Mermen in Melbourne

The Departure

They were all curled around the dinner table, a plate of crabs in the center. Everyone was sat in the same positions as they were before. Maybe they have some sort of seating chart, Austin thought, biting into a crab. He grimaced at the taste.

The fact that he would have to go out and go hunting for the first time that night hung over him like a gray cloud. He wasn't the strongest- or the 'fittest,' as Tanner had said, and the odds of him surviving? Little to none. He bit into another crab, eyes falling on the table below him.

"I've been meaning to ask, how did you get this table, anyways? There's like, no other furniture in the whole place but this wooden table," Austin said, breaking the silence. Everyone looked up at him, and he smiled awkwardly.

"We removed it from a sunken vessel," Russell said.

"A sunken what?" Austin asked.

"A boat, Ausy," Tanner said, reaching out to grab another crab leg.

"Yeah. We have had this table since before even Trent came, eh, Tan?" Wyatt said. Tanner nodded, averting his eyes. There was something weird with this boy, some fear of talking of his past. Austin would have to look into that later.

"I wonder how many people died at this table," Trent said. The whole room's attention turned towards him.

"Trent, you know how this works. We need to eat to live," Isaac said.

"Yes, and you have been surviving just fine with crabs and kelp as our food. Why do we not always do this? We are more elegant, more clean, than the beasts we were before," Trent said. His tone was solemn, but Isaac looked like he was going to explode.

"See? I told you beasts was coming. Trent, just mellow out on the insults, will you? My partner, hell, your very own partner is sitting right here, knowing that you keep insulting them, and pretending not to care. Do you really think they do not feel anything when they do have to kill? I know for a fact that it tears Russell up inside. If Russell is so upset about it, I worry how Wyatt will even cope," Isaac said. The tension between the two was thicker than Austin had ever seen it.

"Oh. So just because they are upset means it is okay. Take poor Austin here," Trent said, gesturing at Austin. Austin felt himself shrink in his seat. "Austin is a victim of the very system you deem okay. How would you feel if someone above stole Russell from you and dragged him ashore. They would suffocate him, rip out his entrails, and eat him right in front of you. How would that feel, Isaac? The boy is no older than nineteen!" Trent shouted. Austin watched as Isaac turned completely red in the face.

"Excuse me? How dare you speak of my partner like that. He is well and protected here, and no one can change that. Additionally, we work at the call of a different siren. The Libra would call even if we were eating peasant seafood daily, and they would eat the person either way. It does not matter, Trent,"  Isaac said.

"Yes, we do work at another siren's call, but then the siren must call again to get more people to eat. They kill more if we kill more. Our society is crumbling to pieces, and we are the only ones to blame," Trent said. Austin glanced around, and noticed that everyone was paying close attention to the argument. Every fight Trent and Isaac had had before never drew attention- was there a reason this one did?

"You know, Trent, no one's asking you to stay. You could go join a group of hippies who munch on grass and float around all day. That's fine by me. Just stop this whole superiority thing you have got going on- it is annoying as all hell," Isaac spat.

"Well, you guys, I do not think leaving is the answer..." Mason trailed off, looking from Trent to Isaac.

"You know what? Maybe you are right for fucking once. Maybe I should leave," Trent said, glaring at Isaac.

"Did you not hear a word I just said?" Mason said. The worry in his voice was  a little more than obvious. Austin bit his lip, looking at this situation. Perhaps this would be a problem after all.

Trent stood up with a jolt, and the table shook slightly. Wyatt reached out, grabbing hold of Trent's hand. "Trent. Please." Trent shot him a glare, shaking Wyatt loose.

"Trent, you cannot go. You simply cannot!" Mason called, watching as Trent began to leave. "Trent!"

"Leave him. He does not care about us- all he cares about is those people," Isaac said.

Austin felt like he was going to be sick.

"Oh my god. I cannot believe he just did that. How are we going to get food? Isaac will be alone in open ocean, he could be killed. They will not be able to tell us when people are coming. We will starve and we will die," Mason said.

"Mase, it is okay. I am sure he will return. He is just throwing another tantrum, surely," Russell said, but his face gave him away. There was no way he was coming back.

"I don't know, I think it's his choice. I mean, I joined your Teach. He's been stuck here for quite the while," Tanner said.

"See? He is doing it, too. The whole, word scramble-y, speaking too quickly thing," Mason said. Austin put a hand on Mason's shoulder.

"It's okay, Mason. Calm down," Austin said. Mason heaved a sigh, and Austin removed his hand. Mason freaking out was something he'd never seen before, and he wanted it to stop.

Wyatt wasn't moving. His eyes were straight ahead, looking at the wall across from him. "Wy? You okay?" Isaac asked, but Wyatt didn't respond.

Things weren't looking so good for their little group today. Things weren't looking so good at all.