Iguanatopia - ONC 2021 (Completed)

5: Mermaidtopia

"Look at all the mermaids on the beach!" Joe yelled as the crew got in the dinghy.

Alba rolled her eyes. "Those are manatees," she explained to the zoologically ignorant sailor. "If you use both your eyes perhaps you would see that."

Joe threw an insulted glance at the girl who had just revealed his secret and then straightened his eye patch, which currently covered his left eye. "I only have one eye..." he mumbled.

"Sure..." Alba replied and she took her seat by one of the oars. The crew needed to row ashore to the nearby island and make camp while they repaired the damages on the ship enough to continue their journey.

As they got closer to the beach, friendly manatees surrounded them. Round snouts nudged against the side of the dinghy and clumsy butts made it sway from side to side. The ballon-shaped creatures didn't want them any harm. They were just curious.

The beach was full of round pebbles in shades from grey to pink. Alba took off her boots as she climbed over the side of the dinghy and waded ashore. Her feet sunk down among the stones and she halted for a minute to revel in the feeling of having firm land under her.

A loud splash made Alba turn around to see that Ignacio had dove off the dinghy. The lizard's long tail moved like a snake through the water and his clawed feet paddled skillfully. He looked to be in his element in the water. When reaching the shoreline Ignacio shimmed a bit to get the water off and then looked back at Alba, probably wondering why she was taking so long.

In front of Alba, Grace bent down on her knees on the rocky shore. Her hands sunk down in the gravel and grabbed fistfuls of it.

Even for pirates, land was always a blessing.

***

The shredded sail needed to be mended so that they could continue their journey. Grace sat down with a needle and thread to start sewing pieces together. She wasn't just an excellent cook, she was also an efficient seamstress. And a talented dancer, but that wasn't really relevant for this endeavor.

"You should help her with the sails, Alba," Pedro said. "While the men get some firewood for the night."

Alba glared at Pedro. "Why should I be the one to help her?" she asked. "Do you assume I can sew just because I'm a woman?"

"Well... " Pedro stuttered. "You do know how to sew, right?"

Alba sighed and shook her head. "I don't," she said. "Lucien can help Grace. He knows how to sew. I will get firewood."

Pedro threw a surprised look towards Lucien. "Is that true?" he asked. "Can you sew?"

The blonde boy nodded eagerly. "I can," he said with a smile. "And I'd be happy to help Grace. Alba is much stronger than me anyway, so she can carry more firewood."

Lucien sat down next to Grace and immediately went to work. Alba was happy someone seemed to appreciate the tedious and fiddly work of putting the sail back together. Because she sure didn't.

A cat-shaped shadow moved under the fabric. Oliviero was apparently enjoying himself by chasing imaginary prey under the moving cloth. Ignacio watched with fascination.

"I'll see if I can find some firewood," Alba said and started to walk away along the beach. The island didn't have much vegetation but hopefully, she'd be able to find some driftwood.

As always, Ignacio followed. His feline friend would have to continue playing without him.

***

Streaks of peach and pink painted the sky as Alba sat down on the rocky beach a few hours later. She put the firewood she carried next to her. The men were all gathered on the other side of the island. She could hear them laughing and talking. But Alba wanted to savor a few moments of solitude watching the sunset before she joined them.

Of course, she wasn't completely alone, Ignacio hunkered down next to her and nudged her knee lightly with his nose. She had come to know that as a sign of affection from the lizard.

"At least you listen to me, Ignacio," she said and stroked the animal's head. "We wouldn't be in this mess if they had just listened to me about the storm."

Ignacio didn't reply, because he was a lizard. But he did rattle his tail slightly.

A splash disturbed the peace. Alba spotted a manatee in the shallow waters, not far from where she sat. It looked like it was stranded and couldn't unlodge itself. Too much blubber prevented limber moves.

"Come on," Alba said to Ignacio and got up to help the poor creature.

She waded out into the water towards the rotund creature. Hopefully, she would be able to push the animal into the deeper waters where it could swim.

When Alba reached the manatee she kneeled down and stretched her hand out towards it. To her surprise, her hand felt nothing. It was as if she grabbed at the air. Confused, Alba reached her hand out again. Still nothing there.

But she still saw the animal in front of her.

Or did she?

The animal flipped around, and suddenly it wasn't a manatee at all. The blubbery exterior was just an illusion. Instead, Alba found herself face to face with a beautiful other-worldly creature.

A mermaid.

Her hair was the color of pearls and her tail was the color of water. That was the only way to describe the mermaid. She was fluid, moving, and free.

"You're not a manatee," Alba blurted out, mesmerized by the shimmering woman in front of her.

"Glad you noticed..." the mermaid replied with a smile. "Since it's only you here I could shed my disguise. Men get so distracted by beauty. That's why we mermaids disguise ourselves among the manatees. To get some peace and quiet."

"Women can get distracted by beauty too," Alba said while a blush rose on her cheeks.

"True, but women behave themselves much better."

A pale hand covered with faint seashells and barnacles reached towards Alba's own tanned and calloused hand. The touch was cold but yet warm. Which should be impossible. But so should mermaids be.

"I'm Mirabel," the mermaid said and flashed a pearly smile. Like, actually pearly, as her teeth appeared to be made of pearls.

"I'm... Alba," Alba stuttered, happy she still remembered her own name.

A wheezing sound was heard beside her. A certain lizard wasn't pleased that Alba paid attention to someone else.

"And that's Ignacio," Alba said and patted the swimming animal on the head.

Mirabel gave Ignacio a curious look."That's is a very special lizard," the mermaid said. "With secrets unknown."

Alba just nodded, unsure what Mirabel talked about. Perhaps she meant the puzzling map that the lizard had brought with him.

"The rest of your crew is on the other side of the island," Mirabel said in an alluring voice. "So what are you doing here all alone, Alba?"

"I needed some peace and quiet," Alba replied with a sigh. "I get so tired of the men sometimes. Especially Pedro and Joe... they never listen to me."

She started telling the mermaid everything about what had happened lately and how they had ended up on the island.

Mirabel looked straight at Alba the entire time she spoke and gave encouraging nods. She listened to Alba. Finally, someone listened to Alba.

"They should listen to you," the mermaid said when Alba was finished talking. "And I think they will soon."

A feather-light hand stroked Alba's cheek. Lush pink lips approached her own. The kiss was like raindrops on the ocean. Soft, brief, and salty. Alba closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation.

When Alba opened her eyes again she was alone. Mirabel was gone. Perhaps she had just imagined the mermaid. Stranger things had happened.

But a slight flutter on the ocean remained as proof of what had happened. And a not-so-slight flutter in Alba's heart.