Stolen Dream

Chapter Four

Ziza woke with a huge yawn. She stretched and rolled over into the water below her with a splash before she even remembered that she'd been followed there the night before.

She reveled in the feeling of the water surrounding her before resurfacing with a sad realization: she was going to need to find a new home.

The thought was daunting. There weren't that many places like her cave. The air bubble, ledge, easy access to the water. It was close enough to home to be convenient for her family to visit without being so close that she was in serious danger of discovery.

Until last night.

She sighed heavily and patted the ledge affectionately. "Goodbye, home," she told it sadly. It had been a comfortable place for her to live the last fifteen years or so, but now she had no choice but to move on before more merfolk came back to inspect her sanctuary.

It wasn't safe for her anymore.

She took a deep breath and dove back under water to look for a good meal before heading towards the resort to meet Ky. Just the thought of Ky had her spirits lifting and anticipation coursing through her.

She was becoming far too attached to the human. It was dangerous. But perhaps if they went exploring together, they'd stumble across a new home for her. She would have to spend the day looking anyway. It would be nice to have company for a change.

She snacked the whole way to the resort. She stayed a good distance away, the clarity of the water pristine again after the storm. She never got this close when it was this clear, preferring to stay in the deeper, darker water where she wasn't nearly as visible.

It wasn't long before people began moving onto the white sand, setting up on the beach chairs and lounging in the sunshine. Several quickly stripped off their top layer and ran towards the water in their swimsuits. Kids, young and old, began playing in the sand and water, parents and adults looking on with amusement or annoyance depending on the decibel and mischief level of those playing.

Ziza sank deeper until just her nose and eyes were poking up out of the water. With a few gentle movements of her fin, she propelled herself farther from the shore knowing she would soon be spotted by the swimmers if she wasn't careful.

Then she saw him and the relief she felt was palpable. He jogged down to the edge of the beach, pulling off his unbuttoned shirt and kicking off his sandals. He had a few odd-looking contraptions in one hand and a set of goggles on his head.

He ran into the water, then paused to put the flippers on his feet. He dipped the goggles in the water and fastened them securely over his eyes and nose, then put the snorkel in his mouth, secured it to the goggles' strap, and carefully pushed off of the sandy bottom with his face in the water, breathing through the snorkel.

Ziza took a breath and dropped under the surface of the water, swimming towards and below him so he would soon see her.

Ky saw her moving through the water towards him and he waved. She crooked her finger at him and turned, moving quickly away from the island.

It was so amazing how she moved in that mermaid tail, he thought as he worked hard to keep up. It was like it really was a part of her. Though, if she'd been in the water since she was a kid, he supposed it made sense. Maybe she'd always swum with a fin like that and it had become second nature.

He stayed at the surface, keeping the snorkel clear of water. He was getting intimidated by the length of time she was staying under, and with how far they were getting from the island.
Finally, she went to the surface and he pulled off the snorkel and goggles so he could see and talk to her. "How far are you planning to take me?" he asked, careful to keep his trepidation hidden.