The Song of the Sea

36. To Give a Soul

Jacob winced in pain as Raephier collapsed like a dead weight on top of him. Thankfully, Jacob had seen the moment Raephier's eyes had rolled upwards and so was able to break his fall before he hit the deck.

Jacob quickly scanned for signs that he was hurt, but it just looked like he was sleeping peacefully.

"Jacob, oh thank god!" came a familiar voice, before Jacob was being pulled onto his feet and then squeezed by Pete's arms.

Jacob chuckled awkwardly and patted Pete on the back.

"Your mum was right when she said you have the constitution of a cockroach," Pete said with a chuckle.

It had long been a joke in Jacob's family that he never got seriously injured or hurt. He'd found himself in a number of situations that could have easily cost him his life, yet somehow he always managed to survive relatively unscatheed, much to the amusement, and probably relief, of his family.

Jacob heard a groan of pain coming from somewhere behind Pete, and it was only then that his eyes finally surveyed the destruction that surrounded him.

"What the hell happened here?" he asked, scanning around frantically. "Is anyone hurt?"

"Not too badly....at least, I think," Pete said, also looking around. "To be honest, it's been chaos right up until a minute ago so I'm not sure myself."

"What happened to those two?" Jacob said, pointing at Lyle and James who were lying passed out among the debris.

"They're ok, I've checked," Tyler shouted over. "I think they just need to sleep it off."

Jacob turned to Pete with a raised eyebrow.

"They had their ear plugs knocked out so were affected by the song."

Jacob's eyes widened in alarm.

"I can't believe this was all going on and I had no idea."

"What do you remember?" Pete asked.

Jacob tried hard to remember, but everything was a little blurry round the edges and a bit dreamlike.

"I can't really remember," he said, "but I do remember that it wasn't a bad feeling. I feel kind of refreshed, like I've had a really good night's sleep.

"Well, it's alright for some," Pete said with a huff, hitting Jacob lightly on the shoulder.

A movement by his feet caught Jacob's attention.

"W-What happened?" Raephier said, sitting up and rubbing his eyes as if he had just woken up from a deep sleep.

"I don't know, you tell me," Jacob said, crouching down to Raephier's level.

On hearing Jacob's voice, Raephier's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head, his memory coming flooding back to him.

"Jacob! Oh my gosh, you're alive!!"

"I know!" said Jacob chuckling.

Jacob helped Raephier to his feet then pulled him tightly into his body, relishing the feeling of him pressed up against his chest.

"I thought I'd lost you," Raephier mumbled into Jacob's shoulder.

"You could never lose me," Jacob replied, squeezing him tighter, almost like he was afraid to let go.

"Raephier? Is that you?" came the voice of a woman.

Jacob reluctantly let Raephier when he felt him pull out of his embrace to see who it was who had recognised him.