Beneath the Painted Ocean

by CS Patra

  “Your father and I were always talking about this,” Knoll said. “He told me earlier that it didn’t matter what you said. He supported me. He said that he would back me even if you said no. At the end of the day, he found the money to be sufficient.”

  Callum’s jaw dropped. “Dad, you can’t be serious!”

  “You never heard his entire plan, Callum!” His father snapped. “Look, I don’t know why you are against this so much. I always expected you to be more understanding!”

  “I don’t need to hear the entire plan. I’ve seen what’s happened to the ocean recently. It’s because of companies like this that parts of the beach were closed off.” Callum knew he was fighting a losing battle. “I can see that money means more to you than I do.”

  “You should have said yes, kid,” Knoll sighed. “You wouldn’t have been hurt.”

  Callum held his composure but couldn’t shake the betrayal out. His own father trusted a stranger over him. “You don’t believe me, do you? You don’t believe that he hurt me.”

  “I don’t have the proof, Cal. I only have your word against his. I’m sorry but I’m doing what is right.”

  “I’m sorry too,” Callum murmured. “I’m sorry I didn’t die the night I jumped in the water. I wouldn’t have lived to see this.”

  He sounded like a petty child at that moment but that was also how he felt. He didn’t wait for anyone to answer him or try to calm him down. Instead, he stormed off and decided he needed to go to the beach. He needed to see Kai. He needed someone’s sensible words out here.

  “Callum, wait! Come back here!”

  Callum ignored him and headed back to his car. He had parked far from the building for his mission, but now that was done with. He couldn’t destroy anything. Knoll was right; he thought he was strong but he was truly weak inside. He was not a man that could stand up for himself. Instead, he ran away from all his problems and hoped that they would work out in the end.

  What do I do now? He asked himself. I lost my nerve and I have no idea where to go. I need to talk to someone.

  At the moment, the only one he could talk to was Kai. He had to see him and pour out his feelings. He had to calm down and Kai was the only one who could calm him down. All his bravery had disappeared. Everyone was right. He was weak. For a man, he was very weak and he ran from problems. He had no idea how to confront anyone. Others had to fight his battles.

  Still feeling tired and weak, he decided to drag himself back to where Kai had been. If nothing else, the ocean could provide some solace. He just wanted to hide for a little while.

  He wanted to hide forever.

  Chapter 21

  Callum stripped out of his black clothes and changed into something more comfortable. He had no desire to step into the water, but he needed to cool down. Looking down at the ring on his finger, he kissed it and began to feel better. It was good to know there was someone out there who cared about him. Kai might have been a merman, but he understood Callum better than anyone else. Not even Dr. Yamamoto could figure Callum out the way Kai did. Kai had that calming presence that he was desperate for.

  He made his way to where Kai was last seen. “Kai! Hey, Kai! Are you out there?!”

  Silence greeted him so he took off his shoes and plopped down on the ground. This was fine. Kai didn’t think he would come back so soon. He had a life beneath the painted ocean and he needed to be a part of it. If there was some way of communicating away from the ocean, it would be nice. He needed someone to talk to and someone who would listen. A part of him wanted to call one of his siblings but he held off on it. Talking to them meant he would have to tell them what their father was up to. Chances were high they would go on Dad’s side over his.

  Maybe Dad was right. Maybe I should have been the one who died over Dani. It doesn’t matter what he says now. I know what he really means. He thought, burying his chin into his knees. The ocean was lovely and dark tonight. Listening to the waves, he wanted to disappear into it. He had no idea why Kai thought being a human was good when humans could to terrible things. They hurt each other. They killed each other. Sometimes, it didn’t even matter who the other person was.

  He stared at his ring a little longer. Kai giving it to him made it feel like a marriage proposal. If Kai wasn’t a merman, he probably would have married him. They could leave the city and go to another end of the ocean. They would get a nice beach house that was close to work and spend their entire lives there. They would have children and several dogs, all black labs like Roxie. It was the kind of life he always wanted and now he had someone to share it with.

  He heard a splash nearby and perked up. Kai was waving at him and his face broke out in a smile. After the betrayal, he was happy to see Kai’s beaming face and warm brown eyes. “I’m so glad you came back! I need to talk to you!”

  “So do I.” Kai swam over to him. “I let you go earlier but I feel like you should hear this. Callum, I want to be human. Not just for your sake but for mine. I’ve always been fascinated with humans and I’ve wanted to know about them. I’ve watched them from the distance. I even...” He stopped and stared into Callum’s blue eyes. “I never noticed that.”

  “Noticed what?”

  “Your eyes...I’ve always said they looked like the ocean but they’re also as blue as that ring you’re wearing. I realized why this is a perfect gift for you. Because it reminds me of that time.”

  “What time?”

  “When I first saw you and you looked at me. You weren’t angry or scared. You were curious. You reached your hand out to me and I didn’t know what to do. It was Romina who told me that you were extending your friendship to me. You wanted me to touch your hand. You wanted to communicate with me.”

  “I didn’t want you to be afraid,” Callum said, taking Kai’s hand again. “I held it out because I wanted you to see I wasn’t a threat. I’m sorry if I did scare you.”

  “You weren’t scary. You were beautiful.”

  Callum looked down at the glimmering ring again. “You know something? I’ve wanted to dive somewhere off the coast of Europe. I’ve been there a few times but my diving trips were short. I didn’t get to see much. Can you swim to Italy by any chance?”

  “What’s an Italy?”

  “Oh, it’s another country far from here. I’ve been a few times and it’s a gorgeous place. If you could swim there, I could meet you on the shore. Then we could see everything from the sea and just have fun. I’m thinking I should take a trip there.”

  “If you do, I will follow you,” Kai promised. “We will go to this Italy together but we won’t have to swim.”

  “What do you mean? You can’t walk.”

  “That’s actually what else I wanted to tell you about. I really want to be a human because when I saw you, I knew that...” Kai stopped and started all over. “Okay, let me see if I can say this in another way. I’ve wanted to be human for a long time and now I’ve found a possible way to be one. It’s very complicated but it is possible for mermen to be human.”

  “I’m not following,” Callum thought about what he said. “I get that you’re fascinated with humans but I didn’t think you could be one. Now you’re telling me you can?”

  “Well, I need help. I can’t magically do anything,” Kai went on. “I don’t have the powers that my sister has for example. However, other merfolk do. They can cast spells that are very complicated. Becoming human is an incredibly complicated spell. It takes a lot of time.”

  “I see.” Callum put his hand under his chin. “Well, I’m going to give you some advice. Don’t become a human. You’re wonderful just as you are.”

  “Me being a merman makes it hard for us to spend time together. You can’t do anything with me when I’m bound to the sea.”

  “I can swim too. I’m an experienced diver. We’ve learned how to communicate underwater. Yeah, I can’t always go to see you but when I do...” He sighed. “You don’t want to be human, Kai. After learning how awful humans are, you
wouldn’t want to be one.”

  “Why not? What did a human do to you?”

  “A human took my sister away for example. Okay, he didn’t mean too, but he was reckless and her life ended. He lived but she died. Then there are the humans who are polluting your ocean constantly. Let’s not forget the humans who are related to you and tell you that you don’t matter like your own father. Humans can be pretty cruel.”

  “That may be so, but they can also be soft and kind. That’s the kind of human you are.”

  “I might be a little too soft. I wasn’t able to do what I wanted tonight. I lost my cool and just ran away. In fact, I’m a coward. You’d have a better time with a human who didn’t have as many issues as I did.”

  “That may be true, but you’re the only human I want…” Kai trailed off at that moment and looked to the side. “Oh no.”

  “What is it?”

  “I’m sensing danger nearby. You better get out of here.”

  “What kind of danger? I can help you.”

  “No, Callum. You better stay back because this is in the ocean,” Kai warned him. “It’s too far for you get there in time. Stay where you are. I will be back.”

  “Kai, wait! I think you can use the extra help!”

  “Callum, stay!” Kai snapped and Callum found himself backing away. “I’m sorry, but this is something I need to handle on my own. You might get hurt. Remember one thing though; if you feel lost, that ring will take you right to me. It doesn’t matter how far I am. You will find me.”

  I’m already hurt. It can’t get worse than this. Callum thought. However, he let Kai go into the ocean and thought about what he had said. Kai was trying to get another message across. He was desperate to become human and Callum could understand why. After all, it would make things easier between them. They wouldn’t have to keep coming down the beach. They could go other places. At the same time, Kai would leave his entire life behind if he became human. Was he really willing to risk all that?

  He looked down at his ring. Kai had said that the ring would lead him where he needed to be. Even though he had been told to stay away, he couldn’t do that. If Kai was in trouble, he wanted to help. He knew he could help.

  Then there was the knife. It was bigger than the knife that he had and he could probably use it to defend himself. Whatever was out there, he could handle it. The demons he fought on the inside were far worse than anything out in the sea. As late as it was, he wanted to know what was going on. It would take his mind off the issues with his family and work.

  As he turned on his heel, he heard someone calling his name. Whirling around, he was excited. Kai was probably back and the issue wasn’t as bad. “Hey!”

  “Oh Callum, I’m glad you’re here! I need your help!” It was Romina waving at him. He came in closer so he could hear what she had to say. “It’s Kai! It’s my family! They’ve...They’ve...”

  “Slow down.” Callum told her and she stopped. “Okay, what happened to Kai and your family? Where are they?”

  “They were caught,” she explained. “You know those nets...well, they were caught and are being hauled away by some humans. I don’t know where they came from but they were caught. Those humans...I think they might try to sell them! I couldn’t understand anything because I was trying to get my family out of the nets! I tried to keep up with them but Kai told me not to worry. He gave you the ring.” She looked down at Callum’s hand. “He’s right. It’ll lead you to him.”

  “How?” Callum asked. “They might be far away now. I’m just one person.”

  “Don’t let that stop you. That ring will guide you wherever you want to go. If you need magic, I’m here. I will take you to them. It will be far but I know you can make it. Kai talks about how strong you are. He has faith in you.”

  Callum bit his bottom lip. “All right, can you wait here for a minute? I will help you find him and your family. I just need to figure out where they are taking him. How do I make the ring work?”

  “Think of Kai and the ring will guide you.”

  That wasn’t a lot of help but Callum tried to work with it. He closed his eyes and felt the sea breeze blowing against him. He focused on Kai and those deep brown eyes. Slowly, a picture formed in his mind and he saw Kai trapped in what looked like a prison of water. It was a pool. Kai and the other merfolk were in that pool. Then he tried to get an idea of the where that pool was. The marks on the walls were familiar. He had seen that fish symbol before. He knew the factory that it had come from. There was dust on the floor and he could smell the ocean water. The shore was close but still too far. The merfolk had been kept far from that shore.

  It was an empty warehouse right behind a canning factory. His eyes flew open and he knew exactly where to go. “I’ll find him! I know where they’re keeping them! Do you think you can follow me?”

  “I…I will try,” Romina murmured. “If it’s on land, I can’t do much.”

  “It’s closer to the land but I will bring your brother back to you,” he promised. “For your sake and mine, I’ll get him back.”

  He didn’t have a plan but he knew he had to save Kai. Somehow, he had to get there before anyone hurt him. He touched the ring once more and could feel something wash over him. Kai was still alive. He was scared. He was waiting.

  Don’t worry. I’m on my way.

  Chapter 22

  Finding Kai was a lot harder than Callum had expected. The ring did lead him in the right direction but it was on another side of town. That area was filled with people so he could not get to Kai right away. He also saw that Kai and his family were now trapped inside of a giant swimming pool. They had been taken out of the ocean and were now going to be put on display for the world to see. It was for some circus and people were going to pay to see them.

  How did they find out? Callum wondered, peering into the building where they were being kept. He could see Kai in the middle of it all, looking desperate and trying to find a way out. As a merman, he couldn’t do much. Even if he got out of the pool, he probably wouldn’t live. He wouldn’t be able to go far if he landed on the ground. Callum knew he had to get them all out of there. He just had no idea how he would pull them out and get them back in the ocean.

  I can’t move that pool on my own. Plus, someone will notice me if I do that. There has to be an easier way of getting them back home.

  Carefully, he stepped out of his hiding place and went over to the pool. He stared at all the mermen and mermaids that he knew were Kai’s family. He placed his hand against the glass and wished that he could break it. He was angry at whoever had done this. How could they think to kidnap these merfolk and trap them like they belonged on display? It wasn’t fair. They weren’t dolls to be shown to the world. They were alive and deserved to be in the ocean.

  Kai saw him at that moment and he perked up. He pressed his hand against the glass and tried to say something. Unfortunately, Callum was unable to hear him through that thick glass. He motioned him to come out of the water so they could talk. Kai poked his head out and tried to reach down. Since the pool was far too big and there was no ladder to climb up on, Callum could only look up and wish that he could touch him.

  “I’m so glad Romina found you!” Kai sighed. He held out his hands and showed them that they were bound. “It happened so fast! Remember the danger I told you about? Well, this was it. Someone was trapping merfolk and I...I was caught.” He lowered his gaze. “I tried to get out and I couldn’t. Fortunately, Romina didn’t get caught so I told her to find you. I also told her I gave you the ring.”

  “It worked.” Callum stared at his ring. Then he took out the knife and thought about how he could cut Kai’s bindings. “I thought about you, saw where you were taken, and came straight over here. Now I’m trying to figure out how to get you back in the ocean. Tell me, how long can a merman stay out of water?”

  “If we’re close to the ocean, that’s one thing. I can sit on the shore for hours. Far from it is another story. I don’t
know how long I can stay out on the land,” Kai sighed. “I need the water. I need to be as close to it as possible.”

  Callum thought about what was said. “Getting you to the ocean is going to be hard. I can’t push this pool to the water. I’d need more help and that would mean exposing your secret to other people. The other option is carrying everyone out to the sea, but how can I do that without getting caught? I need to come up with a plan. I need to get you out before someone comes back.” At that point, the other merfolk noticed him and were staring at him. Some were frightened and others looked like they were ready to kill. “Oh, I think I should go. I...I...”

  “It’s all right.” Kai told him to stay. “I will talk to them. I’ll let them know you’re not like the humans that took us.”

  “Can you describe them to me?”

  “There were so many of them. They all looked different.” He closed his eyes. “I’m sorry, Callum. I know it’s not much help. I’ve been trying to find a way out of this and I can’t think of anything. I feel trapped.”

  “Well, don’t worry. I still don’t know how I can get you out, but I will. Give me some time to come up with something.”

  “I hate to break it to you, but you don’t have much time. I don’t have much time. I...” Kai nearly sank back into the water. “You better go into hiding! Someone’s coming!”

  “Is it the person who took you?”

  “It might be. Still, get out of here! I don’t want you to get caught!” Kai tried to grab his hand but this distance between the top of the pool and the bottom was too much. Instead, he waved at him. “If you see Romina, tell her I’m all right. We’re working on getting out.”

  “I’ll be back and I’ll save all of you,” Callum promised, looking for a place to hide. There was nothing outside but he saw a few things in the room. Then he heard some voices coming closer. “I can’t get out now! Wait on me!”