The Girl with the Green Tail

Chapter Eight: "Part of That World"

"Ariel?" Flounder began. "Are you okay?"

I had retreated, not to my grotto where I lived, but my secret grotto, where I store all my human collections.

"If only I could make him understand..." I told Flounder. "I just don't see things the way he does..." I held the dinglehopper in my hand, twirling it around, observing it. "I don't see how a world that makes such wonderful things... could be bad..."

I began to sing;

"Look at this stuff, isn't it neat?
Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?"

I set the dinglehopper down, and began to look around the grotto.

"Wouldn't you think I'm the girl,
the girl who has everything?
Look at this trove... Treasures untold.
How many wonders can one cavern hold?
Looking around here, you'd think:
'Sure, she's got everything'..."

Showing my collection to Flounder, I continued;

"I've got gadgets and gizmos aplenty,
I've got whosits and whatsits galore..."

I showed Flounder a box of items.

"You want thing-a-ma-bobs?
I've got twenty!
But who cares? No big deal.
I want more....."

I began to swim around, fantasizing.

"I wanna be where the people are...
I wanna see, wanna see 'em dancing..."

I twirled around my little thing that had two humans dancing on it, and it played music.

"Walking around on those...."

"What do you call them?" I spoke, rather than sang.

Flounder flipped his tail, and I remembered.

"Oh, feet!"

I continued to sing;

"Flippin' your fins, you don't get too far.
Legs are required for jumping, dancing!
Strollin' along down a-"

"What's that word again?" I said. "Street..."

"Up where they walk, up where they run,
up where they stay all day in the sun...
Wanderin' free, wish I could be
part of that world...

What would I give
if I could live
out of these waters?

What would I pay
to spend a day
warm on the sand?

Betcha on land
they understand...
Bet they don't reprimand their daughters...

Bright young women,
sick of swimmin',
ready to stand!"

I swam around the grotto excitedly, dreaming about being with the black haired and green eyed boy, up on the shore...

"And ready to know what the people know!
Ask 'em my questions, and get some answers!
What's a fire? And why does it - what's the word? - burn?

When's it my turn?
Wouldn't I love,
love to explore that shore up above....."

I helplessly reached towards the surface, but realized that my dreams would never be possible, as long as I remained under my father's discipline.

"Out of the sea..."

I sank back down to the floor of my grotto, hopelessly, my voice shaking as I sung;

"Wish I..."

"Could be..." I spoke.

"Part of that world...."