The Mermaid Prophecy (On Hiatus)

Chapter 8

Arsulu

My breathing accelerates and I jump up to start pacing back and forth across the sand. Even if I couldn't have gotten the mirror to work, I could have returned with the dolphins if I was in mermaid form.

But without my fins and gills, I can't go home. And without the mirror, I can't call for help.

One of the dolphins chirp at me, admonishing me for not finishing my food. The other nudges the first, an attempt to politely tell them to shut up. They must be mates.

I smile at the thought.

"Can you do me one more favor?" I return to my seated position, knees bent, hair falling into my face. 

The dolphins nod their heads.

 "It looks like am stuck here. My mirror no longer works and I have run out of magic. It's never happened before so I don't know how long it will take before I have enough to return. I need you to tell my family so they can come find me."

The dolphins both chirp at the same time, confusing me. One, the male, rants about how I should have thought things through before leaving for this trip and accounted for all the things that could go wrong. He sounds like Triton.

The female encourages me to stay safe and to take care of myself in their absence. She reassures me they will not rest until they return with my family.

A low, angry growl sounds off down the beach behind the large rocks protecting me from discovery. It is like no animal I have heard before but then again, many things in the human world are unlike I have heard or seen before.

The dolphins hurry their last messages for me, both swim away after begging me to hide and stay safe.

Hide? Hide where? I can't swim in human form and I can't turn back into a mermaid.

Looking over my shoulders, I search for a place to hide. The growling comes closer and a higher pitched shout follows.

I jump to my feet and run towards the water. Slipping on some kelp, I trip and most of the rest of my dress rips from my legs. And if I weren't scared of whatever animal was about to find me, I would have stomped on the remains of the dress a few times as well.

Dragging myself into the water, a snarling howl sends lightening down my spine. I look once more behind myself, take a deep breath and fully immerse myself in the water. Soon, far too soon, I cannot hold my breath anymore and I have to pop my head back out of the water.

And just as I do, it tramples the sand and ripped clothing where I was sitting before, sees me and lunges for me.

A shrill scream slices through the air. Then I am under water.

The monster treads on me, jumping continuously and pushing me further into the water. Pain spears through my middle when it sinks it's teeth into my knife wound. Air escapes from lips.

I fling my arms around and knock the creature off of me. When I resurface, I gasp for breath and again I am throttled back into the water. My hands cover my face for protection but it doesn't help much.

Bite after bite, my arms are marked repeatedly. It snarls above me and starts to rip at my clothing.

My heartbeat is racing, it feels like it will soon burst like my lungs that burn for air. My vision blurs from lack of air and when I am close to running out, the creature disappears and I am pulled from the water by strong hands.

"A-are you okay?" The tenor like voice stumbles over the words. It is not a voice I have heard before nor is it like any other voice I have ever heard. This voice feels like a rising storm in the pit of my stomach.

I hack up salt water. My chest heaves as I pant, breath bursting in and out of my oxygen deprived lungs. Blinking rapidly, I try to clear my vision and find eyes as blue as the ocean staring back into mine.

Black hair falls into his face covering one of his eyes. A wrinkle is set in between his drawn together eyebrows. His eyes roam over my face, and then his gaze crawls down to my arms. "You're bleeding."

I push away from him. It surprises me how much effort it takes to do so.

Behind me, I hear a yapping sound followed by a growl. Looking down I see the monster crouching at my feet, teeth bared. I jump, grab onto the boy's surprisingly muscular arm and hide behind him.

His body straightens and hovers over the creature.

"Max, stop it," he hushes the creature.

Bending down to its level, he covers it's mouth and holds it's mouth together. He chastises it, waving a finger in it's face then stands back up.

"I'm so sorry, my puppy gets a little excited," he says. He turns to me, rubs the back of his neck and bows his head in apology.

My mouth drops open in surprise, piecing it together. I ball my fists together at my sides. They shake as I try to keep myself from punching the boy. Clenching my teeth together, I count to ten.

"You don't say," sarcasm drips from my tone.

Who does this boy think he is allowing his pet to harm others. Turning on my heel, the beach goes sideways and I feel my legs give out.

"Whoa there," his hands catch me before I fall back into the water. Heat from his hands spreads through my shivering body. I almost find it comforting, or I would if I weren't so upset by him and his little monster.

Hooking his arms around my waist and under my legs, he picks me up and pulls me to his chest. His opened shirt exposes his tanned skin which smells faintly of the ocean. Like salt water mixed with something sweet.

With me in hand, he walks back onto the sand. He sits me down but holds onto my arms. His eyebrows draw together again and he looks up into my eyes.

"Looks like Max did a lot more damage than I thought," his eyes return to my arms. I pull them out of his grip and wrap them around my body.

Beside me, the puppy yawns, tired after playing with his toy, me. I cannot remember any other time that I have ever wanted to kick a pet so much in my life.

"You should come with me," the boy decides.

"Excuse me?"

He stands and extends his hand, waiting. I shake my head and fold my arms on top of each other over my chest.

"No, absolutely not."

His eyebrows meet again, "Why not?"

I scoff.

Appalled by his question, I look to my side at his own personal little monster and then glare back at him. "Oh, I don't know. There can't possibly be any reason not to." I roll my eyes. Hard.

"Max won't harm you further. I will make sure of it."

"Well gee, I wish you would have made sure of it the first time around."

His extended hand returns to his side. He rubs the back of his neck once more and sits down again. "Look, I'm trying here."

"And I don't want you to try at all. See the disconnect?" I turn my head away and rest it on top of my knees, hugging my legs to my chest once more. For a moment, he is quiet.

When I look back, his blue eyes drill holes into mine.

"What is your name?"

"Oh," I am caught off guard by the question, by his eyes. But I'm sure as hell not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that. "Sorry. I'll have to pass on that question. Stranger danger and all." 

I push myself off the sand, part of my feet sinking in as I stand. Assessing the damage done to my arms for myself, I decide it isn't more damage than a few strands of kelp could heal.

A few steps towards the water, my eyes flutter and everything goes black. 

Author's note: Chapter was originally published in October 2019 and revised in November 2019.