The weight of gravity pushes against them, squeezing water out of them like pregnant storm clouds.
Jed hits the switch, and they're dumped onto the boat's deck. Mick stands by the edge, armed with a pole. Too close apparently.
The mermaid kicked him. Her tail lashed out, forcing Mick over the edge.
SPLASH!!!
Jed's eyes frantically search the cabin, hands sweeping things off the desk. There. He takes an unbuttoned life vest from the desk and rushes to the boat's edge. Mick's head bursts from the surface, spewing water from his mouth, and Jed drops the life jacket by him.
Mick blinks the water from his eyes. "Secure the mermaids! Don't let them go!"
Jed turns, hands clenching around the rim of the boat. The bigger mermaid squirms, her arms pulling at the plastic net until it's no longer above the little girl. Jed scrambles forward and grips the handgun beside the control panel. His shaking fingers switch the safety off. Both hands gripping the weapon, he turns and aims it at the girl. They're closer to the edge. They pay no mind to him, the older one is gnawing at the young one's net bundle.
He steadies the barrel on the girl's tail, finger tightening around the trigger.
She looks at him. Their eyes lock. Her long dark hair is plastered to her face in messy tangles. She looks at the gun, probably having no idea what it is, only that Jed is pointing it at her. Her turquoise eyes waver, her chest rising and falling hastily. She pulls herself back, dragging the little one with her arm hooked around her torso.
What is he doing? He's aiming a gun at a young girl who just got caught trying to save a child. And for what? Money? Fame? She clearly cares about the little girl. She loves her. He's been telling himself they were animals. Thoughtless fish. But they're clearly not.
They're people too.
Did you really find her alone? his wife asked him. You said you both found her. You said you helped her.
He nodded. That's what I said. Why...did she say anything?
She shook her head. She touched my head. I saw something. I saw you and Mick. On your boat. But there was another one. Another one like her. He bit your brother, you threw him back, but you kept Sarah.
Sarah?
The girl. That's what I named her.
He lowers the gun. The girl moves back, arm hooked around the edge, eyes trained on Jed.
The gun whips back up. His left eye closes as he looks down the barrel.
POW!!!
Light shines through the splintered hole beside the two creatures.
Jed waves his hand toward them. "Go!"
YOU ARE READING
Beached
FantasyWhen a girl swims out to sea to rescue a figure in distress, she quickly realizes that the reason as to why he was in distress was quite different from the reason she had in mind. He wasn't drowning. Julia finds herself tethered to the mysterious st...
