by J. L. Imhoff
The biggest wall was made of glass and the whole city was visible. Wow.
I shook my head again, and forced myself to hate it. Sheesh, I couldn’t afford this kind of luxury back home. “Is this all for me? My home? My quarters or whatever? All to myself? Do I have to pay rent? Because I know I can’t afford it.”
My skin itched and crawled with discomfort, a familiar feeling, reminding me I was out of my element, in a place out of my socio-economic class.
“No rent. As I’ve explained, we do not have a monetary system. We expect you to take care of the place, and contribute to our community. We’ll discover your role and your talents in time.”
The living room was immaculate and the walls were bare. Along the wall, parallel to the hallway, sat a small table with two chairs. A kitchen was the only room missing.
I took a deep breath, let it out, and stared out the glass wall for a few minutes.
“If you want to dim the glass for privacy, the panel controls a gas that fills it. If you press here a menu comes up.” Lily showed me a small computer screen, appearing when she waved her hand over it. Lily must have noticed my eyes glaze from information overload, so she changed subjects, and led me down a short hallway to the bedroom.
Another glass wall ran parallel to the bed and looked out into the ocean, my view a giant aquarium. Hundreds, if not thousands, of fish of all sizes and colors, swam outside.
I wanted to touch it, but I was afraid of what it would do. I didn’t know if it would react the same as the structure had the day before, in the garden. But this wall seemed to be more substantial, made of glass, the same as in the first room.
“Is this… glass?” I asked with my hand poised to explore it.
“It provides a barrier to the dome.”
The bottom of the ocean was visible several stories down. A pod of dolphins swam in the distance and a small squid inched his way across the surface of the dome. “Where are we, really?”
“Far underneath the sea.”
“How is that possible? Wouldn’t we die from the pressure?”
“Our physiology is made for this. Also, the dome we live under adjusts the atmosphere and pressure.”
I nodded, but was unable to comprehend. The bedroom had the biggest bed I’d ever seen. The bedclothes were white with gold trim, and similar to the couch in texture.
A closet lining the opposite wall was filled with clothing, their style. The high quality of the garments made me cringe. Clothing made for a queen, not me. I wasn’t a fancy person.
I guess it could be worse—I could be dead or still brainwashed and living with David.
The bathroom was a duplicate of the one in the Healing Center. The amount of jewels they used as decoration was insane. She would say this is practical too, I bet.
“What’s with all the fake jewels? I noticed them in the bathroom at the Healing Center.”
“They’re not fake. They’re all real, I assure you. Even the ones on me.” She pointed to the swirling patterns around her face and shoulders.
“If those are all real, they would cost a fortune. Without a monetary system, how could you afford them?”
“We don’t buy them. We find them in the sea on sunken ships and bring them here. We have a whole building full of lost treasures.”
“Are you kidding me?” This is too much. I laughed.
“We have no use for them, other than to admire their beauty.”
All the personal items I would need were stored in the bathroom in a small closet by the door.
Lily then showed me how to work the lighting in the whole place via another computer, sitting inside the wall by the front door. The walls were translucent and luminescent when the lights were on. When they were off, the walls resembled solid iridescent seashells.
A communication panel, and a menu for ordering essentials, was also on the computer menu. Not being very computer literate to begin with, I wouldn’t remember most of what she showed me.
“I’m not sure I’m ready to see the city yet. I saw a lot yesterday. I kind of want to get settled in, rest, and have some privacy.”
“I understand. How much time do you think you’ll need?”
“How about an hour or so? My body feels good, but my mind is exhausted. I have a lot to process and come to terms with and could use some time to decompress.”
“I’ll be back in an hour. In the meantime, I’ll have some food and water sent up for you.” She left and I was alone in this giant room.
My beautiful prison.
The silence got to me quickly, so I went into the bedroom, and looked out the glass wall there. I imaged an escape from this place.
A knock brought me back to reality and I went to the door. As I approached, it opened, and a petite woman came in. She carried a tray filled with an assortment of fruit, bread, and other foods I couldn’t identify.
After she placed it on the table in the living area, I thanked her, but she didn’t say a word. Only smiled, and nodded her head, before leaving.
She must speak a different language or something.
After she left, I tried the door again, but it wouldn’t open for me.
The front door appeared to be the only exit so I went back to the bedroom and lay down, wanting to sort out my confusing feelings of happiness conflicting with defeat.
The sea creatures swimming outside the glass wall in my bedroom distracted and hypnotized me, making my struggle to find ease even more difficult.
Didn’t Lily say something about how I can adjust the glass wall for privacy? Because I need to block out these fish looking in at me—they’re giving me a complex.
I left the warmth of my bed and searched every inch of the wall, looking for the computer panel. Finally, a small computer menu appeared, but it was in some strange language. I pressed a few random buttons and the glass wall slid open, disappearing into the other wall. Crap, I didn’t mean to do that.
But still, how did it go around corners? Anyway, I don’t care. The dome is open. I slowly reached out to touch it, curiosity taking over my better judgment.
It must have sensed me, because as soon as my fingers got within an inch of it, the gelatinous structure reached out for my hand. This time, it didn’t only engulf my limb—it pulled me through, and spat me out into the ocean.
Before I had time to blink, I fell through salty ocean water. The shock startled me and I gasped in a breath of seawater. Realizing my error, I then held what was left of my breath and tried to swim. My legs went numb and tingly, and when I tried to kick, they seemed fused and constricted. My arms flailed, trying to gain balance.
I know I can swim.
What the heck is wrong with me?
Drowning all over again, I relived every detail of sinking to my death. I went into a complete panic attack. Still holding my breath, I turned and twisted my body to see why my legs felt so weird. The answer was startling. My legs had transformed into a long fish tail.
A mermaid’s tail?
I’m hallucinating. If I was unsure before, I knew now.
No—it feels real. The ocean water, which should have been cold, felt warm and welcoming. Creatures swam everywhere.
Still holding my breath, I realized too late, I’d blown my chance to start a new life. Now I’m going to die at the bottom of the sea, again.
David will have won.
The darkness crept in as I struggled to move my unfamiliar body. But the more I moved, the quicker the black spots filled my vision.
I sank.
The sea floor welcomed me with a great puffy cloud of sand as my body hit the bottom.
The same unrelenting darkness claimed me.
With no sense of how much time had passed, I opened my eyes. Disoriented, I lay on the bottom of the sea, regaining my senses.
Didn’t I just drown?
Yet, here I was, awake again, looking up into the ocean. And feeling better with every breath I took.
Wait—breath?
How am I sti
ll alive?
No, it can’t be—I’m breathing in the ocean.
I sat up, a surge of panic threatened.
I can breathe.
Okay. I’m alive—I think.
My mouth was open—the water came in, and went through the slits under my arms, tickling my sides with a light current.
I closed my eyes and took a few deep-sea breaths, trusting in the process. When I reopened them, I was calmer, shaky, but calm.
Breathing under water. Am I a mutant of some sort? A mermaid? Is this why they are so weird? Are they all mermaids? Or mutant fish people?
This is no dream. I’m awake.
What else could I be? This tail—it’s beautiful.
Holy crap.
I moved and found it easy to orient myself once the shock wore off.
I won’t ever drown again.
Guess this isn’t so bad if I think about it that way. I twisted again to have a better view of my tail. I had to stare at it, because I simply didn’t believe it. My tail was orange, but when I moved, at different angles it changed to gold.
Stay calm. Breathe. Relax.
With some experimentation, I found that even with the slightest movements I maintained my equilibrium in the water. In fact, it became easy. I rolled over repeatedly, learning to control this new body. If I figure this out, then I can get out of here and go home. Wait—if I’m a mermaid, can I still go home? No, I have no home, not back there. What do I do now? Where do I go?
To the surface? Yes—I have to at least try.
I twisted and turned over in the water. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a dark figure move toward me in the distance.
What is that?
The shadow came closer. A lone dolphin emerged out of the darkness. It was magnificent and a strong urge to touch it overcame me. As I reached out, it came forward, and put her head into my outstretched hand.
Her. I knew it was a female. How do I know?
When I touched her, fear, worry, and confusion clouded my own jumbled emotions. The swirling feelings stopped when I removed my hand from her. When I made contact again, the same chaotic emotions permeated through my being.
Are these feelings coming from her?
She moved her head to the left and looked around me. Then she nudged me with her head. The sudden urge to flee settled over me and I turned to see what scared her so badly.
A large and deadly-looking shark swam out of cloudy waters, coming our way rapidly. As the dolphin went to take off, instinctively I grabbed onto her dorsal fin. I was slow and still weak—outrunning a shark by myself would be impossible.
I want to live.
Lily swam toward me out of the haze, directly behind the shark. Better still, she wasn’t alone. The big guy swam right beside her. Lily—now I knew for certain she was the one I’d seen in the sea the night I died. She was the angel—or so I’d thought. In fact, a mermaid, and the big guy was too. Except for the maid part.
What would they call him, a merman?
Lily was stunning. Her long tail shimmered, pink and iridescent, matching her skin. She was naked from the waist up and I was glad I still had a gown on. The big guy’s tail glittered gold.
Lily and the big guy covered the distance to the shark faster than I thought possible. He had a spear in his hands and two long black swords strapped to his back.
The shark circled around and came toward them, but the big guy pushed Lily aside and hit the predator full force with his body, knocking him off course. It took off, presumably looking for an easier meal.
Still holding onto the dolphin’s fin, we swam out of sight, and towards the surface. I think she knows what I want. We broke the surface of the water and a breath of fresh air filled my lungs. I felt a tingle as my tail changed back into two legs. Appreciative, I let go of the dolphin and she disappeared into the night, leaving me to tread water.
What do I do now?
In the distance, moonlight reflected off a wall of rocks. Sea gulls squawked nearby. A shoreline?
My heart surged with hope. Get to land and figure it out.
I submerged my head and experienced the transformation back into a mermaid. The darkness of the ocean made it near impossible for me to see.
Swimming awkwardly with a tail and two arms, I headed to the shore I hoped was out there, when something bumped against me.
What is that?
I twirled around and around, trying to figure out what had hit me in the water.
It bumped me again.
Is it another shark?
Something latched onto me around my torso, the sharp sting of razor teeth penetrated my skin, and the resulting pain became unbearable.
Then, inexplicably, it let go.
Movement in the water propelled me to swim away. Something brushed my leg again, but didn’t bite. Get out of here, Anna.
Spots danced before my eyes, threatening I might pass out, but I wouldn’t give up now. Not after all I had been through. Damn it. I turned and swam as fast as I could, despite being injured and bleeding. Blood will draw more sharks—get out of here now.
The direction I chose was the right one, because I came upon shallow water within a minute. I’d been closer than I thought. Lifting my face out of the water, I scanned the area. A deserted beach littered with rocks, and bordered by a tall cliff, glimmered in the moonlight. My legs transformed the moment I breathed air and my knees found a grip in the sand. I crawled out of the waves, intent on finding help.
Glancing down, my dress was torn and soaked in blood. Pain radiated from my abdomen and I placed my hands over it. The warm slide of blood trickled over my fingers.
Get out of the water.
I collapsed before I could make it all the way out of the surf. A short distance away, a small cave was tucked inside an overhanging cliff.
The sound of cars nearby filled me with hope. If I can get to the road, someone can help me. But I would have a lot to explain.
What other choice do I have?
I’ll take my chances—I don’t want to die out here, alone on the beach.
Weakness crippled me and I collapsed face first into the sand. Someone grabbed me, picked me up, and carried me into the darkness of the cave.
Alarmed by the rough treatment, I yelped in protest only to have my mouth covered with their hand, be pushed to the ground, and finally covered with their body.
“Shh, someone’s coming,” a male voice whispered. The voice… I recognized it as the big guy who had been with Lily.
Did he follow me?
Of course he did.
“Mmm…” I struggled to free my mouth. “Get off me,” I screamed, finally able to form a word, or three. Spent from my swim, and blood loss, my struggles were completely ineffective against the strength of his grasp.
He whispered in my ear, “Shhhhh—stop fighting me. You’re bleeding, I need to heal you.” The closeness of his breath sent shivers up and down my spine.
“What?” I whimpered. “Heal me how?”
“I can’t explain it now. Be quiet and listen. A car door slammed.”
“I don’t hear anything.” My protest was not entirely true. Once quiet, my ears also detected the sound of people talking, laughing, and car doors slamming.
“It’s dangerous,” he warned.
“Why is it dangerous? They can call an ambulance. I’m going to die if they don’t.” Fear underscored my plea.
He picked me up again, moved me further into the back of the cave, and placed me down, softly this time.
His fingers explored my abdomen where I’d been bitten. Despite the surprising gentleness of his touch, I whimpered in pain. “You’ll have to be quiet, or we’ll be discovered,” he ordered. “I can only partially heal you in this form. Remain silent, no matter how much it hurts. No one can see you as you are. It’s dangerous.”
“But…” I mumbled.
“Shhh… I have to concentrate.”
“Where’s Lily? I thought she was with you.”
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“Shhh,” he reprimanded.
“You’re such an ass,” I spat. Blood oozed down my abdomen and onto the sand. The discomfort of lying still as sharp pebbles bit into my back was nothing compared to the intense pain throbbing on the right side of my body.
“It’s not a good idea for you to call me names right now, considering I have your life in my hands,” he retorted. The outline of his head became clearer as my eyes adjusted to the darkness. His eyes sparkled with fury in the moonlight.
“I’m not sorry,” I whined, jutting my chin out stubbornly. “I was simply asking a question.”
“I don’t need you to be sorry. I need you to be quiet,” he scolded.
“Just leave, then. I don’t want your help,” I weakly protested. I don’t mean it. Don’t leave me here alone to die.
“Lily would kill me if I let you die. Would you please allow me to help you?”
Silent tears streamed down my face. I relented, and bowed my head in agreement and understanding. Stop the pain, please.
“Look at me,” he whispered, cradling my head, and brushing back my hair. “You’ll be fine.”
Exhausted, I wanted to give in to the void, the darkness.
He gently placed his hands over the wound. I winced, but did as he instructed, and held back my screams. Only the occasional whimper escaped, less a matter of compliance, and more because I had nothing left to fight with.
As he reached inside of me and pulled out something, the pain became agonizing.
In the dimness of the cave, an image of my mom appeared. She cradled me in her arms, and embraced me to keep the pain at bay.
“It’s a tooth,” he muttered, as he squeezed something into my hand. “You have to understand, as a Mer, we’re a predators’ favorite treat. It was a tiger shark and they’re always hungry. You’re lucky—you probably still taste too human for him to have liked what he sampled.” He placed his hands back on my wound and pressed down. “I have to stop the bleeding now.”
A Mer?
Heat emanated and pulsed from his hands and the pain in my abdomen intensified for only a moment. While he worked, a dim blue light came through the top of his head, trailed down his arms, and then into my side. It enveloped us, growing in intensity.