Woozily, Leira drifted in the water of the cave. Her tail was limp and bruised. Clutching at the rocky wall, Leira dragged herself upright and looked around. Dust and algae was thick in the water and she coughed as she inhaled. She was in a small, natural cave that had formed in the cliff face. She reasoned they must be a few lengths above the old nest. (Tal?)
He’d landed heavily against the rocky wall and was floating nearby. The impact had knocked him out. A thin flow of blood was steadily trickling down his face and dripping into the water. Panicking, Leira tried to shake him awake. He didn’t respond. She reached out to him and felt his presence, but it was thick and foggy. Leira gasped in relief. He was alive. She pressed her hand to his head, but the blood continued to flow, filling the webbing of her hand and seeping out around it. She released Tal and swam quickly to the mouth of the cave. Rocks and boulders had tumbled in, the sand settling around them. The force of their crash must’ve caused them to fall. It was completely sealed.
(Leira!) Leira’s head snapped around when she heard the thought.
(Hali?) she replied, hopefully.
(Yes! You can hear us?) Hali’s thought rang through to Leira, sounding slightly distorted.
(I hear you. Where are you? We’re trapped!) Leira tried to keep the panic from her thought.
(We can see the cave, Leira. But we can’t get to it. It’s above the city.)
(So? Swim up – please! Tal’s hurt.) Leira couldn’t understand why Hali sounded hesitant.
(We can’t Leira. Firth gave orders.) Hali sounded grave now.
(Firth wouldn’t want us to die up here, Hali!) Leira was frantic now. Why wouldn’t they come?
(Leira, you don’t understand!) Nerida’s voice now, sounding full of sorrow. (We can’t. Firth gave us orders and we can’t disobey them. The Herd won’t allow it. We’ve tried to swim up to you but, but we-) Her voice trailed off as sobs overwhelmed her.
(We physically can’t do it Leira.) Hali again. (It’s like an unseen force presses against our minds when we try and swim up further than the old nest. We’re going to have to go back. To get help.) Aghast Leira listened to Hali’s words, but their meaning did not sink in until she felt their presence leave her mind.
(Wait, please! Don’t leave us.) She thought it frantically, willing her friends to hear. But she felt no response. She was alone.
YOU ARE READING
Water
FantasyThink you know mermaids? Think again. (Think underwater Twilight) **** "Our waters are changing. We've known it for a while now. We can sense it. We can taste it. We can feel it." Imagine growing up your whole life believing you know who you are, w...
