Mermania

Hidden messages

dressing in clothes was one of his least favorite things. They were scratchy and uncomfortable. Still, they covered his ugly, hairy legs. Even female legs were grotesque to him, but at least they were generally hairless and bouncing with energy. Kara pulled out the camera and had him stand still in the front yard long. She kissed me and stroked my hair like old times. I hugged her and rested my head on her shoulder. Oh yeah. There was that. Shanice showed up an hour later and dropped off sack lunches for all four of them. They ate quickly and hurried back to work, Dad and Derek occasionally complaining about how much the roots were slowing thir progress. "Did he know about me?" Sara took a bite of her sandwich, not tasting it. She was too enthralled in the story. What in the world had she done? "No. But I hope this one time I do. Friday at six? Please?" "Officer," she choked out, "I__honestly, I've never had a son. Or a daughter, for that matter. But if I did__a bOy, I mean__" Something clicked and brought Officer Garrenton's worlds into focus. "Did y say his name is Zach?" Kara and Craig left the building and returned to the car. She felt deflated. Why did every lead they pursued turn up nothing? "So...what's our next step?" Kara looked at her husband as he put the car in gear and steered them toward he road. She opened the card. There were only three words inside; "Don't worry about it. After hearing the story, I completely understand. Even with my gift of gab, I think I would have waited, too, if had I been in your shoes." "What?" My legs fought to find footing beneath me. My body twisted in vain. I inhaled as much water as I did oxygen, fatigue wrapping itself around my limbs, my mind. Thrown against the embankment, my arms tangled themselves in some brush. My fingers braided into the thick undergrowth, holding me in place while the river tugged on me, wrenching my body parallel. Sara's eyes widened. From what Xanthus had told her, very few Dagonians spoke English. Who was she? "It's about time." "Does it make you feel better?" Darmik asked. "Beating up on your youngest brother? What would Mother say if she were still alive today?" Ula's eyes were sympathetic. "I don't know. Tell me everything that happened." "Not now," Evan said. "Meara and I are going on the Ferris Wheel." "Some of it." David admitted. "I can't erase it, but I can transfer it. Take it on as my own. If I could cure her, I would. Since I can't..well, I can at least make her comfortable." "Sort of bluish-green," she responded, "like on the Mariners uniforms."

"Craig," she said urgently, "is Zach with you?" he propped himself up on his elbows. "Have you and Dad ever thought about adopting wait, what? Her heart leapt at the chance that he was telling the truth. Could he accept her the way she was "But what if my legs are horribly deformed?" She lowered her head and pressed her forehead into his shoulder. "That's why Zach thinks we're his parents," Craig finished. "But," Kara continued, "he's older now. This must have been taken a year or two ago. How did you get this? Do you know where he is?" "Underwear, Mom?" Zach groaned, throwing up his hands. "You finally believe you're my parents, and you want to buy me underwear? Really?" Evan laughed. "No, you need it more than me. Did you even eat today?" "I think I've had enough." I wasn't trying to be funny, but he laughed. He had a beautiful laugh. It fluttered inside me and shivered down my spine. So this was it then? No discussion, no explanation? No mention of the summons? Were they going to ignore it? Rema reluctantly threaded the needle and took the fabric Aunt Maya shoved at her. "That is quite__" I was tempted to explore, but my eyes wouldn't cooperate. They were barely slits. Ula laughed. He placed his daughter back in the cradle kissing her forehead gently. Then he ran over to his dead wife, kneeling next to her. He closed her eyelids and removes her wedding ring. Tears dripped from his cheek onto her lifeless face. Craig frowned and ran a hand through his hair. Then, without a word, he pulled the heart gently from the wall and handed it to Kara. Agent Nyler, watching, did nothing to stop them. My eyes traveled back to the image. The artist did an amazing job. The sharp-toothed monster seemed to smile right at me. It was super creepy. I gave an involuntary shudder and turned the page, I saw serpent-like creatures, underwater horses- real horses, not sea horses- and giant squids. Most were more like animals and less like humans. Some could be real, like the giant squid, and some might be other animals mistaken for a monster, like manatee or sringray. The book did a good job providing the myth and the facts to support or debunk it. Austin and Shane stood in the entryway, both looking sharp in faded jeans and fitted, long-sleeved shirts.I nodded sleepily. "How many live here?" "But he's your brother. You must love him." Using the excuse that they needed keep their voices low so no one would hear, Rema scooted closer to him. "Bloody hell. Why aren't we there yet?" Lennek mumbled. "I could use a little entertainment." He snickered, briefly glancing over at Rema. This was the first he'd spoken to her since that day at the ocean cliffs. "That is true, but I did share my concerns for your safety with the empress. That is partly why she named me your tutor. I'm also your unifficial guard." "Well, you can do better, anyway," Leah said, and then she sighed. "He's just really, really, good looking!" A long while later, Nicole was satisfied with their story, albeit not so happy to hear her twenty-year-old baby daughter was engaged and planned to leave her forever to live somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea. Mrs. James pulled up the boy's information. "Here it is- Zechariah Fleming, fourth grade, parents Craig and Kara Fleming, 6050 Spindler Avenue..." "You were not! Tell him what you did," Kara instructed him. "Civilians, do you remember before?" Silence fell over the people. No one ever talked about