Flotsam

Chapter 5: Where to Turn

-Under the water, the mermaids breathed with the help of Erisded, technology that was long ago developed by the seahorses who no longer bargained with the mermaids. This was kept in shells around the mermaids neck. If the First Shell- the one that contained the provider of the tech- went missing, life for the mermaids would cease to exist.-

Ring rejoined his family at the edge of the reef fields.

"Just what did you think you were doing over there with Arika?" Valari, Ring's mother, asked knowingly as her middle son returned to her side.

"How did you know?" he asked shamefacedly. He could never hide anything from his mother.

"Well, I am your mother, aren't I? I used to be just as mischievous as you. But if you do wish to talk about it-" she said hopefully.

"Not now, Vayle," he replied affectionally, using the name all of Valari's children used for her. She nodded understandingly, mussing his already tousled brown hair.

"I understand," she murmured. Then, in a louder voice, she called, "Everyone! Ring wants to be alone tonight!"

Ring's elder brother Rayme nodded assent disinterestedly, but their younger brother Ryddle grinned up at Ring.

"Alone, eh?" he laughed with his clear golden laugh. "What's up with ol' Ringy today?"

Ring was about to retort when he felt a restraining hand on his arm. He turned his head to the side and saw the merry face of his mother. He shrugged and looked down amiably at his brother.

"Some very important business, I'm sure," he grinned.

"Very important business tonight, son?" Ring turned once again to see Kan, his father, standing behind him.

"You saw Arika faint dead away tonight, did you not?" Valari hastily interrupted. "Our Ring is simply worried about his friend."

No more was said about it that night, and indeed, Ring himself almost forgot about it until after dinner, when Valari shooed him away with a distinctive jerk of her head. He nodded and swam away to his room.

Ring's room was the only place in his house where he could be alone. Set above the rest of his home, he was cocooned in his loft. It was small and dark at times, but he brought a piece of kelp with him to light the darkness. Sinking onto his bed of seaweed, he stared up at the coral roof of his home.

Then he began to think. Aeons seemed to whirl as Ring slipped in and out of time, all the time thinking furiously. Disconnected images floated through his mind: Arika grasping the shell that hung around her neck... The spells of dizziness that had been plaguing him for some time now... Arika falling, falling, falling, the yell stuck to his throat, the way her shell had sparkled as she fell...

All of a sudden it hit him like a raging current and he sat bolt upright, cracking his head on the roof, but it barely registered with him. Of course.. the shell was the answer to everything! If only he could be sure...

Ring hastily unbuttoned his tattered vest he was wearing and looked down wonderingly at the gleaming gold shell that was looped around his neck. Cupping it gently in his hands, he held it up as far as the delicate chain would allow and peered at it, turning it over and over, squinting with all his might. Finally, he found what he was looking for. On the edge of the shell was one shining silver word engraved into the surface: Erisded.

Ring pressed the word with all his might and the shell, with a deliberate click, sprang open. He gasped in wonder as he saw the crystal-like grains resting peacefully in the shell.