Cursed with Fins TWO The Land Calls

Chapter Six

"Skylar?"

I jumped up. "Huh?!" Everything was dark.. That was until I brushed the kelp out my face.

"Are you okay?" Azalea leaned on the entrance.

"Yeah, why?"

She hesitated, thinking her words over. Then shook her head. "Eeh, never mind. It's nothing." She forced a smile.
"Come on," she grabbed my arm. "Lets go for a quick swim and then we can go to lessons." She pulled me up.

Of course I followed. "Ugh, why do we have to do lessons today?" I groaned.

"Because we have to, at least you do. We need to fill you up with as much knowledge of the ocean as we can!" She shook me.

I looked over all of the beautiful and colorful plants that grew and all the little fish that swam in and out of them. A mixture of colors, blue, yellow, red, fish. It was amazing, I guess living as a mermaid isn't all that bad if I were half. But it would be a complete pain if every time I touched an ounce of water I would have to run to the closest hiding spot until it passes.

But, I guess I'll learn to deal with it. I'm sure I can't be the only one that has been turned. Well, Ava's family have been living in that house for like generations. More in the country side, secluded from people. So I guess that's why no one really knew about it, they would have to be there at the right time in order to see the whirlpool. In my case, I was there at the wrong time. But wait, I couldn't have been the first right? Like surly they know about it, mermaids knew the effects of it to a human. How would they know IF I was the first? I couldn't have been.

"Hey, Azalea?" I flipped over onto my back, swimming backwards. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, What's on your mind?"

"If you guys knew of the effects of the whirlpool on a human, and I was the only one, how did you know?" I threw my arms about my head and pulling them down to help me swim without using much of my tail.

"Because you weren't." Was all she said.

I paused. "What?" I turned my head to look at her.

"You wasn't the only one. There have been a few people in history who have accidentally turned, and had to leave home."

"Really? What happened to them?"

"Different things. I've heard some were turned and was sucked out into the ocean, couldn't even make it back home. This was way before mine or my parents time though, so the merpeople at this time was maybe a little harsher. By that, they wouldn't let them go home. Once they were in the water, they were in. They could not leave. So technically we went easier on you." She shrugged.

I nodded, I guess I was lucky I was dealing with these guys. After all, they did let me go home for a little while. They were just trying to protect their species.

I was taken out of my thoughts when I saw huge fish, playing near the surface. Is that what I think it is? I almost smiled. Wait.. "Those better not be sharks.."

Azalea followed my gaze to look up to the surface to see some starting to swim to us. She smiled. "No, they're dolphins." She rubbed one of their heads. They circled and played all around us. I couldn't help but laugh, I hesitantly placed a hand on their back. "They are so cute!"

"You know, we migrate with dolphins." Azalea tried to give attention to as many of them as she could but only for more to bother her for it.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah, when we leave, these guys are coming with us. I'm surprised they didn't leave yet, I guess they know we are suppose to be with them. But dolphins are very social creatures, we play and migrate with them all the time. Some times even hunt together."

I smiled, this was really cool. I always thought dolphins were amazing creatures but never gotten to meet any before. The fun was soon taken away when it suddenly got a little dark. "Huh?" I looked up, seeing a boat.

"We need to get out of here." Azalea grabbed my wrist, panicked, and pulled me away.

"What's happening?!" My voice echoed.

"They're hunters! Humans! We can't be seen!" Her tail was beating against the water as fast as she could. I could barely keep up if it wasn't for her holding onto my wrist, I would have been all the way back there. I looked over my shoulder, seeing some dolphins following. But some didn't get away so easily. A net was thrown into the water, trapping the poor creatures.

"No!" I yelled, pulling back. "We need to help them!" I couldn't get out of Azalea's grip, but thank God I didn't have too since she stopped to my pleads. She was panting, looking at me then back up to the situation. There were so many of them, I would be surprised if she allowed me to help. Nets were everywhere, the dolphins swam in a panic, trying to find a way out.

It broke my heart when I saw a baby dolphin trying to escape. Azalea nodded. "We have to make it quick." She swam back towards the danger. I followed after her. She first swooped down to the ocean floor to grab some sea shells, tossing me one. Which started to just slowly float down. I took hold of it and rushed up to the nearest net. I placed the shell on a line of rope and started sawing. Not working exactly like a knife but it was the closest thing we had for the moment. I tried to cut faster, lives were at steak! Luckily, it snapped and I moved onto the next one. Going as fast as I can, hoping I could get them out before any got hur-

My thoughts were cut short when the water started to get a hint of red. I froze, looking to the boat. They were being pulled aboard and..- I gasped, looking away. I can't watch this! I almost cried. I continued what I was doing, finally freeing the dolphins from that net. Azalea freed the ones from the opposite net at the same time. We looked to each other for a second, then rushed towards the last one. We worked together to get them out, as fast as possible. The red become even more noticeable in the water. It went from crystal blue waters to red waters. Azalea cut the last rope, and the remaining dolphins were free. They fled for their lives, I was glad they were safe but sad some didn't make it.

"Come on, we need to get out of here." Azalea swam off. I began to, but the net was yanked up, getting stuck on my arm. I was pulled up with it.

"Skylar!"

I broke through the surface, Coughing up all that was in my lungs. "Who the hell are you?! This is a restricted area!" A man grabbed my arm and the other grabbed my opposite arm. There were four men on the boat, they pulled me up enough where I saw their latest catch. I could not look directly at it, I had to turn my head away. My lungs still ached from the sudden change, and my eyes were blurred.

I was surprised when Azalea jumped up from the water to grab me and pull me back in. Yanking the other two man in the process. I fell under the water, regaining my full vision and choking on some water.

"Move it!" She dragged me away. The metallic taste lingered in my mouth. I don't think the fisherman saw us. She pulled me completely away and back to the pod. "Do you think they will hunt us down?" I frantically asked.

"If we were human, probably. But they can't find us here. I don't think they saw the tail, plus the red was so thick in the water, I think it blocked their vision." She answered.

We had slowed down, I looked to the ocean floor beneath me. "How could people do this? How long has this been going on for?"

"For a little while. They aren't suppose to be doing that, but it's been happening anyways. I first witnessed that when I was so young, it haunted me for years." She held sorrow in her eyes, but shook it off. "Come on, let's just get to our lessons."