Not All Heroes Wear Capes

3: It's Raining Mermen!

Closing the file in front of her, Cecelia reached over to stop the recording app until her next interview arrived—a Mr. Adrian Beck. His picture peered back at her from the top of his folder off to the side. The man looked like he could be a model. Why he was wasting his time in a grocery store, she'd never know.

Suddenly, the door swung open a little too hard, startling Cecelia in her chair. If it was anyone else, she might get an attitude, but the tall man that stood in front of her looked scared out of his wits. While wondering if he would even make it through all her questions—she stood to greet him.

"Hello, Mr. Beck. I'm Cecelia Price from Chicago Daily News. How are you today?"

"Uh...f-fine. I'm fine. Thank y-you."

"Really? Because you seem a tiny bit on the nervous side—maybe even uncomfortable. Would you care for something to drink? A glass of water?"

The minute that word left her mouth, Adrian jumped back in alarm. He looked like someone had just suggested stealing a car, driving into Canada, and stealing a moose while hopped up on maple Bailey's. It was only water. When Cecelia took his response as a resounding no, she gestured toward the seat opposite her at the table.

"Please have a seat. I have some questions I'd like answered."

Reluctantly, he flopped down into the chair. After clicking the record button on her phone yet again, Cecelia leveled her gaze at the man.

"Now, I understand that strange things have been happening to some people, and I want to get better insight into them. I've already interviewed one woman so far. Miss Sparks definitely had a unique story to tell. Not that I buy everything she was trying to sell. Seemed a bit too farfetched for me, honestly."

Adrian's eyes went wide at the mention of the familiar name.

"Audra was here?!"

"You know her?"

"Sort of. What did she tell you?"

"Why don't you tell me your own story first, then I'll see?"

"You asked for it, lady."

ADRIAN'S POV

I hate the rain.

I know a lot of people do. But not many hate it for the same reason I do. I used to love it. I used to love any and everything that had to do with water. It was my home. It was everything I had ever known. And then everything changed.

I sighed as my alarm blared from the nightstand next to me and then grumbled as it crashed to the floor as I tried to shut it off. Another day of wandering around Seattle like I knew what in the hell I was doing. Like I didn't hate the smell of the fish markets or all the dampness. Wasn't particularly fond of coffee either. Another day of pretending I'm just some normal man, working some normal job, that does nothing but normal shit. Except, turn into a giant fish creature when he gets wet.

Yep. You heard me right. A fish-man. Sounds cool, right? It's not. Trust me, there is nothing cool about walking down the street, avoiding any and all forms of moisture, so you don't sprout fucking gills in the middle of a public sidewalk and scar children for the rest of their life. Do you have any idea what someone sprouting gills on their neck looks like?

It ain't cute. It's terrifying and gory and, honestly, it fucking hurts.

I'm still not exactly sure how this all happened, but I suppose I should start at the beginning. Once upon a time (that's how all of this story shit starts, right?) I was just another merman, swimming around, minding his own damn business. Even underwater, I didn't really fit in. My family was the ruling power, call it... the Mermaid's President, if you will, but I really had no desire to be part of that. I spent most of my days exploring, much to my father's dismay, and quickly became the black sheep of our little underwater paradise. Look, I know this sounds like that Disney movie, but bear with me, okay? I didn't proposition some sea witch and give her my voice so I could explore the human world and bang some stupid prince or some shit. I didn't want this. Not in any way, shape, or form.