Mermaid shift

Chapter 6: suspicious totally ominious rain mist

Jack awoke to find a note in his room, the committee is encouraging us to get a pool, come downstairs for a family meeting. Jack changed into some normal clothes and walked downstairs.

"Glad you're finally awake Jack." His older sister laughed at him.

"Why do you need my approval for a pool? I'm pretty sure you could figure out my answer."

"Because you need to speak to your father about your abilities." His mother paused. "And your brother"

"Do I have to?"

"Of course."

"Fine, I'm a merman as in little mermaid style, I can breathe under water, have a tail, etc etc."

"Knew something was up Jack." His brother commented.

"Joe, you're not screaming."

"Well of course not. Who would be scared of you?"

Jack lead a sly grin towards his sister.

"Leave me outta this Jack.

"I'm guessing you scared your sister."

"Yep. I have scales on my face so I gave her a fright."

"Really?" Jack's Dad asked.

"Yeah." Jack paused and gave a sceptical look to his family. "Dad why are you not freaked out about this and why isn't Joe."

His dad looked at his mom, it was a hopeful look. But he could tell his father was hiding something from him.

"Yes tell him."

"I work for a company that helps merpeople, from rehabilitation to working on getting them fake birth certificates. We're partnered with pretty big politicians who fund us. That's why we moved closer to the beach."

"I work with Dad at the company, I'm an apprentice at the minute but it's okay they pay me for it."

"But you're 24."

"Yep. Now about the pool."

"Well I want it."

His mom handed him a catalogue full of underground pools. Some were: blue, brown, black, pink, or even rainbow. He had three favourites.

One was a room painted blue, there were lights on the ceiling. Next to the pool was a jacuzzi that had a circular shape. The pool itself was a square with curved edges that had blue tiles in. There was a ramp leading in and out of it.  That was good and it meant Jack wouldn't slap his face on the ladder when he climbed out of the pool.

There was another one Jack liked too. The pool was deep and was designed for merpeople. It had natural filters in the water. There was a ramp going up that had handles low down.

"I like the blue one with the jacuzzi on page 12. I'm going to the beach." His sister looked at him.

"I'm coming too."

"You do know I'm going to the crappy beach right?"

"Yeah."

"Fine but if you're not ready in 10 minuets I'm leaving you."

"To what walk? I can drive, you can't."

Jack was already in his room grabbing his beach bag. In that bag was his: towel, it was blue and had seashells on; swimsuit, it could come in handy; sunglasses, he didn't need goggles because he could see just fine in water; and finally he packed a thick picnic blanket because the sand at that beach was rough.

Jack walked downstairs and noticed his sister standing with what looked to be a pop up tent and a beach bag of her own.

"See now we're safe from the wind."

"I don't see how it makes much of a difference. It just means we have to put it up."

"Jack it's a pop up tent."

"Whatever."

The car ride made Jack feel awfully sick. He had begun to get worse travel sickness since he had changed. Like there were two tsunamis in his stomach folding over each other in his core. He found it easier in shorter journeys, but he often wondered if it was just a merman thing.   His mom was travelsick too.

Once they arrived at the beach and they finished putting the tent up, Jack practically sprinted into the water. Leaving his swimming trunks on as they would return when he became human again. Ignoring the yellow flags on the water he shifted forms. His sister sat at the water's edge, the beach was empty so there were no other people.

"Come in the water is warm." Jack spoke in water just deep enough for his tail to be hidden.

"Nah there's some pretty big fish in the water today."

"Where?" Jack laughed.

"I dunno look down."

May walked away to sort her stuff out then lay on her beach towel. Giving Jack the perfect excuse to swim away to deeper waters. He lay on a rock in the shade. The rock was moderately flat but easy to get on.

Once Jack oh so gracefully rolled into the water he saw a flash of light reflect inside it he swam away as fast as possible hoping his sunglasses obscured his face.

But what if it hadn't? What if he's ruined everything? What if he's just exposed his entire species? What if he- JACK

A voice snapped him out of his thoughts- his sister was shouting for him. The weather had turned foul and on shore the seawater was churning up a foam that looked like rabies in a vicious dogs throat. May was hiding in the tent and Jack sprinted through the sand to help her. Thank god he kept his clothes while shifting. It seemed so sudden that the weather changed.

Once Jack skidded into the tent he met with his sister who was shivering in the corner.

"Okay we need to get to the car before the tide reaches us."

"And how are we going to do that it's pouring out there?"

"I have an idea." Jack said.

Slowly he created a shield of ice above his head that just floated there.

"Come on, sis fold the tent. I'm not strong enough to keep this up."

Jack's beach bag was thrown at his feet.  He picked it up. Slowly cracks started to appear in the ice above their heads with the water dripping down slowly melting their ice barrier. Drip drop. Drip drop. Drip drop.

"Hurry up its melting and I'm cold."

"I'm trying!"

Once the tent was finally down the brother and sister sprinted through the damp sand to the car.  They threw their possessions onto the backseat but not before Jack's shoved his hoodie on.

"At least we're safe now." May said.

She looked to see her brother unconscious but breathing. So likely fast asleep. May drove to Wendy's and ordered them food. Mainly for Jack as he seemed physically exhausted and he was probably starving. She pulled over next to the fast food place and attempted to wake Jack up. How did their mom use to do it?

May grabbed Jack by the shoulder and shouted in a manner that would wake Jack up. "Oi someone nicked your guitar."

"What?!" Jack replied snapping out of his sleep.

"Nothing. I got you some food."

"Oh thank you."

"No problem."

Jack quickly ate his fries and lay back down in the car.