​

Water High

Water Low

Water Rise

Water Flow

Onward and Outward

The raging waters preys

To the sailors inward 

Counting their Days

 

​

 

​

Chapter 1

Cadence Maxwell looked at the ocean in longing for it to take her away. She felt comfort in the waves as they enveloped over the diamond like sand. She liked to come out to the beach right before she picked up her two year old son, Caleb from her mother’s house. Her mother insisted that she took one hour a day, right after work, to do whatever she wanted by herself.

          Cadence and Caleb needed all the time they could get before her mother moved with him for six months to Ivoria, which was the next country over from Deadsin.  Deadsin had many vast gothic castles.  Castle Rock, where the ocean met the rocks was the only castle by the ocean. She hoped to visit there some time.  She heard that all the heirs to the castle died unexplained deaths over the years. The castle has been there for centuries.

Cadence let out a deep sigh and took in the warm summer breeze as it swept across her brow. A piece of wavy brown hair fell in her face. With rings on her fingers, including her white gold wedding band, she swept the piece of hair away from her face.

          She snapped out of her ocean trance and looked at her black watch- 5:00p.m. She had to go pick up Caleb and get back home before Ray got home. He didn’t like it when he showed up from work and there was nobody home.

          Cadence walked barefoot on the beach sand to a spot where her sandals and beach towel were. The sand felt warm and soft between her toes. She could feel small shells on her feet, but they were too burrowed into the sand to cut or hurt her feet. She gathered her belongings and left her lovely beach get-a-away for yet another day. Her mother only lived around the corner on Sunshine Boulevard, but it was a half hour drive for her and Caleb. Luckily, Ray wouldn’t be getting back home until quarter after seven.

          Cadence’s mother’s home was always so lovely and warm with green grass, beautiful roses and lavender flowers throughout the landscape of the property. Her mother took pride in her gardening. She took in the scent of the flowers and rang the doorbell to the two-story home she grew up in.

          She was greeted by her mother Abigail Parks. She still had on the same curlers in her hair from the time she dropped Caleb off. Her mother was a heavy set woman with a very pretty face. Her golden hair curved around her curlers. She was wearing her signature clothing, a black pair of Capri pants and a long white T-shirt.

          “Hello Cadence, how are you?”

Abigail outstretched her arms to her daughter. The poor girl looked tired. She really wished she would reconsider moving in with her and Frank. He might be her step-father, but at least she would have a decent man to look up to other than that dirt bag she married. At least Caleb would be away from the chaos for a little while.

          “Thanks mom for taking him,” she gave her mom a hug.

          “No problem. He was fine. He ate all of his lunch. Then slept for about an hour and has been playing ever since.”

          “Good. Good. That’s great. Where is he?”

          “Oh, he’s out back with Frank.”

          Cadence walked towards the back door with her mother. She looked through the sliding glass door and Frank and Caleb were chasing each other. He was really good with kids.

          The sliding glass door opened, “Frank, come bring Caleb inside, his mother is here.”

          “Mommy,” Caleb shrieked and ran straight to Cadence.

          “Hey, buckaroo, did you have a fun day?”

          She stroked his dirty blonde hair with her fingers, smiling gently as he told her all about his day. Caleb might be only two, but he was a great talker and full of all kinds of energy. He didn’t really go through the terrible two phase like normal two year olds do. Caleb was always sort of special and always ahead in his development. He has been speaking clearly since his second birthday hit.

          “Well, Caleb we have to go, daddy will be home soon.”

          “Oh, dear, can’t you stay for a little while longer and maybe we could talk for a bit? I’m sure Ray could figure his way around the kitchen for one night.”

          “Mom, you know I can’t.”

          “Oh, pish posh, you let that man control your life. I don’t like the way he treats you. I really wish you would move with us to Ivoria, there is plenty of room in our new house. You could even have your own apartment downstairs. You know there are customer service jobs in Ivoria too.”

          Cadence let out a heavy sigh. She has been through this with her mother and her best friend, Samantha Braxton a hundred times before. She wished people would mind their own business and stay out of her life. Whenever, people said anything negative about Ray she would slip up and say something she wasn’t supposed to. Ray always said that a woman is not supposed to be thinking about herself at all. The only things she should be thinking about are her husband and children. He’s always reminding her to obey him and nobody else; otherwise he had to be forced to punish her.

          “No mom, I have to go fix dinner for my family. You and Frank have a nice evening.”

          She picked up Caleb and ran out the door. It was almost 6:00p.m. when she finally got home. She had to think of what to make for dinner fast. Chicken, that cooked fairly fast on high. What else? What else? She could make a salad. Lettuce, tomato, carrots, cucumber, and cheese. Instant potatoes cook fast. She quickly got everything ready. When it was just about done she set the table and dimmed the dining room lights. Ray got some terrible headaches and she didn’t want him to be in a bad mood.

          She heard Ray’s car pull up and quickly fixed his dinner and placed it on the table. She lit two blue candles on the table in the hope that it will soothe his stressful day at the garage. Even though he liked working on cars enough was enough and too much was too much.

          The door opened. Cadence stomach felt like it hit the floor, her heart felt like it was in her throat.  She swallowed the lump in her throat, “Hello darling, how was your day?” She smiled at her husband hoping she spoke to him polite enough.

          “Sup, what’s for dinner?”

          “Chicken, mashed potatoes, and salad.”

          “Salad? I ain’t no rabbit, come on Cadence you know better than that.”

          “Sorry.”

          Great strike one already. Ray sat down at the table. Cadence quickly ran to the fridge and got him a cold beer.

          “Here you go, sweetie.”

          “See, that’s what I’m talking about.”

          Ray took a bite of chicken, “This chicken taste like a horse’s ass. Did you fast cook this shit? You know I only like my chicken slow cooked. All meals are to be slow cooked.”

          “Umm. I… my mother and I got talking. I was only running a little late.”

          “Oh, so you were being selfish again. You thought that if you had everything ready I wouldn’t notice.”

          “Baby, please.”

          “Oh now I’m baby. Too late, bitch get in your cage. No dinner for you.”

          Caleb became confused. He didn’t know what to think of his father’s words. Why was he treating mommy like a puppy? Since when did she have a cage to go to?

“But, honey.”

          “Do as I say, bitch and I’ll let you out when you have to piss.  Now, strip your clothes off and get in the damn cage, pronto.”

          The cage was stationed in the living room. It was meant for a large dog. Sometimes he would make her stay in there for a few hours and sometimes overnight depending how bad she disobeyed him. He always said he only did this because she wasn’t being a good wife to him and he would always apologize for having to be so harsh. It was all her fault for disappointing him.

          “But, in front of Caleb?”

          “What? What did you say?” He took off his belt. “Caleb can see how real men treat their women.”

          He hit her across her bare legs. She screamed out in pain. Tears fiercely ran down her face.

          This was the first time Caleb saw his mommy get hit or be to put in a cage. He heard them yelling, but usually he was sent to his room. He heard his mommy cry all night sometimes, but he didn’t dare come out of his room.

“Mommy, are you ok, Daddy stop.”  Caleb ran to defend his mother pulling on his father’s leg.

          “Get off me, you little brat,” he lifted his belt to Caleb.

          “No, wait. I’ll do it. Ray, please, don’t. I’ll do it. I’ll do it. I’ll do it.”

          Ray lowered the belt, “Damn right you’ll do it.”

          Cadence took off her shorts, then her top, bra, and underwear. Her tattoo showed that was located along the backside of her back. It was of a skull with outstretched white angel wings. Her short, but slender body barely fit into her cage. She was cramped the whole time she  sat in there. Ray closed it and locked the cage with a pad lock and started walking away.

          “Can I have a glass of water?”

          “Oh now the selfish bitch wants a glass of water. Caleb go get daddy the hose from out back.”

          “No daddy, no.”

          “No. How dare you say no to me, you little ungrateful brat. I’ll teach you some respect.” Ray got his belt again and grabbed Caleb by the knap of the neck pulling at his hair.

          “Leave him alone, Ray,” Cadence yelled.

          “Shut up, bitch, or you’ll get it too.” He hit him once with his belt across his legs. Caleb’s cries echoed into Cadence’s ears.  Cadence couldn’t believe the horror she saw before her. He never let Caleb see him get violent, let alone hit him. She had to think of something and quickly. She didn’t want him to suffer like she has for so long.

          “Ray stop!” she yelled.”

          “Shut up or I’m gonna…..”

          “I don’t care, leave him alone, he’s just a baby.”

          “Oh, you care so much, huh, well fuck you.” He raised the belt at Caleb.

          “Stop! Stop! Stop!”

          A loud whistling sound came from the kitchen.  It was so loud it alerted Ray. He pushed Caleb to the side and walked towards the kitchen. It got louder and louder as he approached it.

          “No, it couldn’t be.”

          Then he felt it. Wetness. He turned on the kitchen light.

          “Damn it.”

          This was the second time this damn pipe broke this week. Ray threw the pots and pans all over the kitchen, making them splash water on his legs.

          “Awww shit, not again,” he slammed the belt inches from Caleb’s face.

 The kitchen was flooding and getting higher. He looked underneath the sink and was greeted by a face full of water. He really needed to get these pipes fixed.

          “Klank. Klank,” went the pots and pans as they met the pipes to catch the water from flooding any higher.

          “Klank, Klank.”

          Music to Cadence and Caleb’s ears.  The noise grew dimmer and dimmer as Ray became more distracted by the lake that was slowly growing in the kitchen. Caleb ran over to his naked caged mother and cried silently. Cadence ran her fingers through his hair trying her best to comfort him. Ray took it too far this time. He can do what he will to her, but hurt her baby and pay. Her mother was right she had to find a way out, but how? The water saved her before it will do it again. She will see to it.

​

Chapter 2

Ocean waves crash against the rocks where her beloved castle resided. The massive amount of saltwater always looked so inviting. It will give her and her baby a soft death. Just one big wave is all that would take for her to go deep enough. Only instead of holding her breath she would open up her mouth, letting the water fill up her lungs. Then it would be all over. Here comes the wave. She ducked under thinking in her head, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. She opened her mouth letting the salt water fill her lungs.

“Beep. Beep. Beep.”

Cadence woke up to Ray’s alarm clock. She had that dream again. The one she had since she was fourteen.  It was always about this pregnant woman that looked a lot like her, but with long wavy blonde hair and green eyes instead of brown for both. The woman backs into the ocean and kills herself and her baby.

The dream was different this time then the last ones were. This time she could read the woman’s mind. This time it was like she was the woman. It was very creepy. Probably, just states of her unconscious of what happened last night.

She spent the night in her cage. Caleb refused to leave her side. Ray was too busy fixing the pipes to bother them. She and Caleb fell asleep before he was even done.

“Caleb,” she pokes at Caleb through the cage.

Caleb stirred, “Mmm.”

“Caleb, honey wake up.”

“Mommy.”

“Yes, baby.”

Caleb looked up at her, rubbing his eyes.

“Caleb, honey, go get daddy.”

“No, mommy, no. He’ll hurt us again.”

“Sweetie, if you don’t get daddy, mommy can’t get out of the cage.”

Caleb got up slowly. His mommy made a pretty good point. Still he was scared.

“Daddy,” his voice cracked as he entered the bedroom.

“Hey ya sport. How ya doing?”

Ray was already getting ready for work. He already had on his shirt and pants. He was tying his shoes when Caleb walked in. He got up off his purple bed and walked towards Caleb. Caleb flinched as he walked past him. Ray got out his keys from his pocket and opened up the pad lock.

“Go take a shower. I’ll get Caleb ready for school today.”

Cadence crawled out of the cage and slowly crept past Ray.  She didn’t say anything to him just did what he asked. She didn’t want the belt first thing in the morning.

“Cadence.”

The sound of her name on that man’s voice sent chills up her spine, “Yes, dear.”

“Why don’t you and Caleb stay at your mother’s tonight. I gotta fix the damn pipe in the kitchen. I only temporarily fixed it and the kitchen is still flooded. I’ll meet cha over there tomorrow evening.”

A wave of relief washed over her and Caleb, “If you insist. If you need anything, please call.”

“Don’t worry your pretty head off about me. I’ll manage. I’ve been raising myself since I was sixteen.”

Oh boy, here it comes the old story again, “Honey, we’re going to be late.”

She was hoping she didn’t sound too pushy for him to shut up and let her get ready.

“Oh yes, yes. Caleb, my good man, go get dressed.”

Caleb was a very gifted child. He learned how to dress himself by eighteen months old. He started by pulling his shirt over his head. Then came his underwear with toilet training. His pants followed short after that. By his second birthday he was getting his socks and shoes on, without tying them. He was a very independent child. Early development was very common in Cadence’s family.

Caleb showed up in the living room with Ray in a blue top and jeans. He just waited patiently, not saying a word to Ray, for his mommy to get out the shower. Ray was looking up something on the internet, not paying any mind to Caleb at all.

The shower turned off and his mother appeared in a light blue robe. She looked and smiled at Caleb. He smiled back at her. His legs hurt from last night. They burned even to stand. He didn’t dare say anything to his father though. Mommy took a half hour to get ready. Probably, putting on her face as daddy liked to say she would do when getting ready. Or her legs could be hurting like his is. Before, he knew it she came out.

“You ready, kiddo.”

Caleb slowly moved away from the couch. She was wearing a blue shirt and jeans too. “Mommy, we match.”

“Yes, we do,” she touched his nose, “Great minds think alike.”

He smiled at her.

“Ok Ray, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

“Yup, bye.”

He didn’t even kiss her. Something had to be up. She was grateful the kitchen was still flooded. She ran out the door with Caleb in her arms and closed the door behind them. The front door was blocked and there was no way Ray could see what she was about to do.

“Caleb.”

“Yes, mommy.”

“I want you to stand guard for me,” she sat him down, “I want you to go to the living room window and stay low. Make sure that daddy does not get up. If he does I want you to yell cartoon. Can you do that for mommy?”

“I’ll try.”

“Ok.”

Cadence quickly ran over to her bedroom window. There on the ground stood two large black suitcases. She quickly grabbed them up and placed them in the trunk of her car. She closed the trunk, gathered up Caleb, and took off towards her mother’s house.

“Mommy, my legs hurt.”

“I know baby. Mine do too.”

Cadence turned on the radio and played a kid’s C.D. for Caleb. He sang with it. His soft sweet voice brought Cadence to tears.

“Mommy, are you ok?”

“Yes, sweetheart. I’ll be fine. We both will.”

Cadence pulled into her mother’s driveway. Her legs were throbbing from the night before. It took all that she had to pull herself out of the car. He was going to kill her one of these days, she just knew it. She picked up Caleb and almost collapsed. She grabbed onto the car to keep her balance.

“It’s ok, mommy, I can walk.” She smiled gently to him and put him down.

Cadence rang the doorbell. She heard her mother say, “Come in.”

She and Caleb entered her two- story home, “Mom, I need a favor.”

​

Chapter 3

“So, you say your kitchen flooded,” her mother gave Caleb a glass of milk and Cadence a glass of ice water with raspberry flavor. She sat down in front of them and listened to them carefully.

“Yeah, it was the strangest thing,” Cadence said taking a sip of her drink. The taste was awful, but she drank it anyways.

“Hmmm.”

An awkward silence came over the room. Caleb dared not say anything of what really happened. He didn’t want his daddy to find out he told on him.

“So, you two can have the middle guest room. Are you going to work today?”

Cadence shook her head, “no,” “That’s another thing I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Oh honey, you didn’t quit your job, did you?”

Cadence rolled her eyes, “No mom, I took a medical leave.”

“A medical leave, well whatever for? Honey, you’re not pregnant, are you?”

“No, mom, and if I were you would be the first one to know.”

Cadence began to get frustrated at her mother’s judgmental questioning.

“Well, how long?”

Cadence took another sip of her nasty water. Caleb finished his milk.

“Mommy, can I watch cartoons?”

“Mom, can he watch cartoons?”

“Yes, yes, go ahead.”

Caleb leaped off the dining room chair and headed towards the living room with Cadence. Cadence turned on the television to the All Day Fun channel and a forty inch bright yellow dog appeared on the screen. Caleb sat carefully on the couch. His legs still hurt.

“Where were we?”

“You were about to tell me why you took medical leave and for how long.”

“Right,” Cadence didn’t know what to do with her hands, “My head is not right again, mom. I need to see someone. I took the leave for a month, but I am not sure if I need more time than that or not.”

“Honey, why? Did something happen?”

“Yes. No. Well, maybe. Mom, do you remember those dreams I use to have right after a heavy rain storm or a long day at the beach?”

“Yeah, but honey, you were going through Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at that age. That’s what the doctors said. It was a lot for a young girl to lose her father in such a violent way. The news was way too graphic for you. The lifeguards pulled so many jelly-fish off of him. He must have become entangled in them somehow. It was just your sub-conscious mind working it out.”

“I had it again, mom after the pipes busted. I think it’s coming back. I just need some time to figure this out.”

“Ok dear, whatever you feel is best.”

“Is Doctor Ross still around?”

“No, unfortunately he passed away about five months ago. I felt so bad for his wife Cynthia. They were so close in their fifty year marriage, you know?”

“I bet.”

“So, how is Ray?”

Cadence couldn’t believe her mother actually asked about him.

“He’s ummm, the same old Ray.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

Cadence didn’t want to talk about Ray at all. She quickly searched in her head for something that would change the subject.

“Do you know of any other head doctors?”

“Let me think. Hmmm. I can’t think of anyone at the top of my head. Why don’t you look in the phone book? You’ve seen so many I am sure one of them would be gladly to take you back in.”

“Yeah, the problem with that is I didn’t like any other doctors, but Ross.”

“You know sweetie, now that I think about it, there is this new young doctor in town. He’s right by Tables Grocery Store. You know where that is, don’t you?”

“Yes I do, what’s the doctor’s name?”

“Glenn White. I talked to him for a bit. He seemed like such a nice young man and handsome too.  Uhh, does Ray know about your medical leave?”

“No, I don’t plan on telling him either. He would probably flip out.”

“Now, that’s the sort of thing I don’t like about Ray.”

Cadence remained silent. If her mother only knew what was really going on between her and Ray, especially last night. She couldn’t believe he actually hit Caleb.

“Mom I….”

The door swung open and a sweaty Frank came in the living room.

“Hey, honey, oh, we have house guests.”

“Hello dear. Yes, the pipes broke in Cadence’s apartment so she and Caleb will be staying with us tonight.”

“Hmm, well what about Ray?”

“Ray is staying, fixing the pipes,” Cadence said.

Cadence looked at her watch. It was a quarter till twelve. Ray would think she would be at work or on her lunch break. This would be a good time to check out the new doctor.

“Mom, can I ask you a favor?”

“Sure, honey, anything.”

“Will you watch Caleb for me? I want to check out this new doctor.”

“Sure, Sure. Go right ahead.”

“Thank you mom, you’re the best,” she hugged her mother and got up off the chair.

“Caleb,” Caleb looked up, “I want you to be good for grandma. I’ll bring you back some Big Burgers if your good.”

“Ok, mommy.”

She knew Caleb would be good. He was always such a well-mannered boy; total opposite of his father.

“Give me a kiss,” she leaned down, so Caleb could kiss her cheek.

Caleb gave her a goodbye kiss and went back to watching cartoons.

Cadence didn’t know what she expected to gain from all this. A psychologist never helped her before. The water still came regardless of what her therapy was or what they prescribed her. It was always the same, “Take this and your delusions will go away in three to six weeks.” One of them even diagnosed her with Borderline Personality Disorder. She was curious though, of what this young doctor might say. It would just be nice to talk to someone without all of the judgmental know it all attitudes. She knew there had to be some new studies about this by now.