Mermaids

Over

I awoke in a bright, extremely white, room. As my eyes adjusted, I began to make out shapes next to me--a machine that was beeping consistently, and a few chairs to the front of me. To my left was a window, with a partial view of the ocean.

Was I in the hospital? I looked down at my arms. Medical tape and I.V.s were attached to them. I took that as a yes.

I coughed; my throat was dry and my lungs felt like they were full of salt. It wasn't pleasant. I struggled a little to breathe, and forcing air into my lungs seemed to worsen the problem.

I looked down at my legs: two legs, perfectly average. Thinking back to the previous night, I didn't remember turning my tail into legs.

What did I remember? I thought back to the previous night, and the memory made me cough.

I had drowned. Well, not technically--I was sitting here, alive. But it definitely felt exactly how it felt that night, long ago, when my parents had died.

Before I had blanked out yesterday, however, I remembered what had happened with Hayden.

I snorted (which was not a pleasant feeling, I had to admit). If my life was a movie, that would have been a pretty clichéd betrayal.

I forced myself to think of something else, so I pushed myself up into a sitting position. But, my mind kept going back to yesterday. I remembered hitting him with all the magic I could muster, but what after that? I couldn't breathe, so was I unconscious?

I heard the door to the room open, and I looked up. Holly stood there, her hair wet with salt water, and a slightly stunned expression on her face. I noticed her clinging to a small, stuffed dolphin.

"R-Ryan!" She said, flinging the dolphin onto one of the chairs and running towards me, before engulfing me in a hug.

I frowned. She sure was excited to see me... I laughed anyways and returned the hug.

She pulled away, and her green eyes watered.

My frown returned. "What is it?"

"I-it's been three weeks, Ryan, and no one thought you'd wake up."

My heart sunk. Three weeks? That wasn't possible. I remembered the day like it was yesterday. And my throat and lungs still burned something fierce.

"Oh," was the only thing I could think to say. "Well, I'm awake now, the village is safe, and I'm ready to resume my duties." I eagerly finished. Once I went swimming, I was sure I'd feel completely better.

"That's another thing," Holly took a seat on the edge of my bed.

I sat up a little taller, which made my lungs hurt more. "Is the village still in danger?"

"No, it's not that." She said, and I sighed in relief. "But it's about you."

My frown would be permanently etched on my face, at this rate.

"I don't think-- I don't know-- I just don't know if you'll be able to come back." She sputtered, and I immediately looked down at the blanket, pushing it back.

Whew. My legs were still there--for a second I thought I wouldn't be able to walk to the beach because of a double amputation that no one told me about. But, nope, that wasn't the reason I couldn't come back.

"I j-just don't think you have your-" Holly looked at the door then dropped her voice to a whisper "-magic anymore."

I could hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears. "Why not?"

"I-I don't know," she was stuttering, like she was when I had first met you. "But when you had attacked Hayden, the golden light seemed to come out of you completely, and it was gone, and then you had legs. And you couldn't breathe, like the water had turned against you."

My heart was still pounding, but my mind was clear. I wouldn't assume something until I could test it out for myself.

I put my hand on top of Holly's. "Let's not decide until I try it out."

"But I don't think-" Holly began, but I squeezed her hand and she looked at it.

"I'm sure it'll be alright."

*************

About three days later, I was discharged from the hospital, and we were released. I gave them a fake name and some fake information, and I was free.

The first thing I would do would be go to the beach. I'd find that my magic was still present, and go back to the village to see it bright and alive again. And I'd see Carly, then probably visit Yumi and tell her thanks.

Holly caught up with me as I was leaving the hospital. She was doubtful, and I could tell her eyes were red. I tried to assure her that it would all work out, but a nagging feeling left me unsure. I mean, the not-Minako did take my magic before, so maybe it wasn't something that inherently belonged to me.

We walked, which wasn't that far. My throat began to hurt again, and I assumed it was because of the excessive moving that I hadn't done in a while.

We had crossed the first street when Holly spoke up.

"If I'm right," she began. "I'm going to have to go and eventually rule the village, but I don't want to without you."

"It's your responsibility," I told her. "And we don't even know if my magic's even gone."

"But if it is," she persisted, "you won't be able to come and see the village ever. And if I spend all my time there... I just don't want to lose your friendship." She settled, and I nodded, looking at the ground.

Looking at the ground made my head hurt. I had to believe that I still had my magic, I had too.

Even through the pain still in my lungs, I couldn't wait to swim in the water again, through a kelp forest, maybe.

We finally got to the beach and I stared at the water, my toes enjoying the hot sand. The beach was empty, oddly enough, which was perfect.

I walked up to the water's edge, the water feeling a little too cold, but nice, nonetheless. Holly followed, staying on the sand behind me.

"I-I know we're still both really young," I began, though I didn't feel so young--I was fourteen, not a baby but definitely not the oldest fish in the school. Through this-- meeting Holly, saving the village a few times-- I felt more mature than I ever really had before.

"And I know we have our entire lives left to decide what to do," I resumed. "But Holly, I-I love you." I sputtered out quickly. Before I could watch her long enough to see the shock on her face, I ran into the ocean and dove in. 

Immediately, I knew what had happened. I tried for much too long to change my legs into a tail, but it didn't work. I spent so long trying that I had to surface multiple times to continue staying conscious. Each time I resurfaced, though, I didn't face the beach. I couldn't see Holly's sadness right then.

But I tried for much too long for no results, and eventually I had to come to terms with it.

My magic was gone.

*****

The end.

Lol. >.< yep. There'll be an epilogue but y'all, please don't kill me. :/

So it's over! It's been a looooong time writing this. Wow.

Thank you for sticking through this story with me!!! It was fun to write.

Also, I have to point out that I pumped out the first draft for this in eighth grade. 0.0 that was four years ago, and I can't believe that I've had this story since then.

Oh well, I hope you enjoyed it! Stay tuned for the epilogue next week.

<3 Rae