The Deep

Chapter 5

*Her*

The day has been too long. I could not find food and the warmth made my skin itch. I did not anticipate the effects the world above would affect me. Truly, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. But it's not my biggest problem now. I have yet to find the person I need to survive here. In Water home, I was able to find any place with ease. Why was it so different here?

My feet ache after some time of walking in the sea of greens. My curiosity has gotten the best of me, and I had slowly crept toward the noise coming from the human territory. Their dens are odd. Too foreign. I cannot imagine what kind of safety these could give them at all.

I stay hidden away from their line sight, although it does not seem necessary. The humans seem to be occupied with something else. Something grave. I crouch low to the floor and listen as I always did when I was a youngling.

"Are you quite sure? None at all?" A man and woman talk in hushed tones behind their mating den. The human man nods his head. "But that is simply impossible! How can the entire Bay be emptied of fish?"

The man expelled air through his nostrils, turning away from her. "I'm not sure, but Mack believes he has some idea as to what's happening. He'll figure it out soon enough! He's always had." The human woman either doesn't believe him or doesn't believe this Mack. There's a hostile change in her posture at the mere mention of the name. "Look, if this is handled, I'll be out of a job. Mackenzie will not only help the factory fishermen but the local fishermen too."

Fish, I mouth the word. Food! My food is disappearing? Is that what they meant? That's not how it happens. Food does not just leave their territory. Food doesn't leave, they die. I lay down on the floor as my limbs grow heavy with fatigue. It's odd. My body never needed this much rest before. I shall find this so-called Mack when I gain strength again. I...will...help...

*****

My eyes snap open.

It takes me a while to remember where I am. The world had turned dark again. My body still feels too heavy for my bones. Why did I wake up? A harsh blare of blue lights impairs my vision, causing me to jump to my feet. A large black beast rests in front of the humans' den with them next to it. The woman appears frightened. The man is nowhere to be seen. But she then points to my exact location I am hidden and react.

My feet, although clumsy, push me to safety. I don't know why I let myself be found in such a vulnerable position. Many, many paces behind me, I hear the beast break into the sea of greens. I pumped my limbs faster, pushing the limits and stumbled into a clearing. The white light floods my senses, slightly confusing me but I have the mind to keep going.

I frantically look around the area for an escape. Where to go? What to do? For the first time in my life, I have no idea what to do. I rush to a dark corner and fall back onto a oddly textured wall. My heart beats in an unsteady tempo that is unusually fast for me. Is this what fear feels like?

The beast will track me, and I will perish. I don't know what to for the first time in my entire life. I grasp for any choice, but I have none. My lips part slightly. I do have one way to get out of here. I'm not sure how it'll help me here, but I can only try. The vibrations creep from the back of my throat and pour out of me. Animal noises begin to rise from a far-off distance.

I don't let it scare me into submission. Slowly, my mouth forms a single word. "Heeelp." In truth, I have no idea what I am enchanting for. The words take firm shape, blending with the song that emits from my chords. I try to say the word again and again, but I can't quite get it.

My human legs give out underneath me as my chest tightens uncomfortably. I feel all the energy drain out of my body. It drags me down to the ground. My breath comes in short and shallow. My vision shifts from color to black and white to color again. I am pretty sure that my emotions are causing me to change to my true form. It heightens my panic to even greater lengths.

A sharp pain takes over my legs. The air has started to become unbreathable. The world above slowly becomes dark. I'm going to shamefully die on land in the middle of a shift. I shriek pain, destroying the human light sources in the vicinity.

A hand shoots out from the dark, covering my mouth. She places something salty on my tongue and pulls me towards her own body. "I know this hurts but you have to control yourself! Breath through your human nose, not your gills. Envision your human body, not your true form. I am here now to help you." I take a deep breath and drop my head into her comforting embrace.