We dive back in the water together. As we start to swim back towards the city the sunlight shines through the water. I spot a large rock not too far away and instantly an idea pops into my head.
"First one to touch that rock wins!" I cry as I speed towards it.
"Last one's a barnacle!" Gemma calls as she and Bay quickly follow me. I, of course, arrive first., and lean against the rock waiting for Bay and Gem to arrive. They soon do, both stopping just short of the rock.
"Who won?" Gem pants, out of breath.
"Me dummie," I respond, warranting an eye roll out of both of them.
"She meant out of us two." Bay giggles.
"Well technically...neither of you." They both stare at me, confused as I smirk watching them. Bay's face lights up and she grins.
"Me." She gloats as she touches the rock I'm leaning against. The two of us burst into laughter as Gemma pouts. Her sad face is soon replaced with a happy one as a school of bass swims past her. She joins them, circling the rock and laughing as they surround her. "Wren...what's that sound?" Bay whispers. I stop laughing and look at her, confused. I slowly start to hear it too. It's a low, buzzing sound that is slowly getting louder.
"I don't know..." I respond, warily watching Gemma. Soon we start to see a strange shadow come over her and the fish. "Gem?" My voice comes out shaky.
"What?" She laughs, continually oblivious to the strange noise and shadow. Suddenly, the noise stops and all we can hear is Gem's bell like laughter.
"Gemma get away from there." I command as the shadow shakes a little bit.
"Why? I'm having fun!" She ignores me and continues to swim with the fish.
"Gemma, I mean it!"
"You can't make me Wren! You're not mom!" Gem shoots me a glare and continues to ignore my warnings. Suddenly a large net drops down from the shadow, which must be a boat.
"GEMMA!" I scream as the net is about to surround them. I dart forward, pushing her out of harms way, only to find myself trapped with all of the fish.
"Wren!" Bay screams as she swims towards me. She pulls on the net, attempting to loosen it, but to no avail.
"Wren?" Gem recovers from the sudden push and her eyes grow wide as she sees me struggling to break free.
"Wren stop struggling!" Bay tries to tell me but I just ignore her, stopping at nothing to get myself out of the net. Gem hands Bay something, and Bay starts to cut the rope as I twist and turn, only getting my tail tangled in the net as the fish swim around me in a panic. Just as Bay cuts one of the ropes, making a small hole, the net lurches and starts to move. Gemma screams, and Bay's eyes widen as she starts to cut faster.
"Bay, it's no use. You'll never get it in time," I say sadly as the net continues pulling me up. Bay swims up with the net, looking at me sadly as Gem watches, salty tears flowing from her eyes and mixing with the water. "I-I'll be okay," I manage, looking at Bay. "Just take care of Gemma. Promise me you'll take care of her, Bay."
"I promise," Bay nods sadly and looks at me, "But I'm telling your father. He'll know what to do. I promise we'll save you Wren. I promise."
I nod and touch her hand through the net for a brief second before the top of the net breaks the surface and I feel sunlight on my tail. I mouth "Goodbye" to Bay just before my head is out of water and I start coughing up water as I start breathing air instead. I look at the water one last time to see Bay holding back Gem, who is trying to get to me, before I hear excited shouts and am thrown up onto the strange white-ish structure floating in the water and groan out in pain as I land on the hard surface.
One of the men standing looking down at me chuckles and smiles, "We've caught ourselves a mermaid, boys." The rest of the men all whoop excitedly and I look up at them, terrified, as the first man looks down at me with a smile unlike one I've ever seen on his face.
"No. Throw her back." I turn my head as a young, handsome man steps forward. He looks at the others with his deep blue eyes and a worried expression on his face. "Don't you know? It's bad luck to keep a mermaid."
"Oh shut it, Chambers," The first man glares at the second with venom. "Do you know how much we can get off of her?"
"Captain, I do not think this is wise. We do not know how to care for such a creature. She's not the same as any other human girl," The man known as Chambers says, looking oddly concerned for my well being.
As the two continued to argue over my fate, my tail was quickly drying out.
"Sir, I really do not think this a good idea-" Chambers started to protest but stopped suddenly and looked at me as I cried out, a searing pain running down the middle of my tail. He kneeled down next to me as the pain grew stronger and I gritted my teeth. Then just as soon as it hard started, it disappeared, only in the place of my tail was a pair of legs. I gasped and curled them up, looking scared at the handsome young man in front of me, the rest of the men all looking as shocked as me.
"Get up," The "Captain" ordered, looking straight at me. I gulp confused and shrink into myself more, not knowing what he means. "I said, get UP!" Grimy seaweed, he's mad now. What is he even talking about? What does he want me to do? He starts walking towards me and roughly grabs me by the arm, making me wince and shut my eyes in fear. "We'll be in my cabin, I expect no interruptions." I start to get dragged to my...feet? Yes, that's it. Feet. He starts to drag me to my feet when I fall back down with a painful thud, my legs not being able to support me.
"I won't let you do this, Captain." Chambers spits out, standing in between me and the one who is angry. "I will take care of her, I refuse to let you touch her." The man called captain growls and I shy away further from him.
"I expect you to keep her in full health if you want to keep your spot on my boat," he states, slowly raking his eyes over my body. He waves his hand dismissing the men, but continues to stare with that look on his face as Chambers quickly takes off his jacket and turns around, wrapping it around me. He picks me up in his strong arms and carries me down to his cabin wordlessly, setting me down on his bed and looks at me as I shy away from him.
"I'm so sorry about this...I won't hurt you, I promise.." He whispers as he buttons up the jacket and then steps away, giving me space. I peek up at him through my hair and look at him with scared eyes. "I just want to help you..." He speaks soothingly, his words are like music to my ears...What am I saying? I just met this man, He's probably just someone who wants to use me, like everyone else on this boat...Except here I am, still looking into his incredible ocean blue eyes...
He kneels in front of me, so we are at eye level, and looks into my eyes with his kind ones. "My name is Dylan, and yours?" Don't answer. Don't answer. Don't answer...gosh, he looks so hopeful...No, don't say it...
"W-Wren..." I whisper out, his eyes almost instantly lighting up, and when he smiles, I find myself smiling a little bit too. What is wrong with me? I've never been like this with anyone.
"Well, Wren, I'm going to take care of you, I promise...do you trust me?" I know I shouldn't, but I find myself nodding slowly no matter how much I tell myself not to. Dylan smiles that heart-melting smile and moves some hair out of my face. Such a sweet gesture..."You should get some rest, okay?" His voice awakens me from my thoughts and I nod, letting him tuck me into his bed. It's not that comfortable, but it is warm enough...And it smells like him. He says something else that I don't catch, as I'm already drifting off to sleep.