by Garry Hicks
Brandon and Treena's heads slowly slip above the water surface. They stare at the Mystic, which sits at a dock inside a giant cave.
Brandon glances at Treena, smiles. "What a beautiful sight! I truly didn't think I would ever see her again."
They swim to the dock, Brandon pulls himself up then extends his hand to Treena. As he pulls her up, she flaps her tail and shoots out of the water. Just before she lands on the dock, her tail transforms back into her legs, feet and outfit she wore.
"Very clever, I don't think I'll ever get used to that." he stomps his feet on the dock. "This dock is well built, who built it?"
"A pirate. Archembo I think."
"Wait here." he scuttles up and onto the Mystic. He rubs the rail, smiles, opens up a hatch and pulls out a bag, opens it. Inside the bag, he stares at four spear guns with plenty of spears. He zips it up, turns. Treena stands there, he jerks.
"Damn Treena, you just scared the crap out of me."
"So this is the vessel that will take you away from me. I should burn it."
"You know we can’t stay here forever."
"Yes, you can...you just don’t like it here."
"It’s not that Treena, I love it here, but, it’s not our world. There’s so much more out there than...this island."
"But that’s not my world."
"No mermaid law says you have to stay forever. If you don’t like it, you can come back."
"I don’t think mother would ever allow me to leave. It would break her heart." Treena leans over the rail, Brandon follows.
"So, you’re saying you would consider it...if your mother gave you her permission?"
"I don’t know what I’m saying Brandon. I have never felt this before. It’s like, like..."
"Love Treena, we call it love. It makes your heart feel joyful, like, uh, like getting a puppy dog, no, no, it’s like you getting a baby dolphin for the first time. It’s joy Treena, pure joy."
"I have seen it on the faces of women who have had a child."
"Exactly. It’s that type of joy only it’s for another person."
Treena cups Brandon's face in her hands. "Then it is love I feel for you Brandon." they kiss, then hug.
Brandon whispers into her ear. "And I for you Treena."
Arianna lays on her cot, restless, tired, but, with her wandering mind, unable to sleep. She stands, strolls to her hut opening guided by a lit candle, stares out at the lagoon and waterfall. She folds her arms, sighs, goes back to her cot, sits on the edge. She looks around the room, stands, paces back and forth. She belts out a frustrated moan. "No, I do not want to dream, I do not want to see ahead of my time. So stop!"
She paces more, mumbles to herself. If one were to see her, they might think she has mental issues. She finally sits back down, opens a nightstand drawer, pulls out a bunch of colored berries. She stares at them, finally pops one into her mouth. "If I must, I must, but let the Gods show mercy upon me."
She lays on the cot, covers herself, closes her eyes. A few minute's pass, her eyes pop open, they roam around the room. After a bit, her eyes flutter and close tight.
BEGIN DREAM
Arianna and Treena stand outside a small wooden house. They inspect the house, unsure if it's the right one.
Treena says, "I can't tell if that's her house. They all look alike."
"I was given this address by one of us who visited her." Arianna responds. "This has to be the one."
Treena points. "Look, in the corner of the window, a sign."
Arianna smiles. "It's small, she doesn't want anyone to see it."
They creep close to the sign. Arianna reads it. "Lorelei's Treasures. Let's see what treasures lie in here."
Slow, Arianna turns the doorknob, slides the door open. "Hellooo. Is anybody here?"
"I'm right here my dear. Please come in."
Arianna glances at Treena, they step inside, close the door.
Annabelle sits behind a desk. She looks to be in her fifties, partial grey hair pulled into a bun. She wears a long, hippy type gown, sandals and beautiful pearls.
The room is filled with green plants of all varieties. A wood-carved picture of a mermaid hangs on the wall. A large aquarium is filled with a variety of small tropical fish and seahorses.
Treena moves next to it, stares. "I love seahorses."
Several small seahorses move to the glass Treena looks through. They all stare at her. She puts her fingers onto the glass. The seahorses swim to her fingers.
Annabelle smiles. "Apparently, they quite like you too." She pauses, stares at Treena. "I see you are with child."
Arianna answers. "Yes, she is. I've heard you can help us...help us decide what to do."
Annabelle asks, "You are of my kind, are you not?"
"Yes...we are." acknowledges Arianna.
Annabelle probes Treena. "And you my dear, you carry a baby boy...do you not?"
Treena looks confused. "How is it you know this?"
Annabelle smiles. "Our circle is very small. Nothing happens in our little community that does not eventually make its way to me." she pauses. "So Thanos has been in contact with you."
Treena, annoyed, replies, "Yes. He already tried to kill my husband."
"And you saved him." Annabelle responds. "You know...he will not give up. Please...sit."
Annabelle sits behind the desk, Treena and Arianna sit in two chairs in front of the desk.
Annabelle continues. "So, you are the vessel of Kreios, the predicted savior of all the mermen and mermaid species."
"This was not of my choosing."
"It matters not, the Gods have chosen you. There was nothing you could do to stop it."
"If only I had known, I would have never come to this place."
Arianna folds her arms. "Since you seem to know everything, let's get to the reality of all this. What will happen when the child comes of age to fulfill his destiny?"
Annabelle leans forward. "Thanos will take the child a while after he is born. He will teach him the ways of this world then, he will train him in the ways of our world. He will instruct him how to control the creatures of the sea, from the lowly crab to the great giant whales. Once he has done that, he will advise him how to control the animals of this world, from a pet dog to the most ferocious lions." Annabelle continues.
"Once he has learned how to control the world's creatures, he will lead an attack upon all humans of this earth. He will be sixteen years old when he begins this journey. He will have thousands of mermen to help lead the animals. The humans of this world, those that will survive, will be pushed into small quadrants, much like what our species live in now. You see, the humans will live the way we do now and we will live like the humans. Our species will again control the world."
Treena wonders out loud. "Does this make him a savior or an evil Tyrant?"
"Yes." answers Annabelle.
Arianna glances at Treena. "And what about us, the mermaids of the world?"
"We will become servants, kept alive to serve the mermen and continue their bloodline."
Arianna muses, "I guess that answers your question Treena."
Treena, now obviously anguished, asks, "And what if my son never reaches the age of sixteen?"
Annabelle, moved, says, "I am sorry to tell you, but, there is only one way that he can be stopped. He must be killed by his mother or father. This is why Thanos tried to kill your husband." she pauses. "This is why he will try to silence you."
Treena, visibly upset, asks, "I must kill my own son?"
"I am sorry Treena...but this is the only way to stop him. He cannot die by any other hand except his blood parents."
"I will never kill my own son." Treena stands. "Well, this has been such a nice visit. Let's go mother."
"I'm sorry, I know that's not what you wanted to hear. But there are rules and you need to know..."
Arianna interrupts. "Save it." Both hurry out the door.
Arianna jolts awake, sits up, looks about the
room. She sighs, plops back down on her cot.
Back on Erato Island, Sean sits, locked in a cage, a depressed, dejected look on his face.
He hears a noise. Steven crouches behind the cage.
"Mate, don’t turn around." Sean nods. "There are three of us, we’re escaping tomorrow. We have a boat and spear guns. We’re going to be following Nemeritias but we’ll be far enough behind she won’t know we’re there. If the mermaids don’t get you, look for our boat."
Sean continues to gaze down. He whispers. "She told me I’m going to be under a spell."
"Don’t worry mate, we’ll take care of that. If you get in trouble, remember, we’ll be there. I’m off for dinner. Later mate!"
In a central area near their huts, Seth, Steven, Joshua and Trey finish their dinner.
Trey says, "You know this whole thing, getting Chiron back, happens tomorrow?"
"I figured it was soon." responds Seth.
Trey continues, "They’re taking Sean to trade for Chiron, but Nemeritias has no intention of letting him go. He will still end up dead."
Steven turns to Trey. "You know Trey, I feel bad for Sean, but we have our own worries, like staying alive. Right mate?"
"I like that thought." agrees Trey.
Seth adds, "I can tell you this Trey, when all this goes down, we’ll be in our huts, safe from all the blowout. Right boys?"
"You got that right mahn!" adds Joshua.
"Absolutely." says Steven.
"Alright guys, sack time for me, see you tomorrow." Trey leaves.
Seth says, "I don’t for one second, trust that SOB."
"No, he has too much freedom around here. He's lip locked to her ass." declares Steven.
Joshua, optimistic, adds. "So tomorrow it is boys. This the chance I be waiting for. Think about it, tomorrow, at this time, we be sitting with the mermaids, on our way to freedom."
"Or inside a shark's belly." warns Seth.
Joshua responds, "Don’t think like that mahn, we have a boat, we have weapons, we be good."
"I wish I felt as positive as you." utters Seth.
"I be here too long to worry about this mahn. My mind be ready, I can’t take it here anymore." Joshua pauses. "I jus’ as soon be dead."
Joshua stares down, seemingly deep in thought. Very slow, he raises his head back up. He stares at no one as he speaks. "I keep that word, freedom, out of my head these past ten years, I never let it in. Once that tiny little word creep into you head, it jus’ get bigger and bigger. It start out the size of a pebble, then it become the size of a boulder until you no longer able to carry it around. Then, when you think you got a chance, it no longer matter, you be ready to die." he pauses. "I be ready now mahn."
CHAPTER TWENTY