No ordinary girl

This is why I was away

It was maybe an early morning, or maybe early afternoon, but there Cleo and Emma were as Emma was in the pool swimming around, trying to beat her best score, the fastest swimmer on the swim team, while Cleo timed her. After her time with Emma Cleo walks the boat docks, the only place she feels she can be with a part of me.

To her it's her fault that I'm gone, that she thinks that she should've just gone after me that night. Our dad is a fisherman and pretty good one at that, perhaps I may have mentioned that before. They named a boat after me, and in the distance Mako Island doesn't look that far away.

Now because of what happened to me Cleo is terrified of the water and with good reason. She's also not the best or strongest swimmer. Every time dad comes home she always asks if he has found me, but as disappointing as it is, Cleo is the only person now who hasn't given up that someone will find me, and that I'll be alive and come home and it will be like I never even left.

They never wanted to give up, but days had turned to weeks, and weeks to months, months to years and years, and years until my family gave up hope. Kim would never understand. It's possible she was too little to even remember. But Cleo really also even doesn't want to touch it or go anywhere near it. Wants nothing do with it, except clean herself with it.

But as she walks along she runs into this guy Zane, one of those popular kinds of guys that can have any girl he wants, a rich dad you know the works, too bad he's not very nice. He was working on his little boat, and asked Cleo to come over and help him out. But she didn't even want to think about getting into a boat ever again let alone looking at or touching one either.

This boat of his reminds her of my own of the one that I'd gone away in. They'd brought it back when they went to the Island before after I'd left. They had roped it off and it was now off limits. Cleo said she didn't know anything about tools or boats, Zane said all she had to do was give him the tools he needed.

But as she got into the boat, and reluctantly caved in to help him, he started untying the boat from the dock behind her back, punishing her for something someone else had done he was mad that someone had stolen his spark plug and he needed to take it out on someone anyone and Cleo just so happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time as she now drifted off into the ocean, and she didn't dare jump out or try to swim back, so she stayed put.

As the boat moves closer to another near by dock another girl jumps off the dock and into the boat, scaring the crap out Cleo. But without saying a word, this girl now holds up the missing spark plug that Zane had been looking for. But even though the girl didn't give her name Cleo still knows it. Thanks Rikki she tells her once she puts the spark plug back in to make the boat start up again, Rikki's reasoning for doing what she did was simple at least to her that Zane is a pig and whatever she can do to get under his skin couldn't be such a bad thing.

On the outside Cleo is smiling, but she's probably thinking that it was a bad idea, but Rikki doesn't really know Cleo or her story, or our story. She's kind of new around here. Turns out they go to the same school, and as they drive away once the boat is fixed up once they splash up on Zane they have created the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

As they go around the dock, and Rikki is showing off all her tricks even though Cleo is smiling and laughing and having a good time she's still very nervous the last time she was in a boat was the first time that our family had headed out to Mako to look for me after I disappeared.

After Emma is done with her swimming they pass by her and Cleo offers her a ride to which Emma asks Rikki if she's licensed and Rikki's reply was asking her if she was her mother. Emma caves and comes aboard the S.S. Rikki. And they go off around on a little adventure.

Rikki says they should go out to sea, where cruising around the harbor was fine, now that they're out at sea they're now out of Cleo's comfort zone. And sometime later, the boats motor decides not to work anymore. Now that they're out of fuel they need to paddle to the next near by island which is Mako.

When Rikki asks about paddling over, that's where Cleo draws the line. Mako island? Emma questions. That place is like major dangerous, with sharks and reefs and mangroves, she tells Rikki that no one goes there. At least not anymore they don't. Oh yeah why not? Cleo and Emma look at each other with frowns on their faces, as Emma grabs Cleo's hand.

Cleo turns away with tears in eyes. After a couple of secs of silence Rikki decides it their only bet to ever get anywhere. And they begin to paddle away. Behind them there is something in the water, something or more like a someone. T: I recognize that voice, or rather those voices. Cleo? I think to myself. I follow them to the island.

Do you ever get the feeling like we're being watched? Rikki asks turning around behind her. Don't be silly Emma tells as they all begin paddling. There's no one out here, and no one comes out this far anymore not for the past 8 years. Why is that? Rikki asks. Then there's silence again. Come on guys you gotta give me something.

Well there's nothing else better to do. It's your story Cleo. Actually it's my sister's but.... I'm sorry did I ask something I wasn't supposed to? After hearing a splash behind them, they look around. It was probably just a fish or something. Keep paddling. As I leave, I go around the long way to the back of the island. I come back every now and then.

Mako is my home away from home. When they find shore they get out of the boat and pull the boat onto the land. Cleo you keep looking out into the water. Emma reminds her. I know its just I thought I saw the tail of something from out of a fairytale, like when my sister pretended she was a mermaid.

How are we gonna get back home? Cleo wonders, and that's when things go down hill, they argue about how they're getting back, when there's another big splash like noise. They look out into the sea. Well you're lucky I've got this. Emma says pulling out her phone. But, I'm not getting any signal let's try to move to higher ground.

As they walk on, Cleo breaks the silence. Her name was Farrah. She was my twin sister and Emma and I's friend, I've got another sister Kim. We were 8 years old, we liked to surf all the time, we got to do whatever we wanted whenever we wanted as long as we stuck together. She loved to pretend she was a mermaid, loved surfing but wasn't a very good or strong swimmer a lot like myself.

One night on a full moon at about 3am she used to sleep walk a lot, but she never looked like she was asleep, if you talked to her you'd think she was wide awake but wouldn't remember anything after waking up. When she got out of bed and walked towards the dock, she got on a boat and I called after her, I wasn't fast enough to stop her, and she couldn't hear her name being called over the motor.

I'd gone back inside to wake my parents but by the time we got out there to here, we used to come to Mako all the time surfing to and from this island all the time. Had she been awake maybe she'd still be around. We're pretty sure she drowned and died, there's a hole at the bottom of this moon pool of the volcano she'd tell me sometimes she was staying the night, we'd have campfire nights or sister nights in the cave there.

It's my sister's home away from home she'd call it. We're not exactly sure what happened to her since no one was able to find the body, days turned to weeks, and then to months and soon years. I think she's still out there somewhere and alive, this might just be the twin talking, but I can feel it like a strange magnetic pull or something.

But we can't find her, we named a boat after her, it's off limits. No one goes near it, I'm terrified of the water now, I don't really even like touching it, being any place that reminds me of her makes me feel guilty. The last time I was on a boat before now was the day after when we went looking for her all over again, we'd sent search party after search party out there for her, my dad's a fisherman I keep asking him if they've found her, but the rest of my family has given up hope, its been 8 years since then.

Now no one goes anywhere near Mako. Wow Cleo, I'm so sorry. Rikki tells her. Thanks for telling me. It's ok, but I miss her like a lot. As you should, and don't give up hope Emma says comforting her. But now that story time was over, Rikki wondered if Emma knew where she was going but all Emma had her focus on was going up to get a signal. But Cleo was worried there wouldn't be one and that no one would ever find us.

Cleo Emma turns to her. Placing a hand on her shoulder, that's just the fear talking, just because Farrah wasn't found doesn't mean our fate is just like hers we'll be just fine, trust me. Cleo you've been here plenty it sounds like, does any of it look familiar? No, sorry the last time I was here was 8 years ago and I've tried to forget anything about it since then.

Then they come across a rock formation. This looks familiar, I can't tell you how many times Farrah had fallen or tripped on these rocks watch your step Emma warns. As they leap across the rocks. Carefully I might add. When Cleo doesn't want to jump across she falls down the cave slide that leads into the cave of the moonpool.

Cleo are you alright? She says that she's fine but can't climb up. Guys I remember this place, and I don't want to be here, it reminds too much of my sister, even some of her stuff is here still, like its brand new. How did you normally get out? Swim out, or we had rock climbing equipment that we now at this time don't have. My ankle also hurts. I'm having a hard time getting up. I gotta go down and get her. Emma says, Rikki thinks she's crazy.

Farrah was my friend too, I've gotta check this place out for myself. After Emma comes down Rikki follows. Now they were all stuck down there. Shouldn't we think of a way out of here? Cleo questions. You said we could swim out. No, no. I'm not going in there again. That's probably the last place Farrah was before she drowned. Well we can't stay down here forever. Come on where is this moonpool I have to see it for myself. Rikki says.

Emma leads the way. They climb the very convenient stairs, to where the moonpool would be. Well there it is. I never thought I'd this place ever again, Cleo says with a frown creasing the stone, and then looking down and around. It looks like a mini HQ just like Farrah once had it before, almost like someone's been living here, on and off that is. It's even still decorated with fairy lights.

Almost like they're brand new. How can they still be here barely anyone knows about this place, Farrah and I were really the only people who ever came here. To the island itself, unless someone wild and dangerous came by recently but nothing looks moved or touched or damaged or stolen or whatever. This stuff looks recent. But how?

Wow this place is amazing Rikki states. Emma inspects the hole the moonpool they've been there so long its evening. Hey guys what kind of moon is it tonight? Cleo asks. Worriedly. IDK Emma tells her, but I'm sure we'll be just fine. This could be our only way out. Emma takes her shoes off, and steps into the water, diving into it like a simmer dive.

Emma disappears and Cleo is worried. But Emma's theory is correct she was sure it was connected to the ocean and it was a 20 sec swim to the open water it was straight through and had enough room for all of them. Rikki takes her shoes off too and begins getting into the water, Cleo says she's not going, even after her friends encourage her. But after a traumatic experience you forget things sometimes, Cleo tells them she can't swim.

But her friends tell her that everything will be fine, that the alternative was that they stay down there forever. Farrah did all the time. Cleo reminds Emma. Come on Cleo Emma says taking her hand. Cleo takes her shoes off, and allows Rikki to lead her into the water. Cleo imminently almost drowns, had Rikki not dived down to grab her.

Now that they are all in the water the moon comes out and its a full moon. Oh no, its a full moon, I'm out of here! But her friends don't let Cleo leave the pool. The moon shines down on them as bubbles form. Kind of like in a hot tube. They look around in confusion. Cleo has anything like this ever happened here before? Rikki asks her. No. Farrah would've told me so. This is weird.

There bodies glow and the bubbles around them begin to rise, and they all look up at the moon. It's the full moon had it not been a full moon Farrah would've never gone out that night. She always slept walked on a full moon. But usually I was able to wake her up and stop her. After taking a deep breath they all swim down and out.

When they get out theirs a water police rescue team there to help them out of the water. Cleo looks back at the island with tears in her eyes as she swims after her friends to the boat. Once on the boat they're given warm blankets and a change of clothes. Guys when Rikki and I were in the water I felt something swim by me, and I looked around and saw a fish, something that looked like a tail, like what we saw before on our way to the island.

I felt it give us a boast up out of the water. Yeah, I felt it too. Rikki said. Yeah, I saw something too, I wasn't sure what, but it had brown hair the shade of Cleo's. This is too weird. Looking out over the boat there's a big splash, and then my tail swishes and they all see it. That's one big fish the policeman people state.

Now that my sister and her friends are safe, my job was done and it was time for me to come home. Time passes and it is morning now. Emma is at the beach she is alone, she goes into the water for a swim. But then she stops, bubbles form, and she looks down and sees her transformation, she's got a big mermaid tail just like the tail they saw the night before, and the afternoon before.

The same thing happens to Cleo when she's taking a bath. And then to Rikki when she was just out on a walk and a sprinkler spays her and gets her wet good thing no one was around to see her transform. At the house, the girls talk about their life changing experiences surprised by what's happening. That they look just like mermaids.

They are alone at the house talking about this. Lucky for them that they are. They discover that after 10 secs they grow tails and then it disappears when they're dry. But after they come to the same conclusion, Emma thinks its ridiculous because she says mermaids don't exist. But, my sister always wanted to be one, and always pretended that she was one.

That's right she did. That she pretended. Maybe her dream finally came true, I mean it must've or else she wouldn't had disappeared the way she did since she was afraid that people would find out and experiment on her. I say walking into the house. I thought you said we were the only ones home? Emma asks Cleo. Oh Emma so responsible, so smart, so resourceful, so logical.

You I don't know. What's your name? Rikki? She questions as the girls look me up and down (outfit 22) What's yours? She asks me. Now before I answer that, do you believe that I could be a mirage or a dream or perhaps a hallucination? I question with a smile on my face. It's ok reach out and touch me I promise I don't bite. Rikki reaches out and pokes me. Good now that we have come the conclusion that I'm real, you'll never believe who I am even if I told you. Cleo you and your twin sister have a birthmark on your opposite side hip with hearts on the side right?