Holly

Changing

I watch the water splash against the side of the empty tank and watch it rush down the wall. Ira and I work at the same place, an aquatic wildlife rehab in town. Today is cleaning day and we are both working hard on cleaning out the tanks for future animals.

The thing from last night keeps playing over in my head. It was eating the fish on the beach, and I must have startled it. The hissing could have been either a territorial threat or for defense. The fact that it charged like a bear would mean that it behaves like a top predator.

I keep thinking about the anatomy. It would be a powerful swimmer with its large tail. The black eyes could mean it prefers to stay in the deep sea.

So why is it here, on land?

"Ira."

"Yeah?"

"Remember when we were talking about those wild ones and devils at the cliff?"

"Yeah," she grunts and pauses as she lowers a clean bucket of water into the tank. "What about it?"

"You ever... imagine what it would be like if it was real?"

"You mean more than we did when we were kids?"

"Yeah, more than that. Like if they were scientifically possible."

She walks over to me, and I stand from scrubbing the side of the tank. "You want to know if you would be crazy to see one?"

"It isn't like I actually saw one," I hope my lie isn't obvious. "Just if you think they could exist hypothetically."

She pauses. "I guess they could be, but they wouldn't look like humans. That half fish, half human anatomy wouldn't be natural."

Natural.

"You're right. It would probably look completely different."

"Not to change the subject so suddenly, but do you want to grab lunch with me and Kaia? We are going to the diner in town."

"I could really use a burger so totally."


After cleaning the rest of the tanks, our boss lets us leave for lunch. The diner is just a five-minute walk from the rehab, so it doesn't take long for us to get there to meet Kaia.

As we approach the diner, I notice Kaia speaking to someone. He is much taller than her and seems a little intimidating. His eyes are soft looking at her and I can tell they must be close. Before we can get close enough for us to be introduced, he kisses her and leaves.

"Was that Atticus?" Ira asks Kaia as we sit down.

"Yeah. He drove me here", she says.

I assume that they must be a couple and honestly, they fit really well together. She doesn't seem like the type to date around so I wonder how they met. Ira and I have dated a few guys back in high school, but we haven't since graduating.

After ordering our food, we start talking about little things here and there.

"What do you like about the job?" Kaia asks me.

"I love helping the animals but my favorite part is watching their behavior and how they communicate. When Ira and I released a baby dolphin last week, we got to see the family reunite with it."

"That is so cute."

"Holly likes the behavioral side of the animals, but my favorite part is the anatomy. I had to help do surgery on a sea lion the other day", Ira adds.

"Have you had to do stuff like that, Holly?"

"I hate blood. It freaks me out."

Just as Kaia and Ira carry on with their conversation, I feel a weird emotion. It feels like I am being observed. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end and I glance out the window I am sitting next to.

People pass by the diner, carrying about their day. Somewhere out there, something is observing me. It feels like a pair of eyes are boring into the side of my head. I look down the street and that is when I see him.

Some man is leaning against the corner of an alleyway. I can't make out much from here, but he seems familiar.

It is his build. His height. He is the same man who goes into the ocean every night. He looks handsome but I can't see all the features I wish I could from this distance.

He is staring at me, and something feels unusual about him. Something more than the mystery around him. It is like he knows something that I don't...

And he is angry about it.

"You ever wonder why the devils were cursed?"

Ira and Kaia stop talking and stare at me. I look away from the man and suddenly realize that I said it out loud.

"Sorry, I am writing a paper about the legends Aunt Jane told us growing up," not a bad lie, "and I wanted to know what you guys think."

"Oh, um. I don't know. I never thought about it, but I always assumed that they were bad men."

My eyes caught the moment of tension in Kaia's hand. Her hand on the table tenses for a moment.

"How bad? Like they murdered and stole? Or they told lies as kids and something turned them into what they are?" I ask.

"That's a good question. I feel like if it was supposed to be a story to scare kids, Aunt Jane would have abused that power over us", Ira says.

"What if they just need another chance? It doesn't matter what they did, what if they are changing or already did?" I look at Kaia, surprised she gave something so insightful.

"So, they are getting better?"

She seems nervous. "Yes."

I look back out the window and the man is still there, still watching. I feel a clever but stupid idea pop into my head. I stare back at him, making direct eye contact. He shifts, turns, and walks away.