“I love you, too,” I said, wrapping my fingers around the chalice. “So please don’t take this the wrong way, but for the good of my team…I have to hate you right now.”
“But you don’t really hate me, right?” Aw, hell. Why did he have to do the sexy smirk?
“No,” I said, feeling my insides softening. Softening insides meant weakening and fritz-y Savior powers. Not good. Must get mad. “Think about the picture of them together…think about the picture of them together.”
“That was all part of me trying to plan—”
“Shh. Say something that will piss me off. Now. It’s a Savior-power-controlling thing,” I said.
“One thing the cameras didn’t catch—the thing I’ve been dreading telling you—Mary Ella kissed me…with tongue…a lot of tongue,” he said.
My lips pursed so tightly, I was sure they would crack and crumble right off of my face. “Well. Tongues? Tongues. That’s…super…and that did it!”
Dear God, I didn’t know my body could move at such speeds. Everything around me was a blur of bubbles. Though my eyes saw the stadium stands submerged beneath the sea, my inner vision honed in on a kiss that was not my own. And then there was my heart…my heart saw the blood of one petite, merry, caroling mermaid. The urge to destroy her frightened and excited me to no end. Luckily (or unluckily), my dangerous thoughts were quickly pierced by sudden sand blasts. While weaving through the random sand bombs, I saw the sunken judge’s table. I was almost done. In that moment of relief, a hard bullet of sand and stone struck my arm and grazed my face and neck. Though blood seeped from my wounds, I continued through the blasts, eventually ending up inside a circle of undines, aiming their glowing globes and old, barnacle-covered tridents at my head.
“Not in the mood,” I said.
Before I could send a sonic wave big enough to vanquish them to a universe far, far away, their eyes glazed over and their mouths dropped.
All at once, they sang in eerie, childlike voices. “Over, over, over she falls.”
As soon as they finished, they shook their tentacle-manes, bared their fangs, and growled, attempting to frighten me. Strangely, flesh-ripping teeth, hissing growls, exploding water globes, and tridents at the ready did nothing to ignite my fear; the song, however, slipped through my ears, down my throat, and into my soul like a viper’s venom. With a simple flick of my head, I sent them twirling into the distance. Shoving their anti-lullaby out of my conscious mind, I soared ahead, past the stands, and blasted out of the water and onto the sand.
Forcing my body off the ground, I ran for my coach, who was screaming my name, calling me forward. Only when I crossed into a glowing white circle and into the arms of Jex did I know the first match was over for me.
“Great job, Marina! Great job!” said Jex, hugging me. “Let me see.” He examined my wounds. “Those cuts will heal by tomorrow, Savior.”
“It’s okay, Marina. I think we’ll all have cuts and bruises. Katrina and Airi have a few. Cut my forehead on one of the undine’s tridents. I sorta bumped into it. Stupid me.”
“Gully!” I exclaimed. “You’re here first?”
Swaying back and forth, she said, “Oh, yes. The object hunting took me all of about three minutes. I had to find a ring. I’d like to keep it, but I guess it’s against the rules.”
Laughing, I felt a hand on my shoulder and instinctively punched whoever it was in the gut. “Ooh! Mr. Smar—Anderson!”
He peeled himself off the ground in front of quite a few sniggering fans as the stands crawled back onto dry land and into their original places. “Your object, if you please,” he wheezed.
I handed him the chalice, which he promptly delivered to the judges.
“Who’s back from the merps?” I asked.
“Katrina was first back. Airianna returned just before you,” said Jex.
Just then, I heard the crowd lose all composure—Troy had just emerged from the sea, carrying the old sword. Soon after Troy, Meikle, her bag dangling and dripping wet across her body, popped up with a broach.
“Meikle!” shouted Jex, his arms wide open.
“Oh, I wouldn’t, Jex,” I started, but Jex wrapped his arms around Meikle.
“Quit hugging me,” said Meikle darkly.
“Right,” he said, releasing her immediately. Leaning over to me, he muttered, “She’s not a hugger, is she?”
“Nope,” I said, watching Meikle heal a slash on her forearm with a single sweep of her bag.
He seemed almost disappointed and embarrassed. There was something undeniably endearing about Jex needing to hug his team members. His eyes were heavy with worry as he waited for each Normal to return, then twinkled with pure relief as one of us arrived, safe and sound. In this moment, I believe Jex was unwittingly giving us a rare glimpse into a part of him he kept buried beneath his sexy-angel-ooze—an ooze whose faucet had been turned off, for tonight anyway.
Muriel crawled out of the sea on all fours, hauling a silver shield behind her. Trey ran out of the water a mere second after Muriel, passing her to reach the white circle first; wearing a pair of turquoise glasses, Trey stopped to tough-guy pose for our team. Irving and Ophelia arrived together, smiling and laughing, both carrying golden amulets.
“It’s just Polly and Benji left,” said Jex. “Come on Polls. Come on.”
Team Normals and team Merpeople jumped at every splash, waiting, wondering, and hoping. As the edge of anxiety began crumbling beneath us, Benji soared out of the water swinging a bejeweled shell bra.
“We’re last,” said Jex.
“We’re last on the time part, but maybe our technique will elevate us past them,” I said hopefully.
Just then, Polly exploded from the sea, a pretty comb stuck in her pink hair. Crossing into the finish circle, she glared at Benji, pointing.
“Of course he’d get the tit-carrier for his hidden object. I was the one who had to take it off a rather body-conscious mermaid, you know, just to get my next clue. I then had to find this old thing while Benji scoots in and takes the bra,” she said, yanking the comb from her hair. “Of course, she had every reason to be insecure. Did you see the miniscule size of the shells? Least you all could have done was hide my second clue in a merman’s cup…but they don’t wear those, do they? That raises some serious questions about a merman’s manhood. I’m pretty sure I should have received extra time for having to convince a shy mermaid to take off the only thing covering her privates. The tiny titted bitch even scratched my cheek! Please take that into consideration, judges…you rotten pieces of sh—”
“POLLY! You’re back!” said Jex, awkwardly pulling her into a hug to shut her up.
“Of course I am. Are you just noticing this? Why are you hugging me? I feel confined. Stop.” She backed away from Jex, her cheeks a bit flushed.
Mr. Anderson collected all the trinkets, delivered them to the judges, and dutifully awaited their score cards. Once they were done, the judges handed Mr. Smarmy the scores, which he immediately began tabulating using his trusty pocket calculator.
“While we await the tabulations and verification,” said Kori, “shall we meet the team mascots?” The muttering crowd turned up the volume once more. “All right, then! For team Merpeople, please meet the ferocious, the terrifying, the mighty…Crustrex, the monster crab!”
“Jesus,” groaned Jex.
Save a few inches, Crustrex was as massive and horrifying as the beastly crab Katrina sent to kill me during the Fair Weather Fair. The creature scuttled out from the tunnels, circled his team, and tauntingly lunged at us.
“Let’s see how he does with our man-dog,” said Trey, to which Jex dropped his head and chuckled.
“Greet the feisty, spunky, powerhouse mascot for team Normals…Spritz, the Shih Tzu!”
“A SHIH TZU?!” said Polly incredulously.
From deep within our tunnel, a gold and white, toy-sized fluff ball came running. The crowd couldn’t possibly laugh any louder, although there was a heavy
‘Aww,’ to which I was grateful; even our opponents were snickering (apart from Airianna, who clearly wanted to cuddle with the puppy, and Troy, who hid his mouth). Spritz ran right up to me, stood on his hind legs, and pawed at me to pick him up.
“This is embarrassing,” muttered Trey.
Stooping down, I scratched the little guy’s head. I wanted to scoff. After all, we needed a big, bad, mean dog. But as he cocked his precious, fluffy head, blinked those big, brown, glistening eyes, and wagged that happy tail…yeah, I fell in love.
Katrina’s cackle practically shook the field. “Did wittle Mawina get herself a wee wittle doggy?”
“Shut up. And, dude, how old are we? Grow the hell up,” I shouted. “Brave things come in small packages.”
Wearing a mock-surprised face, Katrina said, “Really? Let’s test that theory, shall we? Crustrex…snack time.” The monster crustacean skittered for Spritz, kicking sand and snapping its claws.
“Come here, Spritz. Stay,” I said, trying to hold him, but he wriggled so madly that he slipped from my grasp. “Damn it.”
Snarling, growling, and barking, Spritz rushed up to the beast. He stuck his butt in the air, tail wagging, then jumped from one side to the other, thoroughly confusing the monster crab. As our little fighter weaved in and out and around the beast’s legs, the crowd’s cheers shifted, for the first time, to something related to team Normals. Spritz paused just beneath the monster’s underbelly and darted from right to left so fast, our eyes could barely focus. Clearly, Crustrex suffered from the same blurred vision because as it tried to catch Spritz on his last maneuver, the creature became so tangled, he crashed to the ground.
“I’ll be damned,” said Jex as the crowd, Troy, Airianna, Benji, and all of team Normals screamed and celebrated, with many chanting ‘Team Spritz.’
Spritz faced the downed crab, snorted at him, and trotted back to us. He jumped into my waiting arms, where we decorated him with lots of love.
“That is going to be one spoiled pup,” said Jex, patting the top of Spritz’s head in spite of himself.
“Think a star is born!” cried Kori, clapping for our spirited little squirt. “For the record…I’m team Spritz!” The crowd started chanting ‘Team Spritz’ once more as Katrina’s face twisted into a truly repulsive scowl. “Yep, I hear ya, guys! But little Spritz won’t be bringing in the scores tonight, and I understand the scores have been tabulated and confirmed by the wish jars! Mr. Anderson, if you’ll bring me the envelope, I’ll crack it open!”
“How do they get the jars to verify the accuracy of the scores?” I asked Jex.
“Anderson places his final calculations in an envelope and slips it under both jars. If the jars glow, his calculations and the rankings are accurate and fair; if they don’t, it’s back to the judges and calculator,” said Jex. “Nice way to keep the little moles honest.”
Mr. Smarmy handed Kori a mint green envelope. “All right, here we go!” She slipped her finger under the seal and removed the results. Her head reared back and her face registered slight shock. “The winner for match one, the water element, is…team MERPEOPLE!”
“Fu—” said Meikle, the audience’s raucous applause drowning out her continuous string of colorful metaphors.
I glanced over at Troy, but couldn’t find him anywhere. “Where’s Troy?” I mouthed to Airianna, catching her eye. Flipping her head around, she frowned, shook her head, and shrugged.
“Boyfriend up and leave?” asked Jex.
“Apparently,” I said. “Maybe it’s another bathroom break.” It wasn’t, though. My gut knew otherwise; exactly what its definition of ‘otherwise’ might be was an unknown I didn’t care to have answered.
“Okay, yes, congrats team Merpeople! However, you won by the skin of your fin. Team Normals…you are only THREE points out of first!” yelled Kori.
“Only THREE POINTS behind?! On the water element?” I shouted. “Yee haw!”
Aside from our team, Jex, Spritz, my overly-exuberant Mom, Maile, Mrs. Waterberry, Mr. Gibbs, Bobby, and a small, polite constituency of visiting creatures, a quiet concern fell over the stadium.
“And now I’ll hand the microphone to Madame Helena for a special announcement. See y’all back here in the winter for match two, the earth element! Later, guys!” Kori waved to her adoring fans and left the stage.
Wearing a somewhat sour smile, Madame Helena approached the microphone. I don’t think she expected our team to hang in as well as we did against the merps for the water element, their equivalent to home field advantage. “Well, what an exciting first match. Who would have expected it to be so close?”
“Not you, right?” said Meikle.
“Makes things exciting for match two, doesn’t it? Indeed it does,” said Madame Helena, struggling to sound enthused, her blatant bias and corresponding worry bleeding from every syllable. “Match two, the earth element, will be on New Year’s Day, at twilight. Until then, keep an eye open, an ear alert, and your instinct tuned in, for there are many unique events to come…and equally exceptional ways to announce them! For now, we welcome Halloween.” Madame Helena dropped to a deep curtsey, bowing to the royal suite.
Turning around, I saw Queen Zale holding her arms in the air, summoning complete silence and utmost attention. “Happy Halloween, my little loves,” said the queen in her buttery voice. “What an extraordinary way to welcome All Hallows’ Evening and its haunting delights. My compliments to both teams—team Merpeople, congratulations on your win; team Normals, you showed exceptional resilience.” Spritz growled and barked at the queen, piercing her requisite silence. Queen Zale smiled disingenuously. “Yes, pup, you deserve applause as well.” She slowly clapped three times, and I felt shivers up and down my spine. “What a cute little dog…would make a wonderful basis for a baby’s first stuffed toy, would it not, doll face?”
I held Spritz tightly to my chest. Apart from those present when I challenged the queen and king in July, no one knew the identity of ‘doll face.’ I intended to maintain firm eye contact with the queen, but my ears picked up on my mom’s scared voice that she always disguised as anger. Finding her in the stands, I saw her turn her eyes from an angry Mr. Gibbs, who threw up his hands and left.
“Since it is Halloween, I think everyone deserves a little treat, don’t you?” The audience cautiously muttered their agreement. “The king and I welcome everyone to the Zale mansion for the annual Halloween Party. This year’s theme is a black and red masquerade ball. Gowns, suits, and masks will be available to all at the dress shop downtown. It’s first come, first serve, so be there when the doors open, my sweet tarts.” Focusing her heartless glare upon me, she said, “Mask the uglier of your two faces, doll.”
When she sat back down, no one cared what her words meant; her voice and riddle-like statements intoxicated them all, uncorking their excitement over the royal family providing its subjects with glittering costumes for a usually exclusive party in the noble home. Any hint of an inquisitive mind was quashed by the need to feel important, a need to belong, and a desire to finally be noticed by the regal, the ones in power.
“Goodnight everyone! See you at the Halloween extravaganza!” said Madame Helena.
“She’s one to talk about two faces,” said Polly. “I’m not convinced there isn’t a third on her ass.”
“We could ask Anderson,” Meikle mused. “He spends enough time kissing it to know the answer.”
“You okay, Squiggle?” asked Trey. “She’s just trying to get under your skin, you know that.”
“Yeah. I know,” I said as Spritz licked my hand. “Old queen-y didn’t mean mask the uglier face…she meant mask the Savior.”
“Then I think you should do the exact opposite,” said Airianna, hugging me from behind. “Oooh, hey, cute little puppy boy!” Spritz wagged his tail as I handed him to Airianna. “Oh. I want him.”
“Take it,” said Jex. “Mascots are supposed to stay with the coaches, but I thankfully reside in the mid-clouds w
here animals, blessedly, aren’t permitted.”
“Then, where’s he going to stay?” I asked, scratching under his little chin.
“Next on the puppy pound list would be the captain,” he said.
“Sold,” I said.
“Ah, not quite,” said Jex. “You have to get mommy’s written consent. So, for tonight at least, Spritz will be in the care of the good doctor.”
“Oh, God. Can you see the doctor with a dog?” I asked.
“He’s already ‘mind-told’ me how excited he is to finally meet a dog,” said Jex. “I feel for ya, Spritz.”
“Um, Ophelia, Gully?” I said, knowing they were the most compassionate of the Normals. “I’m naming you two the primary caretakers of Spritz. Maile can be a primary, too.”
“And what about Meeks and me? Oh, and Trey, for that matter?” Polly crossed her arms as one of her eyeballs faded to black.
I pointed at her black eye. “Right there, that’s why. You demon out, Meeks isn’t necessarily an animal person, and Trey…Trey has other things on his mind,” I said, watching Trey get lost in a world named Airianna.
Doctor Tenly bounded towards us, rubbing his hands together with a big goofy grin hiding under his scraggly beard. “So, this is a dog! Looks like a little lion, doesn’t he?” The doctor studied Spritz’s belly, lifted his ears, and examined his tail as it softly drummed against Airianna’s arm. “Fascinating.” Doctor Tenly and Spritz studied one another, cocking their heads from side to side in complete unison. Finally breaking his focus from Spritz, Doctor Tenly said, “We ready to go home? Where’s Maile? Better if we find a hidden spot and fade away as a group.”
Airianna handed Spritz to an eager Gully and turned to me. “I guess we’re walking home?”
“Yeah, I guess so. Troy’s gone, and I can’t see my mom anywhere,” I said, trying to find her amongst the many exiting faces.
“She’s with Mr. Gibbs,” said Maile, slightly winded as she hurried up to us. “You guys rocked!”
OVERFALLS (The Merworld Water Wars, Book 2) Page 23