This is a competition entry for Land Full of Wonder, made by @kcraighead_
She wrote Land Full of Wonder as well. Check it out if you like Fantasy, Alice in Wonderland, and all kinds of other fairy tale things! It's a good story! Or just go check out all of the stories she's written!
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What I am? Not human, that's for sure. I mean, I would still call myself a human being; others won't. Not when they see what I am underneath the water.
The green lake in front of me glistens from the sun. I stand at the edge of the water, staring at my reflection, my blonde hair slipping out from behind my shoulders and shielding my face. I take a step back, take a deep breath, and dive into the cool water. My feet are the last things to submerge. As soon as they do, everything below my waist disappears, and a glittery blue tail replaces my legs. I gaze at the shiny scales, moving my tail back and forth, warming up for my swim. The tail is not the only thing I get when I'm underwater. My teeth, which are usually normal above water, turn sharp, perfect for hunting sea creatures.
The Wonderous Forest, which is a home for many things, is an amazing place to hike around, take a swim, and cool down. I love coming here. The songs the birds sing, the smell of leaves and soil, and the crunch of leaves under my feet relaxes me.
I moved deeper into the lake and feel the pressure of the water increase, pushing down on me. A fish swims passed me, and immediately, I dive for it, arms outstretched, nails out. In an instant, I have it in my grasp. Normally, if a human grabs a fish, it'll easily be able to slip through their fingers. But not me. That's another advantage I get when I'm what I am. My palms grow small spikes, which prevents slippery creatures from escaping my grasp.
With the fish in my hands, I begin swimming toward the surface. But I don't get far when a fist-sized rock splashes down into the water, sinking deeper down into the darkness of the lake.. Where did that come from?
Cautiously, I move higher, the fish still in my hand. My meal has been interrupted. I peek through the water, eyes searching for any sign of the threat. And I find it. But it doesn't look exactly threatening, though.
It's a girl, somewhere around her teen years. Her blonde hair is pulled up into a ponytail, but it blows in the wind as she stands there...chucking rocks into the water. That's where that stone had come from.
Before I can submerge myself back in water, the girl spots the part of my face that's peeking out.
She jumps a little and gasps. "Oh, I'm sorry!" she calls. "I didn't know someone was swimming here!" She looks around. "The lake's a bit nasty."
Too late to disappear. I might as well talk to her. I wave, smiling with my lips closed. I can't let her see my sharp teeth.
"Did one of the rocks hit you?" she asks, letting the rock that she had been holding in her hand fall to the ground.
I shake my head.
She watches me, amusement on her face. Silence stretches between us. I'm debating whether I should swim away, or maybe say something. Finally, she's the first to break the silence. "Are you going to keep swimming or...?" she trails off, moving her hand in circles, gesturing into the air, probably waiting for my decision.
I release the fish in my hand and I feel it shoot away. Turning my back to her, I dive into the lake, swimming in the opposite direction where there's land. There are a group of trees and bushes that will provide enough cover for me to climb out of the water. Once I'll be out, my legs should replace my tail. I'll look like a normal human being again. Talking to this girl will be possible once I look normal.
