Diving in Deep

by Melinda Craig

  Diving in Deep

  The Triton Series

  © 2017 Melinda Craig

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  Contents

  Journey

  Deep Sleep

  Eyes Open

  Finding Home

  Reunited

  Open the Gate

  The Tunnel

  The Monsters Lurking Inside

  Destiny and Home

  Journey

  The few of us remaining dove. I held Lauren’s and Gabriella’s hands tightly and prayed. I hoped I could keep track of them for our journey.

  “Remember what we practiced Lauren, I know this is scary, but you can do it. Let the water flow over you and become part of who you are. Close your eyes when we jump and put all thought aside. It will be natural. Lauren, you must swim, swim fast like I know you can and follow me. We must move quickly.”

  Tears pooled in her eyes as she looked up at me.

  “Is my mom coming?”

  “Yes, sweetheart. Darrin and Nathaniel will carry her; she won’t be left behind.”

  I saw the tension ease from her brave little face. Guilt stabbed at my heart, knowing that it was possible her mother, Myra, would not survive. It was all a matter of if she could transform while in a cursed sleep, a sleep that was brought on by me. I shook my head. I couldn’t think about that right now. I needed to get my daughter Gabriella and young Lauren to safety. I looked at the girls and nodded my head.

  “Jump.”

  With linked hands, we dove, diving towards the deepest part of the lake. The lake was so much more than they knew. I felt the transition like I always did. A coolness surrounded my skin, slowly burying itself deeper and bursting with a rush of heat as my limbs stretched and expanded. My muscles became elongated, leaner, and stronger. My cells combined and changed as my skin grew and connected, hardening into the glistening violet and black scales that helped me move beneath the currents.

  Our hands let go of each other as we all took the change. Webbing between the fingers pulled, connecting as translucent scales formed in scattered clusters on our arms, torso, and back. Even our hair changed during the transformation. Mine had a new texture that allowed water to flow through and around its tentacle hair-like strands. Gills opened on my neck, and the exhilarating rush of breath and belonging to the water filled me.

  I looked at the girls. Both had managed the transformation. I swam a quick circle to gain their attention and nodded in the direction they were to follow. Lauren’s tail bore a yellow and fiery red sheen to her scales. My Gabriella’s was almost pearl white with only a hint of shimmering Violet in a few scales, her father’s genes were stronger than mine, and I was thankful…knowing this journey should not be hard for her. I prayed the same ease would be granted for Lauren.

  We began the journey, and I hoped with all hope, we would finish it. After all this time, I was going home.

  Deep Sleep

  She knew she couldn't wake; it was an awareness that haunted her. She walked in her dream, sifting through the jumbled memories, all the while, hearing a soft melody that was present wherever she went inside her mind.

  It was a trap, a beautifully laid one. With a melody that sealed her eyes shut, while keeping her mind conscious. Everything felt jumbled and clouded with a thick fog that went everywhere she walked. She could see them, the faces of people she should know. She could watch them through her memories in her mind, but still, they were untouchable, just out of her grasp.

  Time, it was against her. She didn’t know how she knew, but she did. The melody twisted and curled, unfolded its lovely lines of music around her tighter, and then, she heard it. It was a tiny and barely audible sound, but yet, she heard it.

  Within the song, there was something more, a message perhaps. Myra stopped herself from wandering further back in her mind and listened. There it was again. A voice, no, a friend.

  Without the memories to watch, her mind felt empty and void. She had to fight the urge to chase her memories. She couldn’t do that and still listen to the voice. So she closed her eyes and embraced the song, focusing on that tiny voice. She heard it again, but this time clearer, emerging through the melody. It called to her.

  “Wake up.” It said.

  “Wake up, my dear friend.”

  Myra leaned into the words and began to follow the voice. She turned around and climbed forward. It was like hiking up a steep hill. How had she gotten so far down? The voice called to her and led her up. Up she climbed, passing more memories. If she lingered too long, the voice would remind her to keep going.

  “This way, Myra.” It said.

  “No, don’t look back. Follow me. Yes, one more step.”

  “You’re almost there.” It called to her.

  “Wake up, Myra. Wake up. WAKE UP!”

  She pulled herself over the last step, feeling a crushing wave of relief. Struck with a bright white light, she toppled.

  “WAKE UP, MYRA!” It shouted.

  No longer quiet, the voice screamed at her. She held her hands over her ears.

  “OPEN YOUR EYES, MYRA!” It screamed.

  She rocked back and forth, trying to find relief from the sound. Her mind hurt. She couldn’t breathe. Why couldn’t she breathe?

  “WAKE UP, MYRA! WAKE UP!” The voice screamed louder.

  And then she felt it…air. Beautiful air filled her aching lungs. Another bright light burst before her. She heard the voice again.

  “You did it, Myra.”

  She opened her eyes.

  Eyes Open

  Thrashing and in a panic, I tried to figure out where I was. Water surrounded me. I was gasping, but then, breath found me. I heard a voice, a distant shout, and looked up at the face of someone familiar. Dusty brown hair and kind green eyes stared back at me.

  I breathed in deeply, thankful for the air. My lungs ached, and every muscle felt tired. His hand found mine, and I could hear his voice inside my mind.

  “It’s ok Myra. Take another deep breath. That’s it, good. I’m Darrin, by the way. You know me. I’m here to take you to see your daughter.”

  Lauren? He knew my Lauren. It all came rushing back. I felt the headache begin as reality seemed so far.

  I was in the water and swimming beside another Mer creature, a creature like myself. I looked down at my tail and marveled at its scales in shades of onyx and turquoise. I felt my neck, the ridges of gills grazing my fingertips. I moved my hands in front of my face. Webbed skin connected each finger. We had practiced this, the transformation. Darrin had taught me. He smiled down at me, flicking his tail towards the direction he wanted us to swim. Again, I heard his voice speak inside my mind.

  “I know your scared Myra; it’s ok. I wish I could explain more, but right now, I need you to follow me. You have to stay close and swim fast. Lauren is ahead of us. You don’t need to worry about her. Alexis and Gabriella will keep her safe. You and I, well, we’re behind. We need to catch up. Can you follow me?”

  I nodded my head. Relief washed over his handsome features.

  “This way.” He said. We flew through the current.

  Finding Home

  I shouldn’t have worried about Lauren keeping up. She was fast. It was amazing really, especially for her only being part Mer. I guided her and Gabriella as best as I could. We were almost there. The tunnel was up ahead, and I could see Nathaniel with the
others waiting for us.

  Gabriella and Lauren swam towards a few other mermaids their age. I lingered behind searching. Darrin should be here with Myra’s sleeping body. I was praying that she had changed (even if she was unconscious) or Darrin would be carrying a corpse.

  Nathaniel was supposed to make sure Myra wasn’t left behind, yet, I couldn’t see Darrin or Myra anywhere. A sinking feeling hit my gut, and I glanced at Lauren to see if she had noticed. Maybe she wouldn’t see, she was used to her mom being separated from the group.

  Why would Nathaniel leave them behind? Unless…he wouldn’t though, not without talking to me. He wasn’t supposed to make those decisions alone. Myra was still alive, even if she may never wake again, she still lived. Well, so long as she had transformed. I wasn’t sure that was possible while unconscious. I prayed it was.

  I swam towards Nathaniel and searched his eyes. He glanced away. I placed my hand on his shoulder, only to have it shrugged off. I felt his mind and his frustration, finally he looked at me and spoke.

  “You did this. This is on you.” He said.

  “Nathaniel, what have you done?” I said.

  “You know as well as I do that she won’t wake from the slumber. I did what had to be, and I needed to make sure you brought the girls here to safety. I couldn’t have you fighting me every step of the way.”

  “You can’t be serious! She’s not dead Nathaniel; this is murder. And Darrin? Did he agree to this?” I asked.

  “He knew it had to be done. He doesn’t enjoy this, and neither do I, but we have to think of the pod Alexis. How can you be so naïve? They are tracking us as we speak. Go to Lauren and Gabriella and keep them safe. I’m opening the portal now.”

  “But, what about Darrin? He can’t get in without you; none of us can!” I said.

  Nathaniel’s onyx tale swayed, his hands balled up into fists by his side. I swam back, feeling the fury in his eyes. Everything about my brother bore strength and power.

  Over the years he left more of his human self aside. Less and less of his emotions surfaced, and I often wondered if he remembered what it felt like to be anything other than a creature of water. His black eyes bore into mine.

  “We wouldn’t be in this mess at all if YOU hadn’t brought her to us. Darrin knows the risk. He will try to make it here, but I can’t hold the gate.” He said.

  I didn’t send my voice or thoughts to Nathaniel’s mind. It was best to stay silent. My heart broke with the thought of Myra not surviving. Her unconscious body tossed and Darrin not even making it back. Why could Nathaniel never find a gray area? Everything was extreme with him. Even so, he was right about one thing; this was my fault.

  Reunited

  I followed Darrin. It was easier than I thought it would be. I floated, carried by the current created from his lethal emerald tail. I still felt fuzzy. It was like waking up from the flu and desperately needing to gain strength. But even in my weakened state, I was determined not to hold Darrin back.

  He hadn’t told me why we were racing to the pod. I saw the urgency on his face and wasn’t about to force the issue. What mattered most was that he was taking me to Lauren. If she was leaving, then I needed to be there too. I prayed Alexis and Gabriella would guide her. Something was wrong, and I hoped we wouldn’t hold anyone behind. If Nathaniel had made anything clear, it was that I was weak compared to the rest of the pod.

  Darrin’s voice broke my train of thought.

  “Look, Myra! Up ahead, we made it!” He said.

  I could feel the relief wash over him, and I tried not to let that trouble me. He was more worried than he let on. He slowed his pace, and I swam up beside him, my onyx and turquoise tail swaying beside his emerald scales. I followed his gaze and saw our group. Our pod was just up ahead. I could see Alexis, beside her was my daughter. I waved and tried to speak into Lauren’s mind.

  “Lauren! Sweetie—I’m here!”

  Her head immediately turned, and I swelled with pride that she heard me. I was still getting used to communicating under water. Lauren waved us forward, and I began to swim her way. A tug on my hand turned me back. I looked to see Darrin holding onto my wrist, his eyes pleading.

  “Please, let me do the talking. Don't say anything.” He begged.

  He hung his head, his hand moving down from my wrist and entwining with my fingers. I gave his hand a gentle squeeze, trying to offer comfort. He should be happy. We were caught up with our pod.

  “Darrin, I don’t know what’s going on. I won’t say anything, except to Lauren, don’t ask me to ignore my daughter.” I sent my thoughts to him.

  He tugged me towards the group and slowed his pace so I could swim beside him.

  “I would never keep you from Lauren. Just trust me, Nathaniel isn’t going to be happy. I need you to not draw attention to yourself.” He said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Listen, you had a bad meltdown before we left. You’ve been out awhile. I don’t even know where to start with this. It’s complicated. You know, our kind…we all have different gifts. Let’s just say, Alexis will be essential in helping you learn to control yours.” He said.

  “Why? What is her gift and what does it have to do with me?” I asked.

  Darrin looked away, not meeting my eyes. I couldn’t remember anything from yesterday, except seeing Lauren. My stomach clenched in anxiousness. Whatever happened, it couldn’t have been good.

  “You have more in common with Alexis than you know. Your gift is special. I don’t want you to be blindsided by all of it, so I’ll try and give you a rundown.” Darrin explained.

  “Ok,” I said, trying to brace myself for the worst. Darrin swam a few paces to the side, agitatedly swaying his tail. Whatever he had to tell me, it wasn’t something he wanted to say.

  “You have siren blood in you. It’s rare and never heard of with a half-blood. Let’s say the meltdown caused some serious damage. It’s not your fault. You didn’t know.”

  He ran his hands through his hair, an odd movement in the water and with his transformation. His tentacle strands of hair moved with a life of their own, and when his fingers went to brush through them, they parted before his fingertips could touch the strands. He pulled his hand away and shrugged as if to say, old habits die hard, even the human ones.

  “We should have prepared for this, but…we didn’t expect you to have it. Alexis had to use her siren gift and put you in a deep sleep. I didn’t think you would wake up from it, but hoped you would.” He said.

  His pacing stopped, and he faced me, searching my face, looking for…I wasn’t sure what. Perhaps he was searching for signs that I understood and wasn’t going crazy? What did it mean that I had Siren blood in me? I thought all mermaids were sirens, but maybe the fairytales were different than reality.

  The blood drained from my face as pieces of yesterday flashed before me. It was all coming back. The noise that made me want to scream, the bodies on the floor, the blood, it was all my fault. I was a monster.

  “Darrin, are we running because of me?” I asked, searching his face.

  My heart sank, an all too familiar panic began to rise. All I could think was the danger I put Lauren in. What if she had been in that room?

  Darrin stopped and took me by the shoulders. His powerful tail swayed in the water. I found myself pulled in by his green eyes and calmed at the touch of his hands.

  “Listen to me. We don’t have time for another meltdown, and I know you’re not going to have one. Your daughter is just up ahead. We need to focus on getting her and you to safety. It’s not your fault, ok? You didn’t ask to be experimented on, and what you went through, your mind needs time to recoup. So breathe. Follow me and let me talk. Trust me when I say, I know another meltdown won’t happen.” He said.

  “How can you be so sure?” I asked.

  “I told you we all have gifts, remember?” He said.

  I nodded.

  “Mine has to do
with emotions. I can keep you calm. I just wish I would have been there sooner.”

  I reached for his hand. Darrin grabbed it and entwined his fingers within mine. I felt calmness run through me, and for once, I felt protected. He gave me a reassuring smile, and we were off again, making our way towards the pod. No matter what happened, I had to stay calm, because I couldn’t lose Lauren again.

  We made the last stretch towards Alexis and Lauren. I swam up to my daughter and wrapped my arms around her, swaying in a circle as our tales entwined with the embrace. She was alive, and well, I would always be grateful for that.

  Lauren gave me a radiant smile and returned the hug with zest. I swam back and took a look at her. Being Mer suited her.

  Lauren’s tale burst with shades of orange, red, and yellow. They swirled together in a brilliant pattern on her scales. It gave the appearance of fire and life. She was less Mer than me, but somehow that didn’t seem to matter in the world of genetics. My Lauren looked more Mermaid than I could ever be. I was glad this was her world, and there was no doubt in my mind that she could survive. She’d already adapted to this new life.

  My reunion with Lauren didn’t last. An icy chill crawled down my spine. I looked up to see Nathaniel swimming our way, his gaze locked with mine. I shuddered. Darrin swam in front of me, his shoulders squared and body tense.

  Hate and anger seemed to roll off of Nathaniel in waves. I did not doubt that he loathed me, and I couldn’t blame him for what I had done. Nathaniel would never forgive. I wasn’t sure I would forgive myself either.

  Open the Gate

  It was hard enough trying to keep everyone safe, and then seeing her here, what was she doing awake? Better yet, why was she still alive? From the moment my sister had rescued Myra, she had been nothing but a burden, constantly slowing the rest of us down. I was their leader, protector. It was my job to make sure the majority stayed safe, and Myra was threatening our very existence with her unstable mind.