𝐈'𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐃 || 𝐙𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐭

Chapter 16 - Into the Deep

  Coming for your aid, isn't it odd?  

The black smoke was rising so fast into the air and there was so much of it, it was easy to see even from this distance. Knots twisted in my stomach as dread washed over me. Zane was still back there!

"Where's Zane?" Lewis asked immediately.

"I can't see him," Emma said worriedly, peering back at the smoke clouds funneling up from the boat.

Anxiety coursed through me and I felt myself starting to panic. Where was he?! Was he okay?!

"I'll have to go down," I decided instantly, Lewis and Emma both glancing at me in shock.

"You can't! He'll know your secret," Lewis warned me.

But it didn't matter. My mind was made up. I couldn't just leave him back there to drown - I wouldn't.

"She doesn't have a choice," a voice spoke up, interrupting the three of us.

I glanced down to see Miss Chatham, a little more awake now, gazing up at me.

"Do you, Leona?" she asked, placing a gentle hand on my cheek, surprising me as she continued in a warm, grandmotherly voice, "Maybe having a fourth mermaid isn't such a bad thing after all."

I smiled down at her in response, feeling my heart swell at being accepted by this old former mermaid.

"You two make sure she gets to the hospital," I told them and they both nodded.

I stood up, about to jump in when Emma's hand shot out, latching onto my wrist gently. I glanced back at her with a questioning gaze.

"Be careful, alright?" she asked worriedly and I nodded to my friend.

I dived into the water then, feeling the change sweep over me instantly. A tingling sensation rushed through my body like a rocket until I felt my molecules split apart before reforming, molding themselves as my bright orange tail took shape. As son as I'd changed, I sped towards the quickly sinking boat as fast as I could. There was no time to lose! If only I wasn't so far away! I glided through the water swiftly, making it there even faster than I'd hoped.

But by the time I'd made it, the boat was already completely submerged. My heart pounded erratically in my chest as I sped up to it. I swam up to the window of the door, peeping inside. Zane sat in the bottom of the boat, listless, near unconscious and making no move to get out. Frowning, I began to tug on the door. But it wouldn't budge - the stupid thing was jammed shut.

Rolling my eyes in annoyance, I pushed off before slamming it with my tail. One thing I had learned about being a mermaid? Your tail was one of your most powerful weapons. I twisted to the side, slamming it again - this time denting it enough so that it stood ajar. Pushing it open even more, I slipped inside, heart pounding like a jackhammer in my chest. Would he scared when he saw me? Disgusted even?

But as it turns out, all my fears were invalid. Zane lied unconscious on the floor of the boat. Gliding over, I slid my hands under his arms and dragged him out of the boat and through the water. I swam hard towards Mako Island, glancing down every so often to see his head lolling against my shoulder.

With all my heart, I prayed he would be okay.