Mermaid Blues

Captured

Beep.  Beep.  Beep.

What was that annoying sound?  

White.

That light...why was it so bright?

Slowly, Serena Cyania opened her eyes.  They blurred before focusing on her surroundings.

"Dr. Hayes, Dr. Hayes! She's waking."

Shuffling feet.  The beeping increased. "Move! Out of my way, out of my way!" A rough voice grew louder as it approached her.  Serena squinted from the harsh light that was shining down on her. She ran her tongue over her lips.  They were very chapped.  She placed a hand over her eyes, trying to block the light.  She felt a band wrapped around her arm tighten and a white chord trailed out of the tank and plugged into a machine that continued to beep.

So that was the source of the beeping.

She pulled on the chord, trying to rip it free.  It would not loosen.  She screeched.

"Someone, sedate her!" the high pitched voice ordered.

"No!" The rough voice countered, "She is to stay awake.  We've been studying her for nearly a week.  Today, she will be moved to Ghein's Aquarium.  They purchased her to be placed on display."

"But, sir, is she really ready? That's quite traumatic, even on the larger sea creatures."

"She's stable enough.  Now, I'm going to try to talk to her.  Lower her net to where she is half-submerged in water.  She looks a little parched."

Serena sat up sharply, her head spinning slightly.  Her dried blonde hair fell over her shoulders, shielding her aqua blue eyes from the scrutiny of the voices.  She glanced down at her bright, aqua blue tail.  It was dry and lifeless.  How long had she been out of the water?  A week?  Was that what they said?

Serena heard a soft buzzing sound and she froze as her net slowly began to lower.  She stayed connected to the machines and realized that below her was a tank of crystal clear water.  Her feverish body felt better as soon as it touched the cool, salty waters.  She sighed.

Behind her she heard shuffling and she spun around quickly, getting tangled in the net and the multiple chords.  She screeched.

"Magnificent." She stared at the figure appraoching her.  He was dressed in a long white lab coat and slacks, and peered at her with soft brown eyes that were hidden behind his glasses. "Hello." He said calmly to her.  He motioned at his assistant who pressed a button.  He was too clean cut for Serena's taste.  He was older too.  He was nothing like the muscular, rowdy mermen she was used to back home.  Home.

She stared at him.  "Do you speak English?" He said slowly.  He was now standing up against the tank, the thin glass of the tank the only thing separating them.  He tapped on the glass, "Or do you even speak at all?"

Serena hissed at him.  She refused to converse with this creature.  This vile, human creature. 

"Interesting.  Where is your home?" He questioned her.

Serena tugged on the chords a little more, silent.

"Where is your family?  Do you have a family?"

Serena's head shot up.  Had they got her sister?  Or the rest of her family in the ocean?  She hissed loudly at him.

"We'd like to know if there are more of your kind in existence."

Of course they did.  She could tell them, and then what?  They'd go hunt down all of her family members.  She would never let that happen.

Serena spit in the water and glared coldly at him, "Why would I tell such a disgusting creature about my lineage?  You will never know!"  With that she yanked the chords out of the machine, and flipped out of her net and splashed into the 6 foot deep tank of water.  She twisted and swam over into a corner, drawing her tail up to her chest and wrapping her arms around it.  She buried her face in her arms as her blonde hair obscured her face from the human.

And then, Serena began to cry.