Cardiff's Mermaid //H2O Just Add Water

The Full Moon

"How long have you been a mermaid?" Charlotte asked me gently as she and I sat next to the harbour. I was unsure whether I should be telling her, well, anything. She helped me get out of university without being discovered, but she could turn at any moment. 

"I..ugh..A long time ago." I blurted out finally, my tone quick and uncomfortable. Charlotte seemed to pick on this and nodded as if to say she understood.

"It's okay." She admitted, to my initial surprise. "You don't have to tell me. Whatever makes you comfortable."

This shocked me. I never expected that. Following Australia, I was half-expecting her to snap at me. But Charlotte was... kind. And it was nice to know she understood. 

I gave a small smile in her direction. "When I was 8, I found a cave, not far from here." Charlotte's lips curved into a small smile as I spoke, which encouraged me to continue.

"We were having a picnic near the beach, and I got lost. I'd wandered too far from my father and it got dark. Being the child thing I was I managed to fall down a small shaft in the rocks. Within the cave at the bottom was a pool: blue and clear. The water seemed to.. call to me. Like it wanted me to go in." At this point Charlotte was smiling widely. I laughed a little and decided to continue. 

"Somehow I managed to fall yet again, this time into the pool itself. And then the moon came overhead...and..well... the next day I had a tail." I finished finally and breathed deeply, glad that I'd gotten it over with. Curiously I awaited Charlotte's response. She retained her smile, which in return triggered a smile from me. 

"That's incredible." She said kindly, and I felt so much happier than I have in days. 

"Thank you." I said gratefully. I don't know how long we'd been sat there, but by the time our conversation drew to a close the sun had set, and the moon was rising. A full moon.

"Look!" Charlotte exclaimed and pointed to the sky. "It's a full moon tonight! Isn't it beautiful?"

"Y-yes.." I stuttered slowly, my head beginning to hurt. I pressed a hand to my forehead. That's the last thing I remember that night.

---

"Eira?" Charlotte asked in concern and shook her shoulder gently. She didn't move. Her eyes were locked on the silver orb in the sky like she was frozen in place.

"Eira? Eira are you okay?" She asked again, unaware of the magic around the both of them at that very moment. 

Eira turned her head slowly to face Charlotte, expressionless. Without any warning Eira grabbed Charlotte by the wrist and pulled her over the railing and into the cold bay water. Furiously Charlotte tried to get away from the mermaid, but she was able to get ahold of the struggling girl and pull her away by torpeado. The next time Charlotte resurfaced was in the Cardiff moon pool...

Just as the moon came overhead.