Into the Deep: The Prophecy

Part Four: A Tail and a Talent

I don't know how long I stood there in stunned silence, my brain trying to process what was happening. A tail. One of my best friends was flopping around on the floor with a freaking tail.

Jaymie fared no better than I. In her sleepy eyes, a sudden awareness filled them.

"What the hell?" She swore.

By this time, the other two had awoken to the noise. Even Faith had somehow woken up. Lindsay wore an expression that was somewhere between awe, shock, and fear.

Faith was the first one to speak up. "It's pretty!" She laughed happily, jumping down the stairs. She poked Jaymie's tail, and Jaymie's eyes widened.

"I-I felt that..." she said quietly, surprised.

Faith giggled.

But it was pretty. Jaymie's tail was black, fading into purple on her sides and stomach, and silver-tipped scales ran in swirling patterns along her back. Her giant fluke was sculpted unlike any fish fin I'd ever seen. Silver traced the thin bony rises of her fluke.

Lindsay ran upstairs suddenly, then returned with a towel.

"Here, let's dry her off."

Jaymie suddenly reacted. "Wait no, wait a moment!" She raised a hand, and Lindsay jumped back, or rather flew back into the wall.

She stood again, wobbling at the knees, then spread out her arms for balance. "I'm fine." She reassured us.

I heard my mother upstairs call down. "Girls, quiet down! It's stilla seven in the morning!" before she went silent again.

We all looked to Jaymie again, who now looked even move scared than before. Lindsay wordlessly handed her the towel, and Jaymie pulled her sleeves up to dry her hands. Once every drop had dried up, Jaymie's tail started to glow purple, then fade into her legs once more.

We stood there in silence.

Faith smiled, her face practically starting to glow. Then she suggested something we were all thinking already.

"Lets go to the beach!"