Riptide

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I sit in my room later tonight, looking at the clock. It is eleven thirty and I should head out. I leave a note on the living room table telling my parents I am at Gia's house. I walk out the door, and make sure it is locked behind me. I walk toward the beach, and head to the south side where my mystery person said to wait. I look at my watch and see that it is 11:57. I am three minutes early, so I sit on a bench that is on the south beach. I look around but I don't see anyone. I'm starting to think this is a practical joke someone at school is pulling on me, when suddenly, everything goes black, and I realize I have just been blindfolded. I start to scream, but there is a gag placed in my mouth. I kick and punch, but there are people grabbing my ankles and wrists, and then they are tied together.

I am then carried to an unknown place. I hear a car door open, and then I am thrown into the car. As soon as the door is shut the car begins to move. I still can't see anything, and I am starting to panic. I writhe around in my bonds trying to get them loose. I feel someone brush the hair from my forehead and I flinch away from the touch of the unknown person. I feel a prick on my neck, and I start to fall asleep. I struggle to stay awake but it is no use.

~ ~ ~

When I wake up, I am still a little groggy. I am tied to a chair, but I don't have a blindfold on anymore, or the gag. I hear the door open behind me and I try to turn my head to see who it is but when my head moves the slightest bit to the side it hurts like a bitch.

"Sorry we had to knock you out," it's a female by the sound of her voice, "you were just putting up to much of a struggle. The sedative will take a while to wear off, so I wouldn't try to move around so much."

"Where am I? Why am I here?" My throat is dry, so my voice comes out all gravelly.

"Those are things for me to know and for you to find out," she says and I can hear the smugness in her voice, "but first, allow me to introduce myself."

The girl comes around the chair so I can see her. When I take in the blonde hair and the green eyes, I am shocked: it is the girl from my dreams.

"I understand this is probably very shocking for you, considering you thought I didn't exist outside of your dreams. However, I do exist, and we have a lot to cover in a very short amount of time." She looks at me expectantly, so I nod my head in understanding.

"Great, first things first, my name is Zaelia. You used to know me, but we were forced away from each other."

"That is why looked so familiar to me in my dreams. I still don't understand how I know you though." I tell Zaelia.

"I'm getting to that part," she says, "So here is what happened: our people used to live in peace, until we were forced off of this land by the humans." At the puzzled look on my face she continues with, "No questions until the end. Anyways as I was saying. Our kind was rejected because we were different, and more powerful might I add. I was only four when we were forced to leave, as were you. But the thing is... Parker you were discovered by the humans and we had to leave."

"Okay that explains some things. I can't really remember anything from before I was four. That was the year my mom died."

"Yeah, about that... Parker your mom died the day that the humans raided our village."

"Why do you keep saying 'humans'?" I ask her tentatively

"Because we are not like them Parker, we are different. I know you know that because of the dreams you have been having."

"But I don't understand. If I am like you how come this has never happened when I am in the water before?"

"Well, that part is a little more complicated. You see are kind used to be able to change freely before we were forced into the water. Living in the water all the time caused us to adapt. But it came with a price. Living in the water full time caused us to never be able to change back and forth anymore."

"Wait, then how are you here right now?" I ask her. In my point of view she is still the 'bad guy' considering she kidnapped me, and now I'm still tied to a chair.

"Well, things are changing. You have started to become more aware of who you are, which allows us more freedom to change."

"Why do I have anything to do with any of this?"

"You have the gene in you Parker, but because you didn't adapt to the water like we did, you have the ultimate advantage. You have to power to evoke the gene out of you, and the power to control when you change forms. If you do this for us we will have the power to decide as well."

"What exactly will I be evoking?" I am so nervous about what Zaelia's answer will be, I can feel my hands start to sweat.

"I think you already know the answer to that question Parker." She looks down at me with a hint of a smile playing on her lips, "You are a merman. Just like I am a mermaid."

~ ~ ~

After Zaelia told me that I was a merman I completely freaked out. I could not believe what she was saying, Zaelia had to sedate me to keep me calm. We didn't even get to finish our conversation, because the sedative knocked me out. The next thing I knew I was back home in my bed. I don't think I can trust Zaelia. She kidnaps me only to tell me I am a 'merman'. Yeah right this chick is crazy. I need to get my mind off of that whole conversation. The only way I know how to do that is to go surfing. So I change into my shorts and grab my board. I text Gia and invite her to come out with me, but she declines claiming she is busy. Ashley and Adara are out shopping, so I don't have to worry about overprotective stepmom and annoying little sister. And my dad doesn't care if I go out to surf alone. So, I tell my dad I am heading to the beach, and I leave.