by Hannah Reed
“Hey, how was last night? Just wondering if you know where April is?” Setha paused in indecision she hated contacting Ethan. No one else knew about her crush on him and that was the way she intended it to stay. She swiped the message off before she could change her mind. But, it immediately bounced back.
“Message unable to send.” Setha tried again. But, the message bounced back once more. Setha tried to stop herself from imagining Ethan in bed with a fancy legged woman he had just met. She swam off the couch and went to fetch a snack to improve her mood.
“Setha? Honey are you home?” her Grandmother shouted as the door swung shut. The formidable Mrs Moretta swam into the kitchen before Setha could reply. As usual, she was impeccably dressed. A tight fitting yet modest bolero in a dark navy was the jacket of choice for today’s luncheon. Setha saw that the Atlantica summer handbag had made its first outing too. After assessing her Grandmother’s outfit Setha quickly realised that something was not right. Firstly, her Grandmother shouldn’t be home yet, and secondly, her well-rouged face was white in shock.
“Is everything okay?” Setha asked, her body suddenly tense.
“Have you seen the news today?” her Grandmother asked as she dropped her bag down onto the counter.
“No, the news? What’s happened?” Setha asked, though she instantly relaxed in relief that it was nothing to do with her Dad.
“Honestly Setha, what have you been doing with your day. It’s everywhere,” Jocelyn said swimming agitatedly around the kitchen.
Setha waited impatiently for her Grandmother to inform her what this shocking news was.
“Can you boil this for me please?” her Grandmother asked. Setha wielded her limited Factus powers to boil the flask of coffee presented to her.
“There you go.”
“Thank you dear.” Her Grandmother took a sip and her face instantly relaxed. “Now as I was saying. It’s everywhere. The Peace Treaty last night. It was a disaster.”
“A disaster? As in it wasn’t signed?” Setha asked as she helped herself to one of the cookies her Grandmother had brought home.
“Setha, no it wasn’t signed, a bomb went off! The entire building was destroyed,” she said exasperatedly as she swam into a chair.
“What! Is everyone okay?” Setha asked as she followed her Grandmother.
“They don’t know. Lots of mer are injured but many are still trapped in the wreckage. They won’t release official figures and details until they have more information.”
“April, Ethan. They could be, could be….” Setha stuttered. Her annoyance that neither replied to her instantly replaced with fear.
“I’m sure they’re okay Setha,” her Grandmother said kindly. “We just need to wait for further news.”
“Okay,” Setha said in shock. She didn’t know what to do with herself. She swam hurriedly into the lounge and switched on the news, a story about the Peace Treaty bombing was on. She sat down and hugged her tail to her chest as she watched. An enthusiastic reporter was recounting the details. Most of the information washed over Setha. She just wanted to know if April and Ethan were okay.
CHAPTER 9
The sun was rising as Alex bent down to tie up his shoelaces. He jogged on the spot inside the doorway, then with a grin he sprinted off. The island looked magical first thing in the morning. But, this particular morning it felt like it was buzzing with extra energy. The flowers stretched wide open to show off their bright petals and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It was the perfect start to summer. Alex finished his sprint through the thigh-high grass meadow to the top of the hill outside his house. Bending to his knees, he panted from the exertion of the near vertical slope. He mopped his brow and looked up, with a view like this it was easy to get up early in the morning.
Stretched out in front of him like a sheet of glass was the sea. Sometimes, if he was lucky, he could see dolphins playing in the surf. He hoped that one morning he would see a pod of whales breaching out in the distance. Alex presumed they loved the island and its surroundings as much as he did. The unblemished sea reached out until it joined with the sky. The view was peaceful but he could still feel the island’s tangible energy all around him. It was as if the sea was alert. Beneath the glass like water, he could feel power radiating from the ocean. Alex set off again now pounding down the hill, weaving his way through the trees of the mini forest. With his calf muscles burning and sweat gathering on his forehead, he headed directly for the sea.
Alex and his brother had only been on Shell Island for a week since flying to the island after Connor’s high school graduation. He had finished his own training at the Omega Military Facility last month, but the early morning starts were still an ingrained habit. Alex had been making use of his early morning wake-ups to explore the island. Their house was nestled in a clearing on the North of the island. One side of the house looked out onto a meadow and the other the beach. The first portion of his morning run was always the beach. Beach, then round the back of the house, through a field of grass which reached up to his waist, then back down the hill to go home ready for breakfast.
Alex liked his routine on Shell Island and unlike his brother was in no hurry to leave. The Omega Military had been the last item on a long list of things he had done for his Dad. And now, there was nothing. He had jumped the final hurdle. For once it was nice to just breathe. He burst through the trees, onto the seashore and set off at a steady pace. A slight sea breeze cooled his calves and whipped through his hair. The sea air had done wonders for his breath control. He could now keep a metered breath for his entire circuit. Whereas back home in the city, his breathing went up and down with the smog levels.
The beach was full of debris today. How bizarre Alex thought. Derek, their caretaker, would be down later on to clean it up. He slowed his pace to look at what was washed up on the shoreline. Dodging the treacherous chunks that threatened to send him flying, Alex tried to figure out what was going on. There were large bits of wood, some sculpted animals and chunks of coral all clumped together with shells. It was an odd collection, there were even a few chair legs and if Alex wasn’t mistaken there was part of a helicopter wing sticking out of the sand. What could have happened? He slowed to a jog as his path became more perilous. A large branch blocked his way and as Alex went to hurdle over it he glanced down and stopped in his tracks. Consequently, hurling him to the ground. He rolled over and scrambled towards the branch. What he had presumed was a solid object actually resembled a hollowed-out canoe. It was closer in size to a tree trunk than to a branch and inside this obstacle was a young lady.
First instinct, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Alex carefully manoeuvred her onto the sand and checked for a pulse. Thank goodness, she was still alive. Her skin felt too warm for someone who had been washed up on the shore and she was covered in angry looking sores, but otherwise, she seemed okay. The girl could almost have been sleeping. He leant down to check she was still breathing. She was issuing a slow steady breath and he could see her chest rise and fall. Debating on whether or not to move her, he quickly checked over her body. He was certain nothing was broken and so Alex scooped her up in his arms to carry her back to the house for help. As he lifted up her torso he noticed a pool of blood previously obscured by her hair. He carefully touched the back of her neck and his hand came away sticky with blood. With more urgency than he previously intended he positioned her head against his shoulder, slid his arms under her legs and set off quickly for the house shouting for help as he moved.
He reached the door that opened up onto the beach and called loudly hoping that Rosetta would hear him from the kitchen. The panic in his own voice alarmed him. “Rosetta!” he called even louder. Peter one of the chefs heard his call instead and came to open the sliding door. His eyes jumped down and he hurried Alex in.
“My heavens Master Alex! Quick come inside, bring her into the guest bedroom.” Alex followed Peter through to the downstairs guestroom and lay the girl on the bed careful not to jostle he
r. Now that he was here he didn’t know what to do. He had been to military school since he was five and yet all his training deserted him on the spot. Alex started pacing by the bed casting anxious looks at the girl. Peter disappeared to find help and returned with Rosetta and a new female member of staff Alex hadn’t met. Rosetta took charge immediately. She was a robust middle-aged woman who took everything in her stride.
“Where did you find her? In what state was she in?” Rosetta calmly asked as she started to check the girl’s pulse and assess her body.
“She was washed up on the beach, inside a log,” Alex explained. He paced by the bed while he spoke. “She was unconscious when I found her. The back of her neck… it’s bleeding, or it was bleeding. Is she going to be okay?”
Rosetta stood up from leaning over the girl and turned to smile at Alex in reassurance.
“It was risky moving her but she’s going to be okay, her breathing is fine.” Rosetta checked the girl’s throat and closed her lips. “She must have choked up any water she swallowed. I will take care of her.”
“Thank God.” Alex exhaled in relief. “Is there anything I can do?”
“No, you have done enough, why don’t you go and shower and you can check on her later.” Rosetta started waving him out of the room.
“Okay, thank you Rosetta.” Alex moved as he was told while still staring at the girl. Dragging his attention away from her just in time, he narrowly missed walking into the doorframe. He hoped she would be okay. For the first time in his life, he felt responsible for someone.
As Alex left, Rosetta turned to Peter, “Peter tell the other members of the household to not come into this guest suite. Megan and I will stay here and look after the girl. I trust you can take care of the house for the time being.”
“Yes,” Peter replied eyeing the girl on the bed with concern. “I’ll get right on it.” Peter left the room closing the door with care behind him. Rosetta sprang into action. She gathered the girl up in her arms and carried her into the wet room. She laid the girl on the floor with smooth efficiency. Megan followed.
“Shouldn’t we call someone?” Megan asked worriedly.
“This is a private island, we only call sea rescue if there is an emergency. I’m first aid trained and I think she is okay.”
“Oh,” Megan said uncertain of how to reply. Rosetta turned to Megan with a cold stare.
“I trust you Megan not to say a word to anyone of what I’m about to tell to you.”
Megan nodded timidly. She liked Rosetta and was glad to have finally found a job, but her boss was acting so covert.
“This girl, Megan, is a mermaid. I need you to fetch me some scissors so I can cut her out of her dress.” Rosetta turned back to assessing the mermaid. She undid the ridiculously complicated ties that did up her shoes and placed them to the side. She looked back up to see Megan standing and grinning like a fool. Rosetta scowled at her and Megan scurried off. Seriously Rosetta thought, this mermaid needed help not ogling. Rosetta shuffled up to inspect the girl’s neck. Alex was right it had been bleeding and a deep red rash extended in hexagons from the cut. The rash seemed to follow the outline of the girl’s dress. It was deepest at the seams and blossomed out getting gradually pinker. At the darkest red areas of the rash the girl’s skin was burning to touch. Rosetta had never seen anything like it. Megan returned with the scissors.
“How do you know she is a mera?” Megan asked.
Rosetta shot her a look but proceeded to answer the question. She tilted the girl’s head so her jaw gently opened.
“Her tongue,” Rosetta said by way of explanation. Megan leant closer and noticed that inside the mera’s mouth was a navy-blue tongue.
“Oh.”
“Can you get me some ice please?” Rosetta said calmly. She didn’t know a lot about mermaids but she presumed water would help and with this thought she stretched up and turned the shower on above them.
Oh, my goodness Megan thought, a real-life mermaid or a mera to be correct. Inside her head, she was squealing with excitement. Megan loved the merfolk. She grew up with her Grandfather telling her stories of the young mera he fell in love with. And now, one week into the job, a real-life mera had appeared. Megan couldn’t help but feel it was fate. Then again, she had thought that about the job. Clearly, she was just lucky. Megan located the ice in the freezer and wrapped it in a tea towel. She resolved then and there to befriend the mera.
A deep shiver ran down the mera’s back as her eyes fluttered open and the room zoomed in and out of view. Darkness descended and she blacked out again. Rosetta had removed the dress and undergarments and managed to pull the mera into one of the boy’s t-shirts. Since removing the clothing the rash had remained as vivid but the burning temperature of her skin had reduced. Rosetta couldn’t afford to spend all day in the wet room. She returned to her duties and left Megan in charge of checking on the mera every half hour for any signs of change. The mera’s brief resurfacing was missed by Megan. And since then the mera had remained unconscious. Freshly showered Alex returned to inquire after the mera, but Rosetta managed to steer him away saying that the girl needed rest and time to heal. By nightfall, the mera had still not woken and Rosetta sent Megan to bed. There was no point them both staying awake worrying. But, the stress of hiding the mermaid and keeping the house together had taken its toll and by 11:30pm Rosetta also retired to bed.
CHAPTER 10
Water lapped at the sides of April’s waist. She stretched out her fingers expecting to feel her smooth seaweed silk mattress cover underneath her. Instead, her fingers met a slippery surface with ridges. Where am I? April thought. She started racking her brain for the last thing she could remember. The Peace Treaty, the party. April lifted her hand to her forehead without opening her eyes, was all this aching merely a bad hangover she mused. As far as she could remember though she only drank one glass of champagne at the opening reception. She rubbed her eyes and brought her hand down to her neck to feel the calming smoothness and power of her pearls. Her fingers searched her neck but to no avail and with the shattering realisation that her necklace was gone she sat bolt upright.
April’s eyes were wide and frantic as she looked down at her neck trying to see what she could not feel. My pearls, where are my pearls, April internally panicked as she reached her hands up and tugged at her hair in frustration. April looked around the room as she tried to fathom what was going on. The shower had been running all day and the wet room appeared to have finally given up on draining the water. Water reached up to her mid-thigh and was gently rocking. The room was tastefully decorated but showed no signs of a personal touch. April closed her eyes and rubbed her temples trying to draw up some memory of what had happened. The water splashing down onto her head soothed her headache.
“I was at the party, I drank too much? And I passed out in a bathroom,” concluded April. She groaned out loud. Her Mum was going to be so angry. April may have been less than cautious with some of her decisions but she had never done something as stupid as this. April started talking to herself as she always did when she was stressed.
“I’m probably in a hotel nearby or maybe still at the Ainomrah conference building. Yes, that’s it, I’ll get up, find an Iris and Setha can come and bring me clothes.” April looked around for the door ready to exit the room. At this point April noticed what she probably should have realised upon her first inspection of the room. Where is my dress? April internally groaned. She grasped at the t-shirt she was wearing. Inspecting it she realised it was a man’s, and that she was wearing some baggy shorts as well. Her clothes and necklace were gone. April jumped to the worst conclusion.
“Okay April, calm down. Maybe you changed yourself. This doesn’t mean anything.” April reached out to the wall to help pull herself off the floor and out of the water. As she noticed Ethan’s watch on her wrist a searing hot pain burnt into her skin. April staggered towards the large modern wall-length mirror and looked at her reflection. She gasped. Her skin loo
ked as if a hexagonal pattern had been painted on. Now out of the water, her skin started to burn more fiercely. She rolled the sleeves of the t-shirt up to her shoulder where the pain was most potent. Here her skin was bright red with almost black hexagonal markings. As she turned around to inspect the rest of her body her eyes caught sight of a bloodstain at the collar of her shirt. She stepped closer to the mirror and lifted up her hair. Someone had bandaged her up but the water had lifted the plaster away from her skin at one of the edges. April saw a small cut that seemed to have stretched open and from it the hexagonal rash spiralled out.
What had happened? April thought. She needed to sort this out before her Mum saw her. Fortunately, strange rashes were nothing new to April. None ever hurt quite like this before, but during her Assurgere pearl classes she frequently had allergic reactions to different corals, flora and fauna. Even without her necklace the task would not be taxing. Ethan possessed the standard Essentia, Commutavi and Iris pearls as well as an Assurgere one. It was far less energy than she was used to but she didn’t really need the pearls, they were more like a support. April took a deep breath and visualised her Curo energy, then with a deep exhale she wielded the sky-blue energy across her skin. Looking in the mirror to admire her handiwork, April watched as the red marks faded into her skin and the hexagons slowly disappeared. She turned to inspect her neck and pulled off the bandage, the cut was no more than a distant memory.
Although feeling remarkably better, April felt troubled that there was something about the rash that was out of the ordinary. However, she had more pressing issues on her hands. Such as, figuring out what on earth had happened? April tapped on the watch face to bring up Ethan’s Iris pad. She clicked into messages and scrolled down until she found Setha’s contact. “Hey, it’s April, having a disaster – do you know where I am?” April hit send. There, that is done she thought. Setha would be able to help. A small vibration alerted her of the reply and she looked down at the watch face in relief. Annoyance rose as she read “Message unable to send.”