A Fishy Business

Chapter 7: Ella Candle's Boutique

“Thanks Starla,” I said.  “Gentlemen, we must head for Ella Candle’s Boutique.”

“Ella Candle’s Boutique?” said Washy.  “Not that place.  It’s so girly and silly.  The turtles that go there are ridiculous!”  Orleano gulped in anticipation. 

            “My father’s told me weird stuff about that place,” he said. 

            “Do you know where it is?” I said to Washy.

            “Yes…” he replied, slightly sheepishly.  “My sister used to go there.  Shall we take Timmins?” he said. 

            “We’ll have to,” said Orleano.  “With Llewlyn here, none of us is safe.”

             “Good,” said Washy.  “Because I’m feeling very tired.”           

“Let’s just get going,” Orleano said, summoning Timmins.  He let me go in Timmins first.  Then Washy climbed in, followed by Orleano.  Timmins turned invisible and off we went to Ella Candle’s Boutique.

            “Now, tell me about Ella,” I said.  “Is she a mermaid?” 

            “Yes,” replied Orleano.  “A beautiful one at that.” 

            “What’s a beautiful mermaid?” I said.

            “Well that depends, doesn’t it?” replied Washy.  “Mermen like different types of mermaids, just as mermaids like different types of mermen.”

            “What’s your type then, Orleano?” I asked.  I had heard Rob use the expression ‘type’ before, telling me that Claudia Schiffer was his favourite type.

            “My type is…urm, a mermaid with a good heart, nice smile and err… green hair.  It’s a lovely colour.”

            “That’s not what you told me earlier, you said that you liked mermaids with pink hair.”  Orleano blushed a terrible colour. 

            “Pink hair!  Pink hair’s horrible.  I’ve noticed my hair turn a bit pinkish recently, very strange.  Don’t like it at all.”  Orleano and Washy exchanged glances.

            “Lady, you need to look in a mirror,” said Washy to me.

            “Well I could say the same to you Washy, I mean, when was the last time you brushed your teeth?”

            “Brushed my what?” said Washy.

We swam away from the ship and down a long path, which separated the turtle houses from each other.  I saw a few suspicious looking merpeople swim past me.  Some of them had old, disintegrating tails, like the ones Washy had told me about.  The people in Turtle’s Hideout didn’t seem to visit ‘special’ crabs to fix them, however. 

            “What are you going to do when your tail grows old?” I said to Orleano.

            “Leave it,” he said.  “There’s nothing better then to age gracefully.” 

            “I agree,” I said.  Timmins kept trying to touch things around him, especially small fish, but Orleano kept shouting at him everytime he came close.  The houses in Turtle’s Hideout were shabby and in need of refurbishment.  They were mostly made out of crumbling stone.  We kept on swimming. 

Eventually we got to Ella Candle’s Boutique.  Washy reluctantly swam out of Timmins, apparently annoyed that he would now have to swim, followed by Orleano and myself.  Ella Candle’s Boutique was tucked away in a little cave.  Even under the water, my nose was bombarded with toxic smells, slightly like a mixture of pungent incense sticks and stale French perfume.  We swam inside the cave.  My tail barely fitted through the door.  Inside, the lighting was a fierce colour of green, and the cave seemed to grow in size.  There were candles filling the room and lots and lots of mirrors.  I looked in one, having taken Washy’s advice, and I was horrified.  All of my hair had turned pink.  I looked like an idiot!  A curious mermaid swam towards us.  She was absolutely gorgeous with long, curly blue hair and big green eyes.  She was wearing a golden bikini top and her tail was a pale green, covered with stars and jewelry.