Droplets (DROPLETS Trilogy Book 1) (5 page)

     Refocused, the creature looked at me and once more I stepped backwards. My back hit the wall cutting off my escape, as though I’d had a chance to get away from him.

     The merman reached out his hand and grasped my chin softly. Every one of my nerves stood on edge, urging me to flee despite the fact that I couldn’t. I was trapped.

     It was strange to be touched again by him and I forced myself to not pull away. His skin had an odd feeling to it. It was neither hard nor soft, neither rough nor smooth. It felt human, yet there was something alien about it and it made goosebumps crawl over my flesh.

     I held perfectly still while his eyes roved over my face. He seemed to be mentally tabulating, checking for something. The crease in his brow suddenly cleared and he moved his hand back to rest at his side. Slowly, his gaze moved from my face and all the way down my body.

     I did not like the way he looked at me; it made me feel like an animal being inspected before purchase. I fidgeted only slightly as he moved his eyes back up to mine. A cold, terrible smile spread across his face. It made me think he liked what he saw and fear gripped my stomach.

     Once again his hand moved. This time it did not reach for my face, but instead toward the waistband of my soggy pants. Not knowing what would happen, my breath became ragged and my eyes widened.

     Slowly, the merman slid my jeans off my right hip. I held my breath. I wanted to slap his hand away, but knew I couldn’t.  He stopped moving the waistband; my jeans were now a few inches lower than they had been seconds before.

     Without a word, the merman took a small step back and bent his left arm away from me. Suddenly, five sharp knifelike objects, which were no more than four inches long, protruded from the back of his forearm.  They were all jagged and pointed upward toward his elbow. They glinted in the dim light of the kitchen, the pointed edges proclaiming the power and life-threatening skill this creature had.

     For a moment I had a quick vision of him using those blades to kill. I could see the way that he would lift his arm and use the blades to slice through flesh. The realization churned my stomach.

     I shook my head slightly, watching the merman as he held his right arm out directly in front of him. He took his left arm, the one with the protruding blades, and grazed it across his right forearm. I looked away not wanting to see what this strange creature was going to do to himself.

     When I looked back at the merman he held a small piece of flesh in his left palm. My stomach lurched; with deep, heavy breaths and an ever-pounding heart, I glanced back at the small piece in his palm. It did not look soft, but rather, hard and no larger than my thumb.

     I glimpsed the arm that he had cut and was surprised to see a small gash in the same shape of the piece in his hand. Blood slowly oozed over the wound, slipping easily over his arm, but he did not seem to notice. I would’ve thought that anything as otherworldly as him would not bleed, but it appeared I was wrong.

     The merman focused his eyes upon me again and my heart accelerated once more under his defiant stare. I could feel the blood rushing through my veins, the fear in my fingertips. 

     I had known this merman withheld strength when he stood before me earlier, but now that I had seen the sharp blades come out of the back of his forearms I was petrified with fright. I shrank as far into the wall as I could, trying to stay away from him.

     My worst fears were realized when the merman all of a sudden placed his weapon against my hip. I caught my breath and sucked in my belly, even though I knew it would not help.    

     “What are you doing?” Dad yelled and stepped toward the merman from behind.

     But it was too late. I had already felt the small slice across my flesh. It stung and, if I had been breathing, I would have lost my breath in that instant. I felt a tiny trickle of blood make its way down to the top of my pants. I glanced down quickly and saw a cut, no more than three inches in length, angled slightly across my hip.

     The merman bent over as if he were going to study the wound he had just made. Then, with lightning quick speed, he took the tiny, hard piece of flesh that had been in his hand and thrust it into the small cut. A minute cry escaped my lips as pain seized my hip, and then spread throughout my whole body with tight cramps.

     Derek threw himself on top of the merman, knocking him to the ground. Without a moment’s hesitation the merman pulled Derek from his back and threw him to the floor as easily as if he were wrestling a child. He then stood in front of me.

     “You cannot remove what I put within you,” he said, the look he gave me was so honest I had to believe him. “You will only cause yourself harm if you
dare
try and remove it.”

     I turned from his penetrating gaze and looked about the room. Dad, Sean, and Derek glared at the merman with such hatred that even I was scared. The merman did not notice, it seemed, since he turned toward me unafraid to leave his back open to attack.

     The burning in my hip increased. At first it started in a small spot, but then continued to grow. My breath caught as I placed my hand over the tiny cut, trying to keep it from stinging. A small hiss escaped my mouth.

     “Lissie?” Dad ran over to me. “What is it?” he asked me and then, “What did you do to her?!” he shouted.

     This was directed at the creature standing before us, who had a look of pleasure on his face. I tried to concentrate on what his response would be, but my ears were throbbing. My vision blurred and I could feel myself moving, but I didn’t know where. The last thing I saw was the blood on my fingers and the floor moving toward my face. Then darkness took me.

5. Home

       “I just don’t understand. What’s wrong with her?”

     The soft-spoken words penetrated my sluggish mind and prodded me awake. They sat, barely reachable, outside my grasp. I recognized the voice, but could not place it with a face that I knew I should know. A veil had been drawn over my inner eye, making a barrier between what I knew and the imaginative world in my mind. It was all too confusing.

     A deep sigh resounded in the room. “I don’t know.” This voice was more concerned; a deep love filtering through its resignation.

     I wonder what they are talking about.
The thought ran through my mind and since I could not seem to correctly command my body to move, I waited. I decided to listen to the conversation and see if I could figure out what they were speaking about.

     The deeper voice spoke, “What time is it?” I missed the response, but the man with the deep voice sighed heavily as though it was a bad omen.

     “33 hours,” he mumbled audible enough for me to hear. He must have been closer to me than the other voice.

     “Any sign of movement?” The younger voice spoke again, optimism saturating his tone. There was no response, and I wondered what was supposed to be moving.
An animal maybe?

     Another sigh exhaled in the room; the person closest to me seemed to be under a great amount of stress.

     “Don’t worry, Dad,” the younger voice said, trying to sound chipper. “She’ll wake up soon.” His words triggered a spark in my brain. It was like I was trying to swim through molasses, each thought clinging to another and not letting me move forward. With all the brain strength I could muster, I surged away from the blank expanse and toward the veil—I felt it would give me the answer I needed. 

     In that instant it was as though my brain reconnected with my body: I was whole once more. Satisfied, I opened my eyes while exhaling loudly in relief. A pale light angled across the ceiling from the small window on the wall, and dark shadows standing beside the walls created odd, boxy shapes. Feeling lost and alone, I turned my head to figure out what was really going on when a hand suddenly grasped mine. Gasping in surprise, I looked up.

     Blue eyes filled with fatherly love and concern washed over my face, taking in every inch. A small smile pulled at his lips as one of his large palms came to rest upon my cheek. Within an instant, it all flooded back into my mind. Everything: who I was, where I had been, and what had happened. The memories flashed dramatically in my head: the pounding rain, the glare of the merman, and slice of his blade across my hip. An imperceptible shiver rolled down my spine.

     “Honey, are you okay?” Lifting my eyes to his, I noted the care and worry in his gaze. He sat on a chair next to my bed. The room was familiar now that I had my memories and I recognized the surroundings of my bedroom on the
Lady Marie
. There was a slight rocking, a gentle swaying, that revealed the instability of a boat at sea.

     With a squeeze of my hand against his palm, I whispered, “I think so.” Relief healed the few wrinkles around his eyes.

     “Good to have you back,” the younger voice said and I knew it was Sean’s. Turning my head, I saw him leaning against the doorway with a smile. “You had us worried for a little while.”

     “Sorry,” I said again in a whisper, not sure why I was speaking so quietly. Glancing down at Dad’s large hand surrounding my own I bit my lip. I knew what I needed to ask, but couldn’t quite figure out how to ask it. My eyes flickered up.

     “Dad,” my throat croaked, “what happened?”

     Sean cleared his throat loudly, “Umm, I’ll go help Derek. He’ll be happy to know you’re awake.” Without another word he left the room, closing the door behind him.   

     Looking up at my father, I waited. I expected him to begin explaining, but he said nothing. He continued to gaze around the room, all the while avoiding eye contact. He knew what I wanted to know, but seemed to not want to tell me. But I had to know,
needed to know
.

     “Dad.” I squeezed his hand again, and he closed his eyes while sighing heavily. 

     “All I remember is what he put in me.” I struggled to speak, “and then darkness.”

     Finally, he turned his face to mine. “I will tell you, just give me some time.” He took a deep breath, “After you fell to the floor and were unconscious, I didn’t know what to do.” He rubbed his forehead with his hand and his voice broke off as if it wouldn’t work. I squeezed his arm, trying to tell him that he should continue.

     “The twins brought you in here while that monster spoke with me.” He spit the words in disgust, as though he hated having to say them. Then his tone became calmer, “I asked him what exactly he had done to you, and he told me he had placed a part of himself inside you.” I remembered the strange hard piece of flesh the creature had sliced off his forearm and put within my skin. Involuntarily, I moved my hand to my right hip.

     “He told me his flesh is very different from a human’s. He said it is made up of tiny little scales which are hard to penetrate. The piece of flesh that he put inside you is made up of these very same scales.” Giving a distressed sigh, he looked across the room at the wall. “Lissie, I’m sorry, I hardly understand any of this myself.”

     “It’s okay.” My voice was soft, “all I want is to know.”

    “Well, he said that piece,” he nodded towards my hip, “of flesh, or scales, would eventually change you into a mermaid.” He paused to gauge my reaction. Controlling my face, I made sure my expression did not reflect the fear flooding, pulsing through my veins. His words had been expected, I knew they would come, but somehow the happenings of last night felt like a dream. To hear them from my own father’s mouth was to declare their testimony and press upon me the reality of their existence.

     “I asked him what this meant and he said that little by little you would obtain the abilities of a mermaid.” Shock absorbed me and this time I was unable to keep my emotions from my face. Dad held up his hands in an attempt to explain his lack of knowledge. “He didn’t go into detail about what these abilities would be, so I’m as clueless as you are. But he did say you would be able to live at home without anyone noticing a difference. His only warning was to not get wet in front of anyone.”

     If it is possible to feel both relief and fear at the same time, then I was experiencing it. Relief for being able to go home, but fear in the knowledge that I was now different from those around me. It was too much for my mind to grasp.

     “When you blacked out, I asked him what was wrong with you. He said it was the change taking place and that you would regain consciousness within a day.” At this point he stopped speaking and placed his hand along my face. “You gave us quite a scare for a while.” He tried to smile, but the false happiness didn’t reach his eyes.

     “How are you guys alive?” My throat closed with emotion, but I tried to keep speaking. “I remember him saying something about how he was going to leave you to fend for yourselves.” My voice was shaky, but I tried to conceal it. I don’t think I fooled him.

     “Well, what I think it boils down to is that he was too quick to guess your age.” A sad look came into my sweet father’s eyes, and I yearned to comfort him even though I knew there was nothing I could do. “Because he couldn’t take you himself, he had to save us.”

     “He saved you?” I butted in with a fierce intensity. He nodded.

     “He said, ‘take care of her until I return.’” His hand closed tighter around mine. “He left the room to go out on deck, and I was debating following him, when the
Lady Marie
shook and groaned so loudly I thought for sure she was breaking apart.” His eyes were blank as if seeing the memories before him, “Then all of a sudden she was free on the ocean. When I reached the deck all the men had disappeared.” He shrugged his shoulders, signifying the end of his tale.

     Silence fell between us. I didn’t know what to say. What do you say to your own Dad after you have been told your destiny is to live with a terrifying merman? A merman who isn’t even supposed to exist? No social skills could ever prepare you for a situation like this.

     Instead of saying anything, I just looked at my father. He had always been there for me and I couldn’t imagine my life without him. He was the silent comforter I knew rested at home whenever I had had a rough day. I never dreamt there might come a day when I would be so far away from him.

     “Thank you,” I said, not really sure what I was thanking him for. He bobbed his head up and down, obviously feeling awkward. “Umm, I’ll just get cleaned up.” Again he bobbed his head, and while moving to stand up his large body filled what little space I could see.  Placing a gentle hand on my cheek, he leaned in to kiss my forehead and quietly left the room.

     The kiss left a cold mark on my skin as though it was part of my past and would not belong in my future. Pressure built behind my eyes while I pinched the bridge of my nose. Thinking of my future was too much at the moment, but it bombarded me relentlessly. My plans were gone, washed away before my eyes like debris after a hurricane. There was nothing I could do to stop the merman from coming back for me; I was at his mercy for the rest of my life. Claustrophobia pressed upon my chest and threw me into a panic. My heart raced, sporadically skipping beats. By breathing slowly and deeply, I was able to subdue its stutters.

     Then, with more strength than I had ever had I sat up. Determination filled my mind; I would not let this merman get the best of me.

_______________

     When sunrise broke across the sky the next morning, it brought with it the sight of Coveside. The town was tucked into the rocky shore, with houses and small businesses lining the beach. Waves broke gently on the sand, and crashed in tremendous white splashes over the boulder-filled cliffs.

     The sight was familiar and brought some stability to the reckless emotions I had been feeling for the past twenty-four hours. Trying to keep my thoughts in check, I avoided thinking about what had happened to me. It was difficult enough to act as though I was the same, but when my brothers and father acted as though at any moment I would sprout fins and flop around on the deck, the task seemed impossible.

     Hurrying through the motions silently, I helped the twins tie the
Lady Marie
to the dock and gather all of our belongings. They carried the large duffel bags to Dad’s truck and threw them in the bed, moments later clambering in themselves. I climbed into the cab and buckled quickly, making sure to look out the window and avoid their gazes. The pity in their eyes was not something I wanted to see.

     Dad finished on the boat and hopped into the driver seat trying to act as normal as possible. I appreciated his attempts; they were helpful, but only reminded me of what had happened. There was really no solution to the problem.

     We pulled out of the parking lot and onto the small road which lead to Main Street. Upon reaching the intersection; my eyes immediately flickered to the Darrow’s Catch, the sight sending warmth into my heart. Here was something familiar that could not change. The old truck idled past while I stared at the building until it was beyond my range of vision.

     Rumbling along the road slowly, the truck was at a casual speed in regards to the many pedestrians walking along the sidewalks window shopping. Some well-known family friends raised their hands in greeting. Others ignored us, their clothing displaying that they were tourists. I suspected I might see them in the restaurant later—Darrow’s Catch was the most popular restaurant in Coveside and attracted many tourists.

     Lost in my thoughts, the rest of the drive seemed to take mere seconds. It had always amused me that walking to the restaurant was quicker than driving to it, due to the short pathway that cut through the woods and down the hill our house rested on. When we drove we had to take roads that led us in a wide circle much farther out of the way. The restaurant was really only a quarter of a mile from our home.

     Pulling into the driveway, Dad tooted the loud horn without warning, making me jump. He mumbled an apology and unbuckled. I followed his example and jumped out of the cab, hitting the pavement with a jolt. The solid ground felt wonderful, much more stable than the way my life felt.

     The side door to the light blue house I called home opened, and my half-siblings came running toward us. Smiling, I opened my arms as Caitlin and Sara ran in my direction. At five and six years old they idolized me, whereas their eight year old brother Aaron prized Derek and Sean. Sara slammed into my chest, declaring in a loud voice that she had missed me so much she thought she was going to die. Caitlin bobbed her head in obvious agreement, and I laughed.

     Kissing Sara on the head, I let her slide to the ground and I gave Caitlin a huge hug. “Did you have fun?” Caitlin grasped my hand.

     I nodded once more, “Yes, lots of fun and I will have to tell you all about it.”

     “Mamma was worried about the storm,” Sara chirped in.

    Grabbing her hand I swung our arms back and forth, “Well we are all safe and sound, aren’t we?” I smiled at her and she giggled with glee. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Dad looking at me, but I trained my eyes ahead. Now was not the time.