The Turned

by Tracy Kiser

  “Your eyes…” Lana murmured. “I’ve seen them before… in a dream…”

  “When it’s dark, our eyes adjust so we can see as clearly as we can in the light,” Merric explained.

  “Why aren’t my eyes doing that? Not saying that I believe all of this is happening right now, but if my body is turning into a mermaid shouldn’t my eyes light up like that?” Lana instinctively touched her face, expecting the heat from her eyes to burn her hand, afraid to completely lay her fingers upon her eyelids.

  “They probably will. I guess you’ll have to wait until your body is finished changing to find out. I’m not really sure, myself.”

  “How am I supposed to search for my father if I can’t see?”

  Merric thought a moment. “That does present a problem.” He sighed, at odds with the thought in his head. “We’ll have to think of a way you can swim around during wake time.”

  “And how are we going to do that? If I’m not dreaming, everyone will know I’m not from this city, that I’m not a real mermaid and being killed for being a human isn’t exactly on my list of things to-do.” Lana argued. Yes, she had wanted to explore everything and escape when she first became a mermaid, but now that she knew for sure that her life was in danger, the city did not seem inviting.

  “That’s it! We can say you’re from outside of the city. Visiting…for…um, some reason. We can introduce you to the High Order and then they won’t suspect you as being human.” Merric swam in a small circle, excited by his idea. Mainly, the part where he would have to accompany Lana wherever she wanted to go. His eyes widened at her beauty in the darkness of the water. She was so lovely. The guilt swelled within him.

  “We could always say that I’m looking for a human. Then they really wouldn’t suspect me,” Lana added sarcastically.

  “Hmmm, that might work,” Merric considered, missing Lana’s joke. Lana felt he was holding something back while he thought over her comment. He looked as if a secret sat on the tip of his tongue and if he opened his mouth it would jump out at her.

  “What is it, Merric?” Lana questioned.

  “Nothing,” he shook his head. “Let’s go with that. We’ll say you’re visiting from another population to ensure no humans have been turned into a merperson. That will give you the freedom to go around and talk to the other members of the city.”

  “But where am I from?”

  “Syria,” Merric answered quickly.

  “Why there?” Geography was not her favorite subject and she had never heard of Syria before.

  “Because that is where the Goddess lives. It’s the Absolute Highest Order of merpeople. If you’re sent from the Goddess, there is no way the High Order here will question anything you do.” Merric stated, thinking of his father and wondering if what he said were true. He knew most Order members wouldn’t question anything, but his father was a different story.

  “The Goddess? This sounds insane.” I’ve completely lost my mind. What the hell happened when I fell overboard?

  “Yes, Goddess Atargatis. It’ll work Lana, I promise you.” Merric swam closer to her so that she could see his face clearly in the dimness of the ocean and took her hands in his.

  “So, I’m from Syria, sent by the Goddess Atargatis to make sure that no mer-population is turning humans into merpeople?”

  “Exactly,” Merric nodded, unknowingly bringing her hands to his heart.

  “Yep, I wouldn’t even believe that. This isn’t going to work, Merric.” She pulled her hands out of his grasp and they felt cold. A shiver went up through her fin. My fin? God, this is nuts.

  “Lana, you aren’t in the sun anymore. You’re here. It doesn’t sound crazy. It sounds perfectly reasonable. Above the water is a different place. Down here is a whole other world.”

  “If you say so,” Lana said doubting the words she knew she’d have to accept no matter what she thought.

  Merric started swimming back to the city. Lana followed him, still trying to adjust her eyes to the darkness while watching the movements that Merric’s body made through the water. He was so beautiful. How could she doubt anything he said? She felt a string tugging on her heart, leading her to Merric. Or was that just the current?

  “So, no more searching tonight then?” Lana asked shyly.

  “Nope. We’re going to need our rest. Tomorrow, you meet the High Order.” He paused and turned to look at Lana. “But I promise you that I will help you to find your father while you’re with me.”

  Lana smiled at the silky voice.

  Chapter 18

  Merric led Lana into the Building of the Order. It was elaborately decorated with rare seashells, gold, and other gems. Lana could feel her nerves tightening with each inch that she moved closer. She felt like a small pebble misplaced with the rubies and emeralds that made the wall. Suffocating and stuck. One wrong word spoken on the inside of this building and her wall would come crashing down.

  “Let me do the talking, Lana,” Merric whispered in her ear. His breath tickled her skin like a kiss. She felt her skin prickle up in reply and her hands began to shake. Lana didn’t know if it was because of her nerves or the feel of Merric’s breath on her neck.

  “Go right ahead,” Lana insisted. She would rather keep quiet anyway. Merric could weave the lie that they had come up with.

  They swam into the building’s lobby. A mermaid sat on a stone in front of a larger piece of rock that, to Lana, resembled a desk. She had seaweed in front of her, woven together, that looked as if it had been bleached. The mermaid had a stick of coral and was using some kind of black liquid to make a design on the seaweed, as if it were paper.

  “Phelene?”

  The mermaid looked up in surprise. “Merric! How are you? What brings you to the Order House?”

  “Actually, I have a visitor from Syria that needs to be introduced.” He answered, motioning to Lana.

  “Syria? Oh goodness! I bet that was quite a trip. How’d you meet her?” Phelene’s eyes were wide with wonder and a softness that Lana felt was a good sign. She seemed nice. But then, what had Lana been expecting? A sea full of mermaids that were closer to being monsters?

  Lana’s body involuntarily flinched with the question. They hadn’t discussed the part of the story that explained how she had become associated with Merric. She took a deep breath, feeling the water rush over her newly formed gills.

  Merric didn’t miss a beat. “You know sometimes I go over to the coral beds? Yesterday, I was searching for antiques and I heard a mermaid scream. It turned out to be her, sharks were after her. We all know how a shark bite is poisonous to merpeople,” Merric paused here in the fictitious tale and Lana saw pain cover Merric’s face. “So I went and got her out of harm’s way. Turned out she was on her way to our city.”

  Lana saw the pain disappear, hidden deep beneath the surface. Sharks are poisonous to merpeople? Why did that seem to upset him? Lana wondered.

  “Whoa, that’s quite an adventure! Always gotta’ be the hero, don’t you Merric?” Phelene teased. Lana could sense her trying to lighten the mood.

  “Oh you know me,” Merric laughed. “Phelene introduce Lana.”

  Lana moved forward. “Nice to be, er, introduced Phelene.” Lana glanced at Merric hoping that she had succeeded in sounding like a real mermaid.

  “Still shaken up a bit?” Phelene asked her.

  Lana nodded.

  “Well, the Order members are in their chamber. They can accept your visit at this time. Knock before entering, I know you know that,” Phelene smiled. The scales on her body glimmered silver.

  “Thank you,” Merric said as he took Lana’s hand and they swam further back into the building. With Merric’s hand in hers, Lana felt herself calm down. Everything will be alright, she repeated over and over in her mind. That is, if I’m not going crazy.

  * *

  Three mermen were perched on stones in a half circle at the end of a large room. Lana assumed that these were the members of the Order, the ones
that would sentence her death if she screwed this up. Her heart beat rapidly increased. The room was lit by, what seemed like, over a hundred glowing jellyfish. The merman in the center was the largest and had lines of blue scales running the length of his arms and chest. The two mermen that sat on either side had blue scales only on their arms, not across their chests. Lana observed the mermen, taking in their appearance. She assumed the stripes of color had something to do with the rank of the Order members.

  “Good wake time, Members of the Order.” Merric said loudly. His confidence was astounding. Lana took in the sight of his straight back lined with perfect muscles.

  The merman in the middle spoke first. “Good day, purpose please.”

  “I’m Merric, I’ve come to introduce Lana from Syria.” He extended his arm to include her in the statement.

  Lana moved forward toward the members. Merric turned to face her momentarily.

  “Lana introduce the High Order.”

  Lana bowed her head to show respect. “Wonderful to be introduced to all of you,” she smiled.

  “What brings you all the way here from Syria, Lana?” The middle merman spoke again.

  “The Goddess Ah-TAR-ga-Tiss sent me. I’m here to make sure that there are no humans in your city. She’s sending me to various cities to check the mer-populations,” Lana said, her voice strained.

  “The Goddess sent you?” The merman on the right spoke up. He turned and looked at the other two mermen Order members. Lana didn’t miss the nervous expression of one of the Order members.

  “Yes, Goddess Atargatis,” Lana repeated.

  The three Order members fell silent. Lana felt her skin tingle beneath the scales that covered her body. She looked at Merric. She felt a strange urge to move to him and wrap her arms around his body. Their eyes locked. Lana saw his shoulders go up in a slight shrug.

  “So we assume that you’ll be doing skin tests on the members of this population.”

  “Um,” Lana panicked. “Only on those who I deem suspicious. I do not want to…intrude on the lives of your citizens.” The lie rolled off of her tongue with a tense ease. What are they talking about? Skin tests? Lana’s mind raced.

  “We see,” the member on the left said, speaking for the first time. “You’ll need a place to reside in while you do this I suppose.”

  “May I request to stay with Merric?” Lana asked.

  “I thought I was doing the talking…” Merric whispered to Lana over his shoulder.

  “In a common cave?” the members looked appalled at the idea.

  “He’s the one who saved me on the way here. There was a shark attack; I trust him and his judgment.” Lana stopped herself. Had she just said aloud that she trusted Merric? A merman she had just met a few days ago. A merman! Even though she had been turned days ago, Lana still had trouble accepting what had happened.

  The three Order members stared at her. Had she rambled too much? All of the Order looked as if they were nervous, as if she were someone to be afraid of. Lana’s eyes shifted from one member to the next.

  “If you don’t mind, we need a moment to discuss your visit.”

  “Is there a problem?” Merric asked, speaking before Lana could.

  “Not at all,” the Order member in the center replied.

  * *

  Merric and Lana stood in the open room waiting for the Order members to return. They had separated their fins and had been standing in the main chamber, waiting for what seemed like forever to Lana. She could feel the anxiety consuming her body. Did the Order members know that she was human?

  The scene replayed in her mind. Lana tried to find the point when she had given herself away. She looked up to see the three Order members swimming into the room.

  The merman with the blue streaks across his chest spoke in a dominating tone. “Merric, would you join our conversation?”

  Lana’s eyes immediately went to Merric. He looked at her, his eyes filled with worry and a small spark of something else. Lana couldn’t place it…compassion, she dared to hope. Then Merric’s eyes cleared. He turned his head to face the mermen.

  “Yes.”

  The four swam into the adjoining chamber, leaving Lana to contemplate what would happen next. Her throat was tight. Merric had swam out of the main chamber and left her standing alone. She felt the whole of the ocean crushing down on her as she wondered if they were discussing her execution.

  Chapter 19

  Merric entered the smaller room and was motioned to sit on the benches carved out of stone. The three mermen moved to sit with him. Other than that this room was smaller, it was almost identical to the main chamber room. The ceiling was covered in netted jellyfish casting a soft glow over the Order members.

  “Son, what are you doing?” The stern voice demanded an answer. Merric met his father’s eyes without hesitation, keeping his mind blank. His father always had a way to tell when Merric had more to say.

  “What are you referring to, Father?” Merric watched his father shake his head. The water took his hair into a low halo and then it glided down to rest on his neck. Merric kept looking at his father. Would he tell the others that he felt Merric was lying about Lana?

  “We have a request of you,” another Order Member said.

  “Anything, Tercious. All of you know how I feel toward the Order.” Merric admitted. His father was an Order member after all. He had the highest respect for all of the men. One day, Merric would become and Order member himself and be on the council.

  “We know your loyalty Sir Merric,” Tercious replied. The stripes on his chest were gleaming. “Since the mermaid Lana is sent from the Goddess, we all know that we cannot turn her away.”

  Merric nodded in agreement, noticing how his father rolled his eyes in silence. He knew.

  “Our request of you is that you volunteer to report back to us with any information she finds, especially if she goes to the science district. But we want you to try to keep her away from there.”

  Merric knew that his father knew he was lying. He was glad that his father remained silent. He didn’t want to put Lana in any danger, especially if she turned out to be the one he’d been waiting for. “I can try Tercious, but if she needs to check everyone then she’ll eventually find the science district of the Order.” The excuse slipped from his lips. Merric consciously willed himself to act as if the lie he had told were the truth.

  “Merric,” Tercious raised his voice. “Keep her away from there, at all costs. She cannot visit that district. The last thing we need is a visit from the Goddess herself.” The other Order member nodded his head in agreement. Merric’s father sat as if he were a statue. His eyes were fixated on his son’s.

  “Okay, Tercious. I assure you that she will not visit the science district and I’ll report on any merpeople she has suspicions towards.”

  “Thank you, Merric. Now we’re going to give Lana a place to stay here at the Order. There will be a room for you as well. Don’t let her escape from your sight.”

  “I won’t Tercious. Loyalty is foremost,” he stated their creed, dipping his head slightly to show the utmost respect he held for the Order.

  “Loyalty is foremost,” Tercious repeated. The two mermen bowed their heads to Merric’s father, Merric mirrored their motions again. They stood from the benches and then swam back into the larger room where Lana waited.

  * *

  The fear was written on Lana’s face. Merric emerged from the adjoining room with the three members of the High Order. He smiled at Lana and the relief released her knitted muscles. His smile is beautiful, Lana thought as the warmth it gave washed over her, replacing the salty water.

  “Visitor Lana, we’ve decided to allow Merric to stay as your guide and aid during your stay here in our city,” the merman beside Merric spoke to her.

  “Thank you,” Lana replied, somewhat unevenly.

  “We would also like you to stay here in the building of our High Order during the times when you need rest. Phelene w
ill show you to your special grotto. There will also be a room for Merric. Anything you need, Merric can aid with the endeavors.”

  Lana smiled. Happiness that she’d be able to stay with Merric flooded her heart. She didn’t want to admit to herself that she liked him. The thought of having an inkling of a feeling toward a merman was hard to accept. Being a mermaid herself, that was even harder. Merric bowed his head to the members and Lana did the same, mimicking his motion.

  “Enjoy your stay in our city, Lana. My name is Tercious, the second High Order Member.” He nodded and smiled at Merric.

  “Come, Lana,” Merric whispered. They left the large room and went back to where Phelene still sat forming designs with the black liquid. Lana stared at Phelene’s work. How did that liquid stay on the seaweed? In water wouldn’t if float away, wash away even? Lana made a mental note to ask about it, knowing that she would probably forget.

  “Phelene? Visitor Lana and I will be staying here during her work. Could you show us to the grotto we’ll be using for rest?”

  Phelene looked up and smiled at Merric. “Yes, you can follow me right this way.”

  * *

  Merric and Lana swam into the grotto that they’d be staying in alone. Lana lay down onto the seaweed hammock. The room was decorated with emeralds and coral. Everything sparkled with the jellyfish lights shining around the room. Lana felt a little bit like a princess, perhaps with Merric as her prince. Recollections of cartoon movies drifted through her mind.

  “What did they say to you?” Lana asked Merric as soon as she’d relaxed. The hammock hugged her body. She felt the water around her flowing back and forth across her skin. It was a soft caressing massage that promised to lull her to sleep.

  He laughed. “They told me to report back to them everything that you do.”

  “Why?” Lana was surprised. She hadn’t expected them to want to watch her every move.

  “Because they think you’re human,” Merric replied hastily.

  “What?” Lana shouted, quickly sitting up from the hammock and looking at Merric. Her eyes were wide and unbelieving. She felt the urge to jump from the hammock and run away. But where would she go?