Mermaids and Vampires

43: Turbid Water

~~~~DYLAN~~~~

"Ella," I say, turning to look at her, "I changed my mind. I'd love a drink."

She stops walking and slumps her shoulders. Obviously not happy.

I decide to change tactics. Bringing my finger up to the edge of my eye and pretending to wipe away a tear, "I've been thinking about my dad. I need a moment alone." I turn to face the water hoping she'll leave.

Instead I feel a gentle hand touch my back.

She sits down beside me. I turn so she won't see my eyes.

"Please, just leave me alone for a few minutes." I'm putting on the best acting I can, desperately wanting to hear more from Cordelia.

"If that's what you want." Ella finally says.

I nod, still looking away.

She gets up and pads down the dock.

Finally.

Once I'm sure she's gone I whisper Cordelia's name.

There's no sign of her.

I'm frustrated. Where is she and how am I supposed to find her now?

Then it dawns on me that I could enter the water.

I glance over my shoulder, then strip off my shirt and slide in. It's cold and shocking but I'm driven by a burning curiosity. I tuck my head underwater and try to breathe. It feels entirely weird, but it works.

I dive down and head out, searching in the dim water for a fast swimming mermaid. There are no signs of her, until a hand touches my foot.

Startled, I turn to see her.

I grab her hand and lead her towards the surface. Our heads pop up, far out from the dock.

"What are you doing?" She asks.

"I need to know more." I state. "But first, there's something I've got to do."

And without a pause I lock my lips with hers, wrapping my arms around her body. We kiss softly, eyes closed, as our bodies sink slowly beneath the surface.

I'd been wanting to do this for way too long. It feels amazing.

We resurface and I catch my breath.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you." I whisper.

She gives a shy smile.

I look into the water, and for the first time lay eyes on her long, pulsing tail. It's hard to believe what I'm seeing. I find myself wondering how all of this is possible. But I've got so much more to wonder about.

"I'm not... what you say I am. I can't be."

She bites her lip. "I've never seen a human do what you just did."

I smile. "I guess something's up."

"For as long as I can remember I've heard stories about you. You would bring peace to the underwater world, you'd protect us, you would seek truce between the land and the sea."

"I wish I could do all those things."

She hesitates, then speaks. "What day were you born on?"

"August-"

"Eighth?" She finishes.

"Yeah... Was that in the prophesy too?"

"No. It's the day I was born." She states.

"I don't get it." I say.

She shakes her head, eyes reddening. "I knew it."

A tear slides down her face.

"What's wrong?" I ask, very concerned. And very confused.

She wipes her face.

"Nothing. It just all makes sense now. I never felt like I belonged underwater. Turns out I never did."

She is obviously quite shaken up by this revelation but I'm still clueless.

She lets out a giggle. "You're probably wondering what I'm going on about."

I nod. "A little."

She takes a deep breath before continuing. "The woman who raised me was not my mother. She never lied to me about it. But she never told me where I'd come from. She was troubled, always. You could see it on her face. She used to talk about a brave woman who gave birth to a baby boy and fought to save his life. The woman knew that if the other mermaids got to him they'd do everything they could to kill him. As a baby, he was vulnerable. Once he grew, he would become powerful. So on the stormy night of his birth she raced to the surface, clutching the baby in her arms as others scratched and clawed to get to him. Waiting for her, aboard a floating vessel was a long-time friend. A human woman. A woman who was giving birth to a baby girl that night. As lightning crashed they made their switch. The mermaid took the girl and the human took the boy. Each child's first breath was taken in an environment they were never meant to touch. It changed them. But the change wasn't permanent. It wasn't meant to last. When the boy grew old enough he would return to the world he was meant to rule and claim his throne. And the girl would be liberated from her watery bounds."

Cordelia gives a soft laugh, "She told that story with such passion, I should have known. She was the woman. I was the baby girl. And you - You're her child. You're the ruler of an underwater kingdom. You're my saviour."

"I am none of those things." I state soberly.

She ignores this and continues, "It says in the story that you must spend a full day and night underwater to make the changes permanent. Until that happens you will be free to cross between both worlds - but I will be bound to one."

"Cordelia, this is all a bit overwhelming."

"The mermaids won't want you in their world. So be careful. You've got enemies on both sides."

"Sides of what?" I ask.

"Mermaids and vampires have clashed for years. The story says there'll be a war..."

"Vampires. My sister's a vampire."

"You have a sister?" She asks, eyes wide and full of wonder. "I have a sister."

It suddenly dawns on me that if what she's saying is true, my family is actually her family. The insight hits me like a sucker punch. Did dad lie to me all my life?

"What about my mom and dad? What are they like?" She asks, boundlessly curious.

"I don't know how to break this to you. They're both dead. Mom died giving birth. Dad, just a few days ago."

"Oh." She says, disappointed.

"He was a great man. From what he's told me, your mother was too."

She nods, taking it in. "Your mom's still alive. Somewhere out there." She says. 

"Thanks."

"DYLAN!" A voice cries out, carried across the water.

My eyes go wide. It's Ella.

"You've got to go." Cordelia says.

"I'll be back." I state.

I kiss her one more time.

"Touch the water, and I'll find you." She says.

I nod, then begin swimming for the shore. After a few strokes I glance back and see that she's disappeared. I shake my head, unbelieving of all I've just been told.

The closer I get to the dock, I begin to see blue and red lights flashing. A nasty feeling plummets to the pit of my stomach.

Before I am able to reach the shore, a boat gets to me. Men in uniforms haul me on board. They restrain my hands and legs with zip ties and tell me everything's going to be okay.