“But they ar’na’ gonna stay thar! They’re goin’ta get pulled back ‘fore long. They be eaten Frey food. Ya kin try – but they’ll be poppin’ back ta Frey ‘fore ya know it who knows where or when!”
This was all new information to Jack. He’d eaten things in Frey. He’d eaten bread, and pure magic – twice!
“Jenny!” he turned in a panic to find her.
Mamy touched his arm. “Dinna ya worry ‘bout Jenny. We warned her an’ she only be eatin’ safe things.”
Jack turned to Mamy and Papy. “You don’t understand. I have to go back! My parents! They’ve got to be completely freaking out that we’ve been gone so long! My dad has a bad heart! This could kill him! I have to go home!”
Papy and Mamy looked at him.
Papy sighed, “I don’t know wot ta say, boy. Maybe wi’ yer magic, ya kin change yerself back ta how ya were ‘afore? I jest can’t tell ya.”
Jack could see the first rays of gold hitting the clouds in the east. There was a whisper of dawn at the far reaches of the ocean. Jack was distraught.
Footbe had been listening. “Jack, the MerKing might be able ta help ya. Can’t promise nothin’. We’ll be talkin’ ta the MerKing later today, if all goes right.”
The crowd of children had been listening to the back and forth.
When Jack again asked the group of children if anyone wanted to go home, he was surprised to learn that over a third of the children didn’t want to leave once Jack had told them the date back home. They’d been gone from their home for decades and there wasn’t a home to return to. Jack decided to bring all of them – children and b’Trixers alike onto the floating island. Together they would travel to see the mermaids (assuming they could be revived).
The baby Frit and Footbe came aboard the island as well. Footbe said that he’d take her down to the Frit caverns via the tunnel near the cottage. He thought it was his responsibility. Finn said he’d go with his father and see the frits again. Jack was twisted up inside about leaving Finn here.
Jack was not sure how to move the island at first. It didn’t have any sails like the pirate ship (not that that had really made one bit of sense).
All the kids and critters spread out eagerly to explore the island. The children and the b’Trixers who had been hiding on the island had mentioned seeing giant spider-like creatures who had been throwing stones down on the queen during the battle but no spider-like creatures had yet been found. The island had some mysteries, but apparently friendly mysteries.
On one side of the island’s mountain was a strange structure. To Jack and Finn it seemed a cross between the tree-house in the old Swiss Family Robinson movie, and Willy Wonka’s toy factory.
The b’Trixers found Mordette’s larders. Soon a group of matronly rabbits laid an assortment of breakfast foods on a long table for the famished kids. But nothing was found which resembled a flight deck from Star Trek (which was what Jack and Finn had been secretly hoping for).
In desperation Jack finally just willed the island to move. And it moved!
Mamy and Papy had gotten used to the pirate ship, so Jenny and the Wishermans followed behind in the pint-sized ship. Bilbe, Dilbe, and Lilbe insisted on the island despite Mamy’s protestations.
From her perch on the forecastle Jenny dreamily watched the floating island (complete with its donut of water and white beaches) as the curious flying saucer glided across a sea of puffy clouds.
* * * *
Once the island was on its way, Jack looked around for Finn. Jack was standing on a beach that he was now considering the front of the island. Beyond the ring of water which extended some twenty feet out from the island in all directions, he could see a mountainous cloudscape that reached towards the cerulean horizon. From Footbe, he had a general sense of which direction they should be headed. Jack hoped the clouds would clear up a bit so they could see the ground soon.
He had discovered a stone well on this beach that was perhaps eight feet in diameter. Instead of water at the bottom of the well, it was a wide open hole and allowed one to see what lay directly beneath the island.
Jack walked down the beach for some distance before he caught sight of Finn and his father Footbe sitting on a log near the water. Footbe had his arm around Finn’s shoulder. Jack couldn’t imagine his own father doing that. No touching in the Saunders’ home.
It looked like Finn was finally getting a chance to get to know his real father.
Jack was happy for him. He really was. Honestly... but feelings are complicated things.
* * * *
They arrived at the Bay of mer’Rinn by mid-morning. The pirate ship settled on the clear waters of the lagoon, and the island hovered above the beach near the river that led to the Cottage-by-the-Sea.
Finn and Jack asked the b’Trixers to watch the children while the two boys, Jenny, Footbe, and the Wishermans hiked up the trail to the Cottage.
This time the Guard Buds immediately recognized Footbe and Finn and the open stone path was lined with rows of rose buds who happily greeted their masters with a song.
“Welcome back oh tasty bosses!
No one’s blood is quite so sweet–
Royals with a touch o’ fish
have the blood we love to eat! ”
The roses all waved their vines in a sort of football stadium wave.
Jack hesitated to walk past on hearing the cheerfully sung lyrics. “Are they safe?”
Footbe grinned. “Are any roses truly safe? All roses are wee bit vampiric. Haven’t you ever noticed?”
Jack had to confess that he always lost blood when he got too close to roses.
“Guard buds, you are the best! Thank you for watching the cottage!” Finn laughed as he reached to turn the knob, but the door swung wide before he could grab it.
Bromley the butler greeted the tired party with an energetic smile.“You’re just in time, Sirs! Follow me!”
Bromley rushed through an arch in the entry which led to the lab.
“Master James! It is most excellent to see you look like yourself again!” observed the wooden-whiskered butler as Footbe hurried toward the tall tube in the center of the laboratory.
There was a strange creature inside it with a fish tail.
Finn got a wistful smile on his face. “I didn’t expect to love her so much.”
“That’s... your mom?” asked Jack a little in shock.
“Well, she doesn’t really look like that,” Finn explained. “But – she’s still kind of cute this way too.”
Jack could see the worry on Finn’s face.
“Is she asleep?” asked Jack – wondering what she’d look like when recovered from the virus.
Jack was astounded by the whole underground home. The picturesque cottage in the side of a hill covered with vampiric guard roses, the steam-punk laboratory, the strange organic robots that peeked from every cubbyhole... everywhere he looked was a wonder for the eyes.
Bromley waddled over to a peculiar robot on a counter that was jiving up and down to music in its head. The small figure was about the size of a large coffee pot and stood on two shiny chrome legs with bent knees. It did the twist. It did a sort of punk bopping. It was clearly hearing a rocking beat. Little arms and hands snapped fingers to a silent hip beat. Jack could distinguish no head, and it’s body consisted of a metal cylinder which tapered at the base to a small tap. It gyrated its hips and rocked back and forth till a little head with a beret burst out of the top and squeaked, “I’m ready!”
Footbe laughed. “That’s a smart use of my jumbo martini mixer!”
Bromley rushed over to the small creature and held a small tube under its tap. “He’s been shaking it for six hours and twenty-two minutes.”
He poured a small amount of bright green fluid into the tube. “There should be enough for all the mermaids. Thank goodness it doesn’t requ
ire very much. It took ages to pulp the moss into juice.”
Nearby, there was a tired looking robot that reminded Jack of a peppercorn grinder – it sat on a clear but dirty globe full of juiced moss.
Bromley wobbled back over to the giant tube that held Meryth of mer’Rinn. Then Bromley hesitated. “Master James, would you like to do it?”
Footbe looked at his sleeping wife tenderly. “I would.”
He stepped forward apprehensively. He carefully accepted the small vial of antidote. He pulled up the injection tube and poured the green fluid into it. With a thrust he pushed the mechanism into the console and almost immediately a sparkling, greenish tinge entered the bottom of the tube and spread rapidly throughout. It swirled around the small sleeping form.
Neither Finn, Jack, nor Jenny could later quite describe what they saw then. There was a sparkling and a stretching. The shape of the little creature morphed into a larger creature – which made no sense to Jack when he remembered his Intro to Physics class. But somehow the small mass became a big mass which then became – a mermaid. She was still sleeping.
Jenny gasped. “She’s beautiful.”
She was.
Her pale blue hair floated around her in a wavy mass of soft curls. Her tail was a soft shade of lavender with sparkley depths in its scales. And her skin was fair and opalescent like the inside of an oyster shell.
Finn couldn’t but help but notice his mom’s breasts this time. Yes. They were very nice breasts. Not that he was looking at his mom’s breasts.
Jack could read his mind and nudged him with a stupid smile. “Your mom has... amazing hair.”
“Yes – she does,” he said uncomfortably.
Jack bumped shoulders with Finn. “Hey. It’s not like your foster is mom flashing me. Your real mom’s a frickin’ mermaid – of course she isn’t all Arial or Mako Mermaids wearing clam shells or some lame bikini top.”
“Of course.” Finn said in him most mature voice.
But they were fifteen. And seeing naked breasts was still an unusual thing for them, and they had difficulty meeting each other’s eyes. Finn and Jack almost had to step into the other room before they started giggling like doofuses. But they pulled themselves together in time. Jack thought it was weird how he could feel totally mature and adult-like one moment, and still be only seconds aways from turning into an idiot.
Jack was glad that Jenny was not paying any attention to them. She was staring at Meryth. She was in awe.
Footbe knocked on the glass.
Meryth’s eyes opened. She looked confused until they settled on her husband on the other side of the glass. She looked down at her body with happiness. She smiled. She said something they couldn’t understand.
Footbe turned a jeweled knob on the console and the entire tube of water gently swirled down into a pool and Footbe reached into it and lifted her out and into his arms.
“Footbe!” she cried.
“Finbe!” he sighed.
“Finbe?” muttered Finn.
James and Meryth kissed so passionately it was nearly embarrassing for the rest of the room – except for Bromley who gazed on happily, while the Wishermans moved to the other room.
But Meryth noticed Finn standing awkwardly nearby.
“Finn!” she cried. “You did it!”
Footbe reached over and pulled him into a three-way embrace. It wasn’t as awkward as Finn had expected. It felt good to be held by his parents.
Jack lingered near the doorway thinking he should leave. Jack felt hollow to see all the love there and maybe a little envious. The Saunders didn’t hug. He didn’t belong to a family of huggers, but Jack so longed for a hug in that moment.
Jenny still stood transfixed.
Releasing Finn, Footbe carried Meryth over to a pool that took up part of the room and descended the steps to let her slip into the soothing water. She didn’t stay apart from him for long though. In moments, Footbe had settled into a comfortable seat with Meryth sitting in his lap.
“You must be Jack! And you must be Jenny!” laughed Meryth, beckoning them to come closer.
“I’ve never met a mermaid before!” said Jenny eagerly. “When I saw the others I was so disappointed! I knew merpeople weren’t supposed to look like that!”
“You saw my people?” asked Meryth.
Footbe was kissing Meryth’s ear. “We were there yesterday. I’m hoping that you might help us with restoring them, in an hour or so.”
“An hour?” asked Meryth.
“Or so,” smiled Footbe.
Meryth giggled at whatever Footbe was whispering in her ear, but then her eyes fell on Jack near the door. She removed herself quickly from her husband’s lap which had clearly missed her. “Jack! Come here. Finn has told me so much about you.” She and Footbe moved up to the water’s edge to inspect Jack.
Jack didn’t know what to say. If Finn’s newly discovered parents knew just how much he liked Finn, they would think Jack was disgusting. He might lose Finn.
Jack felt naked – and suddenly he really was. His glamour was gone in a burst of golden light. Every eye in the lab turned away from the glare that poured out from him.
He was a freak! He couldn’t even control himself!
Jack panicked. He flew at light speed out of the lab and out of the cottage till he hovered over the river.
He wouldn’t get to spend his life with Finn. He would have to say goodbye to Finn forever. Jack was a horrible person to wish that Finn would give up his long lost parents just to go back with Jack. Jack was awful and selfish! If Finn couldn’t see it, his parents would see it!
A large oak stretched its branches over the water. Jack drifted down onto one of its branches and collapsed in its embrace. His golden tears poured out in rivers of their own. His sobs came from depths that he hadn’t known even existed.
* * * *
Finn raced out of the lab in pursuit.
“I thought Jack was human.” asked a startled Meryth.
“Well, he... he used to be,” ventured a confused Pirate Jenny.
Footbe sighed. “Jack seems at some point to have consumed a great deal of magic.”
“To what effect?” asked Meryth.
“Not sure,” Footbe reflected. “He’s frightened. He wants to go home to his parents. In fact, we’ve a whole island full of human children who’ve eaten Frey food and who want to go home.”
“But, now that Frey is in their blood, Frey won’t let them go.” Meryth finished the thought. “If my father can be brought back, he may have answers, but there would be a cost. They’d never be able to return to Frey...”
Chapter 54
Merfolk
Finn’s head bobbed up out of a swirl of water that was under the branch where Jack sobbed golden tears. Jack’s glowing foot dangled in the slow moving current. Golden light danced in the ripples where the foot touched the water.
Finn tugged on the golden foot. “Hey.”
Jack looked down at Finn and sniffed, “Hey.”
Minutes passed with no sound other than the water’s passage around them and Jack’s muffled sobs.
“I’ll never see you again if I go home,” Jack choked out in a tangle of tears.
“You don’t know that,” Finn played with Jack’s golden toes where they met the water.
Jack closed his eyes as Finn touched his feet. “I hate having to choose between – you and my parents! And Jenny! I know it’s not your fault. You want to stay in your parents’ world. I get it. You’re not really human anymore. It just sucks.”
Finn agreed. “It does suck. And not in a good way.”
Jack didn’t laugh.
The river flowed and Finn floated on his back below Jack, lazily kicking his big webbed feet to stay in place.
“We’ll figure something out. There’s got to
be a way.” Finn urged.
“Yeah?” Jack looked down.
Finn shrugged. “We’ll ask the merfolk to help us.”
Jack’s thoughts were somewhere else. “Do your parents hate me? What – I am? What we are?”
“Extremely adorable?”
Jack couldn’t answer. He was thinking about how Finn’s parents must think he’s disgusting. How they must be sick to their stomach to think of their son with another boy.
“Hey – you’re talking about two people who fell in love with someone outside their own species. They are extremely open-minded. They just want me to be happy. And you, Jack, make me happy.”
Finn pulled hard on the foot he was holding. A startled Jack hollered as he tumbled into the water.
Finn wrapped his arms around Jack. They surfaced further downstream. They floated together on their backs.
“Somebody isn’t wearing a Hawaiian print loincloth anymore.” Jack noted.
“Lost it.” Finn smiled. He pulled Jack closer and gave him a kiss.
Jack kissed him back.
They drifted for a bit in the current.
Soon, they thought they might explore the river bank to see if there was something that together they might discover.
* * * *
A little while later an expedition set out for the Isle of Judgment. Jack left the island floating low above the beach. The Wishermans stayed to supervise the kids. It was possibly the best place ever for playing Hide and Seek. Asphixia was in the tree house taking a magically assisted nap.
The pirate ship sailed out near the Isle and dropped anchor. Meryth and Finn swum alongside. Footbe and Jenny rode aboard ship. Jack flew.
Jack couldn’t get his mind off of wondering whether the merfolk could help him return to his parents. Part of him wished that they’d say it was impossible and save him the choice.
Footbe and Jenny would stay on the ship, while Meryth and Finn planned to dive to the underwater laboratory and initiate the restoration. They asked Jack if he would like to join them.
“Can I do that?” Jack hovered golden above the water. With all the magic that he’d been doing he was still just as golden as ever.
Olly, Olly, Oxen Frey Page 29
