by Elon Vidal
Dawn sighed. They just defeated a mythical creature, cured Elijah, and were warned not to fail their mission or else the world was doomed. Couldn’t she have a break for once? Although when she thought about it a bit more, she knew they were right. Hades would have wanted her to sidetrack.
“Well, we still haven’t found the mermaid.”
“I know where you can find yer mermaid,” a croaky little voice said from behind them.
Dawn shrieked, jumping in place, nearly spilling her yogurt.
It was Rudy, who they had seen when they were first looking for the pearl.
Dawn put her hand on her chest, catching her breath. The boys laughed. Usually it was Damon who was the scaredy cat. What had gotten into her? Whatever, those were questions for bedtime, the perfect time to dissect all of life’s questions.
“Where?” Dawn asked. “Where can we find the mermaid?”
Rudy rubbed his hands together. A malevolent smile grew on his face. “I’ll tell ye, but first, I require a favor.”
Elijah put his hand on his forehead. Dawn’s stomach dropped. She was incredibly unenthusiastic about sidetracking again, especially if it was helping a scruffy old man with an unspecified favor. But before she completely threw away the offer, she felt she should at least hear him out first.
“Alright, what do you want?” Dawn asked.
“Would you spot me a double scoop of strawberry, with chocolate syrup?”
“Are— are you serious? Is that all?”
“Aye, a sea fella sure has a sweet tooth, but the missus forbids his desires.”
“So if we get you some ice cream without your wife seeing, you’ll tell us where the mermaid is?” Elijah asked.
“Aye,” Rudy croaked.
The gang looked at each other, eyebrows raised as they evaluated the pros and cons of buying an ‘ol sea dog like Rudy a couple of scoops of ice cream.
NINE
Rudy gripped his ice cream cone, the chocolate syrup practically dripping down his fingers and staining the map as he oriented himself. He squinted his eyes and turned ninety degrees. Dawn, compelled to follow his process so she could learn more about map reading, mimicked all his movements.
“There be yer sign, mateys,” Rudy said as he pointed to a statue in the middle of the plaza. It was a sailor, pointing to the west from what Dawn could tell looking at her compass. She positioned herself exactly under the statue, finding how many degrees West it was to their location.
“Where does it take us?” Elijah asked.
Dawn squinted. She wanted to know the answer, or at least find it, but her mind went blank as she watched the arrow bob between the little tick marks at the compass’s edge. “Um—”
Rudy placed the compass and the map on the ground before Dawn could speak, making her simultaneously thankful and insulted. She was glad someone could take over the math section of the journey, but gods, were pirates pushy! The least he could say was excuse me… He crouched down, taking a lick of his cold dessert. He placed the compass on top of where Chios was on the map, winking at Dawn as he did. Weirdo, Dawn thought. But when he stuck his grubby finger on the weathered paper, he dragged it in the direction where the statue pointed, three hundred fifteen degrees northwest.
“It be here, but where, Rudy cannot be sure.” He scratched his head and took a couple of steps back to get a better look of the statue. His eyes widened. “Well I’ll be!”
“What? What is it?” Dawn shouted.
Rudy pointed to the necklace tied around the statue’s neck. “That there be the siren’s stone!”
Damon put his hands on his hips. “Well, how are we supposed to know that? For all we could know, that could be any stone!”
“Aye, my boy, but if ye climb up him and give the stone a rub, a different color comes up above.”
Elijah frowned. “More exercise, huh? Well, if you guys insist!” Just as Elijah ran up to the statue to climb, Rudy stopped him in his place.
“Nay, laddy, the savior is the one who must climb. For if her touch meets the stone it will show her the way.”
“Me?” Dawn asked. She still wasn’t used to being called savior, especially not so many times in the same day. Dawn watched as Elijah stepped back, his chin tucked as he stood next to Damon. Another wave of guilt crashed over her. She didn’t want to make Elijah feel useless, much less take all the glory for herself, but she knew if she kept attending to Elijah’s hurt feelings, they’d never get anything done. He was just going to have to learn this time.
“Well, here goes nothing.” Dawn hopped up on the statue, fitting her feet in the nooks and crannies of the stone drapery. “Hey, this is kind of like rock climbing!”
“What is this rock climbin’ the girl’s parlayin’?”
“It’s some dumb human sport,” Elijah grumbled.
“I heard that!” Dawn shouted from the statue’s torso. Finally reaching his broad shoulders, Dawn pulled herself up and caught her breath. She looked down, spotted the multi-faceted stone carved onto the statue’s chest, and rubbed her fingers against the cold, smooth surface. Nothing. She grazed her fingers around the statue’s chest. Hey wait a second— Dawn thought, as soon as she felt a sphere shaped hole behind the statue’s necklace. She dug in her pocket and placed the pearl in the hole.
As soon as she sat up, purple lightning struck around the statue’s head, animating his stoney demeanor. He turned his head, shocking Dawn and almost making her fall off his shoulder. “You must be the daughter of light.” She blinked. it was as if his smooth, deep voice came from her head instead of his giant stone mouth. The giant stone mouth would have been much more normal. Dawn looked around. Rudy, Damon, and Elijah stood below, waiting, as if nothing had ever happened. “They cannot hear us, my savior. ‘Tis but you and I.”
“Who are you? And why do you have the siren stone?”
The statue smiled. “Nay, I do not have the stone. It resides with my lover, in Black Mere Pool, where she stalks the seas waiting for my return. What I have here is merely a drop in the ocean to what the real stone is.”
“Is that where I have to go? Black Mere Pool?”
“Alas, now there are many who impersonate my beloved. Many of them sirens who wish to eat your flesh. You must call onto her.”
“Wait, I thought sirens were mermaids.”
“Nay, the mermaids are a much more docile folk. The sirens, however, are ravenous creatures you must stay away from.”
“Okay, sirens bad, mermaids good, got it. Could you tell me where to go now?”
The statue man smiled. “Oh, your lightliness, the answer lies within you. Although… I suppose at the moment, the answer lies within me as we speak.”
Dawn thought for a moment. “The pearl?”
“Aye. I can tell you my recollections of my long lost mermaid, but in the end, ‘tis the pearl that will guide you. Whisper the name of where you want to go and it will take you there.”
Dawn nodded. “Okay...seems easy enough.” Dawn scratched her chin. “But what if I don’t know the name of where I want to go?”
“You may use your light, daughter of Eos.”
“But how?”
The statue smiled before he looked up at the stars above. “Let it flow, from you, child. Let it flow.” The next moment, his stoney face was fixed once again, looking out in the same direction as before.
“Dawn?” Damon shouted. Dawn shook her head, suddenly taken with vertigo when she looked down. In the palm of her hand, she felt the cool sphere of the pearl pressed in her grip. “Do you need help getting down?”
“Yeah, can you guys help me?”
Damon and Elijah marched forward. They took her hand as she inched her way back down. “Land, sweet, solid land!” Dawn said as soon as she reached the bottom. Damon patted her on the back. “You guys didn’t see any of that just now?”
“What are you talking about? You just sat up there for ten seconds and freaked out,” Elijah grumbled.
“No, I had this w
hole conversation with the statue! There were lights...he had a British accent!” Dawn looked around. “Hey, where’s that Rudy guy? I want to thank him.”
“Over here, lass!” Rudy said, emerging from under a table. “My work here be done,” Rudy announced, eating the remainder of his cone. Thank you for keepin’ an eye out. The missus surely be lookin’ but she won’t catch ‘ol Rudy! But I warn ye, beware the laddy with the crimson eyes. He be lookin’ fer ya.”
Dawn shivered. It seemed as if Hades were just playing a game with her, like every move she made he was always three steps ahead. But she knew she had to keep going. There was no other choice. Hey, wait a second— how does he know about Hades anyway? Dawn thought.
“How do you know about Hades?”
Rudy smiled. “We pirates call him Davy Jones. Ya know, with the locker at the bottom of the sea fer drowned sailors to lie for all eternity, in a watery, watery grave.”
“Oh,” Dawn whispered, feeling smaller and smaller by the second.
How was she supposed to defeat this omnipresent god that tormented worlds she didn’t even know about until now? What tools did she have? She could barely read a compass much less beat him to some other worldly dimension. What if she was just playing a game of cat and mouse and it was only a matter of time before she was trapped in the underworld like Fisher?
“But do not fear, lass, a friend awaits ya in the West. He dons a shaggy red beard and a belly rounder than me own,” Rudy said as he gave Dawn a pat on the shoulder. “He goes by Jimmy. Handsome Jimmy if ya wanna get on his good side. Ya can find him walkin’ the piers near the circus when ya dock.”
“What circus? What do I say to him?”
“He knows yer comin.’”
“Aye, I mean… okay.”
Rudy nodded. “Go on then, girl, try on yer sea legs! And thanks for the cone!”
The trio gathered together as Rudy haggled away. “Why is his friend expecting you? Do you have pirate pen pals?” Damon asked.
“No! I don’t know why, but I… I think I can see the place Rudy mentioned.”
“What do you mean ‘see?’” Elijah asked.
“I don’t know, it’s like... it’s there, in my head. It’s night there too, and there’s a dock. I see a diner with big windows and yellow light coming from them. There’s a mist around it all. It’s like it’s...glowing.” Dawn opened her palm, revealing the pearl. She closed her eyes and imagined the diner’s bright windows glowing in the darkness. A chill went up her spine, almost as if she felt a breeze from somewhere else.
“Dawn? What’s happening?” Damon asked. Heat burned in the center of her palm, spilling to her fingertips and up her arm, until it reached her entire body. Even with her eyes closed, all Dawn could see was a warm, glowing light. It was all white, almost blinding. She hadn’t opened her eyes yet, when she heard:
“Where are we?”
“Oh boy!” Elijah shouted. “I want to drink out of a boot!” Damon rolled his eyes. “What? Don’t act like you wouldn’t.”
When Dawn opened her eyes, she found herself standing in the very diner she had imagined just seconds ago. My gods, she thought. It worked? I used my magic? A charming waitress with a gap tooth as wide as Dawn’s pinkie finger greeted them
“Table for three?” she asked with a broad smile. She had a musical accent, not quite like a British person, but somewhere around there. Where are we?
The trio looked at each other. “Um, yes, a table for three, please,” Dawn spat out. The waitress nodded. She grabbed three slick, laminated menus and led them to a table next to a group of men drinking pints of beer. They sat down, checking out the scene, from its dim lights to its smoky atmosphere. This was a place for sailors, alright. Dawn could feel it.
“What accent is that?” Dawn asked as soon as the waitress left.
“I think it’s Irish,” Damon replied. “Did you transport us here? What just happened?”
“I… I think so! The statue said I had to use my magic so the pearl could take us there, and I can't believe it, but it worked!”
“Do you think I can drink out of a boot here?” Elijah asked, idly looking around the diner. Dawn knew he was still upset about being upstaged, but she was also kind of glad to have a different conversation topic. It had been a long day, and she was tired of being in the limelight for so long.
“That’s a German custom, not Irish, you nitwit,” Damon grumbled.
“I’m no nitwit! You’re the nitwit!”
Dawn snickered, and as much as she wanted to egg him on to actually drink out of a boot, better yet, her boot, she was more interested in the conversation behind her. She leaned her head back, getting closer to the sound.
“Can’t believe it, lads, another terrible catch,” one of the men grumbled.
“Aye, it be the curse of the siren stone,” another replied.
Dawn raised an eyebrow. That last comment sounded awfully…. piratey. She turned around, looking for a bushy red beer and the belly to match. He’s not exactly handsome, Dawn thought.
“Dawn! Don’t stare, it’s rude,” Damon said.
“You didn’t hear them? I think one might be Jimmie.”
“Handsome Jimmie, remember? We have to get on his good side.”
“Try calling his name, that might work,” Elijah said.
“No, that would be emba—”
“Handsome Jimmie!” Elijah shouted, then ducked to the table to avoid the stares. Dawn cupped her hands around her face. She peered over at the table, just to check and see if Handsome Jimmie was there now that Elijah had put it out in the open. Lo and behold, a red headed old man with a bushy beard looked around the room.
Dawn rose from her chair and approached him. He frowned as she sat next to him. I guess I wouldn’t be too happy either if some kids were shouting my name when all I wanted to do was complain about the catch of the day… you know, if I were a sailor.
“Excuse my friend, sir. But I couldn’t help overhear your conversation. See, your friend Rudy told us about you. He said you’d know where to find the mermaid. Not the siren, I’m too young to die. The mermaid.”
“Aye, the mermaid.” Jimmie rubbed his beard. “Pull up yer chairs there, laddies, fer my tale be as long as hers.” The trio followed suit, settling down around the table of sailors. Dawn was still giggling at Jimmie’s play on words. “That’s enough, girl, Jimmie’s a funny mate alright, but it’s time to listen to my...tale.” Dawn giggled some more. “Enough!” Jimmie yelled.
Dawn folded her arms. “Alright, fine. Jeez.”
“Years ago, there was a sailor goin’ ‘round the coast of England. He spotted a beautiful woman perched up on the rocks, with sprites combin’ her long, golden hair. He stopped the ship and captured her, claimin’ he had fallen in love at first sight.”
“And what did she have to say about that?” Dawn asked.
“Look, it’s an old story, it’s goin’ to be dodgy every once in a while, I’m sorry.” Jimmie paused for a moment, mumbling the story so far until he remembered the next part. “Aha, then, he brought her to Black Mere Pool. He visited her every day, but one day, he brought her a special, precious stone. A special kind of garnet, which if ya don’t know, is—
“A binding stone.” Damon finished. “So their love could last forever.”
“Aye, the mermaid and the sailor fell in love. But one day, the sailor perished. The mermaid mourned her lover, grievin’ all day. It affected the weather in all the isles. Then, when she found out her lover had been murdered, her grief turned into wrath. The wizards put a spell on her so that she may rest, but when the moon is full, she awakens and remembers her lover’s death. In a fit of rage, she menaces the seas. The fish die, the waves rock sailors’ boats. She even kills ‘em if she gets the chance. All to get her lover back.”
Elijah peeked out the window. “It’s a full moon tonight!”
“Aye, it be a full moon indeed. Many have tried to find the siren’s stone, but with no avail. She be a
heartbroken lass, indeed. And heartbreak ravages the soul. It makes us do terrible, terrible things.”
Just as Jimmie said that, Dawn thought of Fisher. Her heart sunk to the bottom of her chest thinking of his dream again. All he wanted was his family, and because he was so heartbroken he did everything he could to get it. A chill went up her spine, giving her goosebumps.
“Ya look cold, lass.” Jimmie gave Dawn a hard pat on the back, whacking her back into reality. “Somebody order the young lady the special, she needs some meat on her bones!”
“I’m kind of hungry too,” Elijah said. He flagged down a waiter. Dawn sighed. Maybe seeing food in front of her would make her hungry again, but at that moment, with all the talk about heartbreak, rage, and vengeance, Dawn had lost her appetite. Yet in the storm of emotions the story provoked, Dawn realized she didn’t have an answer to the one question she asked.
“Wait, so where is the mermaid now? You said she was in England, not Ireland.”
“Aye, but the mermaid has powers beyond our own, lass. She shapeshifts and transports in worlds and forms we cannot comprehend. They say with a special pearl you can call her, but only when she feels safe.”
Huh, Dawn thought. Maybe I can imagine the mermaid from my dreams and the pearl could take me directly to her… Although we’re always underwater in the dream. I guess I should think that one through before I try it out.
The waiter plopped a plate of food down in front of Dawn. She couldn’t believe her eyes. “Pancakes!” she blurted out.
“Well, we call it boxty. Part potato, part pancake. All delicious.”
The salty aroma glided through Dawn’s nostrils, awakening the beast inside her grumbling belly. She grabbed a fork and knife and dug in. She couldn’t get over the fantastic texture— crunchy on the outside, yet soft and fluffy on the inside. Before she knew it, she had scarfed it all down.
Elijah and Damon stared at Dawn, still with most of the food on their plates. She spotted the waiter. “Excuse me, could I have another stack of um—”
“Boxty,” Jimmie said.