Siren Bay

XII

December 23rd | Eight days until NYE

I fidgeted with my hand, spotting the new scar across my finger. I'd peeled potatoes and caught my hand a few weeks ago, but the scar was now a permanent part of my body. The pads of my fingers trailed over my knuckles and the newest edition to my hands yet my mind was elsewhere.

Leah and I were packing up our bags to get ready to head back home for Christmas. As I stared at my open duffel bag, the assortment of attire scattered within, I couldn't put into words how much I didn't want to go.

I didn't want to leave Henry alone at Siren Bay.

New fears whispered in my dreams. Seeing Winnie, perfectly normal, and glimpsing Henry's glowing tail fending off their demon – was it a literal demon? – it was jarring to say the least. I was no longer thinking about how they came to be mermaids, I was wondering who they were fighting, and what it was.

I thought I knew monsters, I'd met enough people that were monstrous in some way, but this...this was my first actual monster. What were Henry and the others fighting? What were they up against?

What secret were they keeping?

I couldn't help but scoff at the irony. I, the famed secret keeper, wanted to know what their secret was. I shoved the last of my things in my bag but as I zipped it up, sitting on it so everything fit, I hesitated. I still didn't want to leave – I still wanted answers.

Leah walked into the living room to see me sitting on my bag with a frown on my face. "What did you do?"

"What?"

"You look like you've seen some shit." Leah sat herself down and stared at me, her dark eyes open and accepting for whatever nonsense I'd found myself in. "What happened?"

I looked at my fidgeting hands as I told her what happened last night when I tried to go to Siren Bay to see Henry, only for Winnie to throw me into the sea and spit me out away from harm, away from Henry. "I'm just...I'm worried."

Leah raised an eyebrow. "What are you going to tell your parents about your phone being dead?"

"I told them I broke it," I shrugged. "I technically did, in a way."

Leah smiled and nodded slowly as she thought over what I'd told her. I could see her brows bunch together in puzzlement, her eyes dart around the floor like she was collecting the right words. "If you're worried for him why aren't you down there?"

"I don't know if I'll get the chance until after Christmas, I mean, my parents are picking me up in an hour." I had to call them from Benji's phone to let them know about my broken one, which they weren't pleased about already, but I didn't have time to get to Siren Bay and wait for Henry to explain what happened and back before they arrived – it wasn't even sunset yet, and the mermaids didn't emerge until past dusk.

"Are you –" Leah paused as Benji bounced into the room and plonked himself down next to Leah, looking between us.

"What's the tea?"

"Sylvia and mermaids," Leah answered.

"Brilliant. What's up?"

A little sigh left Leah's mouth as she looked at me again. "Are you worried about anything else?"

This time I couldn't avoid the thought that'd plagued me since coming back last night. "I'm afraid they won't be there anymore."

Benji blinked. "There's only one way to find out, Sylvia. You have to go down there – if you're worried for someone, and you only think about them and don't act on it, then you're just going to be stewing in 'what if' for ages."