The Switch

Chapter One | The Sea Lions Say Hi

"Marina, stop your scaly ass right there. Where do you think you're going?"

Lydia, the leader of our mermaid clan, put her hands on her slim waist and eyed me suspiciously. Her gorgeous red hair fanned out behind her, moving slightly with the motion of the water. I glanced behind her, where I could see my best friend Rachel motioning impatiently for me to come with her.

I grinned sheepishly, shrugging slightly. "Rachel and I were going to collect some clams out in the Bay. We wanted to go out for a bit before the Switch tomorrow, and get some fresh saltwater in our lungs, you know?" I clutched the wooden handle of the basket I was holding a bit tighter, hoping she would agree.

After contemplating a bit, Lydia nodded. "Okay, but be back before dark. You know how the angler fish get. And be careful that nobody sees you out there; it's pretty close to shore." She turned away and flicked her baby blue tail, leaving a trail of bubbles in her wake.

I exhaled, the tension immediately releasing from my shoulders. I loved Lydia like an older sister, but she could be strict sometimes. She was the first mermaid I had encountered after my transformation. After what seemed like hours of swimming, following the sound of the ocean's voice, I had eventually ended up at a sunken ship. Lydia was floating outside the entrance, arms open wide, a giant smile on her face. She had welcomed me into the clan, and I had almost cried with relief at having contact with another person. Throughout the first weeks, Lydia had answered all of my questions patiently, introducing me to my new life. However, that was 120 years ago, and now she was always on my tail about stuff, annoying me to no end.

"Marina, hurry the hell up," Rachel called from the ship's entrance. I swam toward her, avoiding the decaying mast and spikes of broken rigging. It had taken me a while to adjust to my new tail, and for the first few weeks I had bruises all over my arms from accidentally ramming debris. I expertly weaved through the wreckage, admiring how the sunlight fell from the surface onto the surrounding rocks that held the ship in place. It was balanced on the crevice of a small canyon, but seemed secure enough. It was in a pretty remote location as well, so I understood why Lydia had chosen this for our home. The golden lettering on the side of the ship had been slowly peeling away for years, but the words S.S. Gloriana were still barely visible on the bow.

I glided out of the ship's entrance and hugged Rachel, who slapped me lightly on the arm. "Took you long enough," she complained.

"Did you not see me convincing Lydia to let us out? You're welcome, by the way." I stuck my tongue out at her, and she laughed.

"Come on, you clownfish." Rachel grabbed my hand, and we swam toward San Francisco Bay.

The light shimmered and changed as the clouds moved and the waves passed. I still hadn't quite gotten used to the utter quiet that encompassed everything down here. It could be dark and lonely, but could also be full of life. A school of fish swirled around us, scales flashing. Rachel laughed and swatted at one of them, who I swore glared at her as it dodged her fingers. I shivered as we went through a patch of cold water, and swam a little faster, toward a sunny area, enjoying the feeling of warmth on my skin.

Eventually, large rocks rose out of the ocean floor, surrounding us on all sides. We flicked out tails, lazily weaving in between them. I glanced to my right, and saw a face peeking out from behind the rocks. A male face, with dark hair covering his eyes. And I swore I saw the flick of a tail as we passed.

I stopped abruptly, water swirling around me. It took Rachel a few moments to realize I had stopped, and by the time she turned around to confront me, I was already swimming to where I had seen the man. When I turned the corner, there was no one there. I turned in a circle, sure he must be around here somewhere. But the only thing I saw was a dolphin making its way up to the surface.