Please note* The first half of this chapter is a prequel of the events that took place in the book.
* * *
Blue
I often swam to the shore late at nights when I knew no humans were going to be there. I liked to sit by the rocks and stare at the stars in the sky. Sometimes, I liked to roll in the sand and collect sea-shells to make necklaces and today was no different.
When the lights in the beach houses went out, I swam to the shore towards my favorite spot on the rocks. I made sure no human was there just like my brother Apollo told me to and sat down on the nearest rock. Apollo was my most favorite out of all my other siblings because he understood me on a different level. While I sneaked on the beach some nights, Apollo would cover for me and tell everyone that I was meeting my friend Oceana. If it weren’t for him, my family would never allow me this alone time on the beach under the stars.
The sea was calm tonight, and the moon hanging just above the water. It was perfect. I stared at the moon mesmerized by its beauty.
I brought my long blue hair to my left shoulder and squeezed the access water from it.
“Who the hell are you?”
I froze in place.
The number one rule for mer-people was to never be seen by humans.
I slowly turned out and found myself staring at a tiny creature.
What kind of creature was he?
And why was he so tiny? No! That had to be a child of a human. And he didn’t speak Greek. It sounded like English; he must not be from around here.
I looked down and made sure the scales were covering me and my tail was immersed underwater.
Maybe my night vision wasn’t very clear and I was seeing things. Maybe I was imagining the boy.
“Hey, I’m talking to you.” He said again, pointing some kind of weapon at me. A red-colored weapon that was tiny like him, and he also had a box full of those weapons. Maybe I could die if he threw one of those at me, Apollo said humans were cruel and could kill merfolk if they discovered them with spears and other weapons like that.
“Don’t kill me!” I said jumping back into the water.
The human boy hopped off from the high rocks, stepping on the lower ones, he walked towards me holding the weapon in his hand. It didn’t look…sharp from where I was below…
His pudgy little hand was raised towards me as he leaned into the water. “It’s a Crayola. See?”
I looked up at the boy who was adorable with golden-brown hair and large silver eyes that kind of glinted like pearls in the moonlight.
“W-what’s a Crayola?” I asked.
He blinked, “It’s a crayon, dummy.” He answered waving a flat white board at me. He pointed at it. “I was drawing.”
His palm was still open; the weapons or as he called them crayons were in different colors. Red, Yellow, Green…
Humans sure had interesting stuff on the land.
The boy was putting it back into the box when his little handles fumbled and the box emptied into the water.
He stared at the last one that plopped in. At first, I heard soft sniffling until he began crying, wailing loudly. Fat tears rolled down his rosy cheeks and I was pretty sure he was producing a heavy amount of snot. The child wanted his crayon weapons back.
The water wasn’t so deep so I went underwater and collected all the crayon weapons and handed them back to him.
He stopped crying and stared at me in awe with those big doe eyes, “Thank you.”
“Who’s there?”
I gasped.
I heard someone call out; lights flashing close by so I dipped back underwater. I could get caught.
“What are you doing here, kid?” The man asked, “Who were you talking to just now?”
If the boy told them I was around, the guards would come after me.
And they would probably kill me.
Or the tiny human could sell me for human money.
“No one, I talk to myself sometimes.” He declared.
“Where are your parents?”
“They are sleeping inside.” He was pointing at one of the villas at the distance.
“I’ll take you back, it’s not safe here and your mom might get worried.
“Elaine is not my mom!”
The guard laughed, “Whatever buddy.”
* * *
the boy and thank him for not telling the life-guard about me. He seemed adorable and it was my only chance to talk to a human. The thought of making a new friend who didn’t belong to my world was exciting, but when I came to the surface, I was a heart-broken that he wasn’t there
“Hey, you!”
I jumped back inside the
rock
“No.” I lied.
your tail. Dad says lying
keep my
I get
do you want?” I laughed, looking up
this the part where I tell you my wish and you grant it and then I
harder, “I’m
probably eat me.”
think you would taste nice, to be honest, and I don’t
you eat
I’ll give you a gift soon, I promise. Now tell
“Hunter.” He told me.
hunt fishes?”
like I was crazy. “Of course, I don’t. And Dad told
Hunter. I’m your
a strange name. How old
eighty-five. What
while to recover.
I was offended because he said I could be
dad might get worried. Can we meet
was leaving; it was fun talking to
grin, “Great!
Ariel? I had a feeling the
* * *
his book together with the crayon weapons and I
drew
scribbles of blue on top of it. The blob also had
urchin?” I
fell.
didn’t think I looked like that…but, okay,
I asked him on the fourth day of our
sandcastle. “I came
“What’s a vacation?”
there with us, and you can sleep in my room too. We’ll be able to play every day; I have lots of toys at my house and a swimming pool.
could feel he was sincere. “I really appreciate the offer, Hunter, but the ocean
and his eyes filled
friend, but I can’t come
direction towards the villa he was staying in. He tripped over something and fell face-first into the sand, picked himself
* * *
back to his country for the next few days and I assumed he’d forgotten about it. He spoke about his friends and school and how
you have a
have a fiancé, his name is Adrian but I don’t think I’ll marry
“Well, I’m glad.”
I giggled, “Why?”
cute dimples, “Because then I can marry you when I grow
I couldn’t imagine it, the chubby little boy that looked like a doll and wore swim trunks that had brown bears on it wanted to marry
You’ll have to come back to the island though,
travel alone. I’m sure I
back, “How many years do I have to wait for you
maybe. I’m five and
smiling. “Oh,
he didn’t seem happy to receive it. “It’s just
it.” I urged
surprised when he found the pearl inside. “Wow. That’s so cool. Thanks,
for that just so I could give it to
as he continued to stare at
leaving tomorrow.” He said
going to miss spending time with you. You’re my first human
first
* * *
Hunter was leaving.
turned to her husband and asked him, “Where did he go? We have to
Hunter was missing.
my throat. Where
I came back to his favorite spot near the rocks, I heard soft voices
he sat there alone with his
into the cramped space, there was still water sloshing from the waves
“Hunter.”
at me with his tear-stained face. “I don’t
be like
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!