"Hello?" "Um, hey?" "Wait, you don't sound like my Aunt Kathy." "Unless I was miraculously converted into a member of the opposite gender and somehow related to whoever is on the other side of this call, then yeah. I'm not your Aunt Kathy." "Oh, shiitake mushrooms." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Short Story #1 (19/04/18) 2016 Fiction Awards Finalist © 2015 evethespy. All Rights Reserved.

After a certain age is reached, young mermaids and mermen are sent far across the sea from home to fend for themselves and learn the ways of their people. A harsh and senseless practice that has been used for hundreds of years in an often tragic, yet effective way. Mermaids and mermen often never return, saying goodbye to their pods who raised them from birth, then seen for the last time. Fifteen year-old Kyla and her twin brother Kai have always had a simple life, but that is soon over when they are sent far from home to join separate pods and learn the ways of the ocean. In these dangerous waters, Kyla must quickly learn how to survive in the sea on her own without the protection of her birth pod. A small group of mermaids soon find Kyla and welcome her in. They too are like her, sent far from home to learn how to survive and care for one another. Kyla is relieved to be safe and protected, but she soon learns that there is a storm brewing. And one the mermaids might not survive.

Esa is a mermaid... What's a mermaid you ask? It's a creature of myth, but very much real, and despite what people say, they aren't magical. They don't have the powers to enchant humans with their beautiful singing voices, and they absolutely do not sprout legs while on land. One tropical sunny and beautiful day, Esa is living in the beauty and comfort of warm waters. Happy as a clam is what they call the kind of contentment she had. The next, she is abducted by her kind's most feared enemy, humans. And then what happens? Well, being sold to an aquarium and nearly being killed in the process is fun! Right!? Wrong. Nearly being killed is terrifying! Just ask Esa, she can tell you a lot about being dropped into an aquarium habitat made just for the "mermaid, who was "rescued"and rehabilitated from drying out in the sun!" Just when Esa is about to give up hope and despair, she finds a friend, a kindred spirit you might call her. And she vows to do all she can to help Esa escape. And it better be quick! Because a mermaid out of the ocean is like a fish out of water. And both are soon to die. Some of the plot and the idea to this story was inspired by Mermaid Blues written by Calitheax.

Each baby born beneath the waves is killed--with one exception: the one hundred thousandth is spared. There's one rule shared between the island's tribes: don't touch the water. When Cressa-la breaks this law, her world, and body, changes. Sure, change is normal... but when has growing scales ever been normal? • • • Watty Award Winner 2015: Best Use of Visuals • • • Each baby born beneath the waves is killed--with one exception: the one hundred thousandth is spared. Among the spared, magic chooses a rare few, connecting them to the moon or sea. These are the One-Hundreds, mermaids and humans with the power to save the world-or corrupt it. When Cressa-la breaks the first rule of her tribe and touches the water surrounding her island, everything she knows turns on its head. Talking, sinister dolphins, mind control, and a whole world just under the waves await her on her eigteenth birthday... but she never asked for any of this. All she wanted was to become a Tribe Leader and take care of her village. It's amazing how one screw-up can change everything. A relentless darkness reaches for her, wanting her affections for his own twisted purposes. In opposition stands a fractured light, haunted by a painful past where corruption eroded friendship. Unless Cressa-la can bring the darkness to his knees and fight the war raging inside, the world is doomed. • • • Content warning: This story contains themes of depression and violence.

Pearl ,Bella ,Hilda and Moon are mermaids with different powers, join them on their mission to destroy the evil in the underwater world and at the same time, stay fabulous in their high school... Which means overcoming the "superior" Taylor Haze, queen of designer items. Caution: Boy Drama is included. EDITED BY: IconForTheReckless (2014)

A story about a young girl named Harper, who has a deep secret. But when her secret is in danger, she must make sure it doesn't get out. Read the sequel called Ocean Orphans!!

Being an 18-year-old mermaid is never easy...Serena Cyania's world has been turned upside down. First she gets separated from her younger sister in the ocean, and the next thing she knows, she's being caught in a net and dragged ashore by humans. After countless amounts of tests, Serena is put on exhibit at the local aquarium. In charge of her exhibit is a 20-year-old college student named Kyle Markham. Because of the numerous hours they spend around each other, Serena and Kyle begin to bond. Soon, Serena begins to develop romantic feelings for this human. Little does she know that her world is going to keep getting crazier. Her younger sister, Serah is trying to find her and break her out of captivity, and a rich, Australian businessman is trying to buy Serena and put her on display on the other side of the world. What will become of this mermaid?