The Treasure of the Sea

12

Daryl panicked as he hit the water, he thrashed about his arms wriggling about as he sank. Negan was horrified as he pushed Shane out of his way racing over the bridge and down a flight of makeshift stairs that were connected to the rocks. Dwight and Rick stepped out of the large treehouse with wide eyes as they ran down the stairs after Negan as they saw bubbles coming up from the spot that Daryl fell into.

"What the hell happened captain?"

"Get that traitor in one of those damn hanging cages." Negan yelled loudly. The two looked between one another and up at Shane who was racing over the opposite side of the hanging rope bridge towards an overpass of rocks and trees.

The island wasn't exceptionally large and every single one of them knew every nook and cranny like the back of their hand. Their biggest concern was Shane getting to the hidden cave they anchored their boat within.

Rick and Dwight raced after Shane, their cutlasses ready to use if they needed it. "Shane get your lily livered ass back here." Rick yelled loudly as they continued to make their way up the rocks and terrain towards him.

Negan tossed his shirt, cutlass, and pistol to the side and jumped into the ocean after his lover. Daryl continued to thrash until he had a realization, he was breathing. His eyes shot open and he could see. A school of fish swam past him, spooking him for a moment. His eyes scanned his surroundings, he looked back down at himself for a moment and shouted.

His legs were gone, and in its place was a black tail with maroon spots, places he had cuts on his human legs seemed to also appear on his tail. He pushed back, but continued to lower to the seafloor. He went to swim upward but couldn't get himself to move, he didn't know how this damned tail worked, he was horrified by whatever he was. He couldn't swim in the first place and now that he realized he had well whatever this fish tail was, he certainly wasn't swimming like a normal person.

He heard a splash and looked up only to see Negan jump in after him. Daryl wriggled trying to force himself upward. He reached up towards Negan whose eyesight was extremely blurry due to the salt water.

"Ne..Negan." Daryl whimpered, reaching upward for him.

Negan gripped his lover's wrist pulling him up, he turned and didn't look back down at him knowing he had his hand in his own. He swam up towards the surface pulling Daryl behind him.

Rick and Dwight chased after Shane quickly, they rounded a tree holding their weapons up. "Turn around and walk." Rick snapped.

Shane snarled, but turned. He attempted to run but Dwight quickly stopped him. They grabbed the back of his shirt, and forced him forward their cutlasses up. As they made their way back across the rope bridge they looked down at the beach to see Negan rising out of the water. "Thank god he has him." Rick whispered.

Dwight nodded only for all three of them to stop mid step, Shane's eyes grew wide. "I fucking told you!" Shane yelled as Negan pulled Daryl up out of the water and instead of the scared boy they all knew a merman wriggled on the sand. Negan turned to check over his bedmate only to find the meran in his spot. "Daryl!"

Daryl looked up and then down at himself panicking as all of the crew raced down to the beach forgetting their original task of locking up Shane.

They raised their cutlasses pushing Negan back to protect him. Daryl shivered trying to hide himself. His shirt was drenched, the coin dangling from his hair shined in the sunlight poking through the treeline.

"Don't!" Negan barked pushing his men back. "Stop."

"Shane was right, he is a monster sir." Joey remarked as the younger man, or merman, shook looking over the crew.