and going through her tail in a few places. She looks up at Lord Bathyal with a face full of defeat. He leaves his cane upright and kneels down beside it he starts to rotate the cane looking up at it, “you and I both know I only need three…” the cane shifted into the Trident with one spoke burning brightly. He pulls it down aiming it at Iris' neck as she flinched leaning her head back. “I haven’t decided if I forgave you yet.” He stands and looks back at Hera, “Hera! Eros! Meet Iris. Sadly, you won’t be meeting Daphne and Thalia never reasons.” He looks at Iris, “Iris… meet my fiance, Hera, and her brother young master Eros.” Iris’ eyes open wide as she looks back and forth between Hera and Lord Bathyal. “Pheobe doesn’t have my trust either.” He walks off, “This way.” He leads Hera and Eros to a man made room within the cave walling and  gestures them inside after unlocking it. Before he left he tried to kiss Hera and she pushed him away. “Okay… Eros…”He takes a step back looking down at Hera, “would you care to join me for dinner? Or stay here and make sure you look good for the wedding by not eating for a couple days?” He starts to walk out.  

Eros looks at Hera. She nods her head, “Go on Eros. Don’t rot down here with me.” 

Eros hugs her, “We'll get out of this… we have that rematch still in the game.” Hera rubs his hair as she hugs him trying not to cry. 

“Come along Master Eros. You need to learn the etiquette of being a Brindelzen.” Lord Bathyal speaks. Eros exits cell and watches it be locked up. Lord Bathyal sees Eros watching him lock the door multiple times in various ways. A key is placed into his inner jacket pocket. He brushes off his clothes, “Oh dear… the first thing we need to do is tidy up for dinner.” He looks at a golden pocket watch at the time, “We still have an hour yet. Perfect!” Eros tries to look at the photo inside the watch and Lord Bathyal snaps it shut. “It's not polite to spy over ones shoulder or to look at their personal items without permission.” He makes a tisk-tisk-tisk sound with his mouth, “One lesson down.” He takes off walking, “Let’s see how many you get through tonight.” Eros looks at Hera through the door window and she waves to him. “Do not make me haller at you!” Eros waved back and caught up with Lord Bathyal.  

They proceeded into the mansion and Eros was taken to a very large exquisite bedroom. The closet was full a various mixed modern and regal garments. Eros was told to dress like a gentleman and he wondered around looking at various things holding them up in the large mirror. A few times he would open the closet door and look around for Lord Bathyal to tell him he was still there and no escape. Eventually he came out dressed in formal attire. He was sent back in to make all the buttons and tie proper. After, his hair was done for him being brushed, combed, and styled showing him how to be a gentleman. At the dinner table, Eros was presented with a gourmet meal where he was scolded to sit with good posture, use his napkin, and eat dignified without elbows on the table.  

When dinner was over, Lord Bathyal handed Eros a book, “Time to fix your walk. Go-ahead.”  

“I thought books were for reading?” Eros is confused. 

“Yep. Go ahead and read the book aloud from beginning to end as you walk.” Lord Bathyal answers as he sits in a chair and grabs a cigar. 

Eros rolls his eyes and opens the book, “Chapter 1. To be a gentleman you must speak with punctual wording in a delicate and modest way.” Eros stops reading and looks up annoyed, “seriously? My parents thought me this garbage.” He clears his throat, “Good Evening Lord Bathyal,” He bows and sets the books down on a nearby end table. Eros stands pretending to twist a mustache by his lips, “This evening has been events not common in my norm, but perhaps it still has time to turn around in my favor? I do not believe it so,” He pretends to polish his finger nails on his jacket and then looks at them, “but, as a young boy I am still full of innocent dreams.” 

Lord Bathyal begins laughing with the lit cigar in his mouth and pulls it out to speak, “Very good Master Eros. But… not good enough. Tell me…” He crosses a leg over his knee, “What is the appropriate title to announce Mrs. Bay.” 

“Announce Mrs. Bay? Why would anyone need to do that? She’s a huge lady! Can’t you hear or see her.” Eros speaks.  

Lord Bathyal shakes his head, “Young Master Eros… I see you have a funny bone, but I insist you learn the structure. Read! And walk properly.” 

“Ugh…” Eros sighs and begins to read and find the best way to hold the book and walk at the same time. Lighting begins to flash and a storm begins.  

When the sun began to rise making the storm no longer dark, Eros was still pacing around reading the book. He stops and drops to his knees on the ground. 

“Can I just be a mute? I don’t wanna read no more… I'm tired. I think it’s breakfast time and I just remembered what happened yesterday.” Eros begins to sob.  

Lord Bathyal walks to him and looks down resting both of his hands on top of his cane, “Admitting your defeat is honorable. But! You still have more to give. Unfortunately…” he looks at his watch, “I have other business to attend to.” He gently taps the cane on the floor, “What to do with you in the meantime? Hmmm.” 

Eros stands up, “I am very tired. Sleep would be nice. Or pancakes.” 

Lord Bathyal lowers his upper body to be eye level with Eros, “Young Master Eros…” 

Eros gulps, “Yes, Lord Bathyal.” 

“I would like to believe I have your trust in being able to leave you here alone. But! Can I trust you here alone…” Lord Bathyal tilts his head slightly and his eyes change colour slightly for a moment. 

“Trust as in… don’t throw a party and let all the babes stay the night!” Eros makes a big smile showing his teeth. The smiles is removed when Lord Bathyal keeps a straight face. He sighs, “Trust as… in… I'm grounded and have to stay in this room…” He looks around cringing his face shifting his eyes. 

Lord Bathyal stands up and crosses his arms, “I'll give you a chance. Neither Bennet or Davy ever escaped.” He begins to walks away. “I know their parents. I won't be mad if they eat you cause I'm guna eat your parents.” He opens the door and before leaving tells Eros, “Do not leave the mansion. Sleep if you like. Eat if you must. Do not go into the caves or outside. Bye!” 

As soon as the door shut, Eros ran to the window. He could see some of the Sprites wondering around outside in the storm. It was the most violent he's ever seen. A person was flying through the air and one if the Sprites leapt up, coiled him till his limb popped letting the body fall to the ground and the Sprites all began to eat him. Eros closes the curtains. The room is dark with the fireplace still lit; barely. Eros decides to snoop around the desk. He finds nothing interesting. When he exits the room he carefully looks down the hall in both directions. Lighting flashes in one direction where the hall ended having a window. In the other direction was shut double doors. He steps out trying to decide what to do and where to go. He can see over the railing down into the ballroom. Right away his eyes attached to the fireplace. He thinks of Hera and runs to it. He just stops and looks at it. Cringing his face he paces back and forth in front of the large fireplace.  

“Okay… I can’t save Hera. Even if I tried, I don’t have a key. Even if I did, those things are guna eat us! The only person I know is mom and dad and everyone else is probably afraid of being eaten too and that is why this town is all weird and strange with monsters!” He stops looking out the window seeing one slither by. He gets scared and hurries into the kitchen. He pulls out snacks and goodies when he opened the cabinet with them. He opened every cabinet looking for anything. He coughs some when inhaling a crumb and opens the fridge. He grabbed the milk and smiled. Looking around he opened it and drank directly from the jug. He wipes the mustache on his sleeve and smiles. He puts back in the fridge and tosses the cap over his shoulder. “If I was some powerful dude I wouldn’t waste time with mannerisms in his state. Sure, wipe your feet, but I pay somebody to clean and they like having stuff to do so don’t worry about it. He shuts the door and papers flap around magnetized to it. He sees the menu for the Bay, Bay, Bay restaurant and for the Asian Fusion. He grabs them both and looks at each of them, “Uh…” He sets them down on the counter and pulls out his phone. It’s completely soaked and crushed from being pulled through the ocean. He sees a phone on the wall and is hesitant. “I can hope for this guy to be old still wear this works.” He picks it up and has a dial tone. “Sweet!” He looks around and hangs up the phone. “Uh… I need a plan.” He looks over the menus. “What if I order food from both places and…” He thinks aloud, “I don’t think Bennet will be there, but I don’t want Rentaro to be suspicious.” He looks at the fridge to see other menus. “Wait! I have an idea.” He smirks. In a little while the doorbell began to ring. First a dozen pizza’s were delivered and he set them on the ground opening the top box taking a huge bite. The door rings again for him to be handed bags of groceries. More and more food of various types were delivered. He was nervous to answer the door when Mrs. Bay stood at it when looking through the peep hole. He opens the door full of confidence complaining, “about time. That place next door to you was here 5 minutes ago.” Eros quickly stops talking and falls to the floor as he is kicked hard in the chest. As he sat up some of the creatures slithered in with.  

Mrs. Bay tossed all the food on him and slammed the door, “Hello, Young Master Eros.” He starts to crawl backwards until he manages to stand. “I decided, that you and I are going to take a little walk down into the sea caves.” 

“Ummm… you walk?” Eros says. 

Mrs. Bay back hands him across the face and he rubs his face, “I guess if we walk down there it’s true that fat people do get exercise.” Mrs. Bay swung at him again and Eros dodged to run off.  

“Get em to the ritual chamber!” Mrs. Bennet demands the sprites who followed her in to chase down Eros. He finds himself not running as fast from fear and not knowing where to go. He finds himself in the ballroom with a Sprite at the tops of the stairs blocking his path and another behind him with Mrs. Bay. The lighting flashes and he looks outside and decides to run. The sprites were right on him as he jumped onto nearby furniture and jumped again toward the back doors. He expected the glass to break and instead hit it. He sits up and leans against the large windows of the ballroom leading to the garden outside. The two Spites begin to fight with one another. “Girls! Share. There’s enough of the little brat.” The two spites start to quiver their fins and tentacles and their antenna begin to glow. As they each dashed for Eros, the glass shattered everywhere along the ballroom exterior wall. Eros covered his head and looks up to see Mrs. Bay wrapped up by her two sprites and another standing between them and Eros having a charm around one of her four wrists. Mrs. Bay confronts the sprite with hers at her side. “What? You think one of the Asian ones born from that family using its charms will help? I know your whole bloodline has whatever Japanese voodoo aiding you’ll. But… my grand babies and my fore mothers were born under Pheobe herself. And when it comes to numbers…” A few more spites entered circling around Eros and the one Sprite. Mrs. Bay laughs deeply, “Eros why don’t you be a good boy and come with me downstairs.”  

He nervously stands and can feel a gentle cold breeze. “Ummm… Mr. Lord Bathyal said I'm not allowed down there.” He speaks loud and raises his voice even louder, “I don’t really want to go against Lord Bathyal’s demands!” 

“Shut up! Get over here right now!” Mrs. Bay Demanded standing by the fireplace as it opened. Another flash of lighting lit up the room and more sprites began to gather around the outside of the house.  

Eris notices, “Hey sprites! This lady wants to take me downstairs right now for some sort of ritual. If you say Lord Bathyal says it’s okay I'll go.”  

“Oh you little twerp!” Mrs. Bay gets angry and runs at Eros. The sprites all take to battering one another. Eros gets caught in a corner with Mrs. Bay holding a gun at Eros, “I'm not going to say this again…” Eros holds his hands up seeing Mrs. Bays's Sprites take down the group of others. They all showed no mercy in ripping out their hearts to consume. The one that broke the window is gently rocking side to side where it first entered. “She ain’t guna save you. Go ahead and take her out girls.” The two sprites leave no moment to dive at the other sprite. As soon as they did, the charm around the bracelet began to glow and paralyzed them. Eros stands still with his hands up looking at Mrs. Bay. “Downstairs… now!” 

“Uh… can I tie my shoe?” Eros drops down fast covering his head on the ground. Before Mrs. Bay could respond her head was blown up by the blast of a shot gun held by Rentaro aiming it upwards through the back of the neck into the head. Eros moves out of the way before the body hit the ground. He puts his hands on his hips standing next to Rentaro, “Wow! Just… wow! Thank you so much! Won't you go to jail or something?” 

“No. The Sprites will take care of her. I only came to give you these charms.” Rentaro begins to hand them to Eros, “It's too late for your sister. By now…” He looks away, “She’s probably one of them.” 

“No! She’s not! She’s downstairs in a cell.” Eros explains. 

“What do you mean? That’s not normal.” Rentaro questions.  

“He wants to Marry her. He took the life of Thalia. The real Thalia! All the sisters he wants! One is chained up down there. But the sisters are different. There not so scaley and they sparkle!” 

“Marriage…” Rentaro begins to think. “If the sisters are still alive and really do exist. That means all of their sacrifices from before were only to give him more to breed with. But if chooses to marry you and takes away their powers he could not only turn Hera into a Sprite, but give her the full powers of a non hybrid sprite like these.” 

“So you’re saying my sister won’t be so hideous like these ones?” Eros kicks over one of the creatures paralyzed on the ground. 

“No. But… was he using some sort of object to devour the sisters or taking it into his own being?” Rentaro asks.  

“His cane. It turns into a Trident.” Eros answers.  

Rentaro flinches and looks into an unusual orb on his bracelet. “I can’t stay. I need to go. But… if he's putting power into the Trident, it may be able to be used against him. I need to talk to my grandma. Take my phone. Keep it off at all times, unless you know for certain you are alone.” He takes off running.  

Eros puts the phone inside his jacket pocket by his heart. He looks around at all the glass, “Man! I hope he believes me when I tell him the sprites did this?” He runs away back to the study and waits for Lord Bathyal to return.  

Hera sits in the cell with only a hanging light bulb above her. She hears a gentle tap on the door. With her head fug between her knees she looks up moving hair out of her face. She sees David and looks away. He opens a small opening in the door to be heard. 

“Hi Hera. I'm sure you don’t want to see me. But, I am sorry. I promise you I wanted to take you home after our date.” David please. 

“Are you hear to get me out?” Hera asks looking at him. 

“I… I can’t.” David looks down at the ground ashamed.  

“Then… go away!” Hera returns to sulking. 

“I don’t want to. You've been in there for almost 3 days. Can I… can I at least get you something? This may be our last time as we are.” David says. 

“I'd rather die in here than become a monster.” Hera mumbles.  

David sighs, “Just know…” David struggles to speak holding back the urge to cry, “I'm guna be there for you by your side no matter what. I've always tried to stay out of all this stuff. When I met you… I couldn’t help myself and know being with you drew the Brindelzens in.” 

Hera stands up frustrated yelling. “This town is all weird and strange with monsters! Why not call the damn army to just wipe out that Lord Bathyal.” 

David shakes his head, “He's a lot more powerful than you think. He would just get them all under his control or make it all in his favour as the richest guy in town.” 

“Look David,” Hera is very serious, “If you can’t get me out if here, I'd rather be alone. I've already accepted my life as it was is over.” She turns around for dramatic effect and crosses her arms. David leaves the small opening open. He walks away with sadness and putting his hands in his pockets. Hera turns around seeing ge is gone and returns to sitting on the ground. She beings to cry. Unknowingly, her cries are not only heard, but also sensed and smelled by all of the Sprites.  

Below the mansion of the town are various caves. They lead all over beneath the town. With the storm at the moment being the most violent than its ever been recorded the people have all quarantined in their homes. Many of the sprites have gone about causing destruction. From eating and hurting people to destroying the town they run amuck within the storm. Lord Bathyal sits on his feet within the center of the ritual chamber with the markings set up all around him. David entered to evade him and reach the stairs. Just as he turned his head slightly to notice David reaching us hand for the railing of the spiraling steps. “Master Davy!”  

David had ascended a few steps to stop and walk back down them with his head down into the cave. “Lord Bathyal, sir. I congratulate you on your up coming marriage. I shall be there tomorrow to join in all the events and festivities.” 

“Good.” Lord Bathyal bowed to David and he did slightly back. He faces David completely from across the room, “When the sun sets tomorrow… I am counting on all of the Brindlezens to accept the new change.” 

“What sort of change? If I may ask.” David curiously wonders. 

Lord Bathyal taps the end of his cane on the ground beneath of his feet. It shifts into the Trident having 2 of the three spokes glowing hot off the forge and his body shifts into a larger form of the sprites having the same glowing gemstones with shiny sparkly skin and the tail. He slithers backwards into the water submerging himself. “You know… I had almost gave you what I am thinking of giving Eros.” David stares at the water after Lord Bathyal submerged completely. Bubbles were left and he looks back the way he came toward Hera thinking.  

Inside the mansion Eros is playing a violin. He keeps messing up on the same note and starting over within the ballroom of the mansion. He gets frustrated and drops the violin knocking the stand over. Bennet had entered the room and walks over to pick it up, “I hated having to learn this too. I always wanted the trumpet, like Davy.” Bennet picks up the violin and begins to play the song without any mistakes past where Eros kept messing up. He smiles and stops. Pulling the instrument and bow away from him and placing it in the stand beside Eros.  

“What do you want?” Eros glares at him with heavy dark bag under his eyes from lack of sleep.  

“What? Can’t one Brindelzen help initiate another?” Bennet confidently speaks rustling Eros' hair.  

He backs up and shoves Bennet’s arm off of him. “Unless you’re going to get my sister and I out of here, just leave.” He walks off and looks out the new window where he was a couple nights ago.  

“Fair enough. I'd rather be the one marrying your sister. And… actually… I always saw her with David.” Bennet waits and Eros watches him greet David coming up from the steps behind the secret entrance of the fireplace who briefly makes eye contact with him.  

Eros rushes up to David before he exited the room with Bennet, “Wait! David! Please!” 

“Master Eros!” Lord Bathyal yells from a top of the stairs to the 2nd floor as lighting flashes and all the lights turn off. “Come forward. Master Davy and Bennet… go to the ritual chamber.” 

“Yes, Lord Bathyal?” Eros asks looking up to him from steps below. 

“Eros, the night has come for you to earn my trust. I can promise you great things. The ones for a while may seem nice…” Lord Bathyal’s eyes change red with the yellow specs changing his tone of voice, “but in the long run, it will very much worth it!” Thunder clashes and lighting lights up the room as the rain begins to fall even harder than it was. “Go down to the ritual chamber Eros!” Thunder clashes and Eros takes off running.  

Lord Bathyal begins to laugh and holds out his arms wide out far cashing his cane to shift into his Trident. His body shifted into water to disappear and then reappear in the cave below the mansion above the podium. David entered from the last step and stops. Bennet looks at him and then in his eye gaze to see Lord Bathyal. They both walk to opposite sides of the chamber. The lights turned on in all the tunnels for more Brindelzens and Sprites to gather.  

Hera senses something. She isn’t sure but stands close to the door of the cell. “Eros? Please… please tell me you’re not still here.” She can see the darkness having a faint glow approach close. A group of Sprites pass by. She saddens to see a less faint glow still remains by the door. A sprite looked at her. Right away Hera could see the resemblance to Rentaro being of his sister Ayaka’s kin. The two just make eye contact. Hera gets hypnotized hearing a hum of a sort. She faints and thinks she feels fingers poking her in various parts of her body before completely falling asleep.  

In the ritual chamber all of the Brindlezens ate gathered and Lord Bathyal addresses them, “I know how we once were for a very long g time has changed drastically in the last few days. As of life on this earths always been, it is our time to evolve into a new!” The waves crash. “I need your decision on a matter. I find myself even between Iris and Phoebe. Should I take them both and chose to mutate you under my gift? Or… do I leave them both and give Hera only half the power the 4 sisters ever had with their full likeness?” He watches his followers, “Hand up for taking them both.” A third of them raise their hands. “and for keeping them?” Eros, Bennet, and David are disappointed when the rest raise their hands. “Very well… you know what to do ladies.” Lord Bathyal walks away from the podium. The Sprites start to surround and separate the third from the rest of the crowd. Eros punches Bennet hard in his arm and then David. 

“Hey!” Bennet says. 

“What!” David shouts. 

Eros points to Lord Bathyal down the tunnel, “What do we do to save my sister?” 

“Uh… I'm not sure. He wants a traditional marriage ceremony.” David replies. “Um… he's taken the powers of the sisters…” 

“Hera is going to become powerful, but most likely a slave like Iris. I don’t think she’ll cooperate with the… honeymoon.” 

David gets upset and jealous. Eros pulls out the cell phone from Rentaro, “Rentaro sent me this chant. Give me your numbers so I can send it to you. I think I have it memorized. All we need to do is make sure the Trident goes through his heart before his kisses my sister. But it will only work if he is in his true form.” 

“True form...” David speaks. The three are splashed and turn around. Iris points to herself. “You'll get him into it?” She nods yes and submerges herself in the water.  

“How can we be sure the rest of the others don’t interfere?” Bennet begins to whisper leaning down to Eros.  

David leans down too, “can’t you sense the Sprites are nervous whenever taking a command from him?” 

“Rentaro told me he was going to try and get all of his families Sprites to help us. Ugh!” Eros shakes the phone as it died completely.  

“Sh!” David shushes him. 

Bennet gestures, “let’s get back into place.” 

“This isn’t fair! Don’t you know it’s bad luck to see each other before the wedding. It’s bad enough this dress is too big on me!” Hera's voice can be heard. She enters the cave and sees Eros. “Eros!” She went to move toward him to be halted by the cane of Lord Bathyal. She sighs, “Fine. Let’s do this crazy thing.” The sprites begin to hum and Hera waits for Eros to come grab her arm to walk her down the isle as Lord Bathyal took his place up by the podium with one of the Brindelzens pulling out a Bible. Hera whispers to Eros as they walks as slow as possible across the ritual area. Lord Bathyal's eyes turn red and parts if the flooring begin to glow in the ritual area. “I love you Eros. If you ever see mom and dad again… hug them for me.” 

“Hug them yourself. We got this. Somehow we just have to stab his heart with the Trident when it’s fully charged.” Eros replies. 

“Yeah right. Are you saying he’s guna sneeze and hand it to me?” Hera counters. 

“I was just letting you know! Be glad he got rid of all the ones who voted to make you like these ones and not the sisters!” Eros defends and the two walks up some steps to the podium. Hera takes her olace by Lord Bathyal.  

“Thank you all for coming. If you didn’t know, today will bring a new change in our ways. New life and new cycles! Before I take the right of marriage binding myself, I will need your help. Seeing as Mrs. Bay no longer is around to have control of that DNA, I am relying on Bennet to step up to his families lineage." Bennets eyes open wide from the news. “Go ahead Master Bay. I know you know what to do.” Bennet walks to the water where it meets the cave. He closes his eyes and concentrates. Minutes pass and a droplet of sweat beads down the side of his face. He rocks his head side to side and takes a deep breath to rest. He holds his hand out as if reaching for something by reaction. His face displays focus as his eyes are shut. He squats slightly and a hand pops out of the water. He takes it and slowly guides it up and out of the water with the Water Sprite Phoebe. Bennet losses her hand and stops bowing to her as she walked by brushing the side of his face. “Phoebe! Glad you could join us. Has Iris told you and your willing or should I expect you to react as your other sisters?” Iris rises from the water and Phoebe looks at her alert. She looks at Lord Bathyal and sees Hera. She starts to hiss and some of the Spites join her. “Aw. It’s either your or Iris.” Phoebe becomes enraged making her human like face turn fishlike and she leaps at Lord Bathyal. He shifted into his Sprite form falling forward off the raised area and grabbed her by the neck. Her tail whipped and he grabbed it. Both of three of arms began to pull out to the side until she ripped apart in two. He slammed her down on the ritual area and drew his Trident and slammed it down on her heart. As before the body disappeared and now all three spokes of the Trident began to glow hot like off the forge. Lord Bathyal laughs. The lighting and thunder clash outside and waves splash had as his voice deepens when he laughs. Demonic sounding he speaks examining the entire Trident as the whole thing obtains a special glow, “It’s been so long since this had its full power. I can do so much with it!” He points it out to the sea and the storm shifts all around violently with much wind gusts coming in from it. Everyone covers their faces and holds down their clothing as the wind gusts blew. Hera is hit in the face by a charm. She grabs it and the Japanese lettering begins to glow. She looks at Eros and then at Lord Bathyal who looks at her. “I'm ready for you my dear!” He starts to move back to near the podium shifting back into human form when a large tidal wave forms from the water and fills the entire cave. Everyone is pushed back into the wall and struggles to not be drained back into the ocean except Hera who managed to stay up by the podium as the rest struggled to not be drained back into the ocean. Eros stands up and looks to see another wave come crashing in with Iris riding it. She is glowing from all over her body collecting power and emits it out destroying her chains. Lord Bathyal raises the Trident up high with two of his hands as his other two try to hold back Iris. The Sprites take to fighting one another. 

David taps Eros, “How do you expect us to get it out of his hands?” 

Lord Bathyal slices the side of Iris. She gets angry and doused him with another wave using it to give her more force when tackling him. The two wrestle on the ground and splash around in the water. They stand and their tails begin to clash. Eros and David move out of the way as Iris was hit into the cave wall causing rocks to fall about the area. They join Hera looking down at Lord Bathyal battle Iris. Hera whispers to them, “Maybe if we work together we can grab it out of his hand when it swings up here.” 

“If we succeed, how do we get it into his chest? He has four arms and is fighting off her with two most of the time.” Eros says. 

“What about that chant? What was that for?” David asks. 

“I'm not entirely sure, but we could give it a try. ”Hi fu mi yo I mu na ya ko to mo chi ro ra ne shi ki ru yu I tsu wa nu so ta ha ku me ka u o e ni sa ri he te no ma su a se e ho re ke.” David joins in. Hera notices her charm start to glow. Bennet joined them after another wave crashed in that pulled him close. Hera looks at Iris just as she is stabbed. She grabs the Trident and pushes herself off of it while defending herself too. Lord Bathyal had raised his Trident high into the air with the spokes behind his head. His tail swings hard hitting Sprites away from him as many began to attack him while Eros and David repeated the chant.  

“Now!” Hera is first to grab the Trident and is pulled up I to the air. Bennet grabs her and tugs her down. Eros and David grab the Trident with and all four of them begin to tug. Eros continued to speak the chant with a struggle as Lord Bathyal turned around. 

“What do you think your doing?” He shouts in anger. Iris grabs onto his back and digs all of her talons into his body while coiling her tail around him and biting deeply into his neck. All of the other Sprites start to watch while Ayaka's descendants gather closely waiting to strike Lord Bathyal. They entered a tug of war for the Trident. Iris doused the ground with another wave and everyone almost fell down. Some of the Sprites wrapped their tails around them to help pull the Trident. Lord Bathyal recoils back when his hand slides off the Trident loosing his grip. Iris summoned the largest wave yet and pinned Lord Bathyal down with the help of Sprites. Hera looks at Eros as the two hold the Trident. They nod and leap into the tidal wave and use its force together to stab the Trident down into Lord Bathyal's heart. He wails loudly and power emits. Hera and Eros are forced back. Iris quickly took hand of the Trident and summoned a lot of power within her body to pass through the Trident into Lord Bathyal. He screams and explodes goop everywhere. Hera and Eros watch as Iris then holds the Trident up in the air turning around fast pointing it at Hera's neck.  

She gulps, “Uh… we just want to go home. Please.” Iris glows all over and the Trident begins to loose its firey ember burn on the spikes. She begins to grow as large as Lord Bathyal was.  

“Iris!” Rentaro is heard and everyone looks. She turns around while still consuming the power of the Trident. The Sprites attack to be attacked by others. When Iris turned around, Rentaro fires his shot gun into her face. She shifts back for him to fire again. She drops the Trident in pain grabbing her body. Hera grabs it as Iris is shot two more times. A Sprite attacks and she aims it toward it causing it to back off. The grandmother began to chant something different mixed with hums. The water bubbled and Ayaka rose from the waters with her children all gaining more human like appearances. Rentaro is out of ammo and Iris sees Ayaka slithering over. Dripping blood all over Iris claws at Hera and Eros just before falling over. Ayaka approaches Hera and she hands the Trident to her. When she takes it she consumes all of its power and styles her hair with it shifting into a smaller piece of the spikes. She hugs the grandmother and Rentaro. After, she hugs Hera and Eros. Bennet and David bro hug. Ayaka takes all of the Sprites to the ocean.  

“Is she, like… queen?” Eros asks. 

“She's a princess Eros.” Hera says. They look to see Rentaro and his Grandmother gone. Everyone is confused. They run upstairs and hear a loud explosion of a sort and water begins to rise filling the cave from the tunnels. The house begins to rattle with water burning from all the pipes. They all slide on the floor in the ballroom from a large puddle. It reflects the rest of the room and them as they run through it. Outside it is still storming. They hurry away from the house looking back covering their faces from water and wind. The house collapses in. 

“I was hoping we got the house.” Eros pouts. The rain stops and the area fills with fog. Everyone looks around and hears the slithers of Sprites passing nearby their feet as they stand back to back worried. They stood their for a couple hours and realized all of the Sprites from all over town were heading to the ocean. They were all sitting when the sun began to blind Eros and he waved it away noticing. They all stand up as the fog left and the clouds parted. They all look out over the ocean and can see a few last Sprites joining Ayaka. She waves to everyone and points behind them. They turn around to see a rainbow over the town! When they look back all the Sprites are gone. David stares at Hera and she becomes bashful noticing. 

A couple days later Hera and Eros are sitting on the couch eating Asian Fusion and playing video games. A handwritten note is on the table from Rentaro reading thanks for bringing peace to the town and ocean with a cute drawing. Mr. and Mrs. Halley walk through the door. “We're back!”  

“Did you hear what happened to Lord Bathyal and his house in that storm!” Mr. Halley shouts.  

“Who's house?” Eros asks taking a big mouthful of food and picking up his game controller. 

“You know! The mansion.” Mrs. Halley says. 

“It had a bunch of sea caves collapse and the entire house went with it through them into the ocean. His body couldn’t be found and they said the town was having a meeting at the time there.” Mr. Halley says. 

“That sucks.” Hera says. 

“Well, that Lord Bathyal guy was creepy living in that big ol’ house all by himself with no kids. But who knows,” Mrs. Alley uses a different tone of voice, “maybe he will come back to haunt the town and eat people! Bleh!” Hera and Eros stop chewing and look at one another. “I'm kidding.” The mom walks off confused. Lighting strikes outside and the brother and sister look outside.  

Act 1 

A family takes a vacation and moves there to find it not the same. Fog fills the town with rainstorms. Hera meets David walking to the bus stop hearing strange noises unable to see below her knees or more than a few feet in front of her in the fog. At school she meets Bennet who forces Hera on a date that ends when the power goes out. A 2nd date all day at the town's celebration they visit all 4 statues of Mr. Brindelton’s daughters. The last during the ball at the mansion of Lord Bathyal. Hera is creeped out by the Brindelzens. She visits an exhibit about a Sprite. Bennet leaves with worry. He has a chat with Eros and David worries insisting they leave. 

Scene 1 

Vacation 

-Here a family goes on a summer vacations to have tons of fun! 

A family sits in an SUV. In the front the father is driving while, the mother is in the passenger seat scrolling through her phone. The entire back is full of luggage, camping gear, coolers, and other various vacation items. Within the center a teenage girl sits with headphones on looking out the window leaning on it just as her younger looks over at her as his earbuds battery dies. He takes out a case for his earbuds from a backpack on the floor, while continuing to look at his sister repeatedly. 

The boy displays agitation toward his sister and pulled out her headphones by the cord.  

Eros: Get into the real world! Cords are stupid!  

He smiles as she makes an upset face looking forward to the front seeing her dad look in the rear view mirror at her glaring.  

Eros: I guess they actually suit you. 

Hera: Shut up! Just cause my headphones always work, doesn’t mean you need to bother me cause you’re bored. 

The teen girl puts her headphones back in and looks forward blankly 

Hera: I've been bored since the day you were born. 

She drops her voice looking over at her younger brother slowly 

Hera: Deal with it! 

Eros: Ugh!  

The boy exhales a large breath of disappointment and crosses his arms slouching into his chair. He looks out the window to see a sign for Brindleton Bay. He murmurs 

Eros: Brindleton Bay, next three exits. 

He looks forward and into the rear view mirror making eye contact with his dad. The dad smiles and pushes encouragement,  

Mr. H: Don’t worry, bud! We're almost there. 

The girl pulls out an ear bud after reading a billboard for the Bay, Bay, Bay! Restaurant right at the next exit. She notices a sign for other food establishments and fuel right after.  

Hera: Hey dad! 

Mr. H: Yeah pumpkin? 

The dad replies using the mirror to look back at her as she only looks out the window.  

Hera: I thought this was supposed to be a vacation away from the city and away from the civilized life of suburbia? 

She pulls out her other ear bud and leans forth complaining with arm gestures about 

Hera: what is the point of this stupid trip! Mom’s still on her phone all the time. 

Mrs. H: Yes, honey! My phone's battery is good, thanks. 

The mom is zoned into a game. 

Hera: You’re still always happy and smiling!  

Hera looks over at her brother who is making faces at her 

Hera: You're son will always be a Neanderthal! And I will just be sour about everything and everywhere just like being at home. 

She sighs and sits back in her chair seeing the same billboard for the Bay, Bay, Bay restaurant with a lower mileage count still reading right at the next exit.  

Mr. H: Aw… Here… At home, yes, you are a sourness. But out here! 

The dad looks all around out the front window as he drives using an arm to elevate his words almost like he was wiping the dash inches above it.  

Mr. H: You will complain about anything and everything. The same stuff as you do at home, but also new things! The types of things I will remember and think fondly of long after you have moved out and had your own babies! 

Eros: Ew! Babies. 

He stops making faces and has a face of disgust as he sits normal in his seat. The dad laughs. 

Mr. H: babies are cute! You were once a baby and when you were there was this time… 

Hera: No! 

Eros: No! 

Both the son and daughter shout simultaneously. They look slowly at each other glaring over how happy their dad is when they are in sync.  

Hera: This place better have some good BBQ somewhere. Or else the whole town can line up and kiss my ass! 

Eros: Ass! 

Eros shouts simultaneously with his sister. She clenches her jaw and pushes him hard.  

Eros: Ow! 

Mr. H: Hera! Eros! No fighting! And… don’t say ass. 

Mrs. H: You're an Ass! 

The mom puts her phone down looking over at her husband smiling. She giggles some and leans over to kiss him staring at her 

Mrs. H: you know I'm kidding. I love you! 

She turns around to look at her kids behind her,  

Mrs. H: It’s okay to say Ass appropriately as you did 

She points to Hera.  

Mrs. H: But, not to mimic it like he did! 

She points to Eros and raises her eyebrows at him to display authority. The mom sits back forward and upright in the seat.  

Mrs. H: I'm glad I didn’t raise a set of Sailor talkers how most of my students are. Ha! Sailors! Harbor! 

She smacks her husband on his knee as he drives and laughs. The son and daughter look at one another not understanding their mom's humor.  

They drive up to a house that is right along the coastline in a long run of homes within a neighborhood. A woman opens the door and comes out greeting the parents. Both kids remained seated in the car. They watch the woman hand their parents a set of keys and put some more signatures on some documents on a clipboard. The woman leaves in her car waving at the kids. Both had turned their heads to fake smile and wave to the woman. They look forward put the main window of the car to see their parents waving them out. Both 

Act 1- scene 2 

Breakfast 

The family has breakfast in a beach house. 

- 

The next morning the mother was making eggs and bacon as the husband read the local newspaper. 

Mr. H: Can you believe this? Look at this babe! Right up your alley! 

The husband holds out the paper for the wife to read as she turned around with a spatula in hand.  

Mr. H: It says this town has had a shipwreck on Gleam Island, where the lighthouses are, every year! Dating back to the early 1800s! Wow! 

He pulls the paper down excited looking up at his wife. 

Mrs. H: We're not going boating! 

Eros: Boating is dumb! 

Eros walks in and takes a seat at the table. 

Mr. H: Now I wish I had rented a boat instead of this house. 

The dad replies as the mom sets bacon and eggs on a plate for the son. 

Mrs. H: Was your sister up? 

Eros: No. 

He takes a giant bite of eggs and holds bacon near his mouth that he took a big chomp out of 

Eros: So I woke her. 

Hera: More like, just shoved me out of bed! Ooo! If I wasn’t still road lagged… 

The girl sits down for eggs and bacon to be placed on her plate.  

Mr. H: Good thing we’re going to the beach today! 

Hera: What’s there to do at the beach? Sand and water, ooo.”  

The girl mocks and eats some bacon. 

Scene 3 

Beach 

Here the family enjoys the beach.  

- 

At the beach the girl sits under and umbrella as her parents frolic in the water together happily. She smiles watching them and a bunch of sand is tossed into her face. 

Eros: Oopps! You looked happy, and I didn’t want your face to get stuck like that! 

He was building a town with many moats in the sand. Hera spits out sand and brushes it off of her standing up fast. She flinches a fist at her brother to hear her mom scream. Both kids look fast! Their father has picked her up and toss her into the water. Hera looks around and notices the beach goers. Many of them have out of state sports teams merchandise. She looks to the parking lot to see all the plates are also not from the state.  

Hera: I wonder what a local looks like? 

Eros looks around to notice not very many children around. He pulls out his phone, that has a lot of sand stuck to it. He looks up his vacation photos to look at beaches in other areas that always had more kids to adult ratios. He also notices all the people by themselves seem to constantly be looking out to the ocean as if waiting to see something or weary.  

Hera watches the sunset from the balcony of their rented beach house. She finds herself watching the waves. Her brother sneaks up from behind her and screams!! She doesn’t flinch, instead her eyes flutter and she turns around looking at her brother who is confused.  

Eros: Aren’t you guna yell! Hit me? Something? 

Hera: No. I'm glad you snapped me out of that. The waves are hypnotic. 

Hera walks by and goes to her room. Eros begins to watch the waves. 

Scene 4 

Boardwalk 

• The family drives through the town to the boardwalk and a museum located on it displaying one of the statues of Mr. Brindleton’s daughters.  

The next day they drove around the town and surrounding areas. They passed the town square where a park was. In the center was a pond. 

Eros: Hey Hera! That’s you out in that pond! All green and moldy! It’s an exact copy of your horrendous state. 

Mr. H: It does look like you Hera. Minus, the whole moldy green. You always maintain a good pasty complexion. What’s the term I'm looking for? I’m? Porcelain! Like the dolls! You should do your hair. 

Eros: Like a toilet! Porcelain Moldy face. 

Mrs. H: Eros! Your sister has Porcelain face with a green ashy complexion. Just like me! 

The mom turns around and lowers her sunglasses to make eye contact with her son.  

Mrs. H: I think that statue looks more like me! She clearly has a woman’s figure that has birth children. 

She sits back forward with her sunglass back on looking in the mirror checking herself.  

Mrs. H: Not a beautiful young body that hasn’t been ruined by two kids that bicker all the time. Just wait… you will be looking a naked girls who look just like your sister. 

Eros thinks and cringes his face with disgust.  

Eros: Ew! 

The parents laugh and Hera watches the statue become distant as the light turned green. They all have fun at the boardwalk. They noticed most of the theme was set around a mermaid like woman with two arms. The mom eventually drug them into a small museum with a statue kept inside. Hera walks up to the statue looking at the woman’s eyes. She is standing with a man holding his hand. It has the same face of the other statue, with shorter hair. She activates the audio recording for the plaque in front. 

A pre recorded woman’s voice speaks  

Other: Iris Brindleton. The third daughter under Mr. Brindleton, founder of our glorious town! Here she stands with her husband under pre-arranged marriage by her father. The first of the four daughters to be married. She inherited all of Brindleton fortune and raised a large, healthy, successful family. Always taking charge over her sisters she always believed in a balance between fun and studies for her children. She had declared this ocean front land to always be used for fun. The statue was removed from its original location over 500 years ago out front of the Bay, Bay, Bay restaurant. The water’s shoreline used to be a lot higher until the canal was built 300 years ago that starts a quarter mile from here and goes to the Thalia statue located in the Town Square Park. 

The family stops at the town square park to admire the statue. Lights lit it up well to blend with the fountain sequence making rainbows all around the statue. Hera walks up to the plaque and reads  

Hera: Thalia! Oldest and first born daughter of Mr. Brindleton! Always known for her beauty from child till death, her most exquisite quality was her compassion and desire to help others. This location is where she would bring all sorts of good made by her to give away to others. From cooking to sewing she would even make assorted accessories from shells of the ocean. 

Scene 5 

New beginning  

• The family finishes their summer vacation. They are sad when they return home and move to Brindleton Bay! 

The vacation in Brindleton Bay comes to an end. The family leaves the beach house. As they drive along the coastline Hera gazes at the ocean. She is mesmerized and dazed. She falls asleep for the car ride to be woken up by her brother in the mountains with tents set up outside of the SUV. He was banging on the window she was leaning on. For a moment she zones him out to hear the ocean waves. She snaps out of it when the door is opened and Eros pulls her out of the car.  

The family travels all over and heads back home. They all unload their stuff from the car. 

Mr. H: Hera's stuff first! Ready when needed as she likes to say. 

The dad pulls out her decorated suitcase first and sets it down for her. She raises the handle and wheels it away from the car some toward the end of the driveway more. She looks down the road. She becomes slightly mesmerized and pictures the waves of the ocean. She flinches a bunch and then hears her mom scream as Eros squeezed water out on both of them from a squeezable bottle filled with ocean water.  

Mrs. H: Eros! 

The mom screams wiping water off her eyes. 

Eros: I brought the ocean back with us! It didn’t want to say goodbye. 

Eros replies shrugging his shoulders with arms out to his sides having one holding the water bottle.  

The family continues on with their basic day to day life. Waking up for breakfast, going to school and work, with coming home to watch TV, eat, and go to sleep to start the day all over again. Hera is distracted. She is constantly zoning out in class thinking of the ocean waves. At dinner everyone was quiet and zoned out.  

Eros: I miss Brindleton Bay… 

Eros looks down at his face speaking with a sad tone of voice.  

Eros: We all seemed more… more alive there. 

The mom and dad look at each other. The dad looks at both kids at the table. 

Mr. H: Funny you should mention that place.  

He sets his fork down and sits up.  

Mr. H: I looked into transferring my job. I can to Newcrest and make the hour commute everyday. We miss it too! 

Eros: Really! 

Eros is happy. Hera tries not to smile still thinking of the ocean waves at that sunset.  

The family packs up and moves to Brindleton Bay. This time on the highway, most of the traffic was heading away from the town. As they drove through the town this time, less people were out. The business and homes seemed to be de-decorating. Making everything outside plain, boring, and basic. They moved into a home not too far from the ocean. Hera gets out of the car and looks up the hill beyond their neighborhood. A large mansion could be seen to the North with much greenery surrounding it. It overlooked the entire town and was right on a Cliffside on the ocean. 

The mom looks too and tells Hera 

Mrs. H: They said before the canal was built that mansion was right on the waterline. Now it’s a cliff. 

Hera: Ugh! I don’t want to school right now.  

Hera tolls her eyes and walks away.  

Mrs. H: Well… I've been meaning to tell you. They only have one high school in this town. I can give you rides now. 

Eros: Sweet! No more bus! 

Eros comes over to his mom and asks 

Eros: Mom, what’s for dinner? 

Mr. H: Bay, Bay, Bay! Did I hear dinner? 

The dad slightly shoves Hera in the shoulder trying to get her emotion to change from the bottled up state she was in. 

Scene 6 

Bay, Bay, Bay 

• The family eats at the Bay, Bay, Bay restaurant and meet Mrs. Bay who right away dislikes Eros. 

As soon as they walk into the restaurant they are greeted by a middle aged fat woman 

Mrs. Bay: Bay, Bay, Bay! Table for 4 today! I can seat you now, right this way. 

Eros: Why is it called Bay, Bay, Bay? 

The woman shows them to a booth where the family sits. She hands them all menus while answering the question. 

Mrs. Bay: There used to be this old saying in this town, Down by the bay, watch the waves sway, and your worries will swim away, way, way. We sort of used the Bay as a substitute for hey and like to connect it. 

She looses her cheery attitude to stare at Eros seriously crossing her arms 

Mrs. Bay: Why does any restaurant name it anything? 

Eros opens his menu 

Eros: Sorry! It was just a question. 

On the front of the menu is a sketching of the four sisters together. One is cutting a cake on a picnic blanket. Another is playing a game of chess by themselves with a fried chicken leg in one hand. The third is petting a cow while the fourth is picking corn off the stalk with a basket of other vegetables. In the restaurant others begins to talk about the rainy season is approaching. Some men at the bar said they were about to head clear out of the area before the deadly storms come.  

Scene 7 

Fog 

• Hera walks to school in the fog. Strange sounds can be heard and the fog can not be seen through below the knees. She meets David. 

The sky is very grey one morning with fog all over the place. Hera gets up from the breakfast table fast after looking at the clock. 

Hera: Gotta catch the bus! 

Hera shouts grabbing her stuff.  

Mrs. H: I can drive you! 

Her: Nooo. 

Hera puts on her shoes.  

Mrs. H: I heard them saying not to wear open toes shoes in the fog. 

The mom tells watching her daughter put on shoes. 

Hera: Does it look like I'm putting on sandals?  

Hera makes a snooty face to her mom. 

Mrs. H: Could be a good ice breaker. 

Hera opens the front door with a hoodie, jeans, back pack, sneakers, and hat.  

Hera: I don’t plan on talking to nobody because you will be working there. 

She closes the door and steps outside. Walking toward the sidewalk she makes the fog move around as she steps through it. She slips on the curb, but doesn’t fall. She can’t see below her knees and looks back at her house and the distant she has gone not expecting to be in the road already. She decides to walk to the middle of the street. Faint lights can be seen in the distant through the thinner fog above the knee. She looks around and up at the clouds. It almost seems like the fog is in-between to grey slices of bread, being the clouds and heavily layer by her feet. The mansion could not be seen. She looks fast in the direction hearing a noise like a trash can sliding across the ground. She can hardly see her neighbors homes that have no lights lit and moves to the sidewalk as the car nears from down the street. She begins to walk toward the bus stop. She walks past a hedging that runs to the end of the block. She flinched as the leaves began to rustle within the bushes and continues to walk. Before she reached the end of the sidewalk she stops hearing the sliding sound again. The leaves rustle behind her and she turns around. She takes a slow step back looking around at the fog and hedge. Footsteps could be heard approaching fast.. A car drives by and turns the corner. She takes another step back and… whack!  

She bumped into by a teenage boy who was jogging his way to the bus stop. He had wrapped his arms around her ribs and hips from the side making sure she didn’t fall. 

David: Whoa! I'm so sorry! This fog… 

The boy steps away nervous and blushing when he realized how close he was standing to her and where his hands were.  

David: Sorry! 

He brushes he hands through his hair taking a deep breath and then reacts fast with his other hand out for a shake.  

David: I'm David. Eh hem! 

He clears his throat, stands up tall and looks down at Hera with a very regal tone. 

David: David Howard Voleren. 2nd born son and middle child under my parents. 16th generation in this town! 

They shake hands and he rotates Hera's hand to bend down and kiss it.  

David: Pleasure to meet such a lovely lady in these circumstances under the worst of year. 

Hera: Worst of year? 

Hera asks as she begins to blush from the kiss and pulls her hand away from him. 

David: Yes! Don’t you know? 

David begins to walk and smiles when his lead causes Hera to walk beside him crossing the street heading toward the bus stop.  

David: I didn’t want to make presumptions, but I know I've never seen you at school before. From now till spring Brindleton Bay experiences a significate amount of hurricanes. This fog is just under mid grade level from what will have. 

Hera: So it will be foggy like this every morning?”  

Hera asks. She looks over for a moment to make eye contact with David looking at her. Both pretend not to notice and continue walking forward onto the sidewalk after crossing the street.  

David: Yeah… Why were you running to the bus stop? 

Hera examines her watch seeing the time nearly 7:50 a.m.  

Hera: I always do that. The fog sort of creeps me out. 

David: In all of my days walking to the school bus stop, I've never ran into any obstacles. 

Hera: Obstacles? 

David: No! I mean! Wait! We bumped into one another… 

David stops walking to think with hand gestures about organizing his thoughts and interpretation of Hera's words. She continues to walk forward with him watching examining her backside disappearing into the fog. 

Hera: I don’t care! Once we get to school, I know I'll gain new dispositions over how to I should adapt. 

She stops a few feet from other students all standing at the bus stop. David stands away in the distant thinking and watching till the bus arrives. Many others at the bus stop are listening to music, scrolling through their phones, or sitting about the ground on the grass or curb waiting.  

Scene 8 

School 

• Hera has a class with David and meets Bennet who pushes himself between their relationship already started.  

At school, Hera stands at her locker, she had been greeted by a group of females trying to pursue her into being like them. Her mom had walk by pretending not to notice, as she glared at her the whole time down the hall. The girls were upset that Hera ignored them displaying not interest. She goes to class and takes a seat to have David sit behind her. He smiles a lot and goes to tap her on the shoulder when one of the jock guys grabs his hand, tugs him out of the chair, and shoves him to the floor. 

Bennet: Oops! You were in my seat! 

He scoffs at David and holds his hand out to Hera,  

Bennet: Name's Bennet. Maybe, I could treat you to a dinner at the Bay, Bay, Bay and properly welcome you to the town. 

He looks at David who is sits in the desk next to Hera.  

Bennet: Make sure you get in good with the right people in town. 

Hera: Bennet? 

Bennet: Whispering my name already? I'll meet you there tonight at 6. 

Bennet is over confident in himself raising his eye brows, biting his lip, smirking at David who rolls his eyes and looks forward in class.  

Hera: Bennet Bay! You’re that main guy in the football. 

Bennet: That’s right baby! It’s called the Quarterback! Don’t worry, you'll learn the terms. 

Hera: How about you, Bay, Bay, Bay away from me! 

She glares at him.  

Hera: I know your family owns that place. Whoever that women is that seats people, she was so nasty to my brother. 

She faces forward in her desk.  

Hera: I'm the only one who gets to pick on my brother. 

Other: Welcome class! Take one and pass em'! 

The teacher walks in and slams a stack of paper down on a desk. The teacher paces in front of the class. 

Other: We are entering the raining season. As you know on certain days we will be closed. It makes the whole curriculum jump around. 

Hera looks over the sheet. It has a cheesey drawing of different weather forecasts of sunny, partly cloudy, rain, heavy rain, storm, hurricane, with a coloured bar going from green, good, to red, bad. Below is a list of safety protocols.  

Scene 7 

The rain 

• Hera is mesmerized by the rain on the windows. David tries to make her smile. 

It was raining by lunchtime and Hera found herself avoiding her mom and going out to the hall. She looks out the window watching the rain for a few minutes uninterrupted.  

David: Cupcake? 

David holds a cupcake in her face. She smiles looking at him accepting it.  

David: They didn’t have any chocolate. Or I would have been all over them all! My mom has always had an anti chocolate rule in our house.  

They both look out the window.  

David: Do you like the rain? 

Hera: I do. But… 

Hera watches the raindrops on the window 

Hera: I don’t get why these raindrops all fall perfectly in line. 

On the window every drop relates lading in the same spots instead of all over the window randomly like normal rain.  

David: There’s no wind yet. It will rain like this for a few days. Then… 

David looks over the whole window noticing what she is saying about the rain drops repeating their landings consecutively.  

David: You won’t know what direction the water is coming from. 

Hera: Is it weird… I want to be staring at the ocean right now? I want to see what it looks like. 

Hera looks at David.  

Hera: Over the summer I took in so much. Since I moved here 

She looks back out the window.  

Hera: It seems like the waves have been changing everyday. 

Scene 8 

Force-ful Friday 

• Hera and her mother learn about a family where three sisters and their mother disappeared in storms like the one going on. Bennet gains a date through his words and Mrs. H. 

It rains for three days nonstop. The pacing had shifted from larger drops to faster falling. By Friday, all of the students in the school were crazed over Four-ceful Friday! Hera's mom is stumbling around the students at their lockers during a break and sees Hera. She taps her on the shoulder. Hera is upset. 

Mrs. H: I'll be fast! What is Four-ceful Friday? 

Hera looks at David.  

David: There used to be a family with 5 kids who went to this school. Three of the daughters and their mother all disappeared in the same school year. The grandmother always spoke of their homeland of Japan and four being an unlucky number. Each time they disappear it rained for four days and on the last night was Friday over a course of four months . The grandmother still lives with one of her grandson’s here in town. She has always been know to save people in the storms. Before she got, like, old. 

Mrs. H: Thanks! Oops. Sorry. I'll go. 

Hera's mom flinches some to hug Hera and stops remembering they are at school. She goes back to her classroom. Bennet was watching the whole time and followed Hera's mom. He walks in and reads the nameplate on the desk. 

Bennet: Mrs. Halley? 

Mrs. Halley looks up.  

Mrs. H: Yes? May I help you? 

Bennet: Well… I was going to meet Hera at the Bay, Bay, Bay restaurant for dinner tonight, but with your permission I would like to pick her up. 

Mrs. Alley thinks for a moment. 

Mrs. H: Oh? She's never mentioned you. But then again, she doesn’t want anyone to know about me and must really trust you. Wow! Of course you can pick her up. 

Scene 9 

The date 

• Bennet takes Hera on a date at his family’s restaurant. It ends short when the power is knocked out throughout the town. 

That night it was about 5:30 p.m. when Mrs. Halley walks past Hera in her room listening to her headphones looking out the window at the heavy rain blurring up the window.  

Mrs. H: Aren’t you guna make yourself look nicer than that? 

Hera pulls out her headphones 

Hera: What?” 

Mrs. Halley walks in. She looks at her watch. 

Mrs. H: Your date. He'll be here soon. 

Hera: Date? I don’t have a date.”  

The doorbell rings. They both answer the door with David standing at it. 

David: Hera! I heard around school you were going out with Bennet! I was hear to take you instead. Please… 

David asks her out covered in water. Another car pulls up. Bennet gets out with his umbrella and walks up to the front door.  

Mrs. H: Everyone come inside. I'll let you all handle this like adults. 

Bennet: Thank you Mrs. Alley and thank you for allowing us into your beautiful home. It expresses the beauty within those who maintain it! 

Bennet kisses the tips of his fingers and blows it out with fingers wide and palm opens facing up displaying flattering.  

Hera: Don't make her over confident in herself. You can just leave. 

Hera starts to shove him toward the door. 

Bennet: Whoa! Whoa… whoa. 

He stops her and brushes off a wrinkle in his jacket.  

Bennet: Bennet Bay is who will control half this town one day. I always get what I want. I want you to go upstairs and put on something nicer than these… pajamas, borrow something from your mom if you have to, this is a date for Pete sake. Or… I will tell the whole school how skanky you were tonight and that your mom was a part of it! 

Hera: You’re disgusting! 

Hera gets very close to his face and then walks away very upset to her room to change. Bennet watches her backside as she left and then looks a David putting an arm around his shoulders moving him to the door. 

Bennet: Thanks a lot Davey. You know I still value you very much so. You also know what will happen if you get involved! 

He opens the door and shoves him out while pulling off his jacket and locks the door. David sighs and walks off in the pouring rain. The garage door opens and he is yelled at. 

Eros: Hey! 

Eros shouts and waves David inside. The door is shut. 

Bennet is looking at a family photo where Hera's hair is twice as long as it is now. He takes it off the wall and Hera watches him getting upset grabbing it out of his hand and hanging it back on the wall.  

Hera: Don't touch our things! 

Bennet: Why did you cut your hair? It's perfect…  

Bennet asks picking it up on his hands.  

Hera pulls her hair out of his hands and steps back. 

Hera: people cut their hair. It’s normal. Let’s just get this over with. 

She opens the front door upset and the power goes out.  

While waiting for their meal. Bennet receives a message and has a serious face. The power shuts of in the restaurant and to all the neighboring businesses. 

Bennet: The power won’t be back on till morning. 

Bennet drives Hera home and walks her inside. He kisses her cheek and she makes a disgusted face and steps away fast. 

Bennet: Sorry! 

He over looks her in a dress.  

Bennet: You look good! Make sure you wear something next time. Gotta go! 

He runs off with his umbrella and leaves fast in his truck.  

Hera: Save by the storm! Thank you! I wonder how long till it comes back on? 

Hera closes the front door and flinches turning around to be scared by Eros.  

Hera: Eros! Ugh! 

She had been very startled to relax fast seeing David standing before her. 

David: The power won’t be on till morning. This is common for Brindleton Bay. Maybe we could play a board game or something? 

Mr. Halley walks in shoving flashlights into his kids hands.  

Mr. H: 1..2…3? Oh! 

He counted his kids and placed a third into David’s hands.  

Mr. H: Hello! You must be her date. I'm not supposed to get involved, but if you stay here Eros is with you both at all times. 

He exits using his flashlight.  

Mr. H: Now… where is our camping stuff… 

In the morning David had been woken up by Eros when the power came back on sleeping in bunk beds together. They went downstairs and sat with Hera watching the local news about the first of many hurricanes, common, for Brindleton Bay. 

David: How did you sleep? 

Hera: I didn’t sleep 

Eros: I didn’t sleep 

Both Hera and Eros speak simultaneously. 

Eros: Hey! He was my guest in my room! 

Eros argues grabbing the remote out of her hand changing it to cartoons.  

Hera: He was my date! Let me finish watching this and you can have the TV all day! 

Hera changes it back to the News to see a report on them about an old house that collapsed when a tree fell on it. The mother of the home did not survive. Throughout the town people give their brief interviews of the devastation the storms always bring toward the people, animals, and community.  

Scene 10 

Town celebration  

• Bennet takes Hera on another date. It lasts all day and they take part in the towns celebration festivities. 

The next week isn’t raining, but many of the mornings are filled with the fog. Since it rained the air feels more humid and everything outside seems to be constantly moist. Friday comes around and Hera returned home from school to have a bunch of pink roses waiting for her. The note asked her to be ready for the Brindleton Bash tomorrow. Various flyers from the events are with. She looks through them seeing a variety of things she knows she will have to do. The Boardwalk is open for free being its last day open, the mansion has a ball by ticket purchase or personal invite only, the town squares shops are all having sales, the fisherman are all hiring for the boat crews to go on voyages, and of course Bennet has a heart drawn around the flyer for the Bay, Bay, Bay restaurant of the couples banquet deal. Hera rolls her eyes seeing it comes with two bacon burgers, a sharable fry, two shakes, and a photo printed in a border resembling one of the four sisters famous portraits with her lover.  

She pouts the entire time as they walk the harbor after she refused the boardwalk rides being grumpy.  

Bennet: Come on!! You may not like me,, but this is the day the The town celebrates the birthday of Mr. Brindleton, founder of this place. 

Bennet reasons with Hera as they stand by the ocean on a dock with benches. Hera looks at him and tries not to focus on the waves behind him. He turns around looking at her. 

Bennet: Please! You can hate me all you want, but try to at least accept this town and what it’s doing today! Be a real Brindelzen. 

Hera thinks about how cranky she has been all day and looks down. 

Hera: Can we just watch the waves for a while. 

Bennet: Yes! Let’s take a walk! I want to share something with you. But first… 

He walked over and placed and arm around her lower shoulders above the rib cage and grabbed her hand. She wasn’t happy, but let him lead her to the railing to look at the ocean. It was nearly noon and all of the fog had just barely dispersed.  

Bennet: I want you to tell me something. They say you can tell a lot about a Brindelzen based on your replies of the four geographical landmarks of the town. The ocean… 

He steps away from her gently pressing on her backside to let her watch the waves and look over her backside in the dress. 

Bennet: The Town square, the old lighthouse rock, and Mansion garden. 

Hera: I enjoy looking at all of them. I've seen two of the statues and want to see the others. 

Hera watches the waves become calm and gentle.  

Hera: I know I like looking at the ocean. I can’t believe how different it is than over the summer. I hadn’t seen it in weeks because of the weather and it’s changed so much since then. 

Bennet: Perfect! We should go to the Town Square and make a wish after we greet the one here. It’s good luck to visit all four statues in a day. Many going to the ball tonight visit all of the statues today! Do you have a dress for that? My family technically owns the Iris Statue. We moved it from our restaurant. Well… 

They began to walk down the boardwalk toward the museum Hera visited during the summer with her family.  

After they visited Iris, they went west to Thalia in the town square and each tossed a coin into the fountain making a wish. Hera had turned around and tossed hers over her shoulders backwards. It had landed within the statues hand holding a goblet. Bennet had stared and no interest in the excitement Hera had pointing to the splash. She was confused for the first time she was happy and he was being serious. He bought her a dress from one of the shops nearby for the ball and took her south to the lighthouse dock.  

Scene 11 

The statues 

• Bennet and Hera visit the statues. When at the lighthouse, she meets Lord Bathyal who knows Bennet.  

They had to take a ferry to the small island where the lighthouse was.  

Bennet: There’s a lot to do on this island. To fully take in the location, they say you have to first walk out to the rock where many would stand waiting the return if ships before the 1st lighthouse was built. The working lighthouse next to it three times its side was built about 200 years ago. We'll go to the top of both lighthouses first. The rock overlook is where the Statue of Daphne is.  

They go to the top of the new lighthouse and look over the entire town. They can see the town square to the west, the boardwalk to their east, and the mansion in the far distant to the north with everything else between. Looking out the other side of the lighthouse to endless ocean water with waves all about everywhere till it touches the blue sky with clouds.  

At the top of the old wooden lighthouse, it was only a few stories tall, they could see most of the island. A couple shops and restaurants, with many people fishing, one side having the harbor where many did store their boats, and over all the shrubbery path leading to the overlook where the statue was. Hera felt a need to run to the statue. Usually her brother can’t keep up so she didn’t expect Bennet to be right on her the whole time. She stops at the plaque of the statue and reads allowed. 

Hera: Daphne Brindleton, 2nd born of Mr. Brindleton’s daughters; our town founder! She sits playing chess by herself looking out toward the ocean. As she always said, “I'm never alone! I have the wind, water, plants, animals, and spirt of this world with me always!” The most intelligent of the town, it was her designs that crafted this towns look. 

Claps can be heard by a single person coming out of the shrubbery along the path. 

Bathyal: Spoken with both etiquette and emotion for the line! 

A man wearing a nice suit with a cane approaches.  

Bathyal: Ah! Of course I would expect a Bay, Mr. Bennet Bay, to find such a lovely. Lady to bring to my ball tonight. 

He grabs Hera's  right hand and kisses the back of it.  He pulls away and she smiles politely nodding some. 

Bathyal: It's been a couple years since you been to my ball. It’s been going on for hundreds of years. You have grown up so much before my eyes. I still remember when you and young master Davey broke a whole rack of wine in my cellar. 

Hera: Davey? 

Hera says intrigued if that was David. 

Bathyal: Yes. He and Bennet used to be the best of friends. 

The man tapps Bennet on the chest with his cane in elderly teasing.  

Bathyal: I will formally introduce myself to make this moment more memorable later. 

He steps forth toward the statue. 

Bathyal: I feel the luck of this day already! Ah…  

He takes a deep breath and begins to talk to the statue. 

Bathyal: Lady Daphne! Looking as articulate and alluring as possible with your brilliance! 

Hera walks off fast trying to loose Bennet in some of the shrubbery going back to the dock in hopes of catching the ferry without him. She reaches the ferry as it reads to board. The captain receives a phone call. 

Other: Oh course Mr. Bay. I will hold ‘er steady till you reach. 50 seconds you say? All right! 

Hera rolls her eyes and sighs when Bennet reaches her.  

Bennet: Just for that. You get to go home and get ready all over again for tonight’s Ball. 

He wipes some moisture from her face collected from a combination of the humidity and running. 

Bennet: I would rather be the one to make you sweaty at the ball when we dance. Not you running away in fear. Gives off a different pheromone that I don’t like. 

Hera is unpleasant and says nothing looking away and out over the ferry.  

Scene 12 

The Ball 

• Hera is dropped off at her house to get ready for the ball. Bennet picks her up later and she bumps into David where they are interrupted by Lord Bathyal. 

Hera walks into her house upset to see her brother and David playing video games. They both are happy to see her. Eros turns around on the couch leaning on the back. 

Eros: So… How'd it go? 

David: It’s kinda early? Is that good news? I was sort of wondering if you would go to… 

Hera: I have to get ready for the ball! How stupid is that? I'm no Cinderella!”  

Hera shouts interrupting David to storm off carrying the bag with her dress in it.  

Eros: Damn straight she ain’t no Cinderella! 

Eros sits back down to play the game. 

Later that night, Bennet drives all the way up to the tallest hill of the town where the mansion is. It has gates out front with a very long driveway through trees. He pulls up to the front doorway where a valet takes the keys. The main door is open and two stories tall. Bennet asks for Hera's arm. She rolls her eyes and accepts it. They proceed inside where a man recognized Bennet right away. 

Other: Mr. Bennet Bay! This way please! 

They proceed to a set of double doors that are opend. They stand at the top of a few steps where the man pulls out a microphone. 

Other: Mr. Bennet Bay, and his date Lady Hera! 

Hera is embarrassed and gladly walks off fast down the steps with Bennet to not be drawing attention to them. She wears a red medium length dress. It is very shiny with silver showing her shoulders and having a unique design cut for the lower half of the dress. She has her hair down and curled  being around her stomach in length while styled.  

Mrs. Bay: Bennet baby! Aw! You look so handome! 

Bennet’s mom, the woman who seated Hera's family grabs Bennet.  

Mrs. Bay: I need to tell you something. Mamma to son. 

She pulls him away and Hera is relived to have some time to herself. She looks over the banquet tables and takes a few bites of some foods. A glass of wine is offered to her and she accepts it gladly being an underage teen. Nervous of being caught not old enough to drink she decides to go outside on the balcony. A large fountain was first to see along with a large garden full of rose hedges and artwork. She takes a stroll going to where the statue is supposed to be located. It has a path coming around a long way up from the beach to it for the public to use that is closed off at the moment. She reads the plaque. 

Hera: Phoebe Brindleton, the youngest of the four daughters of Mr. Brindleton; our towns founder! All of the Brindleton sisters were beautiful. Pheobe's far surpassed the others. She enjoyed the world of dancing and entertainment shown here dancing with one arm up and the other down holding onto a clam shaped hand mirror. 

David: Did you visit all of the statues today?  

David speaks and walks up in a regal suit.  

David: I did. I hadn’t in a long time. 

Hera: David! 

Hera is happy to see him and blushing over what he is wearing with his hair styled up some looking like ocean waves.  

Bathyal: Davey! 

The man from before comes out in the most exquisite attire ever. His cane now has a solid gold woman on the handled.  

David: Lord Bathyal! Excuse me for not greeting you first. I was making my tributes to the statue first when I bumped into Miss… 

David begins to speak bowing slightly. 

Bathyal: Hera! We've already met. If I do recall, she is Bennett’s date. 

David sighs 

David: Why do you still call me Davy? 

Bathyal: Because you refused to earn the right for me to refer to you as David. Plus, your father is still alive and formally you don’t have his title yet. That goes farther. You and I both know why else. Hera, your date awaits. 

Lord Bathyl uses his cane to separate the two and scoot Hera back inside. She looks back at David sad and is grabbed by Bennet fast to the dance floor. The rest of the night Hera looked around for David and never found him.  

It was after 11 p.m. when they left the ball. Many of the guests were still dancing and drinking the night away. It has gently began to sprinkle rain. Hera was the most nervous than she ever had been. Shortly after leaving the grounds of the estate they were pulled over by an officer.  

Other: It’s after curfew, you know that Mr. Bay. 

The officer says having back his license and registration. 

Bennet: Just taking her home from the ball. It is almost midnight. What sort of prince of the town would I be if I didn’t have her home by then. 

Hera glares at him. 

Other: No other safer person than a true Brindlezen. Its starting to pick up out here. Drive safely and make sure to avoid the old bridge if this picks up any more. Have a good one! 

The officer walks off and Bennet drives off. 

Scene 13 

Talking 

• Hera talks to Eros about her date. 

As soon as he stopped the car out front of Hera’s house she unbuckled opening the door and stormed out. 

Hera: Thanks a lot for everything by! 

Hurrying inside Bennet watches her backside. She enters the house and slams the door shut fast. She takes a big deep breath when she looks to see him drive off. Eros is on the couch playing a game and asks him,  

Hera: Where’s mom and dad? 

Eros: Some party or something. I don’t care. 

Eros turns around on the couch. 

Eros: So… now will you tell me? How was your date?”  

Hera takes a seat next to her brother. 

Hera: He's not a bad guy. But, not my type of guy. But… I'm confused. 

Eros: About what? Even girls in my middle school boast about how 

Eros raises his voice like a girl mimicking his classmates. 

Eros: He's so cute and mature! And he’s rich! With all the muscles to carry me away for life as his wife! 

Hera: That was the problem. I didn’t like how he was mister macho, sportstar, with a family having connection in the town. 

Eros: Connections? That'd be nice! I'm not following? Your confused he is the type of guy you expected him to be, but… better? 

Hera: David was at the party too. He knew that creepy guy I told you about, Lord Bathyal. Owner of that mansion. Apparently David and Bennet used to be best friends or something. Called him Master Davey. I liked David… I didn’t think he was a part if that high end crowd. 

Eros: I like Davey too! I'm guna call him that. Maybe he was just raised under it and doesn’t embrace it. You should ask him about it. Don’t girl out and make all sorts of scenarios in your head. 

Hera giggles and stares at her brother playing his game.  

Scene 14 

Creepy 

-Since the ball, all of the Brindlezens now know Hera and always greet her. She is creeped out by them. More town anniversaries make everything more eerie. 

The next week of school was spent having Hera avoiding Bennet and constantly being stared at in populated public places. One of the days she ran into the gas station to be given her drink and candy for free by the men at the counter, on behalf of Bennet Bay. Most of the Brindelzen’s she saw at the ball all know her by name now, always giving her a friendly hello. She is creeped out by it and does her best to be friendly, while ignoring it.  

The next Friday came along and Mr. Halley had found Hera at her locker again asking why the students were all riled up. She looked at David once again who began to explain. 

David: Well… this marks the anniversary Friday after Mr. Brindleton’s birth when one of those girls disappeared. It’s also the same Friday being after our first set of storms for the fall that marks the records of an old story book found in our town that dates back to before anything. Monday is considered an easy day because they do a town contest related to anything with the old tale. Just another hallmark like tradition. When school ended Hera had found David walking out of the building and yelled to him through the crowds.  

Hera: David! David! 

He stopped and waited for her smiling. His happiness soon went away as she approached. She walked right up to him a bit confused and noticed him looking behind her. Hera looks back to see Bennet standing there. In a lower tone of voice she asks. 

Hera: What do you want? 

Bennet: I'm just curious what your going to do for this Sprite-day? 

Hera: If you must know, I was going to see if David wanted to go to the towns museum and view the Sprite Exhibit. And… I anticipated him to invite my stupid brother with. 

Hera rolls her eyes. 

Bennet: Perfect! I'll see you there! 

Bennet hurries off.  

Scene 15 

Museum  

• Hera and Eros visit the museum having an exhibit about a sprites based off an old book. Bennet chats with Eros who is nervous of the storms for David to insist they go home also worried from the rain. 

About an hour later Mrs. Halley drops off Hera, Eros, and David at the museum a few blocks from the town square. Right away when they walked in Hera was greeted by the curator and told that Bennet was waiting for her in the Sprite exhibit. They are handed badges to allow them access throughout.  

Eros: Nice! V.I.P.! I don’t care if it’s just a museum, I already know some of the stuff in here us worth so many bucks! 

Eros rubs his fingers together in front of his face imitating the gesture of high money. They proceed to the Sprite exhibit on the 2nd floor taking the stairs over the elevator. Eros runs in ahead and Hera stops. David looks at Eros and jogs slightly to look back seeing Hera stopped gazing at a more modern statue of a water sprite in the center of the exhibit. She had wings, tentacles, two arms, antenna, a snake like tail covered in fins wrapped around her lower body.  

Bennet: Hera! 

Bennet shouts as his boredom ended seeing Hera enter the room. He jogs over glaring at David taking her arm guiding her closer to the statue in the center of the room. It was of a mermaid like woman having fin like wings out of her back and shoulders with long curly wavy hair similar to Hera's.  

Bennet: They say the ocean has its own sway and helps others find their way. So does light. Light across the ocean... 

Bennet steps away after being poetic with Hera watching him anticipating the next words. He relaxes and stands up tall changing his tone of voice.  

Bennet: That’s all there is. 

He points over to a glass casing of the original book. Most of it is worn out with photos and typed versions with paraphrases next to it. The exact poem Bennet had recited was the most legible page of the book being presented after the center break. It had a drawing resembling the statue with it. A flash of lighting fills the exhibit through the glass. Small droplets begin to drop on the window. Bennet’s face glares for a moment.  

Bennet: If you'll… excuse me…  

Bennet makes his exit passing by Eros. They bump into one another with Eros being pushed back a lot by the quarterback Bennet.  

Eros: Yo! Watch it bud! I may be a kid, but I still have every right to push you around for mackin' on my sister man! 

Eros shouts flaring his arms around as the two swap positions on the stairs. Eros takes a step up to be more eye level making a serious face.  

Bennet glares him down rolling his head left to right slowly squinting his eyes. Eros takes a breath, slightly nervous. Bennet relaxes and leans into Eros. 

Bennet: You have what it takes to be a Brindelzen. 

He pats him on the back and steps away. 

Bennet: I'd love it if you could help her make the right decisions in the near future. 

He runs down the stairs and turns around shouting in the lobby,  

Bennet: It’s my way… or Davy's way little dude! 

He exits the museum. Eros changes his voice to mimic mockingly. 

Eros: It’s my way or Davy's way. Yeah right! Davy’s not a creep. But…  

Eros looks up the stairs hearing his sister laugh with Davy. 

Eros: Davy doesn’t talk about the town. He always wants to talk about my sister and changes the subject about the town or makes it sound so serious all the time. 

Another flash of lighting sets off with some thunder after. He hurries up the steps to look at the statue. After, he had gone over to a case full of jewelry. One of the broaches has a large Sapphire on it that would fit in his palm making the piece worth over a million dollars.  

Eros: Whoa! Sweet! 

More lighting goes off with the thunder really close to it.  Davy looks out the window this time very seriously. He snaps out and grabs Hera's arm,  

David: We should go. It’s going to be a bad storm. 

Act 2 

The storms become violent, devastating parts of the town. One night, Hera and Eros mock David's nervousness. They run outside in the storm to be attack by a Sprite! They make it inside for it to bust through the living room window. David stabs knives into the creature causing it to flee. The window is repaired and the brother and sister try not to be outside. They follow David and Bennet to eves drop on a secret meeting of Brindlezens. They want to sacrifice the siblings in rituals! On their way home they are attacked by a group of sprites to be saved by Rentaro and his Grandma. The next day they learn their history in the town.  

Scene 1 

The Storms 

• The storms become more violent and cause damage throughout the town. David is nervous over the storm and asks Hera to request Rentaro when they ordered from Asian Fusion. They are given Omamori, charms. Mocking David, Hera and Eros go out into the storm to discover the source of his worries. They are attacked by a real Sprite! Just like the exhibit at the museum. 

The radio stations, TVs, phones, internet social medias, and all sorts are blowing up with hurricane warnings. Davy drives sweaty through the storm trying to get them home quickly as safe. 

Eros: I don’t get why everyone is so freaked out by the storms. It’s just water! 

Hera: I know right! 

Hera giggles 

Hera: Eros! Did you hear that story of the old Asian lady who apparently saves people in the storms? 

Eros: Yeah! What’s there to be saved from? How can some old Asian lady, like, be strong enough to stop someone from blowing away? 

Eros: Or tackle them down when debris flies at them? 

David: Don’t joke about it! 

David speaks sternly. Hera and Eros ignore him and continue on. 

Hera: You know how mom always tells us to take a sophisticated look or disposition on things? I was thinking of how they should make a movie of some monster that lurks in the town taking people in the fog how pirates used to Shanghai men for their ships! I liked that part of the museum. 

Eros: Yeah! As if the statues came to life around town and began eating people during the storms that happened at night. 

Suddenly! Davy hits his breaks and slides some seeing a very large puddle across an intersection.  

David: Damn! 

He slams his steering wheel. 

Hera: It’s just water. You have a truck. 

David: No. It’s not safe to drive through an intersection like that in weather like this.  

David looks in his mirror backing up enough to make a U-turn.  

Hera: What? 

Hera wiggles her fingers in his face 

Hera: scared the statue of Thalia will come to life and eat you! Oooooo! 

Eros: Yeah Davy! Or be forced to have babies with her and suffer a miserable life of always smelling rotten fish! 

Eros teases. Davy ignores both of them focusing on driving. Hera looks back at Eros confused.  

They arrive at Hera and Eros' home. The three proceed inside. Hera finds a note from her father reading; your mother freaked out hearing about the last history teacher disappearing and needed a breather. Took her to the city. Money for food and junk.  

Hera: Thanks dad! 

Eros snags the note out of her hand and murmurs reading the note as Hera pulls the Asian Fusion menu off the fridge.  

Hera: What do you guys want? 

David: Don’t order in this weather. 

Hera: Aw com on! It’s just rain! It says the storm won’t hit for a few more hours.” She dials the number.  

Hera: It’s ringing! 

Eros: Something spicy! 

David: At least request Rentaro… 

David sighs 

David: and some dumplings. I'll eat whatever else you get. 

David makes sure he answers the front door and accepts the box of food from Rentaro. They both make direct eye contact and nod. David holds the box of food by one arm against his chest holding out his other hand. Rentaro opens his jacket to reach in pulling out various pieces of paper having traditional Japanese writing upon them. One word seems to be written downwards on each of them. After he pulls out one in particular being made of special silk fabric with hand stitched lettering. 

Rentaro: Give her this Omamori. 

David: Thank you Rentaro. I'll do my best this time… 

Rentaro bows his head very low 

Rentaro: I know… Master Davy… 

David: Please… 

David looks around nervous and leans in close,  

David: These ones are very linked with Brindleton. More than I've ever experienced… 

Rentaro looks up noding and stands up straight. 

Rentaro: she’s even watching g her too. All sides seems to think she'll… 

They both watch Hera smiling happily punching her brother over a win. Rentaro turns around fast closing his coat and hurrying back to his car to make other food deliveries.  

Time goes by and Hera cleans up the dishes used as David and Eros play video games. She is scrubbing dishes when she jumps dropping one loudly that breaks on the floor when she hears a hard thud on the window in front of her. Looking toward the noise, only heavy, thick, raindrops hit the window. Nothing could be seen too far from the window, but water falling from the dark grey clouds. David rests his hand on her shoulder and she flinches again from him trying around to bump into Eros to shriek from being startled a third time in a row. She begins to take deep breath and falls sitting to the floor. 

Eros: Oh God! You’re turning into mom with the panic attacks. 

Eros rolls his eyes and walks over to where the broom is to sweep up the mess. David kneels down grabbing Hera's hand looking her in the eyes. 

David: Are you alright? We heard the plate crash! What happened? 

Hera: S…something hit the window. 

Hera says standing up with the help of David to get out of the way for Eros to sweep the broken plate pieces on the ground. David pretends to not notice what she said and pulls her away toward the living room.  

David: Let’s just play some games and forget about it. 

Hera pulls herself out of his grasp and looks directly at him. He doesn’t make eye contact the entire time ignoring her. 

Hera: What is your problem? 

Hera walks around some in frustration 

Hera: What is this whole towns problem! 

She stops standing in place using her arms to express her emotions broadly. 

Hera: Am I now a Brindelzen? I seriously lived this place over the summer! Since we’ve been here every day has changed! The people are creepy, the town is creepy, Brindleton Bay is so creepy! 

Eros: I'm not fallowing… 

Eros dumps the dustpan into the trash.  

Hera: Eros! 

Hera expresses epiphany and turns from David still avoiding eye contact to rush toward Eros grabbing his shoulder shaking him. 

Hera: My brother! 

Eros: Yes! 

Eros speaks with a struggle being shared. 

Hera: I know you feel the same thing looking at the ocean! Tell me what these storms make you feel! Please! 

David: Hera! 

David shouts and looks at the siblings. Eros picks up on the aggressive state of David trying to stop Hera, while also picking up on the same emotions and thoughts of his sister reaching out to him based on that. He shouts to Hera. 

Eros: I hate these storms! I feel like this place should always be as it was over the summer! The people in this town don’t make sense unless… 

He stops shouting to relax having a loud lighting bolt strike with thunder right after it. The lights flicker. The brother and sister look at the lights all around and slowly make eye contact with one another.  

Eros: Remember when mom and dad told us not to go into the hall closet with all those stupid stories of ghouls and ghosts around Halloween because the candy was all kept in there? 

Hera half smiles at her brother and takes off running to the front door. She opens it fast with Eros right on her and David frozen in fear standing still clenching his fists. Hera rushes out into the middle of her front yard and yells,  

Hera: Hey Brindleton Bay! 

Lighting strikes with so much heavy rain and strong winds blowing her hair with clothes about.  

Eros: Brindleton Bay! 

Eros shouts standing with her. He flinches and looks behind them both when he hears an unknown hissing serpent like sound. 

Hera: If you think these stupid storms will make us cower and be stupid! You’re wrong!  

Hera shouted and then flinched herself when she heard the same sliding sound across the pavement nearby to her left.  

Grandma: Hera… 

A female raspy low toned voice speaks. She feels a gentle wind counter across the violent ones with cold air upon her. Eros wraps an arm around her waist standing close against her as the voice spoke again with the same breeze coming from the opposite direction still not with the storms.  

Grandma: Eros… 

Hera is listening carefully. Through the heavy downfall, winds blustering, and her own heart beat racing with her brothers, she hears the sliding noise against the ground once more being on grass instead of a hard surface. Her eyes open wide in full shock tilting down embracing her brother as she shoved him to the ground. A large long snake like tail being longer than their heights had swung over them as they landed having fins and tentacles along it. They both look up from the ground in its direction seeing something blurr within the storm as the rain picked up even heavier and faster.  

Hera: Let’s get inside! 

Hera shouts over the storm. The two push themselves up to a stand and begin to run. Eros had stepped into a large puddle gathered in the yard and fell fast screaming. 

Eros: Hera! 

Eros grips himself onto the grass with his upper body as the lower part was all submerged beneath the seeming puddle. Hera looks back 

Hera: Eros! 

She falls to him fast on the ground on her knees wrapping her arms around like a hug tugging him out. In between them one of the tentacles had been lodged and a wail was heard as it detached from whatever was in the water. They both lay on the ground hugging one another in relief that Eros did not drown. Both gasp at the same time when the same long tail exits the puddle fast to slam on the ground beside them. They both get up fast. Hera helps Eros who is frightened and pushes him forward to run. 

Hera: go! 

Eros stops after a step and Hera bumps into him shoving him again 

Hera: Move! 

Eros feels his adrenaline and takes off running fast. The tail had slammed down again and Hera dived out of the way watching her brother escape. She rolls over as it strikes again against the soggy, muddy, drenched yard. She now feel fear and struggles to stand crawling slipping in the mud. 

Eros: Hera! 

He shouts as he stops looking back to see her on the ground. He begins to run back for her. 

Hera: No! 

Hera shouts and manages to stand running to him. They collide and run into the house together slamming the front door locking it. The lights go out and they listen as so many thuds slam against the roof and sides of the house. One of the windows is hit less hard with blood splattering all across it. Eros walks up looking at it as the window shatters and he is grabbed by one of the tails! Hera had dived grabbing him and enters a tug of war. All of the rainwater seemed to be aimed directly through the window forcing her and her brother to have eyes shut. Hera tugs as hard as possible with Eros trying to wrap his arms around her as best possible while being wrapped all around the rest. Davy stands in the kitchen still clenched and frozen.  

David: Ugh! 

He looks up opening his eyes to see Hera and Eros. He looks around to grab the knife set on the counter and runs forth. One by one he stabs knives into the tail.  

David: Let them go! 

Wails and shrieks could be heard.  

David: They meant no harm! 

He stabs one in very hard and twists it 

David: I will not let anyone have her! 

This makes the tail unravel and Hera falls to the ground once again with Eros safely. So much wind and rain began to pass through they all were pushed back across the room. David first from standing up to imprint his whole body in the wall; to slide sitting on the ground. With Hera sliding across the ground holding Eros who slammed into her right next to David. They all moan and grain from the pain. Hera was first to gain full consciousness as the rain steadied. She looks down at her brother within her arms and brushes his hair smiling. She rolls her head to the side to see David looking at her.  

David: I don’t want to explain everything. But… I already know you won’t let me not. 

David clips the last charm Rentaro gave him to her chest..  

David: Please keep this with you… 

David stands up and limps some as he walks out the front door.  

Scene 2 

It’s raining… fish? 

• Now fish are raining from the sky. Since Hera and Eros were attacked by the Sprite they are convinced it is that causing it. Blood now covered the town in various areas after the storms. They stay home most of the time, especially when it rains.  

The next day, Hera makes waffles for her and her brother who don’t speak much thinking heavily over last night. Anytime they see lighting and hear thunder they look out the window. The rain goes unchanged. They both take all sorts of photos and send it to their parents telling them the storm had broke the window, just like the people of the town warn of. The parents hire services to fix the window, easily commonly fixed as the people of the town say, as they tell them of the main bridge being too danged to return home that day. The two were happy for the window to be replaced as it rained. Once it was fixed they both stayed away from the window and hung out in the kitchen together on their phones.  

The next school week comes along and the rain had ceased. The sun could be seen through the clouds as Hera left for school. She looks across her yard at the fog weary over that night in the storm. She stepped out onto the path for the fog to move about. This time whenever she heard the sliding noises against the ground she would pick up her pace. Before she knew it, she was jogging to the bus stop. She reached the hedging and felt as if something was keeping up with her just on the opposite side of it. An image of the sun setting from over summer flashed across her mind and she stopped. A tail had sliced through the hedging's leaves in front of Hera. She heard it move and ran forward as it struck right behind where she stood. Like her first day of school, she had bumped into David again! This time falling into his arms wrapping herself around him. He embraced her fast to look seeing the tail go away back on the other side of the hedge.  

Anytime Hera and Eros had gone into town her parents were still filled with joyfully happiness. They would look at one another always wanting to share with them the night they were gone to only save them from the fear, worry, and paranoia they both now have. Throughout the town, everyone from the ball became more and more creepy to Hera. She even began turning down David to hang out at the front door. Bennet would continue to attempt to whoo her at school. The first weekend of the next month struck with another violent storm.  

Hera and Eros were left home alone again to order from Rentaro again. Hera had answered the door this time to be handed another Omamori.  

Rentaro: Take it! Please! This is on the house! Please trust in Master Davy! 

Rentaro had shoved the charm at her and ran off with all their food on the ground. Eros picked up the food as Hera examined the charm closing the door. She spins it around by the thread in front of her face with the Japanese word upon it. They experienced the same loud thuds against the house that night as they did from the night last month when they encountered whatever was in the storms.  

The weekend ended with Monday morning having reports all over for a missing teenage boy. Hera looks at the photo not recognizing him. Mrs. Halley does and speaks with sorrow,  

Mrs. H: Aw man! He had such a great thrive for history! I was hoping for him to get the scholarship for it… 

The news report explains how he was on his bike on the bad weather and neither him or his bike has turned up anywhere. Hera and Eros look at one another across the table.  

Before the next weekend hit, Hera heard the doorbell when home all alone after school. She was nervous to answer it over everything recently, but also excited for it to he David who hadn’t been around. She looks out the eye hole to see nobody standing there. Opening the door, the sound of rain filled the area. On the ground was a metal box having a design of the ocean, sun, and clouds decorating it. She kneels to pick it up hesitant looking around. It was very humid and slightly warm out when a gently cold breeze passed through her through the storm just as it had that one night. Hera hears her named whispered by the same female raspy, low toned voice. As she touched the box it had a layer of frost appear all over it. She hears sliding sounds along the pavement to see a tail sliding by in front of her house. The box is picked up fast with the door shut hard. Hera sets the box down on the table and opens it. Inside was a typed sheet of paper reading, They say the ocean has its own sway and helps others find their way. She looks around at everything to only see and hear water falling from the sky. The lights flicker then go out completely. Along the roof of the house she hears sliding all the way to the edge where she watches a long thick snake like tail with fins and tentacles. It begins to coil on the ground as the upper half of a torso is exposed. Round female hips with an hour glass shape having breasts covered by hair and scales. Arms drops down with the head of the creature. Hera stands in her living room looking out the recently replaced window from that night. She makes eye contact with the creature who gazes at her.  

Hera murmurs 

Hera: Why we move here… I don’t want this.  

She takes a slow step back with fear. The creature notices and examines her as if she could hear Hera speak slightly louder. 

Hera: I get why the people of this town fear the rain. 

She drops the sheet of paper from the box and the creature looks at it fiercely to then gaze back at Hera with a face of fierce admiration. The creature then looks away fast hearing something. She looks back at Hera blankly and then slides off away from the house disappearing in the storm. Hera falls to her butt sitting on the ground relived the creature left.  

The next morning during breakfast the news reported the damage of the storm. Apparently, a flock of sheep had been hit before reaching the town to leave blood all over the place in various areas. They continue to compare it to previous years storms when the town would be covered in blood as it was that morning. The last footage shown over the topic was lots of fish laying all over the town to also add the to the bloody appearance.  

When Hera opened her front door to proceed out for school the day after, it was raining gently and a fish had fell from the sky. It began to flop around on the ground suffocating for air. 

Eros: Hera! 

Eros shouts from the front door. She looks back at him stepping toward him to flinch in place as many more fish began to slam against the ground around her.  

Eros: Schools closed today! 

Hera hurries back into the house to watch the news. The entire town is under indoor isolation due to the storm picking up schools of fish. In the evening the storm had turned very violent and tossed around much of the fish. Loud thuds would hit the windows with blood and fish guts all about the place. Hera and Eros play video games while flinching anytime one hit the window. They look at one another after one seeing it dark outside now.  

Eros: Geese! Good thing dad splurged for the expensive window. 

They both stare blankly when they hear sliding against the roof. Eros takes off running fast and Hera listens as it moves to the window just as before. The tail begins to coil on the ground. In dark and only the lighting illuminates the creature this time. Eros returns with all of the charms David has insisted they utilize. He shoves the special one into her chest.  

Eros: Here! Davy said these will help us. 

He hangs them on his writs and ears. The creature looks in at Hera as she holds out the one charm and it slowly rotates. The creature hisses loudly with its jaw opened wide and all the fins with tentacles quiver. The creature slithers off fast into the dark of night within the storm. 

The next day mostly everything was still closed. The storm had let up some, but the town was covered in fish, fish guts, blood, debris, and water. Lots of puddles covered the roads. 

Mr. H: Come on kids! Let’s go explore the damage!” Mr. Halley opened the front door trying to get the family outside. Hera and Eros look at one another. 

The mom puts on her coat and steps outside getting a whiff of the air. 

Mrs. H: Ew. Fishy. 

Hera: You know, we already saw this when you guys have been out of town. 

Hera slowly starts to tell her dad. 

Eros: Yeah! Fish guts here in the yard, are exactly the same as the rest of the town. 

Mr. H: Okay! Stay here then. Bye! 

The dad closes the door and hurries to the car.  

Scene 3 

Two of a kind  

• Hera and Eros follow David and Bennet’s phone location when they left school suspiciously. They find themselves sneaking into Lord Bathyal’s mansion watching him enter a secret passage. They eves drop on a secret meeting within a sea cave below the home. The Brindelzens want to sacrifice Hera and Eros for some rituals!  

When the next weekend came around, Hera had expected Bennet to push himself on her or involve himself in her plans. Instead, she found herself walking out of school alone. Not only did she spit Bennet leaving, but David too. This was curious to her watching both of them have serious faces. She decided to text each of them to see what they were doing for neither to reply. She spots her mom leaving and quickly catches up to get in the passenger seat. 

Mrs. H: Not so embarrassed to be seen by me? 

Mrs. Halley asks as Hera buckles up. They pick up Eros and Hera sends him a screenshot of David's location being with Bennet. The siblings text back and forth and decide to go find out what’s up. They have their mom take them up near the mansion.  

Mrs. H: Hey look! Asian fusion sounds good for dinner! 

The mom points out the delivery car behind them. It follows them all the way up to the mansion and then passes as Hera and Eros get out of their mom’s car. Rentaro glares at Hera with a look of worry and drives passed. Hera and Eros watch their mother drive off and then proceed toward the mansion. They stand outside of the gate looking in at all of the cars parked outside. Bennet and David’s vehicles were there. Eros grabs the bars of the gates within his hands beside his face squished in-between 

Eros: Think this place has cameras? 

Hera had just began to glare at a camera she looked up at on the fencing. 

Hera: yep. 

She taps Eros and walks off.  

Hera: Let’s go this way. 

Hera leads them to the pedestrian path leading to the statue. Both are very cautious and jittery. It isn’t raining, but many clouds fill the sky hiding the sun. Waves crash upon the rocky cliffside with the winds. Hera and Eros both have their charms tied to their belt loops. They arrive at the statue and Eros climbs up on the shoulders of Phoebe.  

Hera: Eros… 

Hera whispers nervous looking around. 

Eros: Look! 

Eros points inside the mansion. Hera climbs up some of the statue to look over the shrubbery. They can see Lord Bathyal. He is looking around cautiously. 

Hera: He looks like… he doesn’t want to be fallowed. 

Eros: Yeah! Exactly why we should! 

Eros jumps off the statue and runs to the double doors leading inside. Hera is nervous following. Eros gently turns the handle and is able to open the door. The two close it quietly behind them and tip toe through the ball room to the fireplace. Hera pulls on the same lamp to twist it open exposing stairs. It shuts behind them as they proceed down a spiraling cement stairwell a few floors down. Eros leads the way and halts Hera and the two begin to creep down as they hear the Lord speaking. His voice echoes and the waves crash loudly. They look around the wall of the landing of the stairs to see him speaking to a group of people sitting before him. Bennet and David sit side by side. David looks unhappy and Bennet displays seriousness.  

Bathyal: As Brindelzens it is our duty to make sure the sanctity of the town is preserved as is. Another year has passed and another year more hungry do our ladies crave a new addition! 

The waves crash very heavily at that moment splashing water.  

Bathyal: You all know. You've all felt it! 

He leans on a podium looking down at the people 

Bathyal: the call this year… 

Mrs. Bay: I don’t approve! The entire family doesn’t fit. Them boys… 

Bennet: I say Eros is more Brindlezen than us all! 

Bennet interrupts his mom, but doesn’t look in her direction as he stands. 

Bennet: I need to know… 

he passes looking around gaining their attention. Hera and Eros both flinch away not looking in fear as if he knew they were there 

Bennet: why must we always take women! I want to be offered. The way little Eros had no fear against me… 

he looks down at David who sits with his arms crossed and legs out 

Bennet: I don’t think either Davy or I had that courage at such a young girl age against anyone. 

He looks back around at everyone 

Bennet: I! Will admit I still fear all of my elders here and know away from here! I fear nothing! 

Bennet looks forward at the Lord 

Bennet: I've spent time with Hera. I know she fits what the ladies want, but what about the first ladies… why not give them what they want over the wicked who came after them! 

Mrs. Bay: Bennet shush! 

Mrs. Bay screams at the top of her lungs with much anger. The waves crash hard splashing about loudly in the silence.  

David: I agree with Bennet. 

Other: Davy don’t go trying at this again… 

 another gentleman begins to speak 

Other: If your father was here, he'd tell you… 

David: He'd tell you to let my boy be! 

David stands up shouting very aggressively knocking over chairs.  

David: Year after year! 

He paces about displaying his bottled up anger 

David: Years after years! We let those… 

Bathyal: Ladies… 

David: Things! 

David shouts in a disgusted tone 

David: run amuck our town! Killing families! Sacrificing women to make them happy! 

He relaxes Turing around to look at the lord,  

David: to protect ourselves… 

he looks at Bennet 

David: I for one give all of my father’s votes into letting Bennet be this years choice of offer. 

Bennet nods. 

Bennet: I agree! But, I know my vote is only of my own. 

Mrs. Bay: Your vote means nothing! Sit down Bennet! No way will we ever sacrifice one of our own! If you boys want a change, then I place my vote for that Eros boy! He's just like that snot nosed boyfriend that girl had. If he wasn’t around we may of not had to try and take the other two girls! 

Other: The mother was enough! 

A woman shouted from the crowd. 

Other: If we never took any of the daughters! 

Another shouts with her. 

Bathyal: Let’s not speak of the past! 

Lord Bathyal takes charge of the situation.  

Bathyal: Everyone sit! 

He relaxes 

Bathyal: No matter what, we know some one has to be offered. If you all want my choice in votes, I say we take them both. 

The waves crash and Hera squeezes Eros who grabs her back. Lord Bathyal opens a book on the podium and reads strongly a particular entry hand written not in English 

Bathyal: when what has worked failed call upon the ruler of the seas himself, gods or goddesses other by name, give themselves to the king of seas veins to the king of seas over rules thee queens who seize! 

Lord Bathyal uses his normal voice 

Bathyal: I say we utilize everyone’s choices. I will not let two children given names of gods let this pass us by. 

He looks at the one side of the group,  

Bathyal: Mistakes were made in the past. We got greedy. This time, we are just making sure 

He looks at the boys 

Bathyal: I won't let us loose our own, but I won’t overlook the future’s sights. 

Hera tugs on Eros and the two make their exit.  

Scene 4 

Heroes of the town 

• Hera and Eros are attacked by a group of sprites. They are saved by Rentaro and his grandmother.  

Hera and Eros begin to walk back home down the hill freaked out. Their mom isn’t answering her phone to pick them up.  

Eros: Are we guna die? 

Hera: I don’t know… 

Eros: I feel sick to my stomach. 

Hera: Me too… 

A shrub rustles with hissing. Eros backs up into Hera who squeezes his shoulder. The two find themselves frozen in fear as one of the creatures rises up. They both notice its bleeding and missing a fin. The one from the puddle that night. The two start to step backwards and dive away from one another when the creatures dives at them. With only the body portion of the creature hitting the ground it quickly wraps its lower body around Eros. Eros and Hera both hear a woman’s voice faintly in their minds chanting in another language.  

Hera: Eros! 

Hera shouts and grabs the creature around her body from behind trying to stop her from constricting her brother. She twists her upper fish like body around enough to toss Hera. Her side is slashed by the sharp nails of the creature and the creature turns fully to face Hera holding Eros up behind her. The creature begins to hiss with all its fins and tentacles quivering. Both antenna light up at the tips like an angler fish as lighting starts to build up in the sky directly above and Eros shouts in agony as the creature produced electricity through her body into Eros. Hera attempts to stand to be pushed down multiple times by any of the four arms of the creature. Hera refuses to stop her attempt to save her brother. She chanting seems to be louder, but Eros wails in pain from the electricity. Hera manages to grab the arm of the creature for it to then dig two sets of her nails into Hera. Hera refuses to give up looks up into the eyes of the creature as blood starts to gather in her mouth while other blood drips from the wounds. The creature leans in close to her, face to face, and then nose to nose squinting her eyes back at Hera. Hera looks deeply into the pure black eyes of the creature.  

Hera: You’re just a fish. 

Hera manages to speak with blood dripping 

Eros: Fish! 

Eros attempts to stop his struggle and speak encouraging his sister. The creature notices Eros resisting the pain and holds him higher into the air unraveling him some. The lighting gathers more greatly above them in the sky. 

Hera: Let us go. 

Hera speaks again regretting breathing as the pain began to become to unbearable for her. She starts to cry many tears concentrating on the woman’s voice chanting. 

Grandma: Charm… use da charms! 

The woman’s voice speaks to Hera as if she was nearby. Both Hera and Eros unhook their charms and hold them out. The chanting can be heard aloud nearby. The creature tosses Hera hard against a cluster of trash cans and turns her body to face Eros. She sees the other charm and starts to ravel her tail around him hearing a horn honk loudly lights approach and a car slams into the creature hard. It is knocked far and drops Eros who manages to land rolling onto the ground. The creature attempts to get back up with many parts of it mangled on the road. The car backs up and they notice it is Rentaro. He stops next to an old Asian lady standing on the sidewalk who he helps get inside the  backseat of the vehicle. He then gets back in the car. 

Grandma: Hit it again. It is not one of them.  

Rentaro floors the gas pedal and hits the creature hard again driving over parts of it to back up stop by Hera and Eros. 

Rentaro: Get in! 

They listen hearing more sprites approach. They drive off just as a large lighting bolt struck down on the creature ending its life completely and vaporizing its body to dark fluid all about the place. It began to rain washing it away.  

Rentaro: Your family needs to move. 

Hera: Move? I would love to! But, what high schooler’s parents would move on their demand? If I tell them what I just saw, they’d say I was on drugs! 

Eros: Maybe we could just go rob a place and make them embarrassed they would make us move! 

Hera: Yeah right! This whole town's against us! They'd just use it as a reason to lock us up and say we hung ourselves. 

Hera panics. Eros punches her 

Hera: I tried! We need to at least try! 

Hera is irritated and turns around punching her brother 

Eros: Hey! I don’t want to give up like this! You’re not one to just let people boss you around either! 

He punches her back. They fights from the front seat to the back and Eros accidentally elbows the old woman. Right away he sits right up and apologizes. 

Eros: Sorry! So sorry! My sister may be in shock to not have manners, mam. Miss… I mean… 

He does his best to bow in the car buckled up,  

Eros: Lady and gentleman of this vehicle, I apologize for my sister and I’s quarrel. We are humbly grateful for your rescue. The stories of your heroness has not been exaggerated.  

Eros looks at the woman who looks at him.  

Eros: I know your culture is different and I am in no way an expert, but I in now way would ever wish to be on your bad side. We can all be friends. Right? 

He looks forward at Rentaro driving. 

Hera: Yeah, thanks for saving us. I don’t think we'll be going back there again. 

Hera looks back at the old woman 

Hera: My name's Hera and my brothers Eros. Our mom loves European history most. 

Rentaro: So you know about water sprites.  

Hera: Eh… a little. More of the cheerful mom versions. But, Eros and I would always read into the vulgar scary versions. Is… is that what those things are? 

Grandma: A water sprite is very beautiful, very magical, and very rare. 

She looks at a photo of her family long ago. Eros notices the daughter and three granddaughters.  

Grandma: I tried to raise them all to be the best of the best. 

She looks out the window 

Grandma: The creatures you have seen are the result of disrupting the way of life. When people see power, they seek it themselves. No matter the cost of others! Evil magic only spreads more evil. To use good for evil…  

Rentaro slams on the breaks of his car a tree feel onto the road in front. Everyone looks around the car and then shouts as the hood is slammed. One of the creatures sat coiled up leaning down looking through the front window. It looks at Rentaro and then strikes at Hera. The glass cracks and Rentaro backs the car up doing donuts till the creature fell off. He drives off fast, but cautiously. He keeps turning around when reaching intersections covered in water. Eventually, he looks in his rear view mirror to make a grim face. Hera and Eros look back to see the entire road was covered in water. He floors the pedal right through the intersection. So much water splashes all around making it impossible to see anything but running water. Hera's door is hit and the car tilts some. Rentaro does his best to control the car and they are hit from the other side. Eros window cracks enough for the water to seep in and shatter it. Rentaro predicts the next strike to swerve hard in the water hydroplaning. The car comes to a complete stop. Three of the creatures surround them. The old lady begins to chant and lights an incense. Hera and Eros notice the writing on their charms begin to glow. They each hold them up between their faces and the windows. The creature flinch and fallow the charms as if hypnotized. Rentaro attempts to start the car. The old ladies chant changes and a warm sudden gust of wind is felt going from within the car to outside. Rentaro manages the start the car and drives off slowly. Hera and Eros watch the creatures begun to Bob side to side slowly submerging themselves within the water. Rentaro and his grandmother do not speak the rest of the way. They drop Hera and Eros off at their home. 

Rentaro hands Hera a piece if paper having an address on it. 

Rentaro: Our door will be open all day tomorrow if you choose to visit. 

He rolls up the window and drives off. The grandmother was smiling toward Hera. Hera felt as if she was looking right through her to turn around in a slight panic expecting to see something behind her. She looks around in the gentle rain to see nothing in the dark. Eros tugs on her sleeve worried and the two proceed into their home. 

Scene 5 

The past 

• Hera has a nightmare and watches Sprotes stalk outside in the middle of the night. She and Eros visit Rentaro and his grandma to learn the Brindlezens have been using people of the town in rituals for hundreds of years. No plan to save the brother and sister can be determined. 

In the middle of the night, everyone was sleeping. Hera was having a dream. She had dreamt of being in the 1950s. Everything was in black and white. She is powdering her face sitting at a very large old time vanity. She hears a car horn honk and looks out the window to see David entering the domicile. She proceeds out of the room to run down the curved stairs of the mansion in a long ball gown. A hand rests on the railing dragging behind her body for balance as she uses the other hand to hold up a portion of her dress above the steps below her feet. She stops when seeing Bennet walks out and confronts him. The two both look when Lord Bathyal slams his cane on the ground. Hera picks up both sides if her dress to follow all three of them fast as they processed through the hidden passage. She followed them to find herself unable to catch up with the concrete steps spiraling endlessly. Hera stopped suddenly pressing her back against the wall frightened hearing the Asian grandmother’s voice call out her name. She relaxed and stood normal to hear her named called out once again. Hera sits up fast breathing heavily waking up from the dream within her own bed in real life.  

Her room lights up by lighting from the storm. Looking out the window she sees the rain dripping down against the window shift directions to fall away from the glass. Clearly she could see out the window into the neighborhood. Removing covers she steps out of bed to approach the window seeing the street lights begin to flicker. A loud thud was heard upon the roof. Hera hears one of the creatures sliding around briefly. She exits her bedroom to be in the hall. A skylight illuminates the hall along with all the bedroom doors by a flash of lighting. Hera looks into the bedrooms to see her parents and brother sleeping. More lightning fills the area as she proceeded into the living room looking out the window. Another few loud thuds hits the roof and Hera awaits looking out the living room window. Many of the creatures had passed from the roof to the ground looking inside at Hera. The final one had a small waterfall of blood drip before she coiled onto the ground. Eros had woken up to enter the room seeing it was the same one that was in the puddle previously. He holds out one of the charms in front of he and Hera. The creature quivers and snarls to slither off. The storm continued throughout the rest of the night. In the morning a lot of fish were all about the town again.  

Hera and Eros are dropped off at the address written on the piece of paper handed to them from Rentaro. He opens the front door as they approached and greets them. The grandmother is in the living room sitting in a chair. She gestures her arm for them to sit on a couch across from her chair.  

Hera: Um… thanks for inviting us. I'm sure you already know what… what we're guna ask about. 

The grandmother nods and looks out the window just as it beings to rain against the glass 

Grandma: We moved to this town when I was young. My mother got sick and eventually passed from it. Many people of the town couldn’t understand our ways and customs for that type of life situation. When her funeral came round the funeral home was very pushy and my father had to make sure my mothers families wishes to be traditional passed on the home insisted that everyone be buried or cremated within their home. It was raining… we were driving home when I saw something in the puddle in the main intersection in the Town Square. I was still a little girl and asked my papa what that fish was in the puddle. He had replied saying there were no fish in the puddles on the road as he looked back at me. Before he could say anything else, the glass was broken from all of the windows. The creatures took him away. I was told he crashed the car. I went to live with my aunt, uncle, and cousins. The town used to be more scary at nights when people weren’t out much. 

She begins to file with a ring on her finger. When I got older… I did leave the town and I got married. The night of my wedding night I had a horrible dream about my… father… He was drowning in the Town Square pond and I saw my mothers with him smiling. I did my best to ignore it. The dreams became worse and worse. Always of my father in different water sources drowning with my mother just watching. My husband insisted we move here with our son. The nightmares had stopped and I would just see my parents in my dreams. I always avoided the town square. My son never knew about any of that. He went out into the world and got married. Then one day… my husband got sick. Our son hurried him to the hospital when he fainted on the floor. I couldn’t go… 

The grandmother's arm shakes some on the chair and Rentaro holds her hand 

Grandma: I refused to go and I began to panic thinking back to my mother fainting the same way. He was diagnosed with the same illness. I made us leave town and started having the nightmares against much worse. My husband wanted to pass with me more stable and we came back. In the middle of the night we started having the doorbell ring. Our son would get out of bed before me and look at the door saying he saw a woman each time and I would never see or find nobody. The night my husband passed… I couldn’t sleep. My grandson Ichiro, Rentaro’s oldest brother got out of bed and I heard him walking to the front door. He opened it and walked out into the night. I went and grabbed him fast and he passed out asleep in my arms. I could hear a hum of some sort. It was familiar and scary at the same time. I always made sure to watch over everyone each night. I did my best to keep my son's kids more American to not draw attention to us as when I was young. But, then they found those other documents of the towns legend and re did the exhibits at the museums… I couldn’t help but allow my family to know all of our old ways. Ayaka was the next oldest, Akemi, Aiko, and Rentaro. Ayaka was not into the high school fabs and was always with the goth kids. Ichiro was always upset saying she was embarrassing. I just let them be teens and go on about it. I should of… I could of… Ayaka had borrowed one of my Japanese tarot card decks one weekend. She never came back home. I began having the nightmares again of my papa drowning. Now my mama and granddaughter was with. I began using all sorts of methods and rituals once again to dig deeper into my dreams. The storms had stopped for almost a month. I had the worst nightmare of all where my mother's face aged really old and she had fins with gills all over her face. The eyes went completely black a bugged out. My son woke to a bad nightmare and we both went to the door when it rang. I pushed him away from opening it and had dropped a photo of me as a kid with my parents. My son had froze up looking at the photo and then looking out the window of the door. He opened it fast looking around holding the photo. When I asked him to come inside, he begged me to tell him who the woman was in the photo was and screamed calling out saying it was okay! I asked what was okay very sternly as a mother. I held my hand out for the photo and he told me, the woman looks just like the woman at the door. We sat down inside for him tell me about how he has always spent time with the sprite of the town. The one who would ring the doorbell. He began to tell me about the Brindlezens and I interrupted telling him it was my mama. The storm outside became very violent. After the next month, my son came home one night drenched in water. He just cried to me and told me how the water sprite creatures took his wife and how the Brindlezens tried to initiate him into some ritual tied with the legend. I followed him a few nights later to watch him die before my eyes in an attempt to rescue Ayaka. She was now one of the water sprites young and beautiful as I would see my mama in my dreams. I know she saw me and helped me by attacking my son. I heard Lord Bathyal congratulating the water sprite Ayaka and welcomed to the family. My son was attacked by a couple dozen of the creatures. A night came when they tried to come for me. They almost had me when tiny Rentaro grabbed the knifes from the kitchen a few of the creatures attacked. I haven’t been able to leave this town without havung dreams of many of the missing women over the lifetime. Ayaka used to be too. 

Rentaro: Till this storm hit one time. I had just began working at the restaurant and was making a delivery when it was raining. A jelly like sac had hit my car. I stopped and got out to see it moving on the roof. I ran seeing a sharp talon like hand break through the sack. The creatures had surrounded me and took me out by the mansion into a cave. I was being offered to the water sprites. Ayaka was one of the last to exit the water from the ocean and she began to attack all the other sprites as soon as she saw me. I noticed she used some of our ritual hand techniques to use water power against the other creatures. She freed me and as I was exiting she was stabbed by a Trident in the back by a male sprite being 3 times her size and drug back. I just ran. My grandma hasn’t had a dream about her since then and we used to see sprites with our families faces. It’s been years since we see one of Ayaka’s offspring. It’s also been years since any of the sprites have procreated. There numbers have been lower than any other time. 

Eros: Are you saying if they get us… 

Grandma: It would only work for Hera. Eros is too young to breed. But, if she is taken and they succeed in their ritual you will be one of the sprites. In the springtime their male will mate with you making a new generation. 

Rentaro licks his lips and seriously speaks using hand gestures to amplify his words 

Rentaro: They are interested in Eros based on his bond toward you. Ichiro and Ayaka may of fought often, but they had a strong bond. A male has always had a strong attachment to all of the woman successfully made into sprites. I snooped around the mansion a few times and I did find an old document about the male sprite. It says he controls all of the females and if he dies, they die. I think I'm the only one who’s ever seen him. I think he has to make an appearance for the ritual. 

Hera: Are you saying you want to bait and hook me? 

Hera asks realizing what was being insinuated.  

Rentaro and the grandmother refused to make eye contact with her. Eros looks down and sees the charm having from his pants.  

Eros: We'll be protected by the charms… right? And then you strike or something? 

Hera: Eros! 

Hera punches her brother in the shoulder. 

Eros: What! We should save the town! We're not Brindlezens. Unless you have some plan to get mom and dad to move.  

Act 3 

Hera and Eros are nervous about the Brindlezens wanting them in rituals. They are kidnapped by sprites. Lord Bathyal siphons the essence of the daughters of Mr. Brindleton. They are real living breathing, ancient, powerful, beautiful sprites. Hera is locked up and due to be wed to Lord Bathyal. Eros is in the mansion alone when Mrs. Bay attacks. Rentaro saves him. Eros and Hera watch Lord Bathyal in combat with Iris who attempts to siphon Lord Bathyal’s power. They grab his Trident and stab him! Iris attacks for Rentaro to show up and save them! Rentaro’s sister takes the Trident and leads all the sprites to the ocean freeing the town!  

Scene 1 

• Hera has been avoiding David and Bennet after seeing them in the secret meeting. Deep inside, she doesn’t feel they are bad. David finally asks her on a date at school. Bennet warns her to be careful.  

Hera was very distracted by her thoughts over everything. Walking into class David was weary. 

David: How's Eros doing in his game? You and him have been distant. Hibernating? 

Hera cracks a small smile as Bennet kicks him from his chair behind her. 

Bennet: Humans don’t hibernate. She just doesn’t like you. 

David: I haven’t seen you boasting her around town. 

David turns around to face Bennet 

David: Why is it you took her to your restaurant, but you’re mother didn’t hang her photo up with the rest? 

David notices Hera looking at him. She's thinking about seeing them inside the sea cave at that meeting, while also thinking back to how she always felt before that day and still feeling it now.  

Bennet: Hera's not into that sort of thing. Besides… our date was cut short due to rain.  

Bennet speaks. Hera thinks about her date with Bennet and how he was when she first moved there. While also thinking about how he and David always seem to be enemies at school, but down in that cave it seemed they were on the same side against some enemy. When school ended Hera had seen David watching her and he passed by. It felt ice cold as he passed behind her. She had been avoiding him and inside couldn’t no more. 

Hera: David! 

Hera shouts stopping him. David turns around smiling relived she is engaging conversation.  

David: Could you tell me how to feel if I said I wanted a photo of us hanging on the wall at the Bay, Bay, Bay restaurant. I used to just to shove it in Bennet's face, but… now… I still want to, but I don’t want to hurt his feelings. And… I'm… I'm scared of his mom. I think she'll eat me or something. 

Hera tries not to blush. David becomes nervous 

David: Well… if you let me, I'll come over tonight. I just have to run elsewhere prior. 

Hera: Okay. 

David: Yes! I'll pick you up later! 

David hurries out. Bennet walked up after watching them 

Bennet: I would say my mom wants to eat you is a close enough exaggeration of her disliking you. 

Hera jumps some startled turning around.  

Hera: Relax. You seem like you've seen a ghost or something. Lately. 

Hera takes a deep breath. She puts on her backpack and starts to walk with Bennet. 

Hera: I'd actually enjoy seeing the sun and the beach of summer again. This school year has definitely been one I will never forget. 

Bennet: I know you like David. I’d like to think I don’t have to tell you to be careful. But… 

Bennet runs off without finishing his sentence.  

Scene 2 

• David takes Hera on a date. A picnic in a sea cave by the ocean at sunset. Bennet arrives to take their photo with his family’s restaurant camera. Hera is attacked and kidnapped by the Spites. Eros was on his way to Hera's location when he sees Bennet distraught in his car to be kidnapped himself. 

A couple hours later David had picked Hera up. They had drove to a far beach from the main boardwalk. It didn’t have any signs of picnic area or recreational activities posted. David had a large picnic basket with him and lead her to a cave. Hera could see the mansion in the distance and was a bit nervous thinking of the last one she seen. David grabs her hand and leads her inside. The sun is setting and Hera watches all the waves. David pulled a blanket off his shoulder and laid it down and unpacked some of the food. When Hera turned around David was taking a giant bite of some mashed potatoes. She giggles looking at all the food. 

Hera: You brought all of this food for a picnic? 

David: I didn’t know what you liked and this way you get to enjoy the Bay's cooking without fear of Mrs. Bay. 

David points next to him and Hera takes a seat. David hands her a plate with a fork and was digging into everything with just his fork and hands.  

David: Oh! 

He wipes his face with a napkin after taking a big bite of some fried chicken. He reaches into the basket and pulls out cup. Two straws are placed into it and he turns around smiling holding it between he and Hera.  

David: It’s pretty much fully melted, but… 

Hera is blushing and looks over hearing footsteps as David anticipated what came next. 

Hera: Bennet? 

David: Yeah! He's going to take our photo. We have to drink from the cup together. 

David starts to drink looking at her. 

Bennet: Make it fast. If someone orders any of the dinner date meals and the camera is gone…  

Hera is somewhat nervous and wants to make Bennet leave as soon as possible. She grabs the start with her hand and begins to drink. David had sucked on the straw hard to pull her lips through the other straw causing her to laugh. 

Hera: David! 

She coughs some with melted milkshake. 

Bennet: That should work. 

Hera: No! No. 

Hera stops coughing.  

Hera: You have to take another one. 

Bennet looks at her very seriously directly I. The eyes near the mouth of the cave with the sunset and waves behind him. Hera looks at him back,  

Bennet: Will you admit I'm a good guy. 

Hera thinks for a moment 

Hera: well… you are. You’re a really good person Bennet. Thank you. 

Hera leans in to the straw and this time they take a normal happy photo sharing the melted milkshake.  

Bennet: When you get bored of David, come find me. C'ya! 

Hera takes a deep sigh 

Hera: Why do I feel like crud inside right now. 

David: It was his idea to get the camera to take a photo with the Bay, Bay, Bay frames. 

David says taking a bite of some corn bread. 

Hera: But why? I don’t like him like that and yet… 

Hera stops when she feels a cold breeze upon her backside. David looks at her noticing her body tense up and feeling the same breeze. He looks around and notices the tide suddenly rise rapidly in seconds. He beings to slowly reach his arm toward Hera when the two both hear a loud thud and crashing of cave walling.  

David: Hera! 

David dived and tackled her to the ground as one of the creatures busted through the cave wall with water spewing in as the tide rose. The two make an attempt to stand and the tide pulls them out to the ocean. 

Hera: Daaavid! 

Hera shouts as she became submerged momentarily looking around for the shore. Bennet heard Hera's voice and turned around to see her out in the ocean. David is crawling on the beach and wrapped around by a tail of one of the creatures. Bennet rushed forward running to be halted  

Bathyal: Don't even think of it Bennet. 

Lord Bathyal walked over and Benet stopped to turn around looking at him. 

Bennet: Yes… as you say Lord Bathyal. 

Bennet looks down with a face of sadness and looking sickly. Lord Bathyal walks slowly passed Bennet. 

Bathyal: Good boy. Go join the others. 

The ocean waves began to crash violently against the shore. Every time Hera began to swim toward the land one of the creatures would pull underwater. They would tackle her and whip with their tails. Each time she gasped for air she was closer and closer to the mansion. David had took off running down the beach toward it. Bennet sat in his car with his head down when a knock was on the window. He looked to see Eros trying to open the door.  

Eros: Let me in! 

Bennet freezes staring. Eros notices and looks behind him slowly. Before he fully turned around one of the creatures had snatched him and slithered off into the ocean.  

Eros: Heeelllp! 

Bennet punches his car's dash in frustration!  

Scene 3 

• Hera and Eros are taken to the sea caves below the mansion. Lord Bathyal siphons the life essence of one of Mr. Brindleton’s daughters. They are real! They are pretty and very ancient and powerful compared to the other sprites. 

Hera is being drug by the tail of one of the creatures and is pulled under the water far. She struggles and worries as they go deep into the dark waters. Her head beings to go lightheaded from holding her breath. She is pulled out of the water as the creature leaped and slammed her hard on a cave floor. Hera gasps for air and looses that breath from the impact hitting the ground. The antenna of sprites illuminate the dark cave. Shortly after she hears another loud splash and Eros' voice. She sits up fast to see him being tossed by a creature onto the ground. Hera is sore and drenched, but manages to throw herself down catching Eros. The two hug each other and Hera begins to squeezes him tightly pulling him close as possible to her. Around them the sprites are gathering. 

Bathyal: Hera! Eros! Welcome! 

Lord Bathyal turns on lights leading down the cave.  

Bathyal: Aw. Don’t be frightened. This is such an honor. You can either cooperate or… well, let’s just say it’s better off that way. 

He turns around and walks off with his cane out beside him 

Bathyal: This way children. 

Eros runs off to Lord Bathyal fast. He looks back seeing Hera and stops. 

Eros: Come on Hera! Please don’t give up. 

Hera looks around at all of the Sprites fidgeting and gawking at her. Lord Bathyal turns around and shouts back. 

Bathyal: They love you Hera! They await you to join them. 

Hera makes eye contact with one of the sprites and thinks she resembles Rentaro. Within the black eyes of the sprite she saw the reflection of her charm on her waist. She looks at it and feels it. It’s completely dry and un-ruined. Looking back into the eyes of the sprite, she sees herself holding the charm. All of the Spites begin to hum and rock side to side. Lord Bathyal slams his cane on the ground and yells very loudly and sternly echoing throughout the caves. 

Bathyal: Stop!  

All of the sprites display fear cowering as many fled into the water.  

Bathyal: Hera. I suggest you join your brother and I this way. Obedience must be implemented. 

Hera takes a last look at the Sprite and catches up. They walk down the cave with echoing footsteps. 

Eros: what are you going to do to us? 

Bathyal: I've found a certain order or routine for going about this. Tell me Eros, how much do you love your sister? 

Eros: She's my sister whatever amount is the sister amount. I have it. You’re not guna make her into one of things right? 

Eros looks grossed out at one of the Sprites as they walk and then places an arm around the waist of Lord Bathyal. 

Eros: I see you more of a man who wants to marry my sister. As her brother, I have to make sure the man she marries can take care of her. How do I know you aren’t nearly bankrupt about to die of some illness leaving a vast debt to her and my family? 

Lord Bathyal begins to laugh as they reach the end of the tunnel in the large cave where all the Brindlezens are gathered awaiting. 

Bathyal: Eros my boy… 

Lord Bathyal let’s Eros take one step more forward than him to stand behind him grabbing his shoulders to lean down and speak into his ear,  

Bathyal: Do you know? What you just said to me… 

He removes the hand below his chin by Eros's ear and points out to everyone and speaks loud enough for them all to hear in the cave 

Bathyal: makes you more of a man over everyone in this cave! 

He stands up tall stepping forward addressing the Brindlezens slamming his cane down 

Bathyal: next to me! 

The waves crash hard and splash all over the area. In the center of the room a ritual of some sort was set up instead of the chairs. Hera looks behind them being un-eased as Sprites begin to lurk behind them. Lord Bathyal places a hand on the backs of Eros and Hera gently pushing them forth and down into the cave.  

Bathyal: Go on. I have a speech to give.  

Hera looks at David who refuses to look at either Hera or Eros. Bennet tries to look and then looks away hurting. The siblings stand beside Lord Bathyal. He gestures Hera to stand on his right and then halts her 

Bathyal: Actually… why not listen to young master Eros. 

He uses his cane to point to his right and then places his hands and cane on Hera's shoulders moving her to his left.  

Bathyal: Hera must always be on my left. 

Lord Bathyal kisses the cheek of Hera and slides both of his hands from her shoulders to her hip pulling himself in close squeezing her to step aside holding her hand in front of the podium.  

Bathyal: As my new fiance we have new arrangements to make. 

Other: What! 

Mrs. Bay: You can’t be serious Lord Bathyal! We don’t have many chances like tonight to do this! 

Bathyal: Oh, the night won't go to waste. 

Lord Bathyal begins to concentrate. Hera and Eros squint their eyes at each other looking at him confused. He rocks his head to the left and releases Hera's hand. To grab the podium as of he was about to fall. He looks down grunting and his eyes turn red with gold specs. He turns around screaming violently pointing his cane that shifts into a Trident 

Bathyal: I am in command Iris! Let her forth! 

Lighting and thunder clash with waves dousing everyone. Some of the sprites are alerted and become scared fleeing the area. The waves stop crashing so much and bubble begin to cover the waters surface making it white and foamy. Other spites start to hum as some begun to wail and screech. A large group of sprites pop out of the bubbles. These ones have shiny scales on certain portions of their bodies and faces with normal human eyes instead of the fish ones. They all dive and swim out like synchronized swimming. In the center after so many a light began to glow approaching in the water. Another sprite pops out glistening with even more shiny scales and some looking like gemstones lodged within the body. She dives right at Lord Bathyal tackling him over the podium with her human like face shifting to aquatic and scary face like the other sprites. She slashes and slashes with her sharp talons and multiple arms. Lord Bathyal pushes her off of him and the Brindlezens all move away from the ritual platform set up. The sprite begins to slash her tail down attacking Lord Bathyal. He carefully is watching and timing her tail when he slams his Trident down onto the tail. The sprite wails as do all of the ones she came with and she looks extremely frightened at Lord Bathyal. The Trident begins to glow and the ritual circle does after. The sprites attempts to crawl away scratching the exposed cave surface floor. Very slowly the body of the sprite begins to fade into the Trident. It didn’t take long for the entire body to disappear. The Trident stopped glowing, but one of the spokes did not and looked to be hot off the forge. 

Bathyal: Brindelzens! Tomorrow we shall summon Daphne together. It’s a shame we couldn’t say farewell to Thalia properly. Go! Ah! Boys… 

David and Bennet both flinch to slowly turn around looking at him.  

Bathyal: Go ahead and give the Halley's the Lord Bathyal of the year package. 

Bennet and David walk off each taking a glance at Hera. They each look off at particular sprites. Hera notices they resemble Rentaro and his grandmother. Lord Bathyal turns around to Eros and Hera.  

Bathyal: I want you to meet someone. 

He walks over to the water. Some of the sprites who had shown up remained and were cowering to him.  

Bathyal: Iris… 

He speaks calmly looking down at the water.  

Bathyal: I know you’re there. 

Some bubbles show and another sprite rises having shiny scales. She has chains around all of her limbs and going through her tail in a few places. She looks up at Lord Bathyal with a face full of defeat. He leaves his cane upright and kneels down beside it he starts to rotate the cane looking up at it. 

Bathyal: you and I both know I only need three…  

the cane shifted into the Trident with one spoke burning brightly. He pulls it down aiming it at Iris' neck as she flinched leaning her head back.  

Bathyal: I haven’t decided if I forgave you yet. 

He stands and looks back at Hera 

Bathyal: Hera! Eros! Meet Iris. Sadly, you won’t be meeting Daphne and Thalia never reasons. 

He looks at Iris 

Bathyal: Iris… meet my fiance, Hera, and her brother young master Eros. 

Iris’ eyes open wide as she looks back and forth between Hera and Lord Bathyal.  

Bathyal: Pheobe doesn’t have my trust either.  

He walks off 

Bathyal: This way. 

He leads Hera and Eros to a man made room within the cave walling and  gestures them inside after unlocking it. Before he left he tried to kiss Hera and she pushed him away.  

Bathyal: Okay… Eros… 

He takes a step back looking down at Hera,  

Bathyal: would you care to join me for dinner? Or stay here and make sure you look good for the wedding by not eating for a couple days? 

He starts to walk out. Eros looks at Hera. She nods her head 

Hera: Go on Eros. Don’t rot down here with me. 

Eros hugs her 

Eros: We'll get out of this… we have that rematch still in the game. 

Hera rubs his hair as she hugs him trying not to cry. 

Bathyal: Come along Master Eros. You need to learn the etiquette of being a Brindelzen. 

Lord Bathyal speaks. Eros exits cell and watches it be locked up. Lord Bathyal sees Eros watching him lock the door multiple times in various ways. A key is placed into his inner jacket pocket. He brushes off his clothes 

Bathyal: Oh dear… the first thing we need to do is tidy up for dinner. 

He looks at a golden pocket watch at the time,  

Bathyal: We still have an hour yet. Perfect! 

Eros tries to look at the photo inside the watch and Lord Bathyal snaps it shut.  

Bathyal: It's not polite to spy over ones shoulder or to look at their personal items without permission. 

He makes a tisk-tisk-tisk sound with his mouth,  

Bathyal: One lesson down. 

He takes off walking,  

Bathyal: Let’s see how many you get through tonight. 

Eros looks at Hera through the door window and she waves to him.  

Bathyal: Do not make me haller at you! 

Eros waved back and caught up with Lord Bathyal. 

Scene 4 

• Eros is put under etiquette training by Lord Bathyal.  

They proceeded into the mansion and Eros was taken to a very large exquisite bedroom. The closet was full a various mixed modern and regal garments. Eros was told to dress like a gentleman and he wondered around looking at various things holding them up in the large mirror. A few times he would open the closet door and look around for Lord Bathyal to tell him he was still there and no escape. Eventually he came out dressed in formal attire. He was sent back in to make all the buttons and tie proper. After, his hair was done for him being brushed, combed, and styled showing him how to be a gentleman. At the dinner table, Eros was presented with a gourmet meal where he was scolded to sit with good posture, use his napkin, and eat dignified without elbows on the table.  

When dinner was over, Lord Bathyal handed Eros a book 

Eros: Time to fix your walk. Go-ahead. 

Eros: I thought books were for reading? 

Bathyal: Yep. Go ahead and read the book aloud from beginning to end as you walk. 

Lord Bathyal answers as he sits in a chair and grabs a cigar. Eros rolls his eyes and opens the book 

Eros: Chapter 1. To be a gentleman you must speak with punctual wording in a delicate and modest way. 

Eros stops reading and looks up annoyed,  

Eros: seriously? My parents taught me this garbage. 

He clears his throat 

Eros: Good Evening Lord Bathyal 

He bows and sets the books down on a nearby end table. Eros stands pretending to twist a mustache by his lips 

Bathyal: This evening has been events not common in my norm, but perhaps it still has time to turn around in my favor? I do not believe it so 

He pretends to polish his finger nails on his jacket and then looks at them 

Bathyal: but, as a young boy I am still full of innocent dreams. 

Lord Bathyal begins laughing with the lit cigar in his mouth and pulls it out to speak 

Bathyal: Very good Master Eros. But… not good enough. Tell me… 

He crosses a leg over his knee 

Bathyal: What is the appropriate title to announce Mrs. Bay.” 

Eros: Announce Mrs. Bay? Why would anyone need to do that? She’s a huge lady! Can’t you hear or see her. 

Lord Bathyal shakes his head 

Bathyal: Young Master Eros… I see you have a funny bone, but I insist you learn the structure. Read! And walk properly. 

Eros: Ugh… 

Eros sighs and begins to read and find the best way to hold the book and walk at the same time. Lighting begins to flash and a storm begins.  

Scene 5 

• Eros is left alone in the mansion. Sprites lurk outside. When trying to think of a plan, Mrs. Bay shows up and attacks Eros. Rentaro saves him. 

When the sun began to rise making the storm no longer dark, Eros was still pacing around reading the book. He stops and drops to his knees on the ground. 

Eros: Can I just be a mute? I don’t wanna read no more… I'm tired. I think it’s breakfast time and I just remembered what happened yesterday. 

Lord Bathyal walks to him and looks down resting both of his hands on top of his cane 

Bathyal: Admitting your defeat is honorable. But! You still have more to give. Unfortunately… 

he looks at his watch 

Bathyal: I have other business to attend to. 

He gently taps the cane on the floor 

Bathyal: What to do with you in the meantime? Hmmm. 

Eros stands up 

Eros: I am very tired. Sleep would be nice. Or pancakes. 

Lord Bathyal lowers his upper body to be eye level with Eros 

Bathyal: Young Master Eros… 

Eros gulps 

Eros: Yes, Lord Bathyal. 

Bathyal: I would like to believe I have your trust in being able to leave you here alone. But! Can I trust you here alone… 

Lord Bathyal tilts his head slightly and his eyes change colour slightly for a moment. 

Eros: Trust as in… don’t throw a party and let all the babes stay the night! 

Eros makes a big smile showing his teeth. The smiles is removed when Lord Bathyal keeps a straight face. He sighs.. 

Eros: Trust as… in… I'm grounded and have to stay in this room… 

He looks around cringing his face shifting his eyes. 

Lord Bathyal stands up and crosses his arms 

Bathyal: I'll give you a chance. Neither Bennet or Davy ever escaped. 

He begins to walks away.  

Bathyal: I know their parents. I won't be mad if they eat you cause I'm guna eat your parents. 

He opens the door and before leaving tells Eros,  

Bathyal: Do not leave the mansion. Sleep if you like. Eat if you must. Do not go into the caves or outside. Bye! 

As soon as the door shut, Eros ran to the window. He could see some of the Sprites wondering around outside in the storm. It was the most violent he's ever seen. A person was flying through the air and one if the Sprites leapt up, coiled him till his limb popped letting the body fall to the ground and the Sprites all began to eat him. Eros closes the curtains. The room is dark with the fireplace still lit; barely. Eros decides to snoop around the desk. He finds nothing interesting. When he exits the room he carefully looks down the hall in both directions. Lighting flashes in one direction where the hall ended having a window. In the other direction was shut double doors. He steps out trying to decide what to do and where to go. He can see over the railing down into the ballroom. Right away his eyes attached to the fireplace. He thinks of Hera and runs to it. He just stops and looks at it. Cringing his face he paces back and forth in front of the large fireplace.  

Eros: Okay… I can’t save Hera. Even if I tried, I don’t have a key. Even if I did, those things are guna eat us! The only person I know is mom and dad and everyone else is probably afraid of being eaten too and that is why this town is all weird and strange with monsters! 

He stops looking out the window seeing one slither by. He gets scared and hurries into the kitchen. He pulls out snacks and goodies when he opened the cabinet with them. He opened every cabinet looking for anything. He coughs some when inhaling a crumb and opens the fridge. He grabbed the milk and smiled. Looking around he opened it and drank directly from the jug. He wipes the mustache on his sleeve and smiles. He puts back in the fridge and tosses the cap over his shoulder.  

Eros: If I was some powerful dude I wouldn’t waste time with mannerisms in his state. Sure, wipe your feet, but I pay somebody to clean and they like having stuff to do so don’t worry about it.  

He shuts the door and papers flap around magnetized to it. He sees the menu for the Bay, Bay, Bay restaurant and for the Asian Fusion. He grabs them both and looks at each of them,  

Eros: Uh… 

He sets them down on the counter and pulls out his phone. It’s completely soaked and crushed from being pulled through the ocean. He sees a phone on the wall and is hesitant.  

Eros: I can hope for this guy to be old still wear this works. 

He picks it up and has a dial tone.  

Eros: Sweet! 

He looks around and hangs up the phone.  

Eros: Uh… I need a plan. 

He looks over the menus.  

Eros: What if I order food from both places and…  

He thinks aloud 

Eros: I don’t think Bennet will be there, but I don’t want Rentaro to be suspicious. 

He looks at the fridge to see other menus.  

Eros: Wait! I have an idea. 

He smirks. In a little while the doorbell began to ring. First a dozen pizza’s were delivered and he set them on the ground opening the top box taking a huge bite. The door rings again for him to be handed bags of groceries. More and more food of various types were delivered. He was nervous to answer the door when Mrs. Bay stood at it when looking through the peep hole. He opens the door full of confidence complaining 

Eros: about time. That place next door to you was here 5 minutes ago. 

Eros quickly stops talking and falls to the floor as he is kicked hard in the chest. As he sat up some of the creatures slithered in with. Mrs. Bay tossed all the food on him and slammed the door 

Mrs. Bay: Hello, Young Master Eros. 

He starts to crawl backwards until he manages to stand.  

Mrs. Bay: I decided, that you and I are going to take a little walk down into the sea caves. 

Eros: Ummm… you walk? 

Mrs. Bay back hands him across the face and he rubs his face 

Eros: I guess if we walk down there it’s true that fat people do get exercise. 

Mrs. Bay swung at him again and Eros dodged to run off.  

Mrs. Bay: Get em to the ritual chamber! 

Mrs. Bennet demands the sprites who followed her in to chase down Eros. He finds himself not running as fast from fear and not knowing where to go. He finds himself in the ballroom with a Sprite at the tops of the stairs blocking his path and another behind him with Mrs. Bay. The lighting flashes and he looks outside and decides to run. The sprites were right on him as he jumped onto nearby furniture and jumped again toward the back doors. He expected the glass to break and instead hit it. He sits up and leans against the large windows of the ballroom leading to the garden outside. The two Spites begin to fight with one another.  

Mrs. Bay: Girls! Share. There’s enough of the little brat. 

The two spites start to quiver their fins and tentacles and their antenna begin to glow. As they each dashed for Eros, the glass shattered everywhere along the ballroom exterior wall. Eros covered his head and looks up to see Mrs. Bay wrapped up by her two sprites and another standing between them and Eros having a charm around one of her four wrists. Mrs. Bay confronts the sprite with hers at her side.  

Mrs. Bay: What? You think one of the Asian ones born from that family using its charms will help? I know your whole bloodline has whatever Japanese voodoo aiding you’ll. But… my grand babies and my fore mothers were born under Pheobe herself. And when it comes to numbers… 

A few more spites entered circling around Eros and the one Sprite. Mrs. Bay laughs deeply 

Mrs. Bay: Eros why don’t you be a good boy and come with me downstairs. 

He nervously stands and can feel a gentle cold breeze.  

Eros: Ummm… Mr. Lord Bathyal said I'm not allowed down there. 

He speaks loud and raises his voice even louder 

Eros: I don’t really want to go against Lord Bathyal’s demands! 

Mrs. Bay: Shut up! Get over here right now! 

Mrs. Bay Demanded standing by the fireplace as it opened. Another flash of lighting lit up the room and more sprites began to gather around the outside of the house. Eros notices. 

Eros: Hey sprites! This lady wants to take me downstairs right now for some sort of ritual. If you say Lord Bathyal says it’s okay I'll go. 

Mrs. Bay: Oh you little twerp! 

Mrs. Bay gets angry and runs at Eros. The sprites all take to battering one another. Eros gets caught in a corner with Mrs. Bay holding a gun at Eros,  

Mrs. Bay: I'm not going to say this again… 

Eros holds his hands up seeing Mrs. Bays's Sprites take down the group of others. They all showed no mercy in ripping out their hearts to consume. The one that broke the window is gently rocking side to side where it first entered.  

Mrs. Bay: She ain’t guna save you. Go ahead and take her out girls. 

The two sprites leave no moment to dive at the other sprite. As soon as they did, the charm around the bracelet began to glow and paralyzed them. Eros stands still with his hands up looking at Mrs. Bay.  

Mrs. Bay: Downstairs… now! 

Eros: Uh… can I tie my shoe? 

Eros drops down fast covering his head on the ground. Before Mrs. Bay could respond her head was blown up by the blast of a shot gun held by Rentaro aiming it upwards through the back of the neck into the head. Eros moves out of the way before the body hit the ground. He puts his hands on his hips standing next to Rentaro 

Eros: Wow! Just… wow! Thank you so much! Won't you go to jail or something? 

Rentaro: No. The Sprites will take care of her. I only came to give you these charms. 

Rentaro begins to hand them to Eros 

Rentaro: It's too late for your sister. By now… 

He looks away 

Rentaro: She’s probably one of them. 

Eros: No! She’s not! She’s downstairs in a cell. 

Rentaro: What do you mean? That’s not normal. 

Eros: He wants to Marry her. He took the life of Thalia. The real Thalia! All the sisters he wants! One is chained up down there. But the sisters are different. They’re not so scaley and they sparkle! 

Rentaro: Marriage… 

Rentaro begins to think.  

Rentaro: If the sisters are still alive and really do exist. That means all of their sacrifices from before were only to give him more to breed with. But if chooses to marry you and takes away their powers he could not only turn Hera into a Sprite, but give her the full powers of a non hybrid sprite like these. 

Eros: So you’re saying my sister won’t be so hideous like these ones? 

Eros kicks over one of the creatures paralyzed on the ground. 

Rentaro: No. But… was he using some sort of object to devour the sisters or taking it into his own being? 

Eros: His cane. It turns into a Trident. 

Rentaro flinches and looks into an unusual orb on his bracelet.  

Rentaro: I can’t stay. I need to go. But… if he's putting power into the Trident, it may be able to be used against him. I need to talk to my grandma. Take my phone. Keep it off at all times, unless you know for certain you are alone.  

He takes off running. Eros puts the phone inside his jacket pocket by his heart. Eros looks around at all the glass. 

Eros: Man! I hope he believes me when I tell him the sprites did this? 

He runs away back to the study and waits for Lord Bathyal to return.  

Scene 6 

• David visits Hera in the cell. Leaving he chats with Lord Bathyal. Bennet visits Eros. 

Hera sits in the cell with only a hanging light bulb above her. She hears a gentle tap on the door. With her head fug between her knees she looks up moving hair out of her face. She sees David and looks away. He opens a small opening in the door to be heard. 

David: Hi Hera. I'm sure you don’t want to see me. But, I am sorry. I promise you I wanted to take you home after our date. 

Hera: Are you hear to get me out? 

Hera asks looking at him. 

David: I… I can’t. 

David looks down at the ground ashamed.  

Hera: Then… go away! 

Hera returns to sulking. 

David: I don’t want to. You've been in there for almost 3 days. Can I… can I at least get you something? This may be our last time as we are. 

Hera: I'd rather die in here than become a monster. 

Hera mumbles. David sighs 

David: Just know… 

David struggles to speak holding back the urge to cry,  

David: I'm guna be there for you by your side no matter what. I've always tried to stay out of all this stuff. When I met you… I couldn’t help myself and know being with you drew the Brindelzens in. 

Hera stands up frustrated yelling.  

Hera: This town is all weird and strange with monsters! Why not call the damn army to just wipe out that Lord Bathyal. 

David shakes his head 

David: He's a lot more powerful than you think. He would just get them all under his control or make it all in his favour as the richest guy in town. 

Hera: Look David 

Hera is very serious 

Hera: If you can’t get me out if here, I'd rather be alone. I've already accepted my life as it was, is over. 

She turns around for dramatic effect and crosses her arms. David leaves the small opening open. He walks away with sadness and putting his hands in his pockets. Hera turns around seeing ge is gone and returns to sitting on the ground. She beings to cry. Unknowingly, her cries are not only heard, but also sensed and smelled by all of the Sprites.  

Below the mansion of the town are various caves. They lead all over beneath the town. With the storm at the moment being the most violent than its ever been recorded the people have all quarantined in their homes. Many of the sprites have gone about causing destruction. From eating and hurting people to destroying the town they run amuck within the storm. Lord Bathyal sits on his feet within the center of the ritual chamber with the markings set up all around him. David entered to evade him and reach the stairs. Just as he turned his head slightly to notice David reaching us hand for the railing of the spiraling steps.  

Bathyal: Master Davy! 

David had ascended a few steps to stop and walk back down them with his head down into the cave as Lord Bathyal stands. 

David: Lord Bathyal, sir. I congratulate you on your up coming marriage. I shall be there tomorrow to join in all the events and festivities. 

Bathyal: Good. 

Lord Bathyal bowed to David and he did slightly back. He faces David completely from across the room 

Bathyal: When the sun sets tomorrow… I am counting on all of the Brindlezens to accept the new change. 

David: What sort of change? If I may ask. 

Lord Bathyal taps the end of his cane on the ground beneath of his feet. It shifts into the Trident having 2 of the three spokes glowing hot off the forge and his body shifts into a larger form of the sprites having the same glowing gemstones with shiny sparkly skin and the tail. He slithers backwards into the water submerging himself.  

David: You know… I had almost gave you what I am thinking of giving Eros. 

David stares at the water after Lord Bathyal submerged completely. Bubbles were left and he looks back the way he came toward Hera thinking.  

Inside the mansion Eros is playing a violin. He keeps messing up on the same note and starting over within the ballroom of the mansion. He gets frustrated and drops the violin knocking the stand over. Bennet had entered the room and walks over to pick it up 

Bennet: I hated having to learn this too. I always wanted the trumpet, like Davy. 

Bennet picks up the violin and begins to play the song without any mistakes past where Eros kept messing up. He smiles and stops. Pulling the instrument and bow away from him and placing it in the stand beside Eros.  

Eros: What do you want?  

Eros glares at him with heavy dark bag under his eyes from lack of sleep.  

Bennet: What? Can’t one Brindelzen help initiate another? 

Bennet confidently speaks rustling Eros' hair who backs up and shoves Bennet’s arm off of him.  

Eros: Unless you’re going to get my sister and I out of here, just leave. 

He walks off and looks out the new window where he was a couple nights ago.  

Bennet: Fair enough. I'd rather be the one marrying your sister. And… actually… I always saw her with David. 

Bennet waits and Eros watches him greet David coming up from the steps behind the secret entrance of the fireplace who briefly makes eye contact with him. Eros rushes up to David before he exited the room with Bennet 

Eros: Wait! David! Please! 

Bathyal: Master Eros! 

Lord Bathyal yells from a top of the stairs to the 2nd floor as lighting flashes and all the lights turn off.  

Bathyal: Come forward. Master Davy and Bennet… go to the ritual chamber. 

Eros: Yes, Lord Bathyal? 

Eros asks looking up to him from steps below. 

Bathyal: Eros, the night has come for you to earn my trust. I can promise you great things. The ones for a while may seem nice… 

Lord Bathyal’s eyes change red with the yellow specs changing his tone of voice 

Bathyal: but in the long run, it will very much worth it! 

Thunder clashes and lighting lights up the room as the rain begins to fall even harder than it was.  

Bathyal: Go down to the ritual chamber Eros!  

Thunder clashes and Eros takes off running.  

Lord Bathyal begins to laugh and holds out his arms wide out far cashing his cane to shift into his Trident. His body shifted into water to disappear and then reappear in the cave below the mansion above the podium. David entered from the last step and stops. Bennet looks at him and then in his eye gaze to see Lord Bathyal. They both walk to opposite sides of the chamber. The lights turned on in all the tunnels for more Brindelzens and Sprites to gather.  

Scene 7 

Battle between sprites 

• Lord Bathyal siphons the 3rd daughter’s essence. The fourth takes the opportunity to attack Lord Bathyal. During their combat with each other, Hera and Eros manage to grab the Trident and stab it through Lord Bathyal's heart. 

Hera senses something. She isn’t sure but stands close to the door of the cell.  

Eros: Eros? Please… please tell me you’re not still here. 

She can see the darkness having a faint glow approach close. A group of Sprites pass by. She saddens to see a less faint glow still remains by the door. A sprite looked at her. Right away Hera could see the resemblance to Rentaro being of his sister Ayaka’s kin. The two just make eye contact. Hera gets hypnotized hearing a hum of a sort. She faints and thinks she feels fingers poking her in various parts of her body before completely falling asleep.  

In the ritual chamber all of the Brindlezens are gathered and Lord Bathyal addresses them 

Bathyal: I know how we once were for a very long time has changed drastically in the last few days. As of life on this earths always been, it is our time to evolve into a new! 

The waves crash.  

Bathyal: I need your decision on a matter. I find myself even between Iris and Phoebe. Should I take them both and chose to mutate you under my gift? Or… do I leave them both and give Hera only half the power the 4 sisters ever had with their full likeness? 

He watches his followers 

Bathyal: Hand up for taking them both. 

A third of them raise their hands.  

Bathyal: and for keeping them? 

Eros, Bennet, and David are disappointed when the rest raise their hands.  

Bathyal: Very well… you know what to do ladies.  

Lord Bathyal walks away from the podium. The Sprites start to surround and separate the third from the rest of the crowd. Eros punches Bennet hard in his arm and then David. 

Bennet: Hey! 

David: What! 

Eros points to Lord Bathyal down the tunnel,  

Eros: What do we do to save my sister? 

David: Uh… I'm not sure. He wants a traditional marriage ceremony. Um… he's taken the powers of the sisters… 

Bennet: Hera is going to become powerful, but most likely a slave like Iris. I don’t think she’ll cooperate with the… honeymoon. 

David gets upset and jealous. Eros pulls out the cell phone from Rentaro 

Eros: Rentaro sent me this chant. Give me your numbers so I can send it to you. I think I have it memorized. All we need to do is make sure the Trident goes through his heart before his kisses my sister. But it will only work if he is in his true form. 

David: True form... 

The three are splashed and turn around. Iris points to herself.  

David: You'll get him into it? 

She nods yes and submerges herself in the water.  

Bennet: How can we be sure the rest of the others don’t interfere? 

Bennet begins to whisper leaning down to Eros. David leans down too 

Bennet: can’t you sense the Sprites are nervous whenever taking a command from him? 

Eros: Rentaro told me he was going to try and get all of his families Sprites to help us. Ugh! 

Eros shakes the phone as it died completely.  

David: shhh! 

Bennet: let’s get back into place. 

Hera: This isn’t fair! Don’t you know it’s bad luck to see each other before the wedding. It’s bad enough this dress is too big on me! 

Hera's voice can be heard. She enters the cave and sees Eros.  

Hera: Eros! 

She went to move toward him to be halted by the cane of Lord Bathyal. She sighs 

Hera: Fine. Let’s do this crazy thing. 

The sprites begin to hum and Hera waits for Eros to come grab her arm to walk her down the isle as Lord Bathyal took his place up by the podium with one of the Brindelzens pulling out a Bible. Hera whispers to Eros as they walks as slow as possible across the ritual area. Lord Bathyal's eyes turn red and parts if the flooring begin to glow in the ritual area.  

Hera: I love you Eros. If you ever see mom and dad again… hug them for me. 

Eros: Hug them yourself. We got this. Somehow we just have to stab his heart with the Trident when it’s fully charged. 

Hera: Yeah right. Are you saying he’s guna sneeze and hand it to me? 

Eros: I was just letting you know! Be glad he got rid of all the ones who voted to make you like these ones and not the sisters! 

Eros defends and the two walks up some steps to the podium. Hera takes her olace by Lord Bathyal.  

Bathyal: Thank you all for coming. If you didn’t know, today will bring a new change in our ways. New life and new cycles! Before I take the right of marriage binding myself, I will need your help. Seeing as Mrs. Bay no longer is around to have control of that DNA, I am relying on Bennet to step up to his families lineage. 

Bennets eyes open wide from the news.  

Bathyal: Go ahead Master Bay. I know you know what to do. 

Bennet walks to the water where it meets the cave. He closes his eyes and concentrates. Minutes pass and a droplet of sweat beads down the side of his face. He rocks his head side to side and takes a deep breath to rest. He holds his hand out as if reaching for something by reaction. His face displays focus as his eyes are shut. He squats slightly and a hand pops out of the water. He takes it and slowly guides it up and out of the water with the Water Sprite Phoebe. Bennet losses her hand and stops bowing to her as she walked by brushing the side of his face.  

Bathyal: Phoebe! Glad you could join us. Has Iris told you and your willing or should I expect you to react as your other sisters? 

Iris rises from the water and Phoebe looks at her alert. She looks at Lord Bathyal and sees Hera. She starts to hiss and some of the Spites join her.  

Bathyal: Aw. It’s either your or Iris. 

Phoebe becomes enraged making her human like face turn fishlike and she leaps at Lord Bathyal. He shifted into his Sprite form falling forward off the raised area and grabbed her by the neck. Her tail whipped and he grabbed it. Both of three of arms began to pull out to the side until she ripped apart in two. He slammed her down on the ritual area and drew his Trident and slammed it down on her heart. As before the body disappeared and now all three spokes of the Trident began to glow hot like off the forge. Lord Bathyal laughs. The lighting and thunder clash outside and waves splash had as his voice deepens when he laughs. Demonic sounding he speaks examining the entire Trident as the whole thing obtains a special glow,  

Bathyal: It’s been so long since this had its full power. I can do so much with it! 

He points it out to the sea and the storm shifts all around violently with much wind gusts coming in from it. Everyone covers their faces and holds down their clothing as the wind gusts blew. Hera is hit in the face by a charm. She grabs it and the Japanese lettering begins to glow. She looks at Eros and then at Lord Bathyal who looks at her.  

Bathyal: I'm ready for you my dear! 

He starts to move back to near the podium shifting back into human form when a large tidal wave forms from the water and fills the entire cave. Everyone is pushed back into the wall and struggles to not be drained back into the ocean except Hera who managed to stay up by the podium as the rest struggled to not be drained back into the ocean. Eros stands up and looks to see another wave come crashing in with Iris riding it. She is glowing from all over her body collecting power and emits it out destroying her chains. Lord Bathyal raises the Trident up high with two of his hands as his other two try to hold back Iris. The Sprites take to fighting one another. David taps Eros 

David: How do you expect us to get it out of his hands? 

Lord Bathyal slices the side of Iris. She gets angry and doused him with another wave using it to give her more force when tackling him. The two wrestle on the ground and splash around in the water. They stand and their tails begin to clash. Eros and David move out of the way as Iris was hit into the cave wall causing rocks to fall about the area. They join Hera looking down at Lord Bathyal battle Iris. Hera whispers to them 

Hera: Maybe if we work together we can grab it out of his hand when it swings up here. 

Eros: If we succeed, how do we get it into his chest? He has four arms and is fighting off her with two most of the time. 

David: What about that chant? What was that for? 

Eros: I'm not entirely sure, but we could give it a try. Hi fu mi yo I mu na ya ko to mo chi ro ra ne shi ki ru yu I tsu wa nu so ta ha ku me ka u o e ni sa ri he te no ma su a se e ho re ke. 

David joins in. Hera notices her charm start to glow. Bennet joined them after another wave crashed in that pulled him close. Hera looks at Iris just as she is stabbed. She grabs the Trident and pushes herself off of it while defending herself too. Lord Bathyal had raised his Trident high into the air with the spokes behind his head. His tail swings hard hitting Sprites away from him as many began to attack him while Eros and David repeated the chant.  

Hera: Now! 

Hera is first to grab the Trident and is pulled up I to the air. Bennet grabs her and tugs her down. Eros and David grab the Trident with and all four of them begin to tug. Eros continued to speak the chant with a struggle as Lord Bathyal turned around. 

Bathyal: What do you think your doing? 

He shouts in anger. Iris grabs onto his back and digs all of her talons into his body while coiling her tail around him and biting deeply into his neck. All of the other Sprites start to watch while Ayaka's descendants gather closely waiting to strike Lord Bathyal. They entered a tug of war for the Trident. Iris doused the ground with another wave and everyone almost fell down. Some of the Sprites wrapped their tails around them to help pull the Trident. Lord Bathyal recoils back when his hand slides off the Trident loosing his grip. Iris summoned the largest wave yet and pinned Lord Bathyal down with the help of Sprites. Hera looks at Eros as the two hold the Trident. They nod and leap into the tidal wave and use its force together to stab the Trident down into Lord Bathyal's heart. He wails loudly and power emits. Hera and Eros are forced back. Iris quickly took hand of the Trident and summoned a lot of power within her body to pass through the Trident into Lord Bathyal. He screams and explodes goop everywhere.  

Scene 8 

Fin 

• Iris attacks Hera and Eros for the Trident. Rentaro shows up again with his shot gun to defeat her! They give the Trident to his sister who leads all the sprites back to the ocean. The mansion crumbles into the sea caves out to the ocean 

Hera and Eros watch as Iris holds the Trident up in the air turning around fast pointing it at Hera's neck. She gulps,  

Hera: Uh… we just want to go home. Please. 

Iris glows all over and the Trident begins to loose its firey ember burn on the spikes. She begins to grow as large as Lord Bathyal was.  

Rentaro: Iris! 

Rentaro is heard and everyone looks. Iris turns around while still consuming the power of the Trident. The Sprites attack to be attacked by others. When Iris turned around, Rentaro fires his shot gun into her face. She shifts back for him to fire again. She drops the Trident in pain grabbing her body. Hera grabs it as Iris is shot two more times. A Sprite attacks and she aims it toward it causing it to back off. The grandmother began to chant something different mixed with hums. The water bubbled and Ayaka rose from the waters with her children all gaining more human like appearances. Rentaro is out of ammo and Iris sees Ayaka slithering over. Dripping blood all over Iris claws at Hera and Eros just before falling over. Ayaka approaches Hera and she hands the Trident to her. When she takes it she consumes all of its power and styles her hair with it shifting into a smaller piece of the spikes. She hugs the grandmother and Rentaro. After, she hugs Hera and Eros. Bennet and David bro hug. Ayaka takes all of the Sprites to the ocean.  

Eros: Is she, like… queen? 

Hera: She's a princess Eros. 

They look to see Rentaro and his Grandmother gone. Everyone is confused. They run upstairs and hear a loud explosion of a sort and water begins to rise filling the cave from the tunnels. The house begins to rattle with water burning from all the pipes. They all slide on the floor in the ballroom from a large puddle. It reflects the rest of the room and them as they run through it. Outside it is still storming. They hurry away from the house looking back covering their faces from water and wind. The house collapses in. 

Eros: I was hoping we got the house. 

Eros pouts. The rain stops and the area fills with fog. Everyone looks around and hears the slithers of Sprites passing nearby their feet as they stand back to back worried. They stood their for a couple hours and realized all of the Sprites from all over town were heading to the ocean. They were all sitting when the sun began to blind Eros and he waved it away noticing. They all stand up as the fog left and the clouds parted. They all look out over the ocean and can see a few last Sprites joining Ayaka. She waves to everyone and points behind them. They turn around to see a rainbow over the town! When they look back all the Sprites are gone. David stares at Hera and she becomes bashful noticing. 

A couple days later Hera and Eros are sitting on the couch eating Asian Fusion and playing video games. A handwritten note is on the table from Rentaro reading thanks for bringing peace to the town and ocean with a cute drawing. Mr. and Mrs. Halley walk through the door. “We're back!”  

Mr. H: Did you hear what happened to Lord Bathyal and his house in that storm! 

Eros: Who's house? 

Eros asks taking a big mouthful of food and picking up his game controller. 

Mrs. H: You know! The mansion. 

Mr. H: It had a bunch of sea caves collapse and the entire house went with it through them into the ocean. His body couldn’t be found and they said the town was having a meeting at the time there. 

Hera: That sucks. 

Mrs. H: Well, that Lord Bathyal guy was creepy living in that big ol’ house all by himself with no kids. But who knows 

Mrs. Halley uses a different tone of voice 

Mrs. H: maybe he will come back to haunt the town and eat people! Bleh! 

Hera and Eros stop chewing and look at one another.  

Mrs. H: I'm kidding. 

The mom walks off confused. Lighting strikes outside and the brother and sister look outside.