The Mermaid That's Sweetest

1] A Chilling Dream

Before you read on, just a small request for you to read it alternatively for free on the Radish Fiction app instead because I'm trying to boost the reads on that app, my username is CSW1995, display name C. Swallow.

Up to you which app you prefer to continue reading it on :) Radish has no ads between chapters which is a bit smoother.

Enjoy!

•'¯'•. . .•'¯'•

1] A Chilling Dream

The sand runs over my feet with every step I take towards the ocean.

The village centre was alight with golden fire as it burnt to the ground behind me.

Fire.

Water.

They never mixed.

Yet, no ash falls, no smoke flies as the attack is only... mental.

Only the water covering the sand gently seems to ignore the fire burning.

Including me.

I hear him come back then, feet slipping through the sand – and I look over my shoulder.

I never see him.

But every time the illusion gives me a false sense of strength.

I face the ocean and continue towards the water that drowned my best friend.

Towards the place I let her drown when I was 8 years old; it was an accident, but it was still my fault.

I place my feet in the shoreline and one tiny river of what's left of a wave, washes over my feet.

It's the only moment I feel okay. It represents absolute peace.

The fire behind me doesn't burn any more, it diminishes, only for splintering ice to crawl up my spine, freezing me to the spot.

It's a chilling premonition.

But then I jolt awake.

___

Such an odd ending to my once peaceful reoccurring dream I had had many times, almost every morning before I woke up. I had never felt that chill before. I don't think about it for long, though, as I wake up to the splashing and screeches of joy from the little baby mermaids who were allowed to practice swimming in the shallow rock pools just outside our shabby complex.

When I turn my head I see the light is shining over the other ten girls who are sitting on their beds, yawning awake. They blink at me and then smile at each other. They stand up from their straw beds, stripping naked as they walk to the open arched door way.

They head towards the ocean just outside.

I lean up on my elbows and look over the windowsill as they run into the water and promptly disappear when they reach waist length.

I gulp and lie back down.

"You know, Lily, this is the last week the water will be so calm," I jerk my head to the side, I didn't notice Halina was still here.

She's rolled around in her bed behind the wardrobe hiding her form. She pokes her head around it and watches me with sadness in her eyes.

I avoid her statement by directing the conversation towards her instead, "...why aren't you swimming?"

"Oh, just that time of the month," Halina groans and disappears as she rolls back onto her bed. I sit up properly and watch her eyeing the patchy holes in the makeshift roof of palm tree branches.