Mini Brain Dumps

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Trigger Warning: This novel contains references to sexual assault and mental health disorders. Reader discretion is advised.

Chapter 29:

For a week, Quentin shut himself away in his room, the weight of his guilt becoming an impenetrable wall between him and the rest of the world. Despite the gentle knocks on his door and the concerned voices of his friends, he refused to let anyone in.

Inside his room, the walls closed in around him, suffocating him with their silent judgment. The only sound that echoed through the chamber was the relentless pounding of his own thoughts, a cacophony of self-doubt and despair that threatened to consumer him whole.

Then, one afternoon, as Quentin lay curled on his side picking at the rough coral along the walls, he heard a familiar voice calling out to him from beyond his door.

“Quentin, please,” she pleaded, her voice muffled by the door. “You can’t keep shutting us out like this. We’re worried about you.”

But Quentin remained silent.

“Quentin, let us help you.”

Still, Quentin said nothing.

Frustration mounting, Cate pounded on the door with renewed vigor. “Damn it, Quentin. Open this door right now.”

For a moment, there was silence, only broken by the sound of Quentin’s ragged breaths echoing in the stillness of the room.

Then, without warning, the door burst open, sending splinters flying across the room. Startled, Quentin looked up to see Cate in the doorway, her chest heaving and her eyes blazing.

“What the hell?” he yelled, sitting up in his bed.

“Get up now. We are getting you out of this room.”

Quentin watched in disbelief as Cate crossed the room and extended her hand to him.

“No,” he said, laying down and rolling away from her.

“Yes.”

“No.”

She grabbed him roughly, dragging him from the bed as he clutched at his sheets for any purchase, but his fingers grabbed onto nothing. He fell onto the floor with a thud.

“We could’ve done this the easy way,” she said, staring down at him with her arms crossed.

Quentin lay there for a moment before pushing himself up onto his elbows. “I don’t want to,” he said.

“I. Don’t. Care,” she said, enunciating each syllable.

He glared up at her as she offered her hand to help him up once aside. He brushed her aside, pushing himself upright and brushing the dirt from him.

“Where are we going?” he asked irritated.

Cate smiled, “You’ll see.”

___

Quentin and Cate emerged from the grand halls of the castle. As they swam out into the open ocean, the city faded behind them, the vast expanse of the sea stretching out before them. Quentin followed behind her in silence, his thoughts swirling like the current around them.

“Where are we going?” Quentin asked as he glanced around at the endless blue depths.

Cate glanced sideways at him, her expression softening sightly. “We’re going to the gardens,” she replied calmly. “Lyra is waiting for us there.’

He groaned internally. Every move of his tail felt like he was forcing himself through molasses. He didn’t even know if he even had the energy to interact with Lyra’s whirlwind personality, but he continued to follow Cate.

As the approached the gardens, Quentin spotted Lyra’s vibrant pink tail flocking playfully among the anemones. She noticed them approaching and swam towards them with a wide grin.

“There you are!” Lyra exclaimed. “I’ve been waiting forever!”

Quentin managed a weak smile, his gaze shifting uncomfortably. He wasn’t sure how to face Lyra after shutting himself away for so long. “Hey,” he replied softly.

Lyra wrapped him in a tight hug. ‘I missed you, Quentin,” she said.

Quentin hesitated for a moment before returning her embrace.

“Come on,” Lyra said brightly, pulling back to look Quentin in the eye. “The whales should be passing through any moment now,” Lyra whispered excitedly, her eyes scanning the ocean above.

“Whales?” Quentin asked, looking back and forth between Lyra and Cate.

Lyra giggled. “It’s the Migration Festival… or at least our version of it as we didn’t think you’d be up to celebrating with the entire city.”

Cate pulled out some colorful flags from her satchel and shook them slightly. “Surprise!”

Quentin grabbed the flag and twirled it halfheartedly, “Yay.”

Lyra nudge him playfully. “Come on, Quentin. It’ll be fun, I promise.” She turned and headed toward the edge of the gardens to the shelf that led to the rest of the ocean.

Quentin breathed in deeply, trying to muster even an ounce of enthusiasm before following them.

Minutes ticked by as they sat in silence and stared at the horizon.

“It’s starting!” Lyra exclaimed, pointing to the horizon where dark shapes began to appear, moving gracefully through the water.

Quentin shielded his eyes from the sunlight filtering through the waves. As the whales approached, the air filled with a symphony of whale songs, deep and resonant, echoing through the ocean depths. It was so loud he had to cover his ears.

He laid down on his back and watched as the whales passed overhead. “They’re beautiful’ Quentin murmured, more to himself than to the others.

“They are,” Cate agreed, laying down beside him, her eyes following the gentle giants as they passed by.

For a while, they lay there in silence, their eyes fixed on the majestic creatures gliding through the water. The whale songs reverberated around them, a melody that seemed to resonate deep within Quentin’s soul. The weight of his guilt began to lighten, not because it disappeared, but for the first time in days, he didn’t feel alone with it. He reached out and wrapped his hand around Cate’s, feeling the softness of her fingers as she squeezed his hand in response.

Lyra nudged him playfully. “Come on, it’ll be fun, I promise.”

They swam to the edge of the gardens, and as they sat there in silence, the weight of the past week still clung to Quentin like a second skin. He stared at the horizon, trying to push away the cloud of guilt that hovered over him.

“It’s starting!” Lyra’s voice broke the silence as dark shapes appeared in the distance, moving gracefully through the water.

Quentin squinted, shielding his eyes as the whales swam closer, their massive forms filling the space above them. The songs of the whales echoed through the water, a deep, resonant sound that vibrated through his chest.

“They travel thousands of miles to get here,” Lyra said, her voice filled with awe. “I can’t imagine how exhausting that must be.”

“And how hungry they’d be, too,” Cate added, nudging Lyra with her shoulder.

Lyra laughed, pushing Cate back. “Shut up, Cate,” she said, and for the first time in days, Quentin found himself smiling, the movement slow but real.

As the whales glided overhead, their songs surrounding them, Quentin lay back, letting the sounds wash over him. The weight of his guilt hadn’t disappeared, but for the first time in a long while, it felt a little lighter. He reached out and took Cate’s hand, feeling the warmth of her fingers as she squeezed his hand in return.

“You’re not alone, you know,” Cate said quietly, her voice soft but firm. “I’ve been where you are.”

Quentin turned to her, surprised. “What do you mean?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Cate met his gaze. “When I lost everything, when I fell into that dark place… I didn’t want to get out of bed. I just wanted to hide, to shut everyone out. But Jack—” she paused. “Jack didn’t let me. He dragged me out, even when I didn’t want to move. Even when I thought I couldn’t. Sometimes, you just have to force yourself, even if it feels like you’re drowning. It’s the only way to get through it.”

“Thank you,” he said, his voice tight.

Cate smiled, the softness in her eyes a rare moment of openness. “Don’t thank me yet. You’ve got a long way to go. But you’re not alone in it.”

Quentin squeezed her hand a little tighter, the ocean around them a reminder that, no matter how dark the depths, there was always a way to the surface.

___

As the last of the whales disappeared into the distant blue, their songs gradually fading with the current, Quentin sighed and pushed himself into a sitting position. The ocean, once a flurry of activity now serene. The sky seemed to simmer with the remnants of the sunlight through the water, casting a golden hue.

Cate’s voice broke through his reverie, soft and filled with a hint of wonder. “It was quite a sight, wasn’t it?”

Quentin turned to her, finding solace in her presence. “Yeah,” he murmured, his gaze drifting back to the now-empty horizon. “It was.”

Lyra bounced nearby, her pink tail flicking with excitement, “that was just the beginning!” she exclaimed. “There’s so much more to see and do!” Cate shot Lyra a look. Lyra stopped moving, her face falling. “Sorry, I mean. Only if you want to.”

Despite the lingering heaviness in his heart, Quentin managed a faint smile. “Lead the way, Lyra.”

Lyra’s face brightened immediately, and she began to pull them back towards the city. The entire journey back was filled with Lyra’s chatter about the festival and the events that were planned throughout Seidonis. Quentin listened with half an ear, still lost in his own thoughts, but grateful for the distraction.

As they approached the outskirts of Seidonis, Lyra’s voice faltered, and she came to a stop so abruptly that Quentin almost ran into her. The usually busy streets were eerily quiet. A crowd had gathered near the gates, murmuring among themselves in hushed tones.

“What’s going on?” Quentin asked, his unease growing as they pushed through the crowd.

Cate exchanged a worried glance with Lyra before turning back to Quentin. “I’m not sure,” she replied softly. “But something doesn’t feel right.”

They reached the edge of the crowd, where the Council of Elders stood in a somber circle. A large lump covered in the blue cloak of the guardians lay at their feet, surrounded by a wide berth of onlookers. The elders spoke in low voices, their expressions grave and troubled.

“What’s happening?” Lyra whispered; her eyes wide with concern.

Quentin swallowed hard, his heart sinking. With a silent nod from Cate, they pushed their way through the crowd until they stood before the council.

Nerissa turned to them as they approached. Without a word, she gestured toward the lump on the ground. “We found this at the edge of the city,” she explained, her voice heavy with emotion.

Quentin felt a knot tighten in his stomach as Cate knelt beside the cloak. With trembling hands, she pulled back the fabric.

“A dolphin,” Cate breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Quentin leaned forward to see. If he hadn’t known any better, he would have thought the dolphin was sleeping. It almost appeared peaceful with its eyes closed. Except for the four distinct slashes that had been buried across its throat.

“Our symbol… harmony between land and sea.” Niamh whispered, crouching beside Quentin. “It’s a message. A warning. From the sirens.”

Quentin felt a chill run down his spine as the image of Charlaine coating her nails with poison flashed through his mind.

As the crowd murmured anxiously around them, Nerissa positioned herself in the middle, raising her hand for silence. Gradually, the whispers faded into a hush as all eyes turned toward her.

“Citizens of Seidonis,” Nerissa began, her voice steady and reassuring. “I understand the fear and uncertainty that many of you are feeling. This dolphin, a symbol of our harmony between land and sea, has been found under tragic circumstances.” She paused, her gaze sweeping over the somber faces gathered before her.

“But we must not let this act of aggression unsettle our peace. Rest assured; we are taking every necessary step to investigate this matter thoroughly. The safety and harmony of Seidonis remain our utmost priorities.”

Nerissa’s words carried a calm authority, resonating through the crowd. “I ask you to trust in our guardians and our council. We are dedicated to maintaining the peace and ensuring that justice is served. In the meantime, please return to your festivities. Know that we are doing everything in our power to keep our city safe.”

The tension in the crowd eased slightly, the atmosphere becoming less tense as Nerissa’s words took root. She stepped back, giving a final reassuring nod to the assembled citizens. Slowly, the crowd began to disperse, albeit with lingering unease.

Quentin, Cate, and Lyra stood to the side, watching as the castle guards respectfully took the dolphin’s body away.

“What do we do now?” Lyra asked, her voice small.

Quentin looked back to where the guards had taken the dolphin. “I don’t know.”

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