Mermaids and Vampires

63: A Revelation

~~~DYLAN~~~

I take Lauren by the shoulders and look her square in the eye. "Listen, I want you to get as far away from this place as possible. You're not safe here. Got it?"

"What about you, Dill?" She asks.

"I need to be here." I tell her.

"I don't want you to. I don't want you to die." She pleas.

"Promise I won't." I whisper.

"I don't believe you."

A smirk washes over my lips. "Have I ever broken a promise before? Hey, Dad's alive. Did you know that?"

"Really?" Her eyes light up.

I nod incessantly. "I saw him the other day. He's a vampire now, just like you."

She frowns. "No! I don't want Daddy to be a monster too."

"Hey, you're not a monster." I state. "You're just as human as you ever were."

She isn't buying it. "Look at my teeth and tell me that."

"So, your teeth are a little pointier. What difference does it make? You're still sweet and caring. You're everything you were before multiplied by a million because you're doing it under extraordinary circumstances."

She sighs.

"It's true." I reiterate. "You're still you, Lauren."

"Love you Dill." She mutters.

We hug for a moment.

"Love you too. Now, go."

"Do you really have to stay?"

"Yeah." I nod. "But I'll see you really soon, okay? Go find Dad and make sure he's handling things alright."

She nods and dissapears into the woods.

Daylight breaks on the horizon.

Time to fight this battle. I think I know how I'm gonna win this war. And it isn't through fighting.

First, I've got to get the mermaids on my side. I have to make things right with them, stop them from being angry with me and maybe we can make some progress.

Today, I'm gonna do something risky.

I plow towards the ocean, stripping off my shirt, my shorts, everything.

Still walking, I glance down at the slowly healing wound left by the mermaid. I take a deep breath and dig my finger under my skin, pulling it open at the seams until blood flows strong. If my touch in the water can be felt by Cordellia, this will be sensed by all.

I jump into the ocean and swim out as fast as I can away from shore. It's all on the line now. I'm out of my element and completely out of control. I'm surrendering, betting my life on the good in their hearts. After all, they're not monsters. None of us are.