From the Deep

Live Birth

The lighthearted mood was not to last. And the relief Ian felt over Andersen's quieting was quickly dispelled. 

Just like before, it seemed to take hours for her to keep swimming until she was where she wanted to be. Charles let them all know when she was reaching surface - level water pressure, and everyone payed attention, because this part was going to be tricky. When Andersen had swum as high as she could go, there was a moment -- just a moment -- as she beat against the cover of the tank, frantic to get out.

Charles worked furiously with the controls of the tank, and finally the cover was lifted. 

Andersen burst out into the air, almost leaving the water entirely. She fell back in with a relieved splash. 

Ian stood up. "And now to ask the obvious question," he said. "Why did this happen?"

It was a good question, a good finality to their hours of wait, but it seemed that it came too soon. Because Andersen clearly wasn't done. She continued to splash about, and even from Ian's point of view it was clear that she was no less agitated than she had been as she had been climbing. 

"We need to get up there," Monica said. 

Ian agreed. 

They both climbed up to the platform at the edge of the tank, the platform they had last stood on to toss Andersen into this water months ago. In this spot they were only a few yards away from Andersen, and though they had been close to her many times before, it had always been through glass. Now there was only air between them. It was... it was thrilling. 

But also worrying, because Andersen was clearly in pain.

"What's wrong?" Monica asked. "I can't -- I can't -- tell."

Andersen was floating on the surface of the water, flat against it, but she was rolling over and kicking as if she had no control over her own actions. She was clearly incapable of steering herself. Ian found his breath shortening. 

"Come on, Andersen..." he murmered, more to himself than to the mermaid. 

"I think she's bleeding!" Monica cried suddenly. "Yes! She is -- look!"

There was a faint pink stain to the water around Andersen now. Now that he noticed it, Ian couldn't unsee it, and his worrying mulitplied. It was impossible to see where she was bleeding from, though, because she was stirring up the water so much that it splashed all over her body in a crazy white froth. 

"How long is this going to last?" moaned the intern. He looked a bit queasy.

Later, they calculated that it lasted about half an hour. But at the time, it felt like days. 

Then, suddenly, it stopped. Andersen lay still on the surface. She moved just enough to dip her face half under the water. 

"Is she... is she all right?"

Ian had no idea. It was impossible to tell.

Monica pointed to something. "Do you see that?"

"No," said Ian; she seemed to be pointing at the water right next the mermaid. "What?"

"There -- no -- there! A little gray thing! A fish or something! You didn't see it?"

"No..." said Ian again, but he didn't have time to look for the mysterious little gray thing. Andersen's eyes suddenly flew open and she flipped over in the water. Her hands scooped at something and then pulled close to her chest. She turned to swim straight down.

In the control room, Nigel turned to Charles. "I think she's trying to dive again."

"What?" said Charles. "Now? But she just finished --!" He didn't argue any more, because Andersen was pressed almost face - down against the floor of the tank, just like she had been the first time she had dove. He switched the switches that needed switching. The overworked machinery groaned as he placed the new demand on it, and Charles prayed that it would keep on working.