The Voice I Was Given.

Grace

        River learned pretty quickly that he was going to be left at him lonesome a lot more than he would like. But Hypatia had a job, and one that kept her out of the house from sunrise to sunset nearly every night. It wasn't her fault; she had to make money in order to live. That's how she had explained it to River, anyhow. But he wished that he could have access to a bigger body of water. Yes, the tank that was in Hypatia's little "fish hospital" as she called it was big, but small in comparison to the freedom that River was used to having. He wished that he could pump his tail as fast as he wanted, scatter schools of fishes and race swordfish. But Hypatia had also told him that he was still to hurt to be out there, and River supposed that was true. He still had bruises and opened wounds that he would bump sometimes that would cause him to wince. That made him vulnerable if he were to get into a fight, which was quite likely seeing as he hadn't been inspecting his favorite locations the past two weeks.

Hypatia left her back door opened for him, and River would go outside quite often. He loved her backyard. It had a pool that was about the same size as River's tank and was filled with the most beautiful plants. Large, florescent flowers and fruit-bearing trees covered every bit of the yard except for a pathway and a small patch of grass that had a hammock hanging over it. It was easier for him to get inside the hammock than he had expected, and it was very comfortable. Other than providing a perfect spot for him to sleep, it also kept him concealed from curious neighbors. Once, he was almost caught because he made too much noise while getting into the pool. River just sat at the bottom of the pool until he was sure that the peeking neighbor was gone.

One day, when Hypatia came home early from work. River could hear her telling someone to stay by the door. Seconds later, just walked into the room where River had been flipping through some books. He looked up at her curiously, wondering who she had brought with her.

"I know that you aren't going to be happy, but...I told Grace about you," Hypatia sighed. "I needed to tell her, she's my best friend and we tell each other everything and-"

River held up a hand to quiet her, nodding that it was okay. He wasn't worried about Grace in the least bit. Hypatia smiled and left the room.

"Tia, you have got to be kidding me. There's no way that you found a siren. Much less keep it like a pet," Grace said loudly.

"First of all, he's not a pet. He's my friend. Come in."

The two girls walked in, and, the moment that they did, Grace let out a little shriek and stumbled backwards. River was glad that he had been laying on his stomach, reading, instead of reared up to his full height. He was sure that she would've passed out. So, slowly, he sat up, being careful to make himself smaller. He grabbed his whiteboard, which was always by his side.

Hi, he wrote, waving.

"Oh my...oh my..." Grace gasped. "Tia, I thought you were joking!"

"Since when have I been joking about sirens, Grace? Never. Grace, meet River."

Grace walked closer to River, staring at his face. "It really is River. But...how?"

Hypatia shrugged. "River, do you know why you're a siren?"

Because I was born one? I don't know, I can only remember the past three years of my life, River explained. It's not like I can ask other sirens, either.

"Tia...I have so many questions. Why is there a siren in your house?" Grace demanded.

"River can answer questions, too, you know. Not just me. Ask him." Hypatia gestured to River.

I was hurt. Hypatia found me. I still can't go back to the ocean for a few more days. I wouldn't survive a face-off with another siren right now.

That was the truth of nature. Only the strongest and the healthiest survived. It was a law that River had to abide by. Until Hypatia came and saved his flesh from becoming a shark's next meal. River hoped that other sirens were still being weary around his territory. He didn't need an entire pod to come into his territory. They weren't hard to scare off, but there was usually quite a few. The real thing that River was worried about was that there would be a new owner in his territory; another adult male.

"Do you actually eat humans?" Grace asked.

And there it was. The question that River had been dreading. It wasn't a very comfortable subject, considering that he wanted to keep the trust of Hypatia and also not make an enemy of her friend. He couldn't live in the ocean without eating humans. They contained the nutrients that other sea creatures didn't. It's just how he was built. It wasn't his fault.

Yes, he wrote slowly. But never Tia. I'll just eat cow.

Grace just shook her head. "Tia, you kidnapped a siren, and not just any siren. One that's almost a dead-on lookalike to River. I just still can't believe that sirens are actually real. I feel like I'm gonna wake up and come over to your house and find nothing."

Oh no, I'm not real. This is all a dream. Go wake up now. I'm reading.

Hypatia rolled her eyes. "Whatever, you bookworm. Fine, we'll leave you alone."