Zero Falls: Season One

The Deep End-Part Two

After Mabel helped Will recover, they went along a new plan to figure out what Mermando was all about. Will was reluctant to say the least, since he had a relented ache inside his head. He tried healing himself, and for a moment, it worked, but not for long. Was it possible that his powers were growing weaker, was it because he hadn't been practicing often?

"Will."

Will blinked, realizing Mabel was speaking to him. "Yeah?"

"I have a perfect plan to approach Mermando," Mabel smiled.

"What is it?"

"First, I purchase a sub sandwich from the snack bar," Mabel said. "Then, I give him the sandwich in exchange for one date with me."

Will tilted his head. "And, you're sure this will work?"

"Nobody can refuse a sub!" She declared.

So, the Guardian and Will ordered one sub sandwich, before looking for the young man from earlier. They eventually saw him leaning against another corner of the pool, and Mabel immediately approached him, with Will not far behind.

"Hey again!" Mabel beamed.

Mermando turned to her, smiling in recognition. "Hola, Mabel. Hola, Will."

"I love your accent!" She exclaimed. "Is that Australian?"

"It's Spanish, Mabel," Will told her.

Mabel ignored him, and continued to step forward. "Anyway, look what I got you--AH!" At that moment, she stumbled on a crack in the concrete floor, the sandwich launching out of her hands.

"I got it!" Will said, and reached out to catch it.

He managed to in the end, but also resulted in smashing into the water. Will held his breath at the last possible second, his vision blurry. Still, he almost gasped, when he saw a glitter in front of him, that seemed to be connected to Mermando. They almost looked like...scales!?

Terrified, Will quickly swam upwards, breaking the surface. He gasped in a lungful of air, still holding onto the now soggy sandwich. Mabel knelt down, and regarded him with worry.

"Will, are you--"

"I saw something!" Will squeaked. "Scales! Mermando had scales!"

Mermando stiffened, while Mabel only looked confused. "Will, you know swallowing pool water is bad for your head. All that chlorine messes you up."

"But, I'm telling the truth," The boy insisted, then spun towards Mermando. "What are you hiding?"

The young man hesitated for a long while, and his brow scrunched up in frustration. "I have a confession to make..."

The two friends looked at him intently, waiting for Mermando's next response. The next thing they knew, the young man pushed away the floaty raft that was covering his legs, revealing that he had a fish tail.

"I am a merman," Mermando said, finally.

Will released the sandwich in shock, letting it's contents float around him. "Oh..."

"That's a relief!" Mabel said. "I thought you had a girlfriend."

"So, you're a merman?" Will said, still in disbelief by the whole thing. "How did you end up here?"

Mermando sighed heavily. "I remember swimming with my dolphin friends, then suddenly, I was enslaved by this fishing net! I was headed to Zero Gravity Town, but then I tried to escape, but fell down a drainage pipe and ended up here..."