Moon's Call (Sample)

Chapter Three

Theresa stared at the mermaid in awe. She had heard of the creatures that lived in the unknown utopia of the depths of the sea but no one had really seen much of them unlike their distant cousins who lurk in the rocky parts of the sea and lured sailors to death with their alluring voices.

This mermaid before her had a beautiful tail that looked soft and as if the light of the sky reflected off it. The end of the tail moved like it had its own mind. It was as if she could run the transparent end of the powerful tail on her face. It was so beautiful, no wonder the mer-people always never reveal themselves at all except of course when no one was there.

This mermaid had long hair, decorated with different types of gems and beautiful bones of dead sea creatures. Her breast were were covered by a thin film of scales that matched the colour of her tail.

Theresa parted the brush the more and stepped into the small available space on the rocky floor. The mermaid flinched and cowered, shielding her face  with a raised arm and quietly panting. The drizzling of the rain increased a notch and Theresa felt the cold from the sea seeping into her skin and resulting to goosebumps, with the added wetness from the rain.

"Hey." She called softly, after squatting a feet away from the mermaid due to the allowed space.

The mermaid peeked under her arm at Theresa, her eyes blinking. They were green like her tail. Theresa smiled fully to assure her that she meant no arm. If any other creature was to come this way, Theresa dreaded what might become of the mermaid if she was discovered.

"I'm Theresa, what's your name?"

The mermaid slowly lowered her arm and revealed her glorious slim face to Theresa who stated with an open mouth. "Gee...you-are-beautiful. I thought you aquatic humanoids were mean ugly fellows that seduce and drag sailors to the bottom of the ocean to die."

"I'm Marise which means of the sea." Her voice was lovely and gentle.

Theresa smiled, pleased. This was the only person that had ever spoken genuinely nice to her since she was born. "Why are you not in the sea, Marise?" She asked.

Marise hesitated. "I was washed ashore by a big wave from my perching boulder."

Theresa shrugged. "Then go back."

Marise only looked down solemnly at her bruised bleeding tail and Theresa got the hint. "Oh! By Zeus! You can't get back by yourself!"

"Neither can I stay too long from the sea, I'll perish here. I've been trying to get back to the sea but the weak waves only came and lapped at the end of my tail, it is not strong enough to lift me."

Theresa glanced at the end of her tail which was moving softly on a puddle of water trapped between two jagged rocks, swishing here and there like a thin fan. "What bruised your tail?" She finally asked.

"The rocks. My tail is too tender, they cut into my scales and injured me. If I try shuffling with my tail to get st the sea, the sharp rocks will only inflict more bruises on me... I'm trapped." Marise said.

Theresa regarded her for a while and observed the situation too. "I think I can help you."

Marise's eyes brightened with hope. "You can?!"

Theresa nodded. "I have an idea. Can you walk on your hands?"

Marise stared at her hands, her palm had traces of faint scales and was partly covered with a film of transparent flesh, her fingers were slim and in between them reaching the first knuckles had films of web like a duck's foot but it was not really evident except the fingers were splayed if not, they looked like just mere human hands.