The Aquarian

Chapter 15

"Why do you think mom always has to go to work so often?" Scarlett inquired.

"Probably because her bosses says she must?" I suggested.
"Why else would she go?" I asked, sensing her suspicion from the question.
Her green eyes twinkled nervously.
"I don't know. But sometimes I feel like maybe she isn't going to the nursery." Scarlett admitted.
"All of my friends moms who work at the nursery only go during work hours, and rarely have to do overtime." Scarlett pointed out.
I shrugged.
"Mom probably does extra hours in order to to get more clamshell pay." I thought.
She shrugged, unconvinced.
I looked into her green eyes appraisingly.
"Why it it that your suddenly interested in why mom goes to work overtime?" I asked.
She brightened up with a thought.
"That's exactly it...I'm beginning to think that maybe she isn't at work." Scarlett announced, over dramatically, probably thinking she made some huge discovery of something, when in reality- (well, to me) it was far from it.
"You can't possibly think that moms been lying to us, Scarlett. She's been working hard for our benefit, so that we can go to school, have a good life.

"Besides, it's hard for mom, being a single parent..." I said, trailing off, knowing that Scarlett could take a good guess at what I was saying.
Our father had left us when we where quite young, and became a guard for the Aquarians.
Mother had told us this, of course, but we never really talk about it.
It is a tough subject to talk about. But then again, maybe that's what's bothering her, not being able to talk to mom.
"Do you miss mom when she's away? Not being able to see her very often?" I asked gently.
Her eyes blazed over.
"No, I'm fine! I don't need any mermaid mush!" She said defensively.
I laughed a little at her alliteration.
"But everyone needs affection, Scarlett. Everyone needs love." I said, seeing that she thought needing affection was weak.
"That's not what I meant, really. Well, I guess I do miss her so much sometimes, but I feel like she's always rushing to get to 'work' on overtime, it seems so important, more important then spending time with us." Scarlett admitted.
There we go. That's what's been bugging her.
She thinks mother is more concerned about her work than us.
"Don't worry, I'm sure mom would rather spend time with us than at work." I assured her.
"No, that's not what I mean. In the morning, she seems bored, which I would consider normal for gong to a job. But when she works overtime, she seems rushed and seems more determined to go wherever she is going." Scarlett pointed out. "Work. She's going to work, Scarlett." I insisted.
Yes, she had a point, but I still wasn't willing to believer that mom would lie and- and- "So what is it you think she's doing exactly?" I asked.
"Well, I'm not sure, but maybe she's having an affair." Scarlett asked, monotonously.
"What? You have to be kidding!
Mom is a good mom, she wouldn't do that!" I said, incredulous.
"Well, I'm not sure, it's a theory. And besides, you said it yourself, everyone needs affection, for what reason, I really don't know." She said, making grossed out noises at the end.
"I don't think you should worry, Scarlett." I finally said.
We where wandering through the den, scattered plants and shells for decorations.
We had gotten to the back door, and I noted that this was where mom left for work.
"I just wonder, sometimes..." Scarlett murmured, staring outside.
Then she did something rash, something she shouldn't.
She went outside the den.
It would have been fine it if where during the day, but it was at night, and it was strictly forbidden to leave the property at night.
Of course, she hasn't left the property, but I didn't trust her not to.
"Scarlett! Stop, you can't go out there after hours." I said at the doorway.
"I'll stay here, I just wanted to see which direction she left today." She said, curiosity ought wrong her common sense.
"No, you can't, imagine if mother where here! In fact, if you don't come inside right now-" I began, stepping out of the door way to grab her arm, when suddenly Scarlett looked up.
There was a flashing light, like nothing I've ever seen.
It wasn't li the moon, it want like the sun.
It had a white hue, and it reminded me of the research building, the advanced one, but ten times brighter.
The light seemed to be coming from a large dark gray figure.
A humans ship.
"Oh my Poseidon..." Scarlett murmured, as we both stood there mesmerized from the sight.
Will we stared, I felt her tough hand come out of my grasp.
She swam up slightly, squinting at it.
"Scarlett what are you-" I began, about to round on her.
"That's mom! She's there! They captured her in there!" She screamed.
"It's not her Scarlett, your not thinking correctly!" I  said.
I reached out to her trying to grab her, but she began swimming furiously towards the ship, in some kind of fight and protect mode.
"Scarlett, stop!!" I screamed. I tried my best latching onto her, but she had gained height when where staring at the ship.
I wished desperately I had the speed of Milaskmeed when I trained with the other researchers.
But I didn't.
She swam frantically away, and I had barely been able to secure her tail as she began to swim up towards the a man leaning over the ship.
The ship cast a shadow around her, flashing onto the tall reeds and dark ocean.

And then she jumped out of the water and grabbed him.
I swam quickly up to her, able to see that the human did not want to fight.
Then, suddenly her body went limp and she fell into the water.
Did the human hurt her? No, he wasn't even touching her!
I grabbed her small body and pulled her back down away from them as fast as I could.
I looked at her face.
It was peeling, just like Nahlas had.
She had Solaricis, but it wasn't from sunlight.
The lights in the ship had ultraviolet radiation, I believed that it was called solar panels or something like that.

I swam into the grotto and screamed the Aquarian alarm, as the ship sped off in the opposite direction.