Sea Creatures

Under the Sea

Justice and I shared the queen bed in the back room.
"When your mom said that we're going under the sea, she meant literally to the bottom of the ocean...right?" Justice asked.
"Yes, yes she did," I said.
"That sounds great and all, but what the hell am I supposed to do?" Justice asked.
I turned towards her. "Crap! I didn't even think of that!" I said. We both started to laugh.
"What does your dad usually do when you guys go on trips like these?" she asked.
"Well this is our first time going under the sea to meet family, but at home when we go to the shore, he usually stays on the beach, maybe run, or bike on the boardwalk." I said. "I didn't really think much about this so I don't know what their plan is."
"I guess your dad and I will be exploring Hawaii on land," Justice said laughing. I could tell she was a little bit upset.
"What's wrong?" I asked, even though I knew the answer.
"As stupid as this may sound, I wanted to go under the sea with you all, meet the family and what not." Justice said while chuckling. "I mean, who gets to say that they went on a surprise trip to Hawaii for two weeks with their best friend, and met a bunch of mermaids? I wanted to say that...not literally! You know what I mean. I don't know," she said.
"I'm sorry Justice," I said.
"No, don't be!" She said. "I'm stupid for even thinking that that could happen. Besides, I'm in Hawaii! I'll find something to do! We can all hang out later that evening once you're all done."
"You're right!" I said.
"I know," she boasted. "But yea, let's go to sleep because I don't want to be tired in the morning."
We both got comfortable in the bed when we both heard the door shut.
"What the—was the door ope—who closed the d—"
"Relax Marina, it was probably my boyfriend checking up on us, you know he always does this at home." Justice said.

She was talking about my brother, Mateo.

I laughed. "True, goodnight."

That night, I slept amazing. The bed was so unbelievably soft and the sound of the waves crashing and the palm leaves moving in the wind was so soothing. I also had an amazing dream. I lived in this huge beautiful house with this extremely handsome guy who obviously was my boyfriend. Somehow I became a princess? I honestly can't remember the exacts, I can never remember my dreams. All I know is that right before my prince and I kissed at our wedding, I felt a tap on my forehead.
"Wakey, Wakey!" whispered a soft voice.
I rubbed my eyes then opened them. "Grandma?" I looked over at the alarm clock which read 5:30am. "We're not supposed to get up until seven!" I cried.
"Oh quit whining, we're in Hawaii!" Justice said with a raspy voice. I made a weird face. Justice was not a morning person. I could smell her sarcasm from a mile away...literally, her morning breathe was crazy.
"Oh ladies wake up. I heard you two talking last night.."
"That was you who shut the door!" I said.
"Mhm," my grandma nodded her head.
"What's going on grandma?" Justice asked with a smile on her face.
My grandma smiled back, "Follow me!" she said putting her index finger over her lips, signaling us to keep quiet.
We tiptoed out of the room and followed my grandma down the hall. She stopped us in front of the master room while she walked in by herself.
"Where do you think she's taking us?" Justice asked.
"I have no idea," I said. After I said that, I heard a door open and out came the twins, Mel and Marissa.
"What the hell are you two doing up so early?" Mel asked stretching her arms.
Justice shrugged her shoulders.
"Why are you always so moody?" I asked, "grandma just told us to follow her, but we don't know where she's taking us," I explained.
"Oooh! An adventure! I'm coming too," said Marissa.
"Me too. I'm already awake and I won't be able to fall back asleep," Mel said rubbing her eyes.
About thirty seconds later grandma came out with an old brown journal and the box she told us last night not to open.
"Twins, what are you doing up so early? asked grandma giving them a hug.
"We can ask you the same thing!" Mel said folding her arms.
"C'mon ladies, we don't need anyone else waking up!" My grandma said walking towards the kitchen. We all followed her out of the back door and onto the beach. The sky was beautiful and the beach was empty.
"I wish I could stay here forever!" Justice exclaimed.
"You and me, both!" I cried admiring the palm trees.
The five of us walked to this small shed. It looked old and abandoned on the outside. My grandma pulled out a key from her pocket, unlocked and opened the door, then entered the building. Justice and I hesitantly stepped into the small shed as the twins followed behind us. Our jaws dropped. In the room there were shelves filled with books and small bottles with shimmering liquids, I'm no genius but I'm pretty sure they were potions. Straight ahead towards the back of the shed was another picture of my grandma, grandpa and mom right above a desk that had a lamp on it.
Grandma sat at the desk and turned on the lamp, "shut the door behind you, would ya?" she said.
I shut and locked the door then walked to the desk where everyone was standing. "Grandma what is this—"
"Justice, you said you wanted to go under the sea to meet merpeople, right?" asked my Grandma.
"Yes?" Justice said sounding unsure.
My grandma spun the desk chair around facing the four of us. "Girls, this is my secret spot. Secret spot. Therefore no one should know about this place, got it?"
We all nodded in unison. I think everyone was too amazed to formulate words.
"Are these potions?" Marissa asked.
"Like the one you used in your story with grandpa Henry!" Mel said.
Grandma nodded. "Yes girls. Way back when I was a young teen, my mother taught me how to make many spells. This brown book, was hers. It has so many different formulas including one that'll let Justice go under the sea with all of us today."
"Oh my goodness, that's amazing!" Justice cried jumping up.
"So does that mean dad can come with us in the sea?" Marissa asked.
"Don't be silly, Marissa, you know your father is afraid of going to the ocean floor." My grandma said laughing.
"He's what?" Mel asked.
"Why don't you think he's traveled with you sooner? Years before you all were born, I offered him to go under the sea when we went to the shore on the East coast but he was afraid."
"Wow," I said. "I can't believe it."
"Well hey, the ocean floor isn't for everyone. We all have our own fears." Grandma said. "But that is besides the point. After I heard you say that you wanted to join us in the ocean I had to find a potion just for you!"
Grandma held Justice's hand and pulled her right beside her at the desk. She then opened a drawer that had a small clear bottle filled with a blue shimmering liquid.
"This is for me?" Justice asked.
My grandma nodded as she handed her the potion. Justice held it towards the light and admired the bottle.
"Now I don't want to pressure you dear, however if you truly want to come under the sea with us and have the full mermaid experience, drink this bottle."
"How long does it last? It doesn't last forever, right? What does it taste like?" Justice was asking a billion questions at once. I could tell she was nervous.
"No, I haven't figured out how to make a permanent mermaid potion for a human just yet. It lasts twelve hours at a time. After you take a sip, your eyes will turn a green color, don't ask me why. On land, you will be human, and once you are fully submerged in water, you will grow a tail. Once the twelve hours are up, your tail will disappear, your eyes will go back to the original brown color and you would have to take another sip to reset it."
"That is so cool!" I said.
"However, it only works once every 24 hours. I also only made enough to last you a week, but I can make more in a few days without a problem!" said my grandma.
Justice smiled and looked at the bottle.
"So, are you gonna drink it, or what?" Mel asked.
Justice unscrewed the top of the bottle and held it to her mouth.
"Don't! That's two hours waisted! Wait until we are about to go into the sea!" grandma said.
"Yes! That's a good plan!" Justice said laughing.
"Also girls, don't mention this to your mother. She's been dying to see my potions since she was a young girl and I don't need her getting on me about not showing her." Grandma said putting the brown book and box that read DO NOT OPEN in the desk drawer.
"Well, why don't you just show her?" asked Mel.
"I'm waiting until the time is right." said Grandma as she walked to the door. "When we go back to the house, we enter quietly and we do not speak of this!"
"Well their gonna suspect something when Justice turns into a mermaid." Mel exclaimed.
"No one needs to know I brought everyone to the shed. I came into Justice's room and gave her the potion. Nothing else." Grandma said raising her eyebrows.
"Got it!" We all said in unison. From there we all went back to the house. It was already 6am.
"I'm going back to sleep!" I said.
"Me too!" said Justice as we both walked into our room. She put the bottle in the nightstand drawer besides her and we both went back to sleep.

"Rise and shine!" yelled my mom pulling the covers off of Justice and I. I turned towards the clock that read 9:45 am. "We overslept so I want us all on that beach by 10!" she said as she walked out the room.
We both got up, put on our bathing suits then left the room. Everyone was already done getting dressed and was just eating breakfast. Grandma made eggs, bacon and French toast. After I ate, I brushed my teeth.
"It's 9:58 we have to go!" My mom said walking out the back door. Mateo, Grandma and the twins followed while Justice and I ran back to the room.
"Hurry up and drink it!" I yelled.
Justice took a sip of the potion then put the bottle back in the drawer. Right away her eyes turned green.
"Whoa! Look at your eyes!" I exclaimed.
"Wow, I look hot! Dark hair, light eyes? That's a nice combo!" Justice exclaimed.
"Let's hurry up and go before my mom freaks out!" I said. We both ran out the room to the back door where our mom was standing with her arms crossed.
"What were you two up to?" asked my mom.
"Nothing!" I said trying to walk around her, she blocked the door.
"Why are your eyes green, Justice?" she asked.
"This morning, grandma came in and gave me a potion so I can go under the sea with you guys!" Justice said.
"Hm, okay then," she said sounding suspicious.
My dad walked out the master room, kissed my mom's forehead, grabbed an apple, then went back in the master room.
"Why are we still standing here?" I asked.
"Oh, right!" My mom said as we ran out the house onto the beach. We all met up with the twins, Mateo and Grandma. No one was on the beach, perfect.

"Okay kids, here's the plan, we go down in pairs. Justice and Grandma, twins, Mateo and Marina, then I will come down." said my mom.
"And once you go in the water, do not come back up because we don't want to risk anyone seeing you." said Grandma.
"Wait? I'm scared. What exactly will happen when I get in the water?" Justice asked.
"In about ten seconds your tail will grow!" Mateo said.
"Does it hurt?" Justice asked.
" No, not really. It kind of feels like having your legs pulled a part and pushed together at the same time." Mel explained.
"Uh...okay," Justice said.
"Are you ready?" Grandma asked.
"I'm ready," Justice said.
My mom looked around for any bystanders. "Go!" she said. Grandma and Justice ran into the water and dove right into the wave. After mom gave the signal, the twins went in, then Mateo and I. Soon after our mom was in the water. We all swam towards each other and continued to swim deeper and deeper until we were no where close to shore. Justice was better at swimming with a tail than I thought she would be. Swimming through the blue water felt amazing. At home in Pennsylvania, there's no ocean so we only get to swim like this a few times a year, winter break we go down to Florida which is where my dad's brother lives, during spring break and 2 weeks in July, we go down to the Jersey Shore. We don't do it often because we don't want to risk our chances of being discovered. We don't know what could happen if we were. We'd probably be forced to join the circus or SeaWorld, or even become a science experiment, I don't know. Anyways, I'm rambling. Us mermaids can swim very fast, after about ten minutes, we were already far in the Pacific.
"I need a break," Justice said out of breathe. "this is tiring!"
"You'll get used to it by the third day," said Grandma.
We rested for five minutes then continued to follow grandma while she took us to our destination. After another ten minutes we stumbled upon a sign that read Neptunia.
"King Neptune?" Mateo asked.
"Yes," said my grandma as she continued to swim. We all followed her.