Beneath the Painted Ocean

by CS Patra

  Oh no, have I made him mad? Kai wondered. The excitement in Callum’s eyes was now replaced with curiosity. He could also see that Callum’s face was turning red. He hasn’t left but he looks so confused. Maybe he was ticklish again? I hope that didn’t scare him.

  The fact that Callum was still there gave Kai all the answers he wanted. He wasn’t running away. He wasn’t giving up on their friendship. If they hadn’t been a merman and human, they could be so much more. It wouldn’t feel fair to keep living like this.

  I can’t turn you into a merman. I can’t ask you to drop your life for me. Kai thought. However, I do know I want to be with you. If it means having to change myself, I will. I just need to tell my family about it first. I know I can make you love me in two months. I just hope you don’t feel like I’m forcing you into anything.

  Callum remained confused. It was as though he could tell what Kai was thinking. His cheeks were unusually red and he made a motion that he needed to go. It was starting to get late and he needed to get back before his family realized he was gone. He had taken the dive without letting anyone else know. They were still keeping a close eye on him and it was driving him crazy. Even in the ocean, he didn’t feel free.

  Kai carefully let go of him. “When will I see you again?”

  Callum could only shrug in reply. He knew they would see each other soon but he had no idea when. Work was going to pile up fast and he didn’t know if he would have time to go to the shore. Still, he wasn’t about to let this friendship die. Even if he was exhausted and unable to move, he would make his way down to the beach. He would wait on the sand until he got a sign from Kai. To assure him that things were fine, he squeezed Kai’s shoulder.

  I’ll be there. He wanted to say. No one’s going to stop me from seeing you. I don’t know when or how, but I will be there.

  “Don’t forget about me,” Kai reminded him, inching closer. “I know you have your work and you may not be able to see me all the time. I will come to see you as much as possible. I know where you are going. It won’t be hard to get there.”

  Before Callum could react, Kai leaned over and kissed the side of his face. It was a quick kiss but it made Callum shudder on impulse. His eyes were wide but he felt it. His hand went to the area where the kiss had been. There was something cool and warm about Kai’s lips. It felt like he had been shocked but calmed down within seconds.

  “I’ll see you soon,” Kai promised, squeezing his hand. “You won’t have to search for me. I’ll find you.”

  Callum could only nod in reply. His face was still burning from the kiss and he wasn’t sure what else he could do. He just knew that Kai was serious. Everything was serious.

  I’ll find you.

  Chapter 14

  Callum almost wished he had taken a few more days off. Being in his office and studying the data he gathered wasn’t a thrill. It was important, yes, but it wasn’t what he wanted to do. All he could think about now was Kai. His heart still pounded over the fact that he had found a real, live merman. He had seen mermaids with his own eyes. He had even managed to speak to them and ask them so many questions. More than that, one of them kissed him.

  He could still feel the burn of Kai’s kiss on his knuckles and the side of his face. It was a quick kiss, but he would never forget it. Was this a merman ritual? What did it mean? He wasn’t uncomfortable with the kiss. He just didn’t know how to react. As sad as it was, this was the first real kiss he had gotten from anyone. He had dated around a few times but never got a kiss. Now that he had one, he didn’t know how to react. He tried to his best to push it out of his mind when he went into work.

  “Well, good morning!” Dr. Campbell greeted him as he entered the office and made his way to his desk. “How was the trip?”

  “It was exactly what I needed.” Callum put his things down and powered up his computer. He went over to put his lunch in the fridge and thought about the trip. “I saw so much and it was fun for the most part.”

  “What happened to your lip?”

  Ah, there it was. His poor bruised lip hadn’t healed yet. “I, uh...ran into a pole. I was playing Pokémon Go and didn’t watch where I was going.” He laughed to make this sound more authentic. “Pathetic, isn’t it? I’m old yet I’m playing with these phone apps.”

  “It’s not pathetic. I knew quite a few older people who were playing that. You still need to be careful though. At least it’s just a bruise and nothing worse.”

  “Yeah.” Callum went back to his desk and looked at the papers that had piled up on it. He missed two days and already he had a mountain of work. Rubbing his eyes, he tried to focus but something bothered him. “Dr. Campbell, can I ask you a strange question before you leave? You don’t have to answer it if you don’t want to.”

  “It depends on the question.”

  “You’ve heard about mermaids, right? Do you think it’s possible that they’re real? If so, could a mermaid ever fall in love with a human?” He stopped himself because he saw Dr. Campbell’s face change. “I know what you’re thinking. I’ve watched The Little Mermaid far too many times. My sisters had the tape and they wore it out. Still, I’ve been wondering if maybe there’s more to the ocean than what we know.”

  “Well, you are right about one thing. There is more to the ocean. There’s so much we haven’t explored and we don’t know if we ever will. As for mermaids, it’s hard to say. Pretty much everything I heard about them is a myth.”

  “Yes, but do you believe it’s possible that they are out there?”

  “Anything is possible. We just need the proof and it has to be solid. It can’t be something blurry. I’ve seen some of this so-called proof and it’s usually just another sea creature like a whale or maybe a seal or sea lion. That’s not enough to say if a mermaid exists or doesn’t.” Dr. Campbell looked at the clock. “I better clock in then. I’m glad you’re back and that you had a good time.”

  “Thanks. I’ll try to get as much done as possible,” Callum promised, patting the top of the work pile. “I didn’t think I would have so much paperwork in two days, but here we are.”

  “I know you’ll get it done in time. I have meetings all day that I don’t really want to be in,” Dr. Campbell sighed. “Once again, people are trying to get into our business. So many places want to open up without thinking about how much it could hurt the ocean. I’ve pointed that out but I don’t think they care.”

  “That’s because they don’t care,” Callum sighed. “You could point out all the reasons why we need the ocean and they’ll brush them aside. They only care about money. Don’t get me wrong. I know why money is important. While it’s not everything, it would help take care of half of my problems. That said, I don’t think I could hurt the ocean and everything living in it just for a few dollars.”

  Dr. Campbell chuckled. “Ah, you have a very tender heart, Callum. You’re thinking of things that others won’t think of.”

  “Is that a bad thing?”

  “Not at all. I just think that you are very intelligent and you understand what the issue is. Unfortunately, others won’t and you have to be careful around them.” He started to leave the room. “I better leave you to your work. Welcome back.”

  Callum went into his work, but he couldn’t help thinking about what Dr. Campbell had said. He mentioned being careful around people. Why was that necessary? They were scientists. Sure, there were a lot of people who didn’t trust them out there. There were people who didn’t believe in science and thought that there were other options. He didn’t agree with those people at all especially since some of them got themselves or others in danger with their beliefs. However, he never felt the urge to be careful around them. Until now, he was never warned about them. He had no reason to be scared.

  He tried to forget about that and think about Kai instead. Only a few hours and he was already missing him. Once again, he felt alone in his world. He had no one. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out his phone. In the midst of it all, he m
anaged to convince Kai to take a picture with him. Kai was a little afraid at first but then he remembered that cameras kept memories. Callum promised only to take a picture of him from the neck up. That way, no one could see the scales or his tail. They would just assume Kai was a friend that he made on vacation. It was the only photograph he had taken and a copy had been sent to his phone. They had both surfaced when Callum asked to take the picture. Kai was smiling brightly while Callum’s nose and cheeks were pink from excitement. He was clearly tired based on his eyes but Kai looked full of life. He was so happy to have a picture with him. The only thing he asked was that Callum didn’t share the photograph with anyone else.

  “Your secret will always be safe with me,” Callum promised. “I won’t tell anyone until you say it’s okay. Thanks for letting me take a picture. It’s so I can remember our last few days together.”

  “Humans keep memories. I was told about that,” Kai nodded. “I hope that picture is a good memory for you.”

  It was probably the best memory Callum ever had. For the first time ages, he looked like he was glowing. He had forgotten about reality in those five minutes. He forgot about being mugged and the bruise on his lip. He forgot about the past and the horrible things he had been through. He had forgotten everything and it felt good. Somehow, Kai knew how to make him feel better.

  Then there was the kiss. They were quick pecks on his knuckles and face but they happened. He couldn’t forget those. Clearly, Kai felt something for him and it felt nice. He didn’t mind the kisses at all. At the same time, it was so sudden. He wasn’t even sure if they were romantic kisses or just friendship ones. He was so certain this was something that mermen did but he had no proof of it. Not even the book he had read mentioned anything about this.

  I wonder how and where he learned to kiss. If mermaids don’t do that, then how did he find out about it? He asked himself. Kai did admit that he studied human behavior so perhaps he had seen humans kissing before. He must have realized this was a way that people showed affection toward each other. If that was the case, then Kai was in too deep. He was going so far down that he had no idea what he was doing.

  I get how you feel. I really do. Callum thought. Still, you’re a merman and I’m a human. I don’t know how we can make this work. It just doesn’t feel fair that we’re from two different worlds. You’re the first friend I’ve had in a long time and you’re not even the same species as I am.

  He kept wondering how different it would have been if Kai had been human. Would they still have that same attraction to each other? They would probably still be friends but the fascination with each other wouldn’t be there. Kai probably wouldn’t be interested in anything he did. On the other side, he would find Kai nice but that was it. Being a human and merman was what made them interesting.

  After working for about two hours, Callum decided to get up and go to the bathroom so he could freshen up. Despite being hard at work, he still felt sleepy so he wanted to throw some water on his face. That could wake him up. If not, then he would need to get a soda from the vending machine. Normally, he wouldn’t think of drinking this early in the morning, but he was desperate now. He had forgotten to make coffee in the morning and now felt very sluggish. He needed some energy to get through his paperwork. If he didn’t perk up anytime soon, the day was going to drag.

  He pushed the door open to the men’s room and went over to the sink. He let the warm water run for a few seconds before scooping a little in his palms and splashing it on his face. The water dripped off his eyelashes and nose as he gripped the sides of the sink. He had a headache coming on from the lack of sleep last night. Perhaps getting a soda would be a terrible idea. It would only be a ton of sugar and make the headache worse.

  “Well, I didn’t think you’d be in here.”

  Callum looked up to find Knoll standing behind him. “What are you doing here? You need to get through security to get into this part of the building.”

  “Ah, yes. You really think no one can get past security without giving a tiny, little lie?” He got right behind him to the point where he was breathing down his neck. “Don’t be so naive, Dr. Caldwell. I just had to tell them I wanted to see you. Part of that is the truth. I did come to see you.”

  “You could have waited in the lobby. They call me down whenever I have visitors.”

  “I couldn’t wait though. I knew you’d never let me in if they told you I was here.” Knoll grabbed Callum’s arm and squeezed it. “I know we didn’t get to talk much while on the trip. You gave me your decision and I chose to leave.”

  “So why did you come back?”

  “I came to tell that it would be wise to change your mind. You see, I know what you have been up to while you were on the island.”

  “What I was up to? All I did was explore the island and a little recreational diving. I wasn’t focused on work at all.” Callum lowered his gaze. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”

  “That’s what you think, Dr. Caldwell. I’m suggesting that you go and accept my offer. I know how you feel about big business. You think we’re all greedy men, don’t you?”

  “Most of the time, that’s the truth,” Callum frowned. He didn’t like where all of this was headed. Mr. Knoll had no right to be here or to confront him like this. “I already told you how I felt. I’m not changing my mind.” That was the wrong thing to say because Knoll’s grip on him got tighter. “Let me go! If you don’t, I’ll...I’ll...I’ll scream!”

  Knoll laughed at that and Callum immediately wanted to fall through a hole. I’ll scream? That was the best he could come up with? He felt pathetic because he knew he was strong enough to take this man on. He might have had a tight grip but in a fist fight, Callum would be able to hold his own. He almost wanted to take it outside right now. To his amazement, Knoll let him go.

  “You’re a lot more feisty than I gave you credit for, Dr. Caldwell. I admire your stubborn side. That being said, I would be a little more open-minded if I were you. You could find yourself in a lot of trouble if you make a bad decision.”

  “Is that a threat?”

  “Not in the slightest bit. It’s just a warning. Don’t go into waters that you aren’t familiar with. That is all.” Knoll stepped back. “I think I’ve said what I need to say. Have a good day.”

  Callum was puzzled as Knoll walked away. His arm tingled a bit but it was the words that got to him. It did sound like he was warning him about something. Still, if he was truly concerned, why come to the bathroom and tell him? How bad was it? If that wasn’t frightening enough, Knoll claimed that he knew what Callum was up to. That meant he had seen Kai. He was aware of merfolk and the bond that they had. Would he do something truly heinous to the merfolk?

  No, that can’t be it. A man like that would have exposed the merfolk before I got a chance to protect them. He told himself. He must know something though. He probably has seen me sneaking around the beach but he doesn’t know why.

  He tried to focus on work but he was desperate to get out of it. Coworkers came to see how he was doing and he told them that he was fine. Everything was fine deep down. He just wondered what Knoll really wanted. He was trying to say something and Callum couldn’t figure it out. He just wished the man would stop being so cryptic.

  He followed me into the bathroom. That’s not normal.

  Callum had no idea how much worse things were going to get. When he got home, he changed out of work clothes and got into something more suited for the beach. Although he had no plans of diving tonight, he still put the equipment in the car. He just wanted a few minutes to talk to Kai. He knew his friend would be there. Kai promised to come to the other side every day although Callum told him it wasn’t necessary. After all, there were nights that he would have to work late. He couldn’t promise to be at the beach every single time.

  “It’s okay,” Kai had told him. “Even when you can’t come, I will be thinking of you. I know you will be all right.”

  The words were very
odd. If Callum didn’t know any better, it would sound like Kai was falling for him even harder. He was willing to come every day even if his friend couldn’t be there. He would wait for him. Callum thought it was sweet, but worried that Kai would be wasting his time and energy. No matter what they felt for each other, there was no need to do this.

  No sooner did he get there, he began to sense something was wrong. The beach was empty tonight, which was odd. Most people liked to come down here when the air was cool like today. The fact that it was deserted gave him a bad feeling. The pit in his stomach grew as he made his way through the car park. He didn’t know what he was supposed to expect tonight.

  Where is everyone? What happened to them?

  The answer came almost immediately. He took one step out of his car and heard his name. He didn’t have to think twice to know who it was. Immediately, he began to run down to where his friend was and see what was going on. It didn’t sound good.

  “Callum! Callum!” He heard Kai calling out his name. Over the waves, he could see him and his heart was skipping beats. Kai looked okay but he didn’t seem fine. The sunny disposition he normally had was gone. “Come down here!”

  “What is it?! Is something wrong?!”

  “It’s terrible! I need your help!” He waved over at him. “You have to see this! I need you!”

  “Huh?”

  Kai repeated what he had said, keeping slow but loud enough that he could here. “I need you!”

  “I’ll be there! Just…Just wait for me!”

  “I need you!”

  The words didn’t need to be repeated, but they were now burned inside of Callum’s mind. He could still hear them as he ran down. He forgot all about what happened before. He was just focused on Kai and how urgent he sounded. Kai was trouble. Something was wrong with the ocean. It was something that he couldn’t handle alone.

  He needed Callum.

  I need you.

  Chapter 15