I moaned and rolled over in the damp sand. Why was this bed so uncomfortable? Wait . . . sand. I shot up, and looked around the beach, and groaned. Oh, no! Had I slept here all night? But then I looked down, and in place of my legs, was a long, blue - green fish tail. It looked quite beautiful. It seemed to shimmer and sparkle with all the secrets of the sea, but it looked so out of place on the white sand. I couldn't believe it. I blinked, and it was gone.
I shook my head, mystified. Okay, now it was official. I was losing my mind.
"Charlotte!" A frantic voice called behind me.
"D-dad? What's wr-" he ran up to me and hugged me. "Charlotte, what were you thinking? I woke up and you weren't in the house! I was looking all over for you!"
"I'm really sorry." I mumbled and bit my lip. Should I tell him what happened?
He looked at me uncertainly. He looked as if he wanted to strangle me and hug me at the same time. "Come on, let's go in, get you cleaned up."
As we were walking off, I looked back at the rolling waves. So beautiful and alluring. What secrets would they hide?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Charlotte's father looked back to the sea also and said under his breath, "You can't have her, Asaphis." His hard stare looked across the glittering sea to something more. "You will never have her." The crashing waves sounded like soft chuckles.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The next day I told my father I wanted to go back to the sea.
"No." he said firmly.
"But why not? I got a new swimsuit, and, after all, we are at the beach." A pleading tone crept into my voice. "Please?"
"Yesterday was too close a call. We're leaving tomorrow. Pack your things." he was already packing his suitcase, but not very well. He seemed to have something on his mind.
"But dad! We just got here yesterday!" Too close a call for what? I thought, irritated.
"What did I say? I think we've been here long enough!" he turned around sharply and looked at her. In his eyes was a fierceness and sadness that I had never seen before.
I sighed angrily and stormed off to my room. I started stuffing things into my suitcase, not caring if they were folded or not. "He doesn't care at all. He just wants to ruin our vacation." I muttered to myself.
Then I looked towards the window and got an idea. Hmm . . . yes, it looked big enough. I locked the door and opened the window. A warm ocean breeze blew through it and I hopped out and shut it. I had to get to the sea. I just had to.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I ran hard. My dad could discover my empty room at any minute, and he would know exactly where I was going. People looked at me, surprised, as I ran by. Just a few more minutes, and I would be there. I would plunge into the warm water and feel right at home.
I had dreamed the dream again last night. I was there, in that weightless place, but this time, I felt happy, welcomed. Like I wanted to be there, wherever that was.
The seashore was there in front of me. I ran into it until it was up to my waist, and then dived in. The water felt even better than I thought it would. I swam underwater for a while and it felt so natural, like a bird to air. I had always loved swimming when I got the chance, but never like this.
I looked behind me, and I saw the tail again, silvery and graceful as it propelled me through the water. I swam up hard to the surface and leapt into the air, making a high arch. As I dove back in, I giggled and swam on my back, watching the bubbles float to the surface. That was so much fun!
I swam out farther, and the sea floor became covered in a coral reef. All different colors, light blues, bright yellows, pinks and reds and purples. Some were lacey, some bumpy or prickly. But they were all beautiful. The fish were all around me too, and were followed by sea turtles and little crabs. They all crowded around me, swimming with me, looking at me curiously. Then I saw a flash of a purple tail behind a rock. A mermaid tail, just like the one in my dreams. But just then I felt a rush of horror.
I gasped and swam to the surface, scattering all the confused sea creatures. What was I thinking? I didn't want to become this. I would be leaving my dad, I would never see my friends back home again, and I . . . I . . . Just then I couldn't bear the thought of it. I looked down, and instead of my tail, my legs were there again. And my clothes were wet. Lord help me . . . What was happening?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
_pure_imagination_
