Siren Song

Chapter Three

Tyler panted as he swam, the water rushing in and out of his lungs feeling natural now he had spent six years living under the sea. His tail beat at the water behind him so fast it seemed like no more than a blur, and his torso was aching with the strain of it. But he couldn't stop, not yet-- he had to get home before his father came back. He'd be punished if he were found out.

The cave he and his father shared loomed ahead of him, a glimmer of light shining from the narrow windows. He felt a spark of hope. Reuben didn't like the luminous algae that Tyler used to light his room, and would certainly have scraped it from the walls if he were home already. It was a good thing Alana's song was strong enough to grow it back in mere seconds, as otherwise Tyler would be left in the dark. His eyes might be well-adapted to see in the pitch blackness of the deepest oceans, but that didn't mean that he didn't want light around him.

Hurriedly, Tyler darted in through the large opening on the side of the cave that usually functioned as their door, wincing as his tail fin scraped against the rough rock. He still wasn't accustomed to the extra length that his tail gave him, and if he wasn't consciously thinking about it then he tended to mentally revert to the proportions he used to have.

The main cave was dark, but Tyler could easily pick out the mounds of sand that functioned as crude furniture and navigated around them with ease. He slipped into his room with a sigh of relief.

The noise of someone clearing their throat made him whirl, and Alana emerged from the shadows, her face ominously lit from beneath by the glow of the algae.

"So, mister," she said sternly. "Where have you been?"

Tyler widened his eyes, trying to play up the cuteness factor. It always worked on Alana.

"Sorry, Alana," he said, gazing up at her with his lower lip trembling. "I didn't mean to make you worry."

Her expression softened. "I know. But you can't just swim off to play like that, especially because your song isn't awakened yet. What if you got hurt?"

"Sorry, Ala," Tyler said again, throwing himself forward and wrapping his arms around her waist. He tilted his head back, looking up at her through wide eyes swimming with tears. "I won't do it again."

"Yes you will, you little scamp," she said affectionately. "But by tomorrow you'll at least have your song to defend yourself."

Tyler giggled, and hugged her tighter. "You're the best, Ala!"

"Alana!" a voice roared from the main room. "Get in here, girl!"

Alana sighed, disentangling herself from him. "I'd better go."

"You won't..." Tyler asked worriedly. "You won't-"

"Tell him?" Alana asked as she began to swim to the door. "No."

"Thank you, Ala!" Tyler called after her. He waited until the curtain of seaweed that acted as a door drifted back down, then pulled out a heavy cloth and hung it over the glowing algae. He couldn't bear to scrape it off needlessly.

With the room plunged into pitch blackness, Tyler settled himself down on the mound of sand that served as a bed, cushioning his head on his arms. Tomorrow was the biggest day of this life yet.

- - -

The morning-- or, at least, the schedule that the deep-sea sirens had for it-- dawned, as dark and cold as ever. Tyler dragged himself off his bed, yawning as wide as an angler fish. It had taken him hours to get to sleep the night before, and he'd had a restless night. But it was morning now, and the morning of the day he'd been waiting for the last six years.