Mermen on Accident (DNF Mermaid AU)

Merman Fate

"How am I supposed to get in the water now that we know what happens?" I ask Sapnap. "It burns my skin just like it did with George. Do I have to do that too?"

Sapnap shrugs. "How else are you supposed to leave?"

I roll my eyes. "Why didn't you think of this before?"

His eyes squint at me. He places his arms over the rock I'm sitting on.

"I don't know everything." He pauses and reaches out a hand. I look at it and give him mine. He grabs it and the water on his hand burns my skin. Before I can pull away he drags me forward and I topple towards the water.

I yelp and splash in. My body instantly feels like it is enveloped in flames. I can't tell which way is up and which is down. I clutch at my chest and get the urge to gasp. I quickly pull a hand over my mouth. I squint my eyes open and find myself face to face with complete darkness. I twist my neck back and see the surface. My arms and legs feel like they are erupting into goosebumps. I reach out to the blurry, colorful shape that I think is Karl. I can't hold my breath any longer.

A hand grips my wrist and drags me upwards. The moment I break the surface I gasp. I shiver as Sapnap pulls me over to the rock. Everywhere he touches my skin it makes my body flare in pain. I try swimming towards the rock to relieve the burning pain that makes my brain on fire and my body shake, but Sapnap stops me. His grip is like steel, cold and firm.

My vision tunnels and I try to focus on the shape of George crouching behind Sapnap on the rocks.

Don't pass out. Don't pass out.

I grip onto Sapnap's wrist for some kind of grounding, something to keep me from losing consciousness.

I fail.

The next time I am conscious I can hear muttering. Someone has a hold of my shoulders. Fingers glide from my shoulder to my chest. They retreat and make contact again on my forehead.

"-this time?" Someone is asking.

"I don't know. I'll try tomorrow. For now, you two need to stay out of trouble." A faded reply.

"Out of trouble? We haven't gotten into any trouble."

"For now... We can meet up in the afternoons you said- As often as you can, and the same place as before."

The words jump at me loudly when I realize I'm awake. "Fine."

I open my eyes and stare at George's face. He looks down and his hands quickly retreat from my face and body as I sit up.

"You're awake," he says, turning his head to hide his face.

"I passed out?"

My eyes turn to Karl and Sapnap in the water. Karl nods and looks over to George. I stand up.

"It's time to go."

The three of them look my way.

"There's nothing else we can do right?" I watch George's face turn sad. "The prophecy is stopping us from changing back. Let's move on to something else."

George raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"We still need to live our lives. I mean- we have final exams in the next few weeks."

George cringes.

"We will come back tomorrow and as often as we can to try and get more information, but from now on, George and I are going to keep living our lives."

Sapnap nods. "I agree. Try not to get noticed. Act normal. But meet Karl and I at the beach when you can so we can work on this."

I nod back in agreement.

* * *

George and I walk along the beach with our bags slung over our shoulders. George basically saunters behind me, but I barely notice as I am lost in thought.

As we bid farewell to Sapnap and Karl earlier, he had told us, "Be paying attention if anything strange happens to you. That potion might do some weird things to your body."

Now I was scared of something strange happening to me in my sleep. What if I actually turned into a tuna or something? What would I even do?

"Dream?"

I stop in my tracks and turn to look at George. He is staring terrified at his hands.

"What...?"

"What do you think Sapnap meant when he said that the potion 'might do some weird things'?"

"I was just thinking about that. I honestly have no idea..."

George drops his hands to his side and looks up.

"What do you think?" I ask.

He sighs and shrugs, taking another step along the shore. I walk next to him and watch our feet leave prints in the sand.

We make it to our bikes and ride home uninterrupted. I say goodbye to George and finally get to my bedroom. I collapse on my bed in a heap and think about the whole day. 

It had been a long one, to say the least. I had learned a lot of new and important things, but didn't know what to do with all the extra information. 

I reach into my bag and pull out my phone. I power it on quickly and receive multiple notifications. Friends from school, social media, my mom asking me where I was.

Oops...

I shut off my phone and get in the shower. My hair felt gross after being in and out of the ocean all day. All the sand and fishy water runs down the drain. My mind clears and I let the warm water spray across my face. Droplets rush down my cheeks, drip down my chest, and fall to the floor in rhythmic beat. It feels like time slows and I run my hands down my face. I open my eyes when I realize the water no longer drums against my cheeks. 

I gasp when it collects around my hands in blobs. I bat my hand through the air and the water follows my movement. The shower head slowly glugs more water, and it moves towards my outstretched fingers. I shake my head as if trying to wake up from a dream. Nothing happens. I open and close my hands. The water all falls at once in a splat against the shower floor and the stream of water returns.

That's not normal...

Another chapter down. Have a great day! 

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1077 words