A Mermaid's Swim Away

A swim away-2

"There she is."

Just as I am leaving Rosella's cave two arms grab me from behind

"Hey, let me go!" I struggle to swim from the grasp they have on me

I look to see Emily swim beside me and shake her head, "I'm sorry, I can't let you leave. If you left, then I would have to marry Devin, I'm the second oldest."

I feel my face heat in anger, "How could you?"

"Guards, take her back to the castle, I thought you were finally growing up." I hear my fathers voice

The guards don't let their hold on me go as we swim back to the castle.

———

"Is this really necessary?" I ask Behind bars

"Emily thought it'd be best."
I scoff sliding to the floor of the cell.

As the time passes I watch fish swim back and forth until I hear a whisper.

"Estelle!"

I quickly swim up, "Who's there?"

Just then a bottle is thrown in front of me

I quickly open it finding a key and a note, "Best of luck sister-Claire."

I smile unlocking the cell, "Thank you Claire."

————————

As I reach the human shores, I find a cove to set my bag down.

I quickly search through the spells until I find a hydration bottle.

Mermaids if not swimming in water constantly need water to drink, but spells can help.

I quickly drink the spell and take off my golden necklace to find myself with legs again.

"Hello real world." I say standing up

———

I walk along the city streets and see people riding in big boxes and riding things with big circles, I think that's a bike.

"Watch where you're going lady!" I turn to see a man in a moving box pass me by.

A hand pulls me away from the metal driving boxes , "Careful, you don't want to get hit by a car."

A car

I turn and meet eyes with a beautiful blue eyed boy, "Hi."

"Are you going to a costume party, because you look like Ariel." The boy chuckles

I look down at what I'm wearing, but it was the first thing I could find. It was a sheet and some old fishing nets.

"Who's Ariel?" I ask

"You have an accent I've never heard, where are you from?" He asks with interest

"The ocean."

He laughs then looks at his wrist, "Well it was nice talking to you Ariel." He winks and walks away

My heart fluttered and I had the sudden urge to talk to him again, but he was already gone.

So I just kept exploring the streets careful to not get in the way of a Car.
Finally I found a place labeled antiques and walked inside.

"Hello Deary, can I help you find anything?"

I tap my chin and hum, "Do you have music, like that I can carry around?"

She smiles, "I have lots and lots of many wonderful old music boxes from all over the world!"
The lady walks to the back of the shop and comes back with a small box, "Here is one of them."

I examine the box and grab the latch, spinning it around, and as I do so the most amazing of sounds comes to my ears, "Wow, can I see the rest?"

She nods, "Come this way."

I follow her into a smaller room with shelves full of these little boxes, some were bigger and shaped differently, but one caught my eye above the others.

I walk towards a small pink box that has a necklace chain around it, I open the little box and twist the side, a little ballerina twirls on the inside as it lights up and music is played softly, soothing my mind. 

"Wow." I hold the little box necklace in pure delight

"That one was from France, made in the early 1800's it costs 30 dollars, I made the prices way lower because nobody ever wants to buy them."

"I don't have 30 dollars, I'm sorry." I set it back down and start to leave the store

"Wait, how much do you have?" She asks kindly

I turn around, "I have nothing. I'll be back, I just need to find a way to get 30 dollars."

She smiles, "If you work here tomorrow night, from 6-8 I'll give it to you free, I have to pick up a delivery at that time."

I nod my head, "Alright!"

"And if you work later tonight I will help you buy some new clothes because you may need some."

———

The shell beside me buzzes, "Hello?" I ask

I hear my sister Claire, "How is life in the human world?"

"Well I think I got a job, and I got a beautiful music box necklace. I also met a kind boy who kept calling me Ariel."

"That's amazing! Was he cute?"

I nod, knowing she can't see me, "Yes, he was gorgeous!" I laugh

"I miss you Estelle."

"Me too, tell everyone I love them!" I say looking out to the endless water

"We love you too!" I hear the girls yell into the shell

———

I smile as I walk back to the antique shop to start my shift, I think that's what she called it.