The Mer Prince

Chapter 39

Charley's POV

XY wasn't with me, but I felt safer now than in the nightmare I was trapped in yesterday.

The gentle beeping from the heart monitor in another room seemed to be lulling me. The white walls had reminded me of the tank room with Washington, but the lines of blue and green paint were close and friendly. This felt like a protective box for me, here in the hospital room.

"Your name was Charley, correct?" A doctor walked in with tapping shoes and a clicking pen.

"That's right." I nodded told him, raising my good hand to wave awkwardly. My other arm was wrapped up tight in gauze.

"I'm sure you've never expected to be shot before." The Doctor commented humorously.

"No." I agreed. "I can leave soon, yes?" I asked.

"You're so eager to leave!" He laughed, "But you're recorded as missing since a trip to the Caribbean." He pointed out. "How did you get all the way to Hawaii?"

"Funny story... I was abducted by pirates." I lied with a laugh. I could imagine having been drugged to be transported through the Panama Canal or flown over Mexico to end up where I was now.

"Sounds like something you could become famous over." He commented. "Are you in any danger?"

"Only from my family." I gave a forced laugh. "I have to go back to the Caribbean to... sort things out." I had made up my mind before the words left my mouth.

There was no future I wanted on land, nothing would satisfy me except the ocean and the freedom granted by a tail. And, if I wanted a good future without being married off to some merman my father picked, I would have to end a war that was older than I was or live in secrecy under the waves for the rest of my life.

Living in secrecy might be the safest decision of course, but I also had a chance at being more than a terrified marine biologist.

Also, I had John to think about. The octopus-man wanted nothing more to return to The Trench- presumably the same one the mermaid kingdom was at war with- and see his brother. I could tell the goal was rooted in him, and his insistence the only reason for his existence. He thrashed and pleaded for his brother in his sleep, and my heart would hurt if he never reached his goal.

All I needed now was to return to the Caribbean... from Hawaii. I was a little worried, considering everyone I had known before the mermaid incident probably declared me dead by now. There were almost five-thousand miles between my destination and I.

The doctor was moving around to check my wound now. He cut open the bandage and checked the stitches, making sure that they were set. I looked to the far wall, trying not to make eye-contact, feeling awkward to be back with human contact.

"A relative is visiting to pick you up." The doctor commented, gently rewrapping the wound. "You should be free to go soon. You're making an excellent recovery."

"Thank you." I smiled. "Do you know if there's- there is- a man or a woman picking me up?" He asked. I was shocked and surprised earlier to see that XY had legs, and a fully-human body with his shocking eyes giving himself away. I was hoping to see him again soon.

"A man." The doctor said, making me believe that XY was arriving. "He called in and said he will be in the lobby shortly."

"Can- Then- is it alright if I stand up and walk to the lobby?" I asked, awkward and trying to think through my sentences. English felt like a second language to me ever since I left the water.

"Of course. The lady who was here earlier paid for you anyways." The doctor encouraged. "You can walk out now."

"Thank you." I felt grateful and left, hoping that Ursula had brought me clothes. I was not wearing a paper gown, thank goodness, those things were a breezeway to the back door, but the medical shorts and a shirt from lost-and-found.