Grace and Calamity

Troubling

The sun beat Grace's back, gluing dark strands escaped from her bun onto her nape. The coarse brush and soap left lighter swathes on the rug as she brushed it rigorously to get out a year's dust and grime, whatever remained after a thorough vacuum.

Washing her rugs on a pier was her yearly routine, a habit picked up from her childhood home and something she'd stuck to.

She missed the scent of the soap used in her childhood.

Using a bucket, she rinsed off the rug until it was sopping wet again, then rolled it up to walk on the roll and squeeze out as much of the water as possible before repeating the process.

She heard a cough and turned to look.

In the water next to the pier was a girl, using her hands to wipe soap off her tongue and eyes. Teal, webbed hands.

Grace lowered her bucket.

"Sorry 'bout the soap."

The mer waved her hand dismissively. "I was swimming into it."

"... It's biodegradable, if that helps any."

The mer looked up, muscular shoulders encircled by a string of foam. A bright, toothy grin swallowed the lower half of her face.

"I might forgive you for hamburger and fries."

Grace frowned, straight brows knotting together.

"I'm not sure you should be here. All contact between townsfolk and mer should go through your Speaker."

"My-what-now?"

"You aren't from around here, are you?"

"Nope!" The mer chirped, still grinning brightly.

Grace pointed down the river. "There's a pod, living here. We don't really come into contact with them much, they keep to their, reef or whatever they live in, and we keep out from there. You think they know about your pod?" Grace asked, looking down to the mer.

The mer shook her head so her translucent blue ear fins swayed. "No pod. Just me, and I'm staying close to shore... Don't want to be going on others' territory."

Grace nodded, picking up the bucket and continuing to rinse the rug. The mer pulled herself up on the pier, leaving her tail hanging in the soapy water. Grace glanced at her from the corner of her eye.

"Still don't know if you should be here."

"Aw, why?"

"We leave the mers be for a reason. It's safer for all of us", Grace murmured. "And the soap can't be good for you."

The mer seemed unbothered. "So I got out of it."

Grace walked over the rug roll again, heaving it up and spreading it out on a railing to dry, her t-shirt going a bit taut around her biceps. She glanced over her shoulder, catching the mer watching her with dark eyes. The mer didn't look away when caught. Grace turned to her, leaning on the railing despite the rug soaking her clothes, and frowned.

"So is it your doing that people's fish traps have been empty?"

The mer's fins flared. "I haven't emptied them!"

Grace didn't look impressed. "And then you have the gall to beg me for food."

"Hey! I'm not begging!"

Grace scoffed at that.

"It's way less trouble getting some fish from humans than hunting", the mer said, jabbing the air with her chin. "I guess I could stop for hamburger and fries...", she continued, coiling her pretty tail on the pier with a flick.