The next thing I knew another pair of arms had a hold of me and I opened my eyes to see Ethan dragging me out of the surf like a rag doll. He pulled me up onto the dry sand and brushed the wet hair off of my face.
“Marina! Marina!” I could hear him calling from what seemed like very far away. I closed my eyes and turned my head to vomit salty water.
When I stopped coughing I looked up to see the group of surfers standing around looking down at me. I sat up and turned away from them.
“I’m fine, I’m fine,” I choked, “Just go away please.”
I heard Ethan tell them to leave and that he’d catch up with them. I could hear the girls laugh as they walked away, chattering about how stupid I was. My face burned with the awful shame of humiliation as I struggled to catch my breath. Ethan returned, knelt down and wrapped a towel around me.
“Are you gonna be alright?” he asked, his eyes searching mine. I had a crazy urge to tell him everything I’d seen right at that moment, but couldn’t imagine how to even begin to put it.
“Once I get used to the idea,” I replied, trying to brush the sand off my wet hands, thinking that I had actually physically touched a mermaid. He looked at me strangely, and again I felt acutely out of place, like an alien.
“It’s a good thing I looked up and saw you get hit. That was a huge sleeper!” he said with awe, looking back out towards the sea.
“Sleeper?” I said, clearing my throat, “Isn’t that an old Woody Allen movie?”
“It’s not funny,” he said, his face serious.
I started to laugh, because it was funny. Probably the funniest, weirdest, most inexplicable thing that had ever happened to me. This brought on another fit of coughing that made it hard for me to catch my breath.
He looked worried, and then exasperated as he contemplated me.
His voice was stern and commanding, “Don’t you know that you always have to keep an eye on the surf?”
I drew a ragged breath. “Obviously, I do not,” I said, with as much sarcasm as I could muster.
His tone softened, “A big wave can come up out of nowhere– you have to be careful.”
“I’ll take that into consideration,” I replied.
“I’m serious,” he said.
“So was what I just saw,” I squeezed my eyes shut with a grimace. This could not be happening to me.
He chuckled, exhaling with a sigh, “Marina, you’re an unusual girl.”
“Oh, you don’t know the half of it,” I said, looking up at him and thinking about the mermaid. I shuddered involuntarily.
“We’d better get you home,” he said.
I stood up shakily, trying in vain to wipe some more sand off my hands, noticing that my wet blouse was totally transparent. Embarrassed, I gripped the towel in front of me like a shield.
“I can make it home on my own. I’m okay.” I seemed to be having to lie about that a lot today.
“I don’t think Abby would forgive me if I didn’t walk you home,” he added, “Besides, you really don’t want to see Abby angry.”
We both laughed at the thought of sweet Abby angry, making me choke back a cough.
“Ready to climb those stairs?” he asked with a skeptical look at me.
I struggled to catch a clear breath, “How do you know about them? I thought they were the neighborhood secret.”
“Oh, you don’t know the half of it,” he teased.
“Touché’,” I started to wobble unsteadily, “Wait! My bag... my keys.” I turned to look back towards the sea. Ethan jogged down to the waterline and returned with my sketchbook.
“This is all I could find,” he said, opening it, “Is it yours?” I reached out for it and he snatched it back. “These are really good,” he said as he peeled back the wet pages. He looked at me appraisingly.
“You’re an artist,” he said, “That explains a lot.”
I doubled over in a hoarse coughing fit. Suddenly determined, he grabbed me around the waist and propelled me across the sand. My legs felt like rubber, and I struggled to keep from stumbling. When we reached the stairs he scooped me up and carried me.
I didn’t protest. I felt like I had been hit by a ton of bricks, both physically and psychologically. I turned my face into his chest and closed my eyes. When I opened them back up I was at home. Ethan gently lowered me to the bench on the porch and knocked on the door.
The next thing I knew I was looking into Abby’s worried face and he was gone. Over a cup of hot tea with honey I told her about how I was blindsided by the massive wave, skipping over the mermaid part. As shocked and dazed as I was, I had enough wits about me to realize that no one would take my story seriously.
“You were lucky Ethan was there,” she said gravely, “Thank goodness for that.”
“Abby...” I met her eyes, “Please don’t tell dad. I don’t want to worry him.” She hesitated, “Promise me you’ll be more careful?” she asked, biting her lip.
“Deal,” I said.
I ate what she put in front of me and found myself completely drained. Excusing myself with a reassuring hug for Abby, I silently retreated to my room, taking care to avoid Cruz and Megan. My mind was a swirl of confusion, and I needed some time alone to process the experience. I didn’t want to answer any questions.
I sat on the edge of my bed, my back stiff from the tumbling I had taken. Who would believe me about what I’d just seen? I had to admit that I wouldn’t believe it myself, and I smiled grimly at my predicament. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and was shocked by how much I looked like her.
I soaked my sore muscles in a hot bath, crawled into bed and struggled to find a comfortable position. Playing out the strange sighting over and over in my mind I tried in vain to make some sense of it. Could there be any possible explanation other than the fact that mermaids existed? I thought about what my father would make of it, and tried to apply logic to the situation.
Zoologists classified the animal kingdom by body structure. So, having a spine, she would belong in the phylum chordata. But what class? She had breasts like a mammal, but her scales were incongruous– more like a fish or reptile. Did she breathe air? I didn’t see any gills... I couldn’t even get close to describing the genus or species before I gave up.
I knew what Evie would think. She believed in the supernatural, and had a magical explanation for every difficult situation in life. She sought out ghosts and spirits, and would often tell me that the world was full of unsolved mysteries and unimaginable truths. My father humored her, but didn’t like her filling my head with what he considered nonsense. I usually took his side on these matters, but this time I wasn’t able to.
I mentally chalked up one point in the Evie column. Exhausted, I fell into a deep sleep punctuated only by dreams of the sea.
I was floating on a surfboard in a brilliant blue green ocean, looking into Ethan’s face as he drifted along beside me. The sun was shining brightly, reflecting on the rippling water. As we rose and fell with the regular swells he smiled at me, and I laughed with joy.
CHAPTER FIVE
LORELEI
I opened my eyes to see Charlie’s sphinx-like face staring back at me. I sat up and winced, for my back and shoulders ached, and my legs were stiff and sore. My mind immediately started racing, considering the implications of what I’d seen yesterday. The whole world seemed to shift on its axis as I came to grips with the fact that mermaids really existed. I was forced to believe my own eyes, and it made me wonder what other mysteries lay hidden, waiting to be discovered.
Evie used to say that the most beautiful things in life were also the most mysterious, and I could certainly see how that would apply to mermaids. She would believe me, I thought, but she’d panic if she knew about my accident. I was busy formulating the words I’d use in my head when it occurred to me that I didn’t know one thing about mermaids other than what I’d seen in a Disney cartoon.
I got out of bed gingerly and went for my laptop. Wrapping my
self up in my quilt like a giant cocoon, I started to do some serious research. The only problem was that there didn’t seem to be much serious information to be found. I spent the next few hours cruising cyberspace, feverishly reading everything I could find about mermaid legend and lore. Every culture in every part of the world had tales of magical ocean maidens, and all sorts of different powers were ascribed to them.
I heard Abby’s footsteps come down the hall, followed by a soft knock on the door. I closed the computer. “Come in,” I called.
“I just wanted to check in on you before I left for the studio,” she said with concerned eyes.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes Abby,” I said firmly, trying to sound reassuring. “Can we just put this all behind us?”
“I guess so,” she smiled tentatively, “See you this afternoon.” I turned back to my mermaid research until I was interrupted by another knock on the door.
Cruz poked his head in.
“Are you alright?” he asked, “Mom told me what happened.”
“Yeah,” I said, huddling in my quilt. “I think my pride was wounded more than anything else.”
“Megan’s on the way over,” he said, “She’s bringing her guitar this time.”
“Excellent, I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
I got dressed and reached over to scratch Charlie under the chin. What he would think about a half fish, half woman? I smirked at the thought, and kissed him on the top of his furry little head.
When Megan arrived I settled into the comfortable couch with my legs curled under me while Cruz pleaded for her to sing us a song. She’d been creative in coming up with excuses to avoid performing for us, but Cruz had finally cornered her, refusing to let her forget her guitar.
I smiled some encouragement, “It’s just me and Cruz.”
She blushed, and then gathering her courage, pulled up a beanbag, sat down and began strumming on her guitar. She drew a deep breath and launched into a song about heartbreak and sorrow, the notes ringing out high and crystalline. Megan was suddenly beautiful, and the haunting melody she sang echoed against the hardwood floors, resonating throughout the room. I was reminded of the sweet sound of the mermaid’s voice and struggled to blink back involuntary tears. Cruz caught my eye and nodded knowingly. She really was incredibly talented.
“Wow!” I gasped when she finished, “That was amazing! You wrote that song?” She nodded, eyes shining, “Yeah.”
“Cruz wasn’t kidding about your music,” I said seriously, “You should perform in public!
Are there places around here with open mike nights?”
“I dunno,” she said, looking down shyly.
I told her about the clubs in San Francisco Evie used to scout for performers. She was always on the lookout for the newest and most talented musicians to showcase at her parties and charity events, and loved hunting them down for herself. Evie had a good ear, and was responsible for many an up-and-coming artist’s big break.
“I don’t think I’m ready for anything like that,” Megan said, shaking her unruly curls with a terrified look in her eye.
“I think you are,” I pronounced with conviction.
She blushed as red as her hair and stammered out her thanks. We spent the morning talking and I coaxed some more music out of her. The first song was no fluke, and as her confidence rose her voice strengthened. I was even more captivated after her second performance, now certain I was right about her impressive musical talent. I needed to introduce her to Evie.
Cruz told Megan about my near drowning and she repeated Ethan’s warning about keeping an eye out on the waves. Apparently there had been several accidental deaths at the beach over the years, all blamed on high, unpredictable surf and erratic rip currents.
“Cruz and I aren’t real beachy types,” she said with a smirk, “but then again... we’re not really into surfers.”
I cast her a baleful glare.
She returned my gaze mischievously, “Did Ethan really carry you all the way home?” she asked. I nodded, mortified and suddenly flustered.
“Well,” she said seriously, “I suppose that makes it all worthwhile.” Cruz and Megan snickered to each other as I flushed bright red.
“Very funny,” I said with a sour look, “but something else happened yesterday that I didn’t tell anyone.”
I’d felt as though I was going to explode all morning, holding in my thoughts of the strange encounter. The urge to say it out loud kept the news bubbling to the tip of my tongue, threatening me with its intensity. I couldn’t wait any longer. The floodgates burst open and I told them about the mermaid, pouring the whole story out to them, describing the first sighting and finally going into detail about our contact yesterday.
They sat there quietly, taking it all in. Then they exchanged a meaningful glance between them.
“Are you sure you didn’t bump your head or something when you were underwater?” Cruz asked.
Megan chimed in, “You passed out... right? That could cause oxygen deprivation...”
“Are you accusing me of having brain damage?” I asked acerbically, then joking, “Or should I say drain bramage?” They didn’t laugh.
Cruz tried to placate me, “It’s just, you might have gotten knocked out and dreamed it or something...”
I rolled my eyes at him, “I just told you I saw her before the accident,” I said.
“Maybe it was someone playing a trick on you,” Megan reasoned, “Some of those surfer girls can be really mean.”
They spent the better part of an hour trying to explain away my story. The more I insisted that what I saw was real, the more condescending they got. They spoke to me like I was a confused child. Frustrated, I excused myself and went for a walk to calm my rising irritation. I should have known better than to tell anyone. Who in their right mind would believe such a story?
I walked the neighborhood lost in my thoughts, agitated, and without even thinking my feet took me down to the pier leading towards the cement boat. I came upon the lone fisherman leaning against the rail, looking intently into the murky swirling waters. I walked to his side and looked down, puzzled to see nothing. He glanced over at me with a grin, giving me the strangest sensation that he’d been expecting me.
“Good morning,” I said routinely.
“Hello water girl,” he replied, smiling so broadly I thought his lined face would crack, “The water spirits are strong today.” He gestured to the bucket at his feet, overflowing with fish.
I looked down and back up at him, remembering his cryptic remarks at the farmer’s market.
“Really?” I asked, looking out towards the ruins.
“Good fishing,” he said with a wink.
His ancient eyes sparkled impishly, and a surge of excitement passed through me. I don’t know how I knew– but I just did. Grinning triumphantly, I turned and ran back home as fast as my stiff legs could manage.
When I burst into Abby’s little house panting and sporting a maniacal smile, Cruz and Megan started to look more than a little bit nervous.
“Come on!” I barked at them, “Now! She’s down at the ship.” I hustled them out the door and hurried along the path, racing down to the pier with Cruz and Megan trailing behind me.
When I got to the ship I found a couple sitting on the bench, holding hands and kissing. I stood there waiting for Megan and Cruz to catch up, blocking the lovebird’s view. They looked annoyed at my intrusion and reluctantly got up to go, still clinging to one another.
“It’s the love boat,” Megan said when she caught up, and Cruz started laughing. They seemed to think this whole thing was a big joke.
“Come here,” I hissed, waving them over to the chain link fence. I scanned the deck, making sure there was no one else around. Once I was certain the coast was clear, I looked down to see a team of sea lions looking back up at us.
“Sister , come out,” I cried, not knowing what else to call her. A few moments passed and I could hear Cruz
and Megan muttering to each other with strange worried looks on their faces.
Suddenly she popped up out of the water in all her full glory.
“Don’t go!” I called out to her, seeing her alarm when she spotted my company. “Please...” she ducked back into the water and just when I thought she was gone for good she appeared right on the other side of the fence. It was the closest that I had been to her since she pulled me out of the water.
She looked shyly at Megan and Cruz, who stood in shock, white knuckles gripping the fence. Then she turned toward me and smiled.
“What’s your name?” I asked her, and then added, “I’m Marina. ”
“Marina, ” she repeated in her singsong voice, “I am Lorelei.”
“Why did you...what...” I stammered. I didn’t know what to ask first.
“Is that your mate? ” she asked, looking toward Cruz. His eyeballs were popping out of his head.
I chuckled, “No, he’s my cousin.”
“Cousin, ” she said, looking confused, “Who is the one with the beautiful hair? ” she asked, smiling at Megan. I looked over to see Megan’s freaked out face. Lorelei turned towards me suddenly, eyes excited.
“I have something, ” she sang in her ringing voice. She flashed another brilliant smile and dove back into the churning sea, giving my skeptical friends another excellent view of her tail.
They looked at me incredulously, vaguely horrified. With a splash she reappeared, only this time she had my binoculars around her slender neck and my bag slung over her shoulder.
“I have your... things, ” she said, wide eyed.
“Could I have my bag back?” I gestured, thinking about my keys. She reached up, and with one graceful motion flung the bag up and over the chain link fence. I bent to pick it up. “You can keep the binoculars,” I added, watching as she looked down and touched them.
“Binoculars, ” she repeated, and smiled radiantly.
At that moment, children’s voices sounded behind us and we turned to see a young mother with two little girls approaching the fence. With one graceful flip of her tail, Lorelei the mermaid disappeared into the waves. The kids ran up to cling to the chain link, squealing with delight as they spotted the basking sea lions. The tired mother parked herself on the bench and settled down with a sigh, obviously planning to stay awhile.
Derrolyn Anderson - [Marinas Tales #1] - Between The Land And The Sea Page 6
