Mermaid for a Day

3

My brother kept trying to dunk my head in the water. We had been playing on the beach for roughly three hours with our getting her suntan on the sand. I had hidden what was now assumed to be the vial of magic blue liquid in my bikini top. Not like anyone, such as my big brother, was going to question what was in there if anything was in there at all. The two of us had been wrestling one another with my moronic big brother taking what all he called easy on me. He never liked to hold back the force of bronze-tanned brawn, but when had to put serious effort into something he would complain that all of it was pointless.

Even as a preteen, he looked strong enough to challenge any of the junior varsity high school football players, individually that is. He happened to be quite temperamental until he turn around sixteen or seventeen when began to chill after focusing most of his rage towards working out which spiraled into this Zen physical training that gives him peace from the spirit and pain from the body. How he manages to work out like that surprises everyone, except me and maybe our mom.

I find the thought of putting yourself through physical to achieve something that is ultimately just a highly acclaimed media standard for physical attraction or preference both revolting and hypocritical. I would never forgo my virtue for appearance, although my mom would want me to have it the other way around. She thinks I am philosopher who sleeps away the day until time stands still in my mind.

Whether I find the idea of that to be true or not, right now, I am battling my brother without any hope of every beating him in wrestling. He decided to lift me up out of the water to through me further out to the deep shelf that led to the rest of the deep blue's mysteries. As I landed in a folding wave, the vial popped out of my bikini sinking down deep into the ocean's grasp never to be seen again. So much for my plans to see if the mystical liquid turn me into a mermaid for a day like Armana said.

Oh, wait! That's right. Armana could help me. I whispered her name three times softly looking down to the see where vial sank probably into a never-ending abyss. A smooth sea breeze rolled over me as a mist of sea dust spread around me. Armana took shape standing on the water in front of me. She glance at the discomfort on my anxiety stricken face, and as if she could see to the near bottom of the sea below us, she shook her head with disappointment.

"You know Lilian I gave that to you for today not tomorrow." she said understanding the situation with full knowledge.

"But," Armana continued, "I will give it to you again for you to drink for tomorrow instead. The magic should last by then and please remember to stay out of the ocean by sunset."

"Thank you" I said grateful for her arrival. In a mere fraction of a second, she stood there holding the vial of stunning sapphire blue liquid in her hand.

"Here. Take this, child." Armana said handing the satchel that Lilian had seen her wear when she was dying on the beach.

"The vial lies cloaked inside it awaiting you. No one who isn't you can open the bag to see or feel the vial while it is inside." She said to me while offering the satchel to me. I took it, putting the shoulder strap on my left side. In an instant, Armana war gone.

I swam to the surf close to shore finding my brother staring at me. He looked to the bag strapped over my shoulder then to my face which had been crowded by my long nearly black hair. He just kept staring at me like I had the biggest pimple ever on my forehead. My gaze went from his stare to mom get up from her sunbathing position to watch the something from behind. I was the sunset she was staring. I turned around looking at the sun diving into the sea. It was night now, and tomorrow morning a new day.