Neverland's Key

by R. V. Bowman

  Rommy felt an uncomfortable sensation in her mind, like someone was rummaging around. She mentally shoved the feeling away.

  “Hey!” Arista’s blue eyes narrowed. “You could have just asked us to leave your mind. No need to get pushy.”

  Rommy mentally imagined a wall around her mind. Sudden silence descended. The two mermaids swam in a tighter circle, but Rommy couldn’t hear them at all. Maybe her mental walls were too high. She imagined a small window, and the mermaids’ thoughts once again became audible again.

  “You are trespassing in our lagoon, Human.” Adela’s green eyes were cold. “Do you know what we do with trespassers?”

  “Nothing good, probably.” Rommy smiled cheerfully.

  Adela blinked.

  The blonde laughed. “She might be more fun than I thought. Why did you come to visit us, then?” She flicked her tail and did a pirouette. “I don’t think it was to come play.”

  An idea popped into Rommy’s mind, and she pushed the words toward them. “They told me that there was a Cave of Sighs, but that’s just an old wives’ tale. How would you ever have collected sighs, anyway?”

  Adela let out a screeching sound that made Rommy’s head ring. “What do you mean mermaids can’t collect sighs? We have collected every last sigh in the whole sea.”

  Rommy shrugged and tried to look bored. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

  The light from the sunrise was turning the water from deep indigo to tourmaline. She had to hurry. If she could just get into the Cave of Sighs.

  Arista let out a peal of laughter. “You are always too sensitive, Adela. Let’s show the human. We can always kill her later.”

  Rommy tried not to react to the casual reference to her death. Adela flicked her tail and was in Rommy’s face. Rommy fought the urge to back away. She had a feeling Adela would pounce on any weakness like the shark she resembled.

  The mermaid sneered. “Are you sure you want to go into our cave, Human? Nobody will ever find your bones.”

  “Are you afraid to show me your cave, Mermaid?” Rommy let her own lip curl.

  “Come, Arista, let’s show the human our wonders before she dies.”

  Grasping Rommy’s wrist she began swimming, yanking Rommy along behind her. Rommy felt itching along her neck. Using her free hand, she felt her neck. The flaps were shrinking. She dug her hand into her pocket and pulled out another wad of fish weed. She stuffed it into her mouth and chewed with quiet franticness. She swallowed it down without either mermaid noticing. Fortunately, Adela was too busy towing her along, and Arista was playing in the waves.

  Adela pulled her into the cave farthest to the right, and Rommy knew as soon as she entered why it was called the Cave of Sighs. Colorful bubbles floated through the water. From each one came the sound of a sigh. Some were high-pitched, and some were low, and they swirled around her until her vision was filled with the colorful orbs. It was disorientating.

  Adela let go of her wrist and crossed her arms, watching for Rommy’s reaction. Rommy didn’t have to act. The effect of all those voices contained in the rainbow of floating bubbles was both a nightmare and a wonder.

  In addition to the colorful orbs floating everywhere, lanterns intricately carved with swirling seashells hung in niches on the sides of the cave. Along one wall were what looked like large conch shells. One of the shells opened to reveal a brilliantly pink cushion. The redheaded mermaid swam out of it.

  “Sisters?” Her quiet question echoed in the cave. When she saw Rommy her golden eyes widened. She looked at her sisters. “Why is a human here?”

  While Adela answered the youngest sister’s questions, Rommy looked around for the door. Toward the back of the cave were two stone pillars that looked familiar. She eased her way toward them.

  Arista swam next to her. “Would you like the tour?” She giggled, but her blue eyes were cold. “You wouldn’t want to die without seeing it all, would you?”

  Rommy nodded, hoping the mermaid would bring her closer to the door. Arista swam through the throng of colored bubbles. She gently swatted first one and then another, telling which shipwreck each came from and whose last sigh was contained within.

  Rommy followed her and had to suppress a shiver. In her head, she could hear a clock ticking and knew if she didn’t do something soon, her last sigh would be floating in this cave, too.

  She could see the door. A plain keyhole was in the center of an iron panel. It was outlined in darker iron fretwork. Rommy pointed at an indigo-colored orb that was floating right in front of the door. “Whose sigh is that? It’s such a dark blue.”

  Arista’s eyes lit up. “Oh yes.” Her smile make a shudder run up Rommy’s back. “That is the last sigh of dear John. He would come visit me, and one day, he stayed.”

  While Arista was talking, Rommy had slid over until her back was against the door. She held the key in her hand behind her back, and she was slowly floating upward. The key skidded across the decorative iron that outlined the lock, but she couldn’t find the opening.

  Arista whirled around toward her. Her eyes narrowed. “What are you doing? Come away from there.”

  “John?” Rommy hoped to distract the mermaid while she fished around trying to find the keyhole. “Who was John? Was he a Lost Boy?”

  “Hmmm? No, he wasn’t a Lost Boy. He and his sister and younger brother came to Neverland.” Her mouth curved into a smile. “Only the sister and younger brother left. Dear John stayed with me.” She batted the indigo bubble playfully and a long sigh emerged from it.

  Suddenly, the mermaid’s eyes sharpened, and she swam closer. “Come away from there, Human.”

  “What do you mean, he stayed with you?” Rommy scrabbled desperately behind her back to find the keyhole.

  “He died.” The mermaid let out an exasperated sigh. She was now right in front of Rommy. She reached out a claw-like hand and gripped Rommy’s upper arm, jerking her away from the door.

  The key slipped from Rommy’s grasp and swirled toward the floor of the cave. Rommy stared into Arista’s eyes, not daring to even peek at the key in the hopes the mermaid hadn’t seen it.

  Arista’s blue eyes glittered like glass. “I think you’ve seen enough. It’s time to play a little game called ‘I wonder what color your sigh will be.’” A predatory smile curved her lips.

  “I’ve always liked green. You know, that deep bottle green?”

  Arista blinked in surprise, and Rommy took the opportunity to yank away from the mermaid. She dove to the floor, kicking out with one leg to push the mermaid away. Her fingers closed around the key, and she whirled back toward the door. She felt a burning pain as the mermaid’s long fingernails raked down her back, but Rommy jammed the key into the hole. She turned it in the lock once and then twice before Arista was on her.

  The mermaid tried to slide her arm around Rommy’s throat, but Rommy ducked her chin, blocking the move. Arista still managed to yank her backwards, and the key slipped out of Rommy’s reach. She bucked and twisted, and her fingers grazed the edge of the key before Arista pulled her further back.

  The mermaid was too strong, and Rommy knew she’d never be able to out muscle her. She stopped straining toward the key, surprising Arista into pausing. Rommy took advantage of the mermaid’s hesitation and scrabbled in her pocket for the wish leaf, pulling it out. She could only pray this would work.

  Grasping the leaf in her hand, she spoke out loud, her words forming bubbles in the water. “I wish for the key in the lock to turn once more.”

  For a moment, Rommy thought it hadn’t worked, but with a low creak, the key twisted the third and final time.

  The door began to glow, and Arista stopped her attack to stare. The glow turned into a pulsing power that swelled outward until it shoved both Rommy and Arista tumbling away from the door.

  “What have you done?” The blonde's screech was like nails in Rommy’s head. Arista’s pupils narrowed to slits, and the golden hair around her head writhed in a frenzy.<
br />
  Rommy dodged the mermaid’s outstretched fingers and swam for all she was worth toward the mouth of the cave.

  She was only feet away from the opening when Adrina loomed up in front of her. Rommy tried to dodge past her, but the redhead pushed a small pipe-like instrument into her hand.

  “Play this. The dolphins will hear and take you to the shore.”

  “But...why?” Rommy couldn’t help the question.

  Two perfect tears welled up in the mermaid’s whiskey-gold eyes. “John didn’t visit Arista. He visited me.” The two tears fell in perfect glittering trails down her cheeks. The mermaid caught one on her fingertip and touched Rommy’s back. The pain that had been pulsing just under Rommy’s awareness faded. Then Adrina pushed Rommy toward the cave entrance. “Go. I will distract them.”

  “Thank you.” Rommy grasped the small flute and swam as fast as she could. She cleared the entrance and swam out into the lagoon’s impossibly blue waters. She’d only gotten several yards when her neck started to itch.

  Chapter 25:

  Friends Reunited

  No, no, no. Rommy headed toward the surface. When her head broke the water, the beach seemed very far away. Dawn streaked fingers of light across the ocean. She had done it. She had turned the key.

  Her sense of elation quickly ebbed, though. She was stuck on the far side of the lagoon, and she was out of fish weed. She squinted at the beach. From here, she couldn’t see what was happening. She kicked her feet and started to swim toward the beach. She needed to get farther away from the cave and its murderous mermaids.

  She had only swum a few feet when something jerked on her foot. She kicked with all her might and felt a satisfying thud of her foot connecting with flesh. She made it another few feet when she was yanked completely underwater.

  Arista’s teeth were bared in a grin. Rommy tried to bring the flute to her mouth, but Arista gripped her wrist. The mermaid was impossibly strong, and in the water she had the advantage.

  Rommy’s lungs begged for air. She kicked out with her feet and managed to connect with the mermaid’s scale-covered stomach. Unfortunately, it only seemed to make her angrier. Arista started to drag Rommy toward the bottom of the lagoon. Black spots danced in front of Rommy’s eyes. She knew she didn’t have long until she would pass out. And then she’d be dead. In a last desperate bid, she stopped trying to pull away from Arista and allowed the mermaid to pull her close. As their faces came closer, she noticed the mermaid’s blue eyes had strangely elongated pupils. Rommy stared into those cold blue eyes and with her last bit of strength, she reared back and smacked her forehead into the mermaid’s nose.

  Arista let go of Rommy and grabbed her face. Rommy kicked her legs and shot toward the surface. She got one blessed lungful of air before she was pulled under again. The mermaid wrapped her arms round Rommy, pinning her arms to her sides. Rommy kicked as hard as she could, but it was impossible. She clenched the flute in her hand. If only she could bring it to her mouth.

  Her lungs were burning again. Tears sprang to her eyes. She was going to die in this lagoon, and she’d never see Papa again. Worse, would everyone be stuck here in Neverland forever? Her vision was going dark, and she twisted hard to the left. Suddenly, she was released, and someone was pulling her up. Then, her face broke through the surface.

  Air! Air flowed into her lungs. Someone was shoving something into her mouth. Rommy almost spit it out but a hand covered her mouth and nose. She thrashed back and forth. Was the other mermaid trying to kill her now, after playing with her?

  She chewed and swallowed the nasty thing in her mouth. Fish weed. She drew in a long breath and Francie’s face came into view. She felt the familiar itching and let Francie pull her back under the water, drawing in a salty breathe.

  “Come on,” Francie’s voice resounded in her head. “We have to get away from that creature. I think I only wounded her.”

  It was then that Rommy realized tendrils of red were spreading through the water. “And that blood might bring something worse, too.” She looked past Francie’s shoulder into the endless blue behind her where the open ocean lay.

  Francie grasped her hand and began swimming toward the beach. Rommy pulled on her. Francie came to a stop, and Rommy held up the flute. Francie’s face scrunched in confusion.

  “It’s our ride back.” Rommy put the flute to her mouth and blew a few notes. She didn’t hear anything. They both waited for several seconds. Rommy blew again, but Francie grabbed her hand again.

  “We can’t wait around, Rommy. We have to get away from those nasty mermaids, and this fish weed won’t last forever.”

  Rommy felt a sinking disappointment. The redheaded mermaid had seemed sincere. Maybe whoever the flute was supposed to call was busy or too far away. Whatever the reason, Francie was right. They needed to head back.

  The two of them kicked off toward the shore. Suddenly, sleek dark turquoise bodies appeared on either side of them. A cheerful series of chirps and clicks sounded through the water.

  “Hello, I’m Delphia.” The voice came from the creature on Rommy’s right. “We heard your song, and we’re here to answer it. What can we do for you?”

  Rommy heard Francie’s gasp and the two girls’ eyes met. Francie was the first to recover, a grin spreading over her face. Even underwater, her dark eyes sparkled.

  “We sure would.” Francie turned to the creature next to her, a sleek dolphin, its body a brilliant turquoise that faded to the palest blue on its underside.

  The creature dipped lower. “I’m Willis. Here, grab on, and your friend can do the same to Delphia. Where do you want to go?”

  Rommy and Francie each reached for a fin. Rommy’s grasp was hesitant. The dolphin let out a series of clicks. “You’ll never be able to hold on that way.” Delphia. bobbed back and forth. “It’s okay. You won’t hurt me or anything. Just grab on nice and tight.”

  The other dolphin let out a high-pitched chirp and a moment later a similar sound echoed back at them. “You’d best hurry it up. Dover says the mermaid is recovering.”

  Rommy tightened her grip, and she caught a glimpse of Francie hanging onto Willis before she was zipping through the water. She closed her eyes and hung on for dear life.

  Water whipped past her face, and she could feel bubbles tickling her face. Her legs streamed out behind her. She heard Francie let out a whoop, but she concentrated on keeping a tight grip on the cool, slick fin.

  The trip across the lagoon seemed to take only seconds, and soon, both dolphins were gliding to a graceful stop. They were still out far enough that Rommy couldn’t touch the bottom, but the beach was within easy swimming distance now.

  “This is where we stop.” Willis gently bumped Francie’s shoulder with his nose. Francie’s giggle rippled through the water.

  Delphia gave a loud click. “Hope you enjoyed the ride.”

  “Thank you.” Rommy gently patted the creature’s head, hoping it wasn’t offensive to do so. The dolphin nodded its head and then chirped to its companion. “It was a pleasure helping you both.” She turned her head toward the other dolphin. “Let’s go, Willis.”

  And with a last click, they were gone.

  Rommy and Francie looked at each other, but before either could speak, Francie started scratching at her neck. Rommy felt the telltale tickle a moment later. Together, they swam forward. It didn’t take long until their feet could touch the ground. They both stood up, and the water came almost to Rommy’s chest.

  The two girls looked at each other. Rommy threw her arms around Francie.

  “Thank you,” she said simply. “You saved my life.”

  Francie pushed her away and smiled. “I told you I would be helpful.”

  Rommy squeezed her friend’s hand. “Yes, I was wrong,” said Rommy. “I said you wouldn’t be able to help and...and I was wrong.”

  “Yeah, you were,” said Francie with a wink. Then she wrinkled her nose. “But I’m sorry too. I...I’ve not really been on your
side, have I?” She impulsively pulled Rommy back into a hug.

  Rommy squeezed her back. “It’s okay. Things have been kind of overwhelming for all of us, and I...” Rommy pulled away and looked down. She wasn’t sure how to explain how she felt about Finn, since she didn’t know herself. And then there was Lobo. Could she tell Francie what she’d done? The urge to tell someone, to not have to carry this heavy secret around was almost irresistible.

  Then Francie plowed into the pause. “It’s just...you’ve changed, and I wasn’t sure how to...that is, it didn’t seem like you needed me anymore.”

  Rommy’s eyes widened. “I’ll always need you, Francie,” she said. “You’re my best friend. Besides, I think you just proved you’re needed in an epic way.”

  Francie grinned. “I did, didn’t I?” She gave another glance over her shoulder. “Now let’s get out of this water before one of those creatures comes after us.” She shook her head. “And to think, I used to feel sorry for Hans Andersen’s Little Mermaid.”

  Rommy giggled, but she couldn’t agree more. Linking her arm in Francie’s and pushing her wet hair out of her face, they waded toward the shore together.

  Rommy stopped when she was still shin-deep in the water. Alice, Finn, and Tiger Lily were clustered warily on the beach with some of her father’s crew. Rommy’s eyes widened when she saw their leader lying prone on the beach, Gentleman Jack kneeling at his side.

  “Papa!” she cried.

  Chapter 26:

  Truth If You Dare

  Rommy let go of Francie’s arm and splashed toward the shore. The group parted as she stumbled through the sand and sank to her father’s side.

  Gentleman Jack, one of her father’s crew, had ripped off his own shirt and had wadded it up. He was pushing it hard into her father’s stomach. It took only one glance to see that almost the entire cloth was a deep red.