Pearl and Pale: The Mermaids

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Pale's POV

The beautiful Bermuda sky shone above. The color of the sky was just like the watery sea.

Smell of sea-salt swam through my nose. I found this soothing.

Waves roared as they crashed on to the hot sand.

Surfers, boys and girls, were all out on their boards surfing the waves. The big surfing competition was in less than a week. People from all around Bermuda are coming to this event.

"Pale!" My younger brother Matthew yelled, Motioning me to come in the water. My brother splashed and dove under a large wave and came up laughing because he had seaweed in his hair. Matthew was eleven years old, yet, sometimes he acted like he was seven.

My brother was a fish. Okay, no, not a real fish but he was like one. The way he was drawn to the water at times, could only be seen as a work of magic. The way so smoothly he cut through the waves was like he was a shark on the tail of his dinner. The way he came up laughing after a large wave hit was like he could understand what the fish around him were saying and one of them cracked a joke.

Matthew was very unlike me. I didn't mind the beach. It was nice, a lot of my friends go here but, if people tell me to go there, it's not my favorite thing to do. I never loved the water, or the sea creatures. Matthew once saw a shark swimming right under him. He laughed but I was scared to death. I mean, sharks can eat people!

"Pale come in the water!" Matthew cried.

"No, I'm good," I called out to him.

"What? Who's gonna see you? Your boyfriend?" Matthew taunted.

I whipped off my shirt, revealing a black bikini top. I didn't bother taking off my jean shorts, it was just how I rolled.

"I'm gonna get you!" I yelled to Matthew as I dived into the water. I felt the coolness surround me as I pushed against the force of the current.

I emerged from the water. I felt...reborn.

I saw Matthew swimming farther and farther away from the shore.

"Hey!" I yelled to Matthew. "Come back! Your going to far!"

Matthew didn't hear me. He ducked under a large wave. The wave was coming towards me. It towered over me. I looked in awe as it wrapped over me. This wave was big. Then, the wave came crashing down.

I twisted and whirled in the water. My lungs filled with water. The currents pushed me around like a rag doll. My lungs were on fire, I couldn't breathe. My only though was air.

I pushed up to the surface with all my might, the force of the many gallons of water weighing me down.

I tried again. I began to panic. I pushed more. My lungs were screaming.

I finally broke to the surface, sputtering for air.

I looked around me. Matthew was no where to be seen.

"Matthew!" I cried. "Matthew!"

He was no where in sight

Tears filled my eyes. Was Matthew really gone away? Or was he a fish now, living among his own kind? No. That was too silly. Matthew wasn't gone. But he wasn't some hybrid-merman thing either. Matthew was a much better swimmer than me. He must have already swam back to shore and he was home safely, eating ruffles and watching TV.

I quickly swam out of the water, grabbed my shirt and ran home as fast as I could.

My body tucked and twisted to avoid the people walking in the streets.

I turned a sharp corner and ran up my driveway.

I grabbed the door handle. I was panting. I twisted the bronze doorknob and opened the door.

I ran in and slid into the kitchen.

I saw my mom using a knife to dice tomatoes.

"Is Matthew home?" I asked frantically.

My mom stopped cutting and put the knife down on the cutting board.

"He was with you wasn't he?" My mom asked.

I felt my face getting hot. I felt tears swelling up in my eyes.

"There was a big wave and I ducked under it but when I came up Matthew was gone. I'm so sorry," I said in between sniffles.

My mom didn't looks angry. I though she would. Her son may have just died.

"Matthew may be gone for a bit of time, but don't worry. I just don't want you going back there, to the beach. Okay?" My mom said calmly.

I whipped a tear from my eye and then sniffled again. "Okay."

I raced up to my room without my mom having a second thought.

I looked at my large mirror that was attached to my lilac colored wall.

My brown hair was all knotty and wet from getting tossed by the ocean.

My deep, large brown eyes were all puffy and my eyes were blood shot.

My cheeks and nose were red from crying. And my nose was runny.

I belly-flopped on to my bed.

My brother is not dead. I thought to myself.

I whimpered. The fact that my brother, my sweet, innocent brother was not the only thing dragging me down.

I wasn't allowed back near the ocean.

This is what struck me sad, but also odd. Why would I miss the ocean? I have been wiggling my way out of going there all my life.

My heart started pounding.

The pressure in my chest went to mild pain to a severe shooting pain.

Water.

I thought

I need to get to the water.