The Mermaid's Escape

by Kellie McAllen

  “Hey, where you going, babe?” Jude calls after me.

  I find another fish not too far away and grab it then scamper back to Jude, excited with my gift. I hold it out to him with a big smile.

  Jude blinks at me a few times then breaks out in laughter. “Hot damn, girl. You understood me? Now I gotta man up and eat this sucker.” He reaches for the fish and holds it tentatively in his hands, staring at it like he’s not sure where to start.

  “I wouldn’t eat that if I were you.” Liam looks warily at my catch. “Raw fish can carry microbes and parasites that cause food poisoning or infection.”

  “Yeah, but don’t you think she knows which fish are safe to eat?”

  Liam shrugs. “Maybe, but I wouldn’t risk it. Food-borne illness isn’t something you want to deal with when you’re already dehydrated.” His mind conjures images of Jude vomiting.

  Jude hands the fish back to me with a disappointed look on his face. “Science Guy is probably right, babe. Better wait till we can cook that.”

  Like Gio, he imagines holding the fish over the dancing, orange wisps. I still have no idea what that means, but it’s obviously important to humans. Is it some kind of ritual? I wish I could ask them, but I don’t know the words. I haven’t even tried to say their names, yet. I’m embarrassed to experiment in front of them; I don’t want to make a fool of myself. I take the fish and toss it back into the ocean then settle back down on the sand.

  “We probably should try to start a fire. If we do find water, we should boil it, just in case. And it might get cold tonight.” Liam stands and looks off into the tree line. “I’ll go look for some kindling if you guys want to start digging a pit.”

  “How you gonna start a fire, man? You got a lighter or one of those fire starter sticks? Or are you gonna go all caveman and try rubbing two sticks together?” Jude asks.

  “I think plan B is our only option.” Liam glares at Gio who ignores him but starts to dig a hole in the sand.

  Liam heads back into the woods while the other guys help Gio dig. I watch their arm muscles flex as they kneel over the hole, scooping sand with long, powerful strokes. They’re so different from one another, but they each have their own appeal.

  “Do you think the professor can really start a fire?” Jude sits back on his heels and wipes his damp curls off his brow.

  Gio cracks a smile. “If he’s the professor, what does that make you? Gilligan?”

  By the time Liam returns, huffing and puffing with his arms full of sticks, they have a good-sized hole. He piles the wood up carefully in the center of it, stuffing dried grass underneath. “Does anybody have a knife?”

  Gio pulls out the tool he used earlier to cut leaves and hands it over. The others and I watch with interest as Liam cuts a groove in the larger chunk of wood then lays it on the ground and kneels over it. “One of you hold that end down.”

  Gio sits at the other end and pins down the wood with his hands while Liam lines up a smaller stick and starts rubbing it up and down the groove.

  “Aren’t you supposed to hold the stick vertically and rub your hands up and down it?” Avery is bent over, watching closely, and he tucks his pale hair behind his ear when it falls in his face. The movement draws my attention, and my eyes linger on his fine features.

  “This is a fire plough; that’s the hand drill method. They’re similar — both friction-based, but this requires a little less coordination.” Liam keeps rubbing as he talks. “Wood dust will build up at the end of the groove, and the heat from the friction will eventually ignite an ember. That is, assuming the wood is dry enough.”

  Liam’s arms start to shake after a while, and sweat beads up on his forehead and drips off his nose.

  “Why don’t we switch places for a while? You look like you could use a break,” Gio offers. Liam nods and climbs to his feet. His knees crack, and he groans and shakes his arms, flexing his stiff hands.

  Gio works the wood for longer than Liam did, but nothing seems to be happening. He keeps going, though, shoving the stick back and forth along the groove, grunting with exertion as the sun dips below the sea. Finally, Liam shakes his head and lets go of the plank.

  “It’s not going to happen, Gio. I think the wood’s too damp. Let’s quit for tonight, and tomorrow I’ll look for a better piece of wood.”

  Gio sighs and drops the stick, rolling his neck to ease his tight muscles. “Yeah, I’m wiped out, anyway. Unless you two want to take a turn.” He looks at Jude and Avery.

  Jude is stretched out on the sand with his hands behind his head. He holds up his hands and shakes his head. “I’m sure I could make a fire before all of you losers, but I think Liam’s right, dude. Besides, it’s past my bedtime.”

  “The life raft might be more comfortable than the sand.” Avery gets up and heads for the raft. “Come on, Princess, I’ll keep you warm.” He smiles at me and waves me towards him.

  I climb into the raft and immediately lose my balance as the slippery material dips beneath my feet. Avery chuckles as I wave my arms, trying to stay steady. Eventually, I drop to my knees and crawl over to him instead.

  The life raft reminds me a little bit of my sea sponge nest back at the palace, but I’ve never shared my nest with a man before. Sometimes, Meribel would spend the night in my room, and we’d stay up half the night laughing and gossiping about the other merfolk, but she never wrapped her arms around my waist and pulled me tight against her body like Avery does. Is this how humans usually sleep, or is it just my siren nature, making him want to touch me?

  His warm breath tickles my neck as he nuzzles me, and shivers hum through my body as his hand lightly traces up and down my arm. “This is pretty nice, huh Princess?”

  Gio frowns at Avery and me as he and the other guys climb in. Liam lays on the other side of me, close enough to touch.

  “Hey, I want to cuddle with the island babe, too!” Jude looks at Liam.

  “Shut up, Jude. She doesn’t need a bunch of guys pawing at her all night,” Gio says, rolling his eyes. Jude huffs but settles down between Liam and Gio.

  Not long after, Avery’s hand stills, and I fall asleep to a soft chorus of snores.

  When I wake, something rigid is pressing against my back.

  Chapter 5

  I gasp and shift my body around to see what is touching me. Avery grins up at me and winks. “Sorry, babe. Morning wood. Can’t help it.”

  Avery’s thoughts are explicit, and my heart starts pounding so hard I can feel it throbbing in every part of my body. I stare at him, and my own desire must be obvious, because he moves his face closer, his lips coming in to kiss me.

  Avery groans as his lips meet mine, the siren pull deepening with contact, and he wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me tight against him. His tongue tangles with mine as his hands roam my body, igniting a path in their wake. I press myself against him as my own desire builds. I’ve never been kissed before, and I can’t get enough.

  Suddenly, Avery pulls away, gasping, and holds my shoulders at arm’s length. “Oh God, Princess. As much as I want to, we can’t do this right here, in front of everyone.”

  I frown at him, not understanding any of the things he’s saying or thinking. What did I do wrong? Why does he not want me all of a sudden? I should be glad he pulled away; I’m not sure I would’ve been able to.

  Falling for one of these humans is the last thing I should do. Returning to Kai and my people will be even harder if I let myself fall in love with a human. Even mating with one of them would infuriate my grandfather, and probably Kai, as well. I’m sure he wants the firstborn heir to be his offspring, not some human’s.

  But Avery’s rejection still stings. What is it about me that’s so undesirable that pushes even a human under the grip of the siren call away?

  “Aww, don’t pout! You’re killing me!” He rubs a hand down my cheek, and his voice wakes up the others.

  “Oh man, I’m dying for some food and water! How much longer do you think it
’ll take for the Coast Guard to find us?” Jude’s voice cracks, his tongue sticking to the roof of his dried-out mouth.

  Every one of their thoughts is centered on the gnawing hunger consuming their bellies and the desperate ache of their parched throats.

  “We’re pretty far out, but still, someone should’ve found us by now.” Gio stretches his neck, cracking it.

  “Unless your radio beacon isn’t broadcasting.” Liam’s voice is low and derisive.

  Jude and Avery gawk at him, then turn their attention to Gio.

  “Is that possible?” Avery asks, worry distracting him.

  Gio works his jaw and flexes his fists. “Anything’s possible.”

  “Do you know for sure that you have one of those beacon things on the boat?” Jude asks.

  Gio sighs. “Yeah, we have one, and last I knew it was working just fine. But it could be faulty, or it could’ve gotten damaged somehow. We can’t know for sure unless someone wants to go looking for it.”

  Jude scrunches his brow. “So, what if it’s messed up and it’s not broadcasting? How will they find us?”

  Gio stares at the sea. “As soon as they realize we’re in trouble, they’ll start looking in our last known location.”

  Jude’s face wrinkles in confusion. “But, how will they know we’re in trouble if the beacon isn’t working?”

  “When someone reports us missing.”

  “But no one’s expecting us back for weeks.”

  The men sit silently, anxiety etched across their faces. I wish I could understand what they’re worried about. The thoughts in their heads are scattered; flitting images of people flash through their minds.

  We lay there for a long time, sadness overwhelming their minds. I long to ease their suffering, but I have no idea what they need or how to help them. The sun beats down on us, heating our skin, and sweat pools between my body and the sticky life raft. My throat is dry, and I long to dive into the water.

  I miss my home and the people I love there — Grandfather, Muriel, Maribel, even Kai. But will they still love me after what I did? Maybe I should go back now, even before the five days is up — before I get myself in deeper trouble. But my spirit resists the idea of returning voluntarily to my prison.

  Liam eventually breaks the silence. “We have to find water if we’re going to survive out here.”

  Suddenly, every one of them starts thinking about the same thing as me — water, but none of them are dreaming of the sea like I am. While Gio and Avery imagine drinking from vessels, Liam pictures a stream of water flowing through the woods, and it reminds me of the water I found the other day.

  “There’s got to be a water source on this island if it’s inhabited. We just have to keep searching till we find it,” Liam says, and all four of them imagine a similar source of water.

  I don’t understand why that strange-tasting water is so important to them, but clearly it is. Can I find it again and lead them to it? I want to try. I feel an irrepressible need to alleviate their suffering.

  I climb out of the boat, wincing as my sore feet hit the gritty sand, but I ignore it and start walking towards the tree line. The men follow me with their eyes, but no one makes a move to come after me at first.

  “Where ya going, Princess?” Jude calls out. I wave at him to come.

  “I think she wants to show us something.” Liam climbs out of the raft and hurries after me, and the other guys follow, eager.

  I turn back towards the trees, trying to remember which direction I came from the day I found the water. I head off into the woods, hoping I’m going the right way.

  We walk for a long time, and I’m not sure I’ll ever find it again. The hopeful curiosity the guys had at the beginning of the trek turns to doubt when I stop and stare into the forest of trees, unsure which way to go.

  “I hear water!” Gio says suddenly, the same moment the trickling sound of the stream reaches our ears.

  The mood immediately lightens, and the guys take off, barreling through the trees towards the water.

  “Yahoo! The princess saves the day!” Jude jumps into the stream with a giant splash.

  I wade into the water, too, desperate for it’s soothing touch and confident that my tail won’t come out in this water. The other guys follow me.

  Jude cups his hands and fills them with water, lifting it to his mouth, but Liam stops him.

  “Don’t drink that! We don’t know if it’s safe or not. We need to boil it.”

  “But the chick led us here, so she must know it’s safe, right?”

  “Maybe, but wait and see if she drinks it.”

  I lay down, immersing my whole body and sucking down deep mouthfuls of water. My body soaks up the water like a sea sponge, refreshing me, bringing me back to life.

  “I think it’s safe, man.” Jude looks at me and scoops up another handful of water then pours it into his mouth with a groan.

  Liam winces at him. “Her body is used to this water, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe for us. I still think we should boil it first.”

  “Well, you go right ahead, Professor. But I’m willing to risk it.” Jude dunks his whole head in the water then yanks it out, his soaked hair spraying us as he flings his head back.

  I yelp in surprise then start to laugh, and Jude turns to grin at me. “You liked that, huh babe?” He wades closer and leans over me, shaking his sopping wet curls, showering me with water drops.

  The water tickles, and I giggle as I try to shield my face with my hands. On a whim, I quickly turn around and dunk my own head in the water then rise back up, tossing my long, drenched locks in Jude’s direction. I hear a thwack as my hair smacks him in the face, and Jude roars playfully, grabbing me around the waist.

  “How dare you, Medusa!”

  I gasp and squeal, and Jude throws himself backwards with me in his arms, plopping us both in the water. I laugh and fight to free myself from his grasp, wiggling and kicking my feet against his restraint.

  “Nope. There’s no escaping me now, babe! I caught ya!” His fingers reach to tickle my sides, and I squirm and wriggle away from him.

  “You’ll never out-swim me!” He chases me, but I’m a faster swimmer, and I evade his grasp. Eventually, I crash into another body.

  I pop up out of the water to find Gio in front of me, smirking. “You having a good time, Princess?”

  I smile at him, and he smiles back — a wide, toothy, devastating grin, and my heart jumps up into my throat.

  Eventually, we climb out of the water and sit down on the bank, tired but content.

  I watch with curiosity as Liam pulls off his shirt and twists it in his hands, and water runs out of it. My own shirt is heavy with water, and I’d like to do the same. I stand and pull at the shirt, but I’m not sure how to take it off.

  Gio notices my predicament and comes to my aid. “You need some help, Princess?” He grabs the bottom of the shirt and pulls it over my head.

  Avery gasps. “Gio! Why are you taking her clothes off?”

  Gio makes a face at him as he squeezes the shirt. “Don’t get your panties in a wad. I’m just helping her wring it out. Besides, I’m the one that gave her the shirt in the first place. I don’t think she minds being naked. It wasn’t covering that much, anyway.”

  Avery frowns at him and takes the shirt from his hands, wrapping it around my waist and tying it at the side so that my bottom half is less exposed.

  “There,” Avery smiles at his handiwork, “that’s better. This beautiful bra wasn’t meant to be hidden, anyway.”

  His fingers trace the pearls that line the edges of it. It’s much more decorative than what most mermaids wear, but I’m not just any mermaid, and this was meant for my wedding day — the day I would’ve taken the throne.

  My mind drifts back to the shoal for a moment, and I wonder how they reacted to my escape. Are they looking for me or just waiting to see if I’ll come back? I can’t even imagine Grandfather’s reaction. I’ve never defied him like
that before. Will he even accept me if I try to go back? But what other choice do I have? I’ll die if I stay on the land.

  Sadness overtakes me at my limited options. As hard as it’s been here on land, I’m fascinated by these humans and their world, and I want to know everything about it. I can understand why my mother stayed. Was she supposed to marry someone she didn’t love, as well?

  “Hey, what’s wrong, Princess? Why the sad face?” Avery juts out his lip and frowns at me, stroking a finger down the side of my cheek.

  Attraction overwhelms me, and I grab ahold of him, wrapping my arms around him, dying to let him know how I feel. I can’t leave here without taking a piece of the human world with me. I have to mate with one of them. I crane my neck up to reach Avery’s lips and crash my own against them, sucking and biting in desperation.

  “Whoa, baby!” Avery pulls away from me, panting, but he might as well have slapped me in the face. “You’re really testing my self-control, here, Princess.”

  He’s so confusing! I know he wants me; his thoughts are loud and clear. So why does he keep rejecting me? I should be glad, otherwise, I might do something I’ll regret, but his resistance still stings. Mermaids are supposed to be irresistible to humans, so what’s wrong with me? I hug my arms to my chest and try to distract myself from the ache.

  “Of course, she likes the pretty boy.” Jude rolls his eyes at Avery. “I thought you were batting for the other team.”

  Avery clenches his fists and sucks in a deep breath, puffing up his chest and barreling over to Jude. “Shut the hell up, Jude! I’m not gay, but even if I was, it’s none of your business.”

  “Quit fighting over the girl! All of you just keep your hands off her. We have bigger things to worry about, like finding a way to transport some of this water back to the beach.” Gio growls, interrupting them.

  “I have an idea. Do you have that knife?” Liam runs his hand up and down a smooth, green tree.