Scared New World

Chapter 9

My nightmares were filled with chaos and screaming. I looked everywhere, and blood was smeared on the seafloor, rocks, and boulders. The thing that simultaneously filled me with equal parts of fear and dread, however, was the body a few feet in front of me. It was a mermaid, her red-gold hair barely distinguishable from the blood covering her head and face. Meri.

My mouth opened in a silent scream as I collapsed on the ground. Sobs wracked my body as I sat there, paralyzed by sadness and pain. I looked for David or Jay, but I couldn't see them. I squeezed my eyes shut, counted to three, then opened them again, hoping to wake up.

I jerked awake, hyperventilating. Tears came to my eyes as I frantically tried to get my breath. I felt solid and warm hands cover my own, squeezing gently. I looked into a familiar pair of green eyes, his dark skin unusually pale. David. He quickly grabbed the pad and pen, scribbling on it before handing it to me. Are you okay?

I barely took in my surroundings as my heartbeat calmed and my breathing slowed. My hands were trembling so much I could hardly grip the pen. My sisters. Where are they? Are they okay? I knew I wouldn't be able to relax until I saw that Meri was alive and safe.

He put a steadying hand on my back as he scribbled his response. They're here. They arrived early this morning. My question must've shown on my face because he nodded, quickly disappearing from the room and reappearing moments later with two familiar faces.

We rushed into each other's arms. The longer we held each other, the more worried I became. After a few minutes, we separated, anxiously scanning one another for injuries. Where's Mom? I signed. Is she okay?

Naia nodded. She's fine. How long have you known Tiger Shark's real identity?

The question, so blunt and harsh, caught me off guard. I looked at Meri, but she had the same look on her face. You don't understand. I only found out recently. That's part of why I wanted to see both of you. I took a steadying breath, then plunged in. I've been having nightmares recently. They vary, but one thing always stays the same. Meri, lying on the ground in front of me, dead.

I didn't flinch as I felt a hand grip my own, the gesture filled with fear. I looked at my hands as I finished, not wanting to see their expressions. Tiger Shark is after us. That's the other part of the reason.

Before either of them could move a muscle, the door was suddenly flung open. Three mermen swam in, each carrying a crossbow. The leader locked eyes with me, his gaze piercing. Every muscle told me to get out of there, but I was frozen. It was all I could do not to collapse on the floor.

Naia and Meri grabbed my hands, their grips reassuring and comforting. Out of the corner of my eye, Meri's expression was visible. Her face was deathly pale, tears leaking down her cheeks. I stared straight ahead, barely able to keep the sobs at bay. One merman swam to my other side, roughly grabbing Naia's chin.

Meri was shouting something, but of course, I couldn't hear it. All the breath vanished from my body as the leader appeared before me, roughly tying my hands behind my back. I swallowed hard, avoiding eye contact.

His partner pulled a sheet of paper and a pen out of his pocket, handing it to him. He scribbled a hasty note on the paper, then showed it to me. Rissa. You and I will be seeing a lot more of each other.

I couldn't breathe, couldn't think as he dragged me out of the room. I opened my mouth to shout, unwilling to be taken from them, but a yank on my bound hands had me smothering my cry.

My heart stopped as two familiar faces came into view, unconscious on the ground. David. Jay. As we swam out into open water, I winced at the light. I choked back a sob as the rope bit into my hands.

We swam for about an hour before coming to a warehouse. One of his men unlocked the door, then he swam inside, dragging me with him. The next few moments happened so fast that I barely had time to comprehend them. I didn't hear the snap as the bone connecting my arm and shoulder shattered, but the pain was blinding. I bit my tongue so hard blood filled my mouth as I struggled to stay conscious.

Every movement felt like lava moving through my veins. I tried to open my mouth to scream, but my tongue was too heavy to lift. My last thought, before the pain dragged me into unconsciousness, was, Please let Meri and Naia be okay.

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