H2O: The Strongest Mermaid

Regain Control

(Maddie POV)

After filling the girls in on what I remembered from last night. I walked out to a secluded area of the beach alone, just to test the extent of my powers now. Without getting in the water, I held out my hand causing the waves to rise. I looked out onto the horizon and saw a massive tsunami wave headed for the shore. I quickly pulled back my hand and saw it dissipate.

I called the home where Miss Chatham was staying and made an appointment to meet with her that afternoon. I tested the rest of my powers, but all produced the same result. I tried to cause a tiny whirlpool, which ended up becoming a massive maelstrom even bigger than any I had ever conjured before. I tried to freeze a small puddle and ended up freezing my shoes to the sand. When I tried to melt it, I nearly burnt off my shoes!

I ignored any and all phone calls until I could talk to Miss Chatham. I needed to know what was happening to me and the girls or someone else could get seriously hurt. Lewis was lucky to have survived.

I went to see Miss Chatham and she had a cup of calming tea waiting for me. As soon as we were both seated, she asked, "Now dear, tell me what's bothering you."

I took a breath, "It's the girls and myself. The last full moon did something to us. We were in the Moon Pool, but we weren't safe. The strength of our powers has increased to a catastrophic level and we can't control it."

Miss Chatham nodded, "I know, I saw the hurricane you created."

"What should I do? I've never not had control before and it terrifies me that I could hurt someone. I tested my power before coming here; any small wave becomes a tsunami, any whirlpool becomes a maelstrom, and a small campfire becomes a bonfire!" I felt tears stream down my face, "Miss Chatham, I'm scared."

She took my hands in hers, "Take a deep breath, dear." I did as she asked, "Now close your eyes. I want you to think back to what you felt while in the Moon Pool that night. Tell me what you felt."

I thought back to Lewis and the storm, "Scared. I didn't want to go into the Moon Pool because I knew the girls were causing the storm."

"Yes, but how did you feel once you entered the pool?"

"Calm, but not a peaceful calm. More like a foreboding calm. Something's coming."

"Is it the new powers?"

"No, something else. Something bigger."

Miss Chatham squeezed my hands and I opened my eyes to look at her, "Perhaps that is why your powers have increased. By the time you regain control, you will be ready to face whatever is coming. Give it time."

I smiled and nodded, "Thank you, Miss Chatham." 

We talked for a bit longer before I left and called for a MerClub meeting. Once everyone was seated in the living room of my house I stood up, "Uh, thank you all for coming. I'm sorry about not answering phone calls or texts today, but I needed to see Miss Chatham before talking to anyone of you."

Emma asked, "Okay, and what did Miss Chatham say?"

I sighed, "She doesn't know what's happening to us either, but then she had me think back to what I felt in the Moon Pool after you dragged me in."

Casey then snickered, "And what, oh guru of everything mermaid, did you feel when you entered the Moon Pool?"

I frowned and smacked him, "This isn't a joke! Because of our power levels the girls and I could've hurt someone. Lewis was lucky to have survived at all! During the next full moon what if it's you or Matthew?" The back door suddenly flew open and a burst of wind entered the house and I took a calming breath, closing the door. I turned back to everyone, my eyes tearing up again, "I've never not been in control before. Okay? I'm scared I could hurt someone or one of you. I'm much more volatile now because I have access to nearly all the powers."

I walked back over to them, "Any wave I create becomes a tsunami, every whirlpool becomes a maelstrom, and any campfire erupts into a bonfire!" I took another breath sitting down on the coffee table, "But I think we were given these powers for a reason. What I felt in the Moon Pool was a foreboding calm, which led Miss Chatham and I to believe that something's coming and we now have these dangerous powers to help us combat what ever danger is coming."

An unsettling silence fell over the group as they took in my words. Rikki was the one to finally break the silence, "Alright, then what do you suggest we do?"

I sighed, "No powers at all during the day, but we meet after school at the Moon Pool to exercise our new powers. Maybe if we learn the full extent then we can learn how to tone the intensity down so we can go back to our normal routines."

Emma nodded, "I agree, but not all of us at once, we don't want to cause another hurricane."

We both looked at Rikki and Cleo who agreed as well. We then crafted a schedule for how the next couple of weeks would progress. On Mondays I would be in the Moon Pool, Cleo on Tuesdays, Emma on Wednesdays, Rikki on Thursdays, which left Fridays and weekends clear for personal time. The boys decided to take Friday afternoons to practice their powers too, even though they still had control over theirs.

I hated feeling scared and in the dark about what the future held, but somehow it would work out in the end. After all, what could possibly stand against six united merpeople? Oh! And a goofy scientist.