iv. | OTHERWORLDLY

Coming to a newly different country made her realized many things; one, she was an adult without any supervision from her parents, two, she's passed the age of eighteen and Karina can do what she pleases, and lastly, she has to be responsible in her actions.

Karina remembered her weeks-old puppy in her home, having a dog is a huge obligation and she fears if she didn't feed him once it'd be a huge disaster. Call it overreacting but it was her belief.

And right now, the dog wasn't the only one weighing down her shoulders. It was the man, the chafing stranger, she rescued. Was it too late to back down from her agreement with Doctor Meyer? Maybe.

"What?" Her voice was laced with blatant incredulity. Karina, unbeknowst, had already stood up and exited the bar. Her feet sore from wearing heels, and she silently cursed at herself for not choosing a more comfortable footwear.

"I'm already in my car. The guard saw him going east. He can't get too far. Richard mentioned he was limping. Judging his room is on the third floor, he might rendered a few scrapes here and there." Olivia replied.

A hand went to her forehead. "Oh, God. He's unbelievable." Karina was mortified and worried, more so that she thought. If there was one thing Karina knew about Orm from their small encounter, the man is stubborn and thick-headed.

The roaring of an engine entered the line. "Where are you?"

Shivering languidly, the cold, midnight wind enveloped her bare shoulders and legs. Her stomach couldn't stop churning. Karina didn't know if it was the guilt for not finishing her friends' performance like she promised or if it was for Orm.

She assumed it was the first one.

"Outside Hampbell's. I'm waiting for a cab right now to take me to where he might be." She answered, her hand flying upwards. In cue, a black cab pulled on the side and halted. Karina entered, her chest heaving.

Olivia was shocked. "You know where he is?"

She blinked and bit her lip. Somehow, her talk with Orm earlier made her account ludicrous concepts. Perhaps it was just her having random guesses but it was a good start to look for him, right?

"I'll call you later, doc." She dismissed and ended the call.

"Where to, miss?" The cab driver asked, his eyes boring into her as their eyes met on the mirror.

"To the nearest sea here, sir, and make it quick."

The driver was mostly taken aback by Karina's answer but did not question about it.

Karina had her eyes trained at every pavement they passed, eyes calculating and searching. Sweat began to form in her palms and forehead, the sticky air conditioning didn't help one bit. Rolling down the windshield, cold air fanned her face and she relaxed simultaneously.

Soon, sights of buildings, streetlamps, and trees were now docks, piers, and fishing boats. Down by the curb, Karina saw a figure walking towards one of the docks, with a hand clutched at his stomach.

She knew it was him and she thanked the gods above for finesse in remembering things.

She sucks in a breath and requested the driver to stop. She threw the bill rather harshly and muttered an apology.

Karina opened the door and swung her legs. Closing behind her, she walked down the cobblestone path. She nearly squeaked out of surprise when her heels burried against the sand she was walking on. She was desperate to go to Orm and her footwear prevented her from doing so.

"For goodness' sake." She muttered and took the straps off her feet. Taking both heels in her hand, she lets out a relieved sigh from the tension between her calves and toes and began on her venture.

Precipitation started to form on the surroundings and Karina felt the temperature drop. Silently, she watched Orm's figure, his body sheathe with a blue hospital gown, walking, more like limping, towards the docks where boats were present. Her wonder turned into bewilderment as Orm crunched down at the end of the dock, and stared at the water.

Her feet mindlessly walked closer to him and held her breath. She was fascinated by him, and she didn't know why. The sky was a velvet color and stars flickered down at them, the full moon served as a light as it cascaded down the earth, making the water shine wonderfully.

How can she persuade Orm into coming back to the hospital? Or talk to him nonetheless? She didn't know what to do or what to say for that matter, all she did was study Orm as his dread locks fell against the nape of his neck. He had a sullen look on his face and the moonlight only made his appearance more defined, from his cheekbones, nose, lips, and eyes.

"I used to have a connection with the ocean, now, I feel nothing." He spoke up, his tone a deep timbre as Karina stopped walking. She blinked out of surprise and gulp.

"What are you doing here?" She found herself asking, as she cautiously took one step but refrained when Orm shot her a condescending glare.

"Trying to get back home. Where I belong."

Home. It felt odd for Karina somehow. She tested the word in her brain and it was foreign in her thoughts.

"To the boat?" She asked softly, motioning towards the white vehicle with a daffodil printed on the side.

He shook his head. "Somewhere far, much far and it can't be accessed by boats or other mortal equipments to get there."

She nodded and bit her lip, ignoring Orm's choice of words. "Aren't you hurt? You jumped off a three story building and you're here admiring the waters?"

Orm glanced at her, his mouth pursed. "And so the woman spoke to you about it." He paused. "Physical wounds heal and they disappear. I prefer to have such rather than having wounds that will never mend."

Her heart sank a little. Perhaps Orm was a broken man, his eyes betrayed no emotion but it conviced her that behind that tough exterior is a weakened individual waiting to be cured. She somehow felt emphatic to him and it surprised her, for what seems to be the umpteenth time.

"We should get back," she trailed.

"To that abysmal place?" He scoffed. "So you could do what you want with me? Run tests? Exploit my existence to people who prods with matters that aren't meant to be prodded with?"

She was about to protest when Orm continued.

"I heard what you were talking about, earlier. I may be bedridden but I am not deaf." He says, standing up. "My hearing is much stronger than a regular human. You're all stupid to have little knowledge about your patient."

Her cheeks reddened. "How was I supposed to know that? My friends and I found you, bleeding, in a stormy night and brought you to the hospital. Aren't you going to be at least feel, I don't know, grateful?"

Orm sneered, inching closer. His physique hovered over hers and he was looking at her with eyes blazing. Karina felt helpless and vulnerable under his stare but didn't retreat, she stood upright and raised her chin.

"I will be grateful once all of you, land dwellers, rot in the depths of the Underworld." He spat.

"You don't even know us that much! How can you assume we're in the wrong and not your...your kind?"

Karina had no idea, no sheer clue to what kind she was actually implying. It was hard to digest that the man in front of her was not human and she felt her mind exploding.

His face darkened and he growled. As fast as lightning, Karina was pushed against the side of the yacht, her body colliding with the skin of the boat. Her arms were above her head, encased by Orm's one hand and his other on her waist preventing her from escaping. Her heels feel down on the wooden plank with a thud.

She gasps audibly.

There was an emotion that passed between Orm's eyes, and it was gone the moment she could name it. She ignored the delicious friction she felt when their flesh came in contact, instead, she focused that a man was pinning her.

A man she barely knew. A man that could hurt her if she continued to push the wrong buttons.

She whimpered and squirmed, rubbing her forearms and wrists to relieve the pressure Orm was building. Fear crept to her system and her lips quivered.

"My kind is nothing compare to your vile brethrens. You know nothing of us. You kill for survival, you pollute the ocean for the sake of dispatching your wastes, you harm Poseidon's children, and you only think of yourselves." Orm whispered with much venom as he could, his face inches closer to her's.

Karina shook her head, voice trembling. "Not all of us does that. Some people find ways to preserve nature and they are righteous in their jobs. They make laws,they establish peace trying to make the world a better place."

He narrowed his eyes and his grip only tightened. Karina's heart had been beating wildly inside her cage and she feared it will burst out from her chest any minute. Orm drank Karina's face, studying her with his scrutinizing gaze.

"You are lurking in dangerous waters, Lady Tides." He spoke, letting go of his grip. Karina scolded herself for slightly missing Orm's touch on her skin. She was shaken and shell-shocked.

Karina winced as she rubbed her wrists, a dark mark already forming.

Composing herself, she wet her lips. "It's too late to back down now. I'd either drown from it or learn myself to make a boat."

Orm frowned. "You are quite odd. Normally, humans who encounter with me run from the other direction. You, on the other hand, accept it with open arms."

She squirmed and cleared her throat, looking down at her bare feet. "We all live in the same planet, the best we could do is get along."

He disagreed. "How can we, quote, get along if the one way or another we are after each other's throats? Nothing will change the fact that my people and your's will never live im harmony. We are, as your kind likes to say it, two sides of a plate."

She sighed, getting tired of the whole thing. This day was a long day for Karina and she wanted nothing more than to bury her face in her duvets and never wake up.

"Can we just get going?" She pleaded, eyeing her surrounding.

The prince clicked his tongue. "No, I will not come with you and near you for any of that matter."

"If you could just list-"

"I had enough of this nonsense." Before Orm could finish his phrase, his eyes rolled and staggered forwards, his body falling, face flat.

Karina winced when she saw a dart was pinned at the back of his thigh. Darts still exist these days?

"That'll sedate him for the meantime."

Her eyes nearly bulge out their sockets.

Olivia Meyer stood with all her glory, a dart gun in hand. She was in her casual attire, minus the prescribe robe that doctors wear.

Karina was about to ask her how she'd manage to find them but instead, "Was that really necessary?"

Olivia shrugged and went to put her dart gun at the back pocket of her pants. Karina picked her heels and went towards Orm. Her hands itched to pluck the object on his thigh, but a voice inside her head told her he deserved it.

"It's understandable." She muttered. "Now, help me carry him."

She instructed Karina to carry Orm's legs, the head and shoulders to Olivia. Olivia, much harsher than Karina imagined, rolled Orm to his side.

She apprehensively fished her hands to Orm's legs, and her eyes tried not to wander to the lump in front of her. She blushed furiously and did not comment. She forgot patient's were bare behind the flimsy fabric they wore.

There goes my self-esteem.

Once settled in their positions, Olivia gave her signal and the both of them hoisted the man, both struggling to maintain their balance.

The doctor heaved. "Jesus Christ, what did his parents feed him? Rocks?"

The wood beneath them creaked. Karina could only conclude Orm's weight was because of his built, lean muscles that flex when he moved. His...

"Miss Tides."

"Sorry?"

"Can you try putting some more effort? I'm forty-nine and I'm not getting any younger."

Once reaching the four-wheeled vehicle, they placed Orm at the backseat, carefully setting his body down, for Karina that is. Olivia let go of Orm's head, and it bonked the side of the door's frame.

"You don't have to place him that hard," she hissed.

"As a doctor, he'll be fine. He's not human after all. Now, get in before anyone sees us dragging an unconcious man in my car."

Karina gulped and nodded, trudging her way to the passenger's seat. The ignition roared to life and they were on their way.

Olivia glanced at her and sighed. "I apologise if any of this confuses you. I'm not a veteran in handling people like him. Believe me, this isn't the first time I've encountered something like, well, this."

"But you're a doctor?"

She nodded grimly but chose to stay quiet. This was not the exact time to tell the truth. Olivia was guilty to put an innocent woman at stake, but she believed Karina being here was not a cosmic fluke. There were reasons behind everything after all, and Olivia hoped Karina didn't end up on the messy ones.

"Are we going back to the hospital?" Karina asked once she noticed that the route they were taking were not directed towards the hospital at all.

"I can't bring him to my place, our home's bombarded with children."

Karina didn't know what came over here when she offered to take him to his home. Olivia was reluctant, fearing for her safety.

"I'm thinking of my place." She answered, but added an excuse to not look suspicious. "It's a better tactic than bringing him back, I highly doubt he'll be warming up to the staffs and nurses."

Olivia explained that it was also not safe for Orm to be back at the hospital, it could garner unwanted attention. Karina believed her of course, Olivia was the only one who knows about this, whatever this is.

God, when did life get so complicated? She felt like she could throw up as carded birds began to fly around her head.

"Are you sure it's fine? He did hurt you earlier." Olivia pointed out the purple and green-ish bruised on her wrists.

Karina bit her lip. "It'll heal. Just like you said, he's in shock."

The trek to her home was horrendous as Karina guided Olivia with directions. The tires screech to a halt once they were outside of Karina's front porch. Thankfully, the neighborhood was quiet and serene making it bearable. It'd be a handful if one of her neighbors saw her carrying a man into her home.

The streetlamps illuminated the darkened pavements, serving as their source of light.

Doors were opened and the two carefully placed Orm on the couch. Sleepy greeted his owner with a wag of his tail and barked softly, but got momentarily distracted by the stranger sleeping on his master's cushions. He growled and tried to jump but the height of the furniture and his height could only do so much.

"I'll be back in a week. I'm still getting at the bottom of this and once I find something, you'll be the first one to know." Olivia says as Karina guided her outside. She hugged herself from the cold and nodded, somehow satisfied by her answer.

"What if he goes ballistic?" Okay, that's overreacting. But his earlier actions made her contemplate what to do if Orm did a stunt like that again. "Do you have any of those darts I could use?"

Olivia gave her a quizzical stare. "Even if I have one with me, I won't hand any of them to you. You have my number, call me if things, erm, gets weird."

"Duly noted."

Olivia and her waved goodbye as the car drove off, leaving her in solitude once more. Karina felt the sudden wave of exhaustion in her system and she lets out as yawn as she sauntered her way back inside.

If someone told her that weeks from now she'll have to deal with matters like this, Karina will most likely laugh. But, it's reality. She couldn't find anything comical about this. She was responsible for Orm, she was responsible with Doctor Meyer's confidentiality, and she was responsible for her dog.

She trembled, slightly dazed.

"Sleep," she whispered, rubbing her temples. "All I need is sleep and we'll figure this out in the morning."

Passing at her living room, she caught a glimpse of a growling Sleepy in his sleep. Karina's heart spiked as Orm was facing hers and snored, mouth slightly open. He looked more pleasant when he sleeps, when his face is at ease. The sides of her mouth twitched upwards and shook her head. Dimming the lights, she trudged her way towards her room and collapsed on the bed, completely tired.

Her eyes closed and moments later, she was in a dreamless state of rest. For she knew when she awoke the next morning, her normal schedule won't be normal anymore.