Duty of a Mermaid

Chapter 1

I have always hated my dad. I never have ever once felt a sliver of kindness for him. Beating a woman has never been acceptable in my opinion, even if that is not what my mother thinks. I don't know why she ever even dated him in the first place, let alone marry him. The first time I ever saw it I was so frightened I didn't talk for three days, I was seven. Then I asked my mom what he was doing. She had said not to worry about it but her bruised forearm said differently. When I grew up more and began to understand what was happening I screamed at my dad. I did more than scream, I threw a plate and threw his printer. He broke my arm. I told the councilor at school and somehow my dad got around the police and my councilor talked to me once a week for three months about my "delusions" and gave my parents the name of a psychiatrist. I had been twelve. He then took to beating me. I had none of it. I would bite and throw his cute little yorkie, which was cruel and heartless but all is fair in love and war. My councilor was out of the game of saving me or my mother. So I ran.

I ran to the ocean. I had never been there before and the white sand was beautiful. I had been staying in a shelter at night but I had a job at a hotel not too far away. Tennessee to Florida was quite different but I didn't mind. I was finally free. I loved this freedom. My whole life my dad had said how "lucky" I was to have a roof over my head and food on my plate which could only be supplied by him. How wrong he was.

I finished my shift at the hotel and it was pitch black except the few stars and a full moon. I walked out to the deserted beach looking at the lapping waves. This life here was not perfect but it was as good as. I took off my shoes and waded in, rolling up my jeans, enjoying its coolness. I smiled to myself as I felt my freeness once again for the trillionth time just in the last hour. I heard an unexpected splash. I looked to my left and saw a light glow. I furrowed my brow and was about to get out but I heard a beautiful sound. My breath caught when I heard the first deep tenor note. Everything that had ever happened to me slipped through my mind. I saw a head peak out of the water but I couldn't see any specific features out side of short dark curly hair and glowing bright blue eyes. I walked slowly at first then broke into a sprint needing to be closer to whatever it was. The body went farther and farther away and I began to swim into the depths of the water following him. Soon I was breathless and needed a break and he was right in front of me. I found myself unable to breath or keep my head above the water but I didn't care, I could hear this music. When I began to sink he suddenly stopped singing and it was like I had woken up from a sweet dream into a horrible world. I was going to drown.

I screamed out for help but something snatched my legs and dragged me down at incredible speed. I could see black spots creeping in at the edges of my vision. Suddenly I was above the surface and something wet and slimy was being shoved down my throat. I could feel bile rising up my throat as my gag reflex was triggered. The hand was out of my throat as fast as it had been shoved down my throat. I felt a sudden coolness crawl up my legs. I frantically slapped my arms against the water to stay afloat. Whatever was down my throat wouldn't allow me to breathe.

"Don't fight it child. You were one of us long before this." A sweet female voice cooed sweetly and then I sunk down. Further and further. The pressure made me feel like I was going to be crushed. My legs felt stick like. Then all of a sudden I was emitting light, a blinding eerie green light that burned my eyes. I screamed as my legs fuzed together to form a tail and my clothes naturally fell from my body. I could breathe! I breathed frantically without remembering I was underwater. Then I saw my tail. It was an eerie light green that glowed. I screamed at my lack of legs. I heard distant laughter as someone approached. "Hello child." A familiar sweet voice chimed. "I'm Lia. Welcome to your new clan."