Scared New World

Chapter 12

My head throbbed as I opened my eyes, struggling to remember where I was. The anxiety inside me slowly ebbed away as I recognized my bedroom. My mind was foggy as I rose and got dressed.

Sometime during the night, my shoulder had been cleaned and bound. The wound still pulled slightly when I used my arm, but the pain was manageable. Looking around my room, I was surprised to find everything was exactly as I'd left it.

I grabbed my notepad and swam into the living room, immediately relaxing as I noticed Jay and David. Relief crashed into me with the strength of a rogue wave as I saw familiar red-gold hair. I flew into Meri's arms, shaking with the force of my tears.

She held me at arm's length after we separated, looking me up and down. I was so worried. After what happened, I didn't know if we'd ever see you again. Are you okay? Her hands moved a mile a minute as she signed.

I took her hands and led her to a chair. This is Jay and David. They saved my life. They both nodded at her.

I took a shaky breath, realizing my hands were trembling. This was the moment I'd been dreading. Jay swam to my side, silently grabbing my hand. David moved behind me, putting a steadying hand on my back. Before I opened my mouth, another familiar face appeared, a shocked expression on her face. Naia slowly swam to us, her gaze wary. Rissa? Is... is it really you? Her hands were trembling as she signed.

I nodded, tears welling in my eyes. A broken sob escaped from my lips as I threw my arms around my sister. After a minute, I pulled away, steeling myself. Guys... I have to tell you something. I hesitated, glancing at Jay. He read the heartbreak in my eyes instantly and nodded, his grip tightening on my hand. It's okay, his gaze seemed to say.

It all started a few months ago. I had just finished a shift and was headed home. As I neared the house, however, an almost overwhelming stench hit me. That's when I stumbled upon the body. It was a young mermaid around Naia's age. She'd been murdered. A few weeks later, another body turned up. That's when I met Jay and David. The merman's name was Tiger Shark. Tears welled in my eyes, spilling down my cheeks.

Meri shook her head, disbelief on her face. Naia gasped, faltering. Just then, a fresh, unbearable wave of pain swept through my shoulder. My grip tightened painfully on Jay's hand as I cried out. David swam to my side, the coppery tang of blood filling the air as he peeled off the bandage. My sisters' eyes were filled with concern as they saw my wince.

A heartbeat later, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. I forgot all about the pain as I whirled around, the notepad in my hands positioned like a baseball bat. A mermaid floated in front of us, her grey eyes impossibly wide. Her dark skin—the same shade as her brother's—was ashen. She had beautiful golden-brown hair that settled in curls around her shoulders.

The first thing I noticed was that she wasn't looking at me. I followed her gaze, realization hitting me as I saw David with the same expression.

The mermaid's clothes were filthy, her hands rough as she clutched the strap of a worn messenger bag. David swam to her, throwing his arms around her neck. He sagged against her, his shoulders shaking as he cried. A few moments later, they pulled away, clutching each other's hands as they faced us.

I handed him the notepad. Without letting go of his sister's hand, he scribbled on the pad, giving it to me. This is Isabella, my sister.

We all smiled. Jay and my sisters introduced themselves, then David gestured to me. He spoke to his sister for a minute, her eyes quickly darting over to me. She shook my hand, her grip warm. He must've told her about me because while her smile was bright, it was also a little sad.

Jay suddenly rose, grabbing the notepad. It's getting late. It would be best if you got some sleep.

The full impact of what had happened slammed into me as I read his words. My shoulders sagged, and my eyelids grew heavy. I quickly told my sisters and Isabella where they would stay, then swam to my room. Jay followed, swimming into the bathing room and reappearing with a fresh bandage.

I settled into bed, my body sinking into the sheets. Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?

He nodded, gently brushing a lock of hair off my forehead before fixing the bandage. My body was completely relaxed as I drifted off, comforted by Jay's presence. For the first time in a long time, I fell asleep with happiness in my heart.

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