Diary of a Mermaid

Ink on the couch

The next morning, we're all doing our own thing, going about our individual routines. It's summer vacation so I'm using these days to relax. I'm lying on my bed, playing on my ElectroTablet, when Dad knocks on my door. "Would you mind rounding up the girls for me? Family meeting in the dining room."

"Sure." I get up off my bed and swim outside to the backyard where I see Angel and Nemmy drawing on the pavement with chalk. "Girls, can you come inside for a second?"

"No! I'm drawing now." Nemmy insists.

I swim over to her and look at what she's drawing. It's a little smeared, but I can make out the image of her and the octopuses. She sees me looking at her drawing and says, "That's Nemmy, Calio, Stanley, and Gladys," confirming by beliefs.

"Great job, Nems. Would you mind finishing it after? Daddy wants to talk to us."

Her eyes get big and she points to the house. "It's Ray's fault! He's the one that let Stanley ink on the couch!"

"No!" Angel counters, getting up from her drawing. "I saw you do it! It's your fault!"

"No!"

"Uh huh!"

"Girls!" I say, stepping in. "We'll talk about that later. Now let's just go inside. I take them each by the hand and lead them to the dining room where everyone else is waiting for us.

Once we're all seated, Mom says, "You all know what happened last night."

"The bad guys came." Nemmy states.

"You're right." Mom replies. She takes a deep breath and looks over at Dad who nods. "Last night, we called the Atlantan Land Walkers Association."

"What's that?" Ray asks.

"It's the group that arranges for Atlantans to go ashore and live with the humans. They helped us find you homes to live in while the war is going on. As the children of the Head of Security, you'll probably be the prime targets for the Poseidonians.

"What?! You're sending us away? You'll be coming with us, right?" I ask.

Dad looks at Mom, then back at us. "No, we'll be staying here. We both have jobs to do and aren't allowed to leave."

"Are you kidding? You're sending us all to live with strangers? How will we all manage under the same roof without you?" I demand.

"You won't all be under the same roof." Dad tells us. "You boys will be living with Cathrin and Peter Geneva in Miami and you girls will be living with Jaclyn and Steven Cordova in Toronto."

My heart drops. "How long to we have?"

"You leave in two days." Mom says, her eyes closed.

I feel like I just got punched in the stomach.

"You all should go pack. But there must be no pictures of me or your mother. If Poseidonians see them, they'll know who you are and then you'll all be in danger." Dad says.

I take Angel and Nemmy's hands and lead them to their room. Then I go to mine and let it all sink in.