Sink or Swim: A Mirandy Mermaid Tale

Chapter 7

Miranda watched from her hiding spot as Andrea approached the lifeguard. They stood there talking for what seemed like ages, but was probably fewer than ten minutes. A land rover pulled up—the Coast Guard, maybe? Andrea got in, and then finally the vehicle was heading in her direction.

Andrea jumped out, wearing a long white t-shirt and bearing a bright red towel. She rushed over to Miranda, followed by a male officer. His polo indicated that he was US Coast Guard.

"Here." Andrea gave her the towel. "They have water bottles for us too." She leaned in to whisper, "Just be careful. Hold the bottle with your towel."

So it was beginning, her new life of always worrying that the slightest splash of water could expose her as a freak of nature. Miranda wrapped the towel around her body and allowed Andrea to help her to her feet.

"Ma'am, I'm Officer Bradley. Your friend told me you've both been stranded at sea for almost a day?" He kept his voice neutral, but Miranda could sense the skepticism.

"That's right." She looked him in the eye.

"She needs water," Andrea said. "And clothes and food."

"Understood. I'm taking you both to Stony Brook."

"The hospital," Andrea said to Miranda. "We're in Southampton."

"Well then call the Southampton police," Miranda said. "Because a woman named Crystal Medina tried to murder us."

~ * ♥ * ~

At the hospital, Andy learned that her ribs were bruised, but not broken. The doctors also diagnosed her with dehydration and gave her IV fluids, along with a stale hospital hamburger that tasted like ecstasy.

She called her parents, who were hysterical; news that she and Miranda were missing had evidently made the news.

Finally, she was just starting to fall asleep when two police officers arrived to question her, one woman and one man.

"I'd be more comfortable with my friend here," Andy said. "I mean my boss. Can't you speak to us together?" Despite their protests, they'd been separated in the emergency room.

The male officer narrowed his eyes. "We already spoke to Ms. Priestly."

"Oh. Um, okay."

So Andy told them what happened, with a few crucial edits. Crystal had pushed Miranda overboard, and then she did the same to Andy. They managed to find each other in the water, and made their way to a small island just off the coast, where they spent the night. Miraculously, they'd found a raft that allowed them to paddle all the way to the shore.

"Where is the raft now?" asked the woman.

"Oh, um, who knows. On the beach, probably. Unless somebody took it."

"I see." She paused. "What color was it?"

Shit, shit, shit. They should have spent more time coordinating their stories.

"It was... cerulean blue." She hoped Miranda would somehow have the same thought.

"You two must be strong swimmers," the other officer said, "to make it all the way back here."

"I work out." Andy lifted her chin. "We both do. And we didn't really have a choice. We wanted to survive. Giving up wasn't an option."

When the questioning ended at last, a nurse arrived with a set of scrubs. "Would you like to get cleaned up before putting these on? A shower?"

"Oh no," Andy said quickly. "Thanks, but really I just want to go home. Um, where is my friend? Can I see her now?"

The nurse gave her a knowing smile. "Your 'friend' has been anxious to see you too. Don't worry, you're both being discharged soon. In fact, she was ready an hour ago, but she wouldn't hear of leaving without you."