Sea To Land

Chapter One

My wish of being human started when I was young. I had swam away from my parents who were talking with someone on some rocks. I didn't do much other than look for creatures- some I've seen, some I haven't. As I looked around I saw that a ray of sunshine had found it's way to a rock, sitting alone, with something shinny resting on top. Curious I swam closer. Once I got next to it I could see what it was. A creature with a long 's' shaped body with four legs, a head that reminded me of a dolphin, a small triangle at it's tip, and two objects that I later learned were wings. The creature was attached to a chain that had some clip that I could use to put it on. I loved it.

Then I thought about the sunlight that lead me to the weird thing that was currently around my neck. I looked up. I had heard stories about what was above the water. Creatures with two tails, that would take fish from the ocean, who had weird objects that they would use. From things that could take them from one end of the sea to another, faster than a mermaid could swim.

I wrapped my hand around the creature, I wanted to know what it really was like. All I'd ever known was the ocean, my seafoam green tail, my parents and their matching green and teal tails. I wanted to know more. With a surge of confidence I had never had before, I swam up. Towards the rippling surface, towards the light, towards the place I'd never known.

As I got close to the surface I closed my eyes. Then my head broke the surface, and air hit my face, similar to the way water hits my face when I swim. When I finally opened my eyes I saw it. The sun. The land. The things I've only ever heard stories about. As I looked around my dirty blonde hair would get in my way as it floated around me.

Then I saw them. Two tails, humans. It was a strange sight. I also saw little ones. And they all looked happy. Not like the monsters they always sounded like in the stories. The sandy area they were on with their weird objects looked to be 100 tail lengths away.
Just then I was pulled back under the water. I was scared till I was brought to my mom's face and wrapped in my parents arms.

"Never do that again Lilith. We thought something happened to you." My mom whispered into my hair.

"OK mommy, I won't"

"Promise us Lilith."

"I promise."

And now, here I am- 10 years later, sitting on a rock getting ready to do a spell that would make 6 year old me's dream. The creature on the chain was sitting in the middle of the rock in front of me, surrounded by seashells and rocks that my friend got me.
Just then I see my friend Pearl, with her shinny blonde hair and Pearl colored tail. She popped out of the water, folded her arms on the rocks, and rested her head on her arms.

"Ah, I see you've started the ritual without me."

"Pearl it's not a ritual, it's a spell."

"Yeah, a sea witch spell."

"Pearl."

She put one of her hands up and said, "OK OK, but I'll miss you."

"I will too Pearl." I leaned over and hugged Pearl. "At least I'll be with Maire so I won't be alone."
"Yeah, speaking of which, here she is."

I turned around to see my friend Maire, walking to us on her legs. Yep, I became friends with a human. We had meet when I had been spying on people only 4 years after I had promised my parents I wouldn't go to the surface. I slowly lifted my head above the rock when I came face to face with bright green eyes and freckles with ginger hair that framed her tan face.

"Hi I'm Maire." She said cheerfully.

"I'm, Lilith." I was careful, I'd never talked to a human before.
Then she sat on the rock and invited me up with her. Still careful I pulled myself on to the rock. I watched her face as she saw my tail. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she yelled, "Your a mermaid!"

We talked some more and have been friends ever since. Finding times where we can talk and hang out again.
"Hi Maire." Pearl and I said together.

"Hey guys. You almost ready Lilith?"

"Yep, I just need to splash the jewelry with water then throw sand on," doing as I described as I said it, "and.... done!"

I put the jewelry on, which my parents had tried to hide, and slipped into the water swimming for shore. Pearl followed close behind but stopped when the water became shallow. The spell should make it so that when the jewelry was on and dry I could have legs, and when it was off or wet I would get my tail.
Maire bent down and helped me dry my tail. My hope started flat lining and when I was about to lose all hope, my tail started to disappear. Pearl, Maire, and I all watched as I went from a creature of the sea to a creature of the land.

Maire helped me to stand up and gave me a quick walking lesson before grabbing the stuff that she bought for me so I could go to school.

As I started looking through everything, dumbfounded that humans had all this cool stuff when Maire said, "Uh Lilith, we gotta go so get changed and we'll head off."

Maire helped me change into the same school uniform she was wearing- a gray short sleeved shirt with a collar that had to be folded over with what she called a bowtie wrapped around my neck and a maroon skirt that matched my bowtie. She also brushed out my long hair so that I didn't look like I just got out of the ocean.

Turning around I looked at Pearl. Knowing I would miss the girl that I'd known almost my whole life. Sighing I said to her, "I wish you were coming with us."

"Me too but you know land isn't for me." Adding a giggle at the end, "but I'll miss you."

"I will too. I would hug you but, you know." I added pointing to my necklace with a smile and a shrug.

"Air hug?" Pearl asked.

"Air hug." Together we acted out the movements of a hug.

With one last goodbye I watched Pearl swim away till I could no longer see her pearl tail. Then turning to Maire I said, "I'm ready to go to school.