Tales From The Inside: A Selection of Accounts from the Inhabitants of SuperZoo

Serafina's Story (Part Three)

The response of the mermaids was automatic. They all swam down as one before turning and propelling themselves from the water as if they all wanted to get to the puddle. But Thello, lost in his grief was not as quick to react. His cry of agony became a thousand ear wrenching screams as it echoed around the room. The other mermaid, Allison, was the closest to Thello, but she was older and struggled to move on land. Serafina and Terri had to scramble over her to get to Thello.
Throwing their hands into the water to grab the merman was agony beyond all reason. Serafina let out a scream that joined Thello's as her skin blistered before her eyes. Gritting her teeth, she found Thello's hand and pulled. By her side, Terri did the same, and with a huge effort they dragged Thello out of the water.
The crowd watching on gasped as the half melted merman came out of the pool and onto the rough land. Serafina tried not to look at him for fear she may throw up.
"He needs salt water!" Terri said.
"The puddle is gone," Serafina said. She was having difficulty focusing on anything: the pain in her hands was blinding.
Something heavy plunked into the water by her side. Serafina reached in to grab it automatically, another wave of pain radiating up her arm as she did so. A water bottle. One of the watching humans had tossed a bottle of clean water to them.
"It's not salt water," Terri said, holding out her hand for the bottle. "But it will at least clear off some acid."
As Terri poured the water over Thello there was another thud, and another. More people were tossing in half-drained bottles of water, trying to help. She began collecting up the bottles and taking them to Terri, being very careful to avert her eyes from Thello as she did so.
And then it hit her, square in the back. A jet stream of water. Looking up, she saw Hector standing at the barrier of the viewing platform with a sort of rubber tube that was gushing out clean water.
"Terri, move!" Serafina called. Terri turned and got out of the way as best she could, giving Hector full access to hose down Thello. Serafina looked back up at the watching crowd. They wore expressions of horror as they watched the merman writhe in pain. Only one face held any other emotion- The Keeper had and expression of complete calm as the gun raised once again.
"Hector!" Serafina called desperately.
Hector looked up and redirected his water stream, but it was too late. The ringing gunshot filled the room, ending Thello's screams. Serafina let out a wail.
Terri kept calm exactly long enough to throw Thello's body into the water. Then she turned to look up at the crowd.
"You've all seen it now. We are perfectly capable of looking after ourselves, perfectly capable of keeping ourselves alive. I tell you all now, I could have healed Thello. He could have lived a long life. We all could have been free and happy for a long time. But we have been kept in cruel conditions, with very little salt water and no food that is natural to us and this is the result. Bones visible through our skin. Flaking scales. And now The Keeper murders two of us after the lack of care at this place for its prisoners renders them sick. Forced to perform to stay healthy, threatened constantly.
"Your money has paid for this. You came to watch a show with forced performers. You have all contributed to murder. And rest assured, the Merfolk will not forget. Humans are not natives of this planet. You destroyed your own world and we gave you shelter. This is how we are repaid."
Serafina looked at Terri in shock. She had heard her friend talk of humanity like this before, but never openly. Never out of the whispers.
"Free the Captives," called a voice from the group.
Serafina knew that call. It was the slogan of the Sympathisers, a sect of humans who fought against the brutal treatment of the creatures native to this planet. And it was coming from Hector.
"Free the Captives!"
"Free the Captives!"
The shout was echoed around the crowd of watching humans. This, then, was where the salt and kelp balls had come from. The Sympathisers had snuck them in.
"Enough!" Yelled The Keeper, but the word was drowned amongst the cries being taken up around the room.
Free the Captives.
Serafina thought that perhaps the human race was not all bad after all.