“Eh, most merps just figured their talents went haywire and the relatives opted to leave here, or the Imperia enacted some sort of second chance clause,” said Doctor Tenly. “Even the relatives of the few remaining Normals thought the same thing. Most adults aren’t open to even considering the impossible. But, I knew something was going on…I just could never quite grasp the truth. It’s flipping maddening.”
“Well, I think I’m about to kaboom both of those scenarios and hand you that truth. Hambourg had a strict never share your birthday rule. No one could know when you were born.”
“That’s all institutions like Hambourg, actually. Some standard for measuring behavior,” said Doctor Tenly. “Go on.”
“Trey disappeared just weeks before his seventeenth birthday. On Thanksgiving, he sent me this clue,” I said, showing him the note.
“What is it? Mangled puffer fish number seventeen, at your service?”
“Yeah, I used to think those were spikes along the top of the circle, too, but I don’t think so now, and here’s why: tonight, I found a message my mom took from Meikle on New Year’s Eve. She wanted to plan a seventeenth birthday séance for Polly’s birthday on January first. But, the night before her birthday, I saw two people drag her into the ocean. Anderson said Polly moved that same night, which, of course, was a total lie. Meikle thought her spell might have inadvertently caused a repelling of demons and blood relations—”
“And that would go quite nicely with the Normals gone haywire theory, unless…”
“…unless you look again at Trey’s clue. If you count the number of lines making up each so-called spike, you get seventeen.”
“So you’re saying…”
“I think the spikes are really candles, and I think the circle represents a birthday cake. He drew the arrow from the candles to the number seventeen in the middle of the circle-cake to try and clue me in.”
“It’s a wonder you deciphered his clue at all. He’s a rather poor artist, isn’t he?” said Doctor Tenly.
“Big picture, Doc. Something’s happening to the Normals before they turn seventeen,” I said, folding my arms.
“Add to it the fact that Zale made bringing Normals to Saxet Shores part of the pact, and you’ve got a massive Ravenflame cover-up,” said Doctor Tenly. “Anderson, that little eel, knew merps don’t celebrate birthdays. Most of us don’t even know our own birth date. Why would we ever give a dolphin’s turd about a Normal’s birthday, right?! It’s the perfect invisibly visible crime. I mean, who would ever pay close enough attention to when the Normals disappear?”
“Apart from other Normal students, no one. Even then, that’s a big maybe, given our lack of birthday awareness, thanks to Hambourg’s no-birthday-sharing rule. And, like you said, the relatives are too adult-ified to think as crazy as someone my age,” I said, pacing. “I’m certain Trey figured it out and ran away before they could get him. That’s what he was trying to tell me with his hideous interpretation of a birthday cake and candles. It was a warning.”
“All of this happened right under my nose, and I didn’t see it. Well, score one for Anderson. Won’t happen again. Now, the question is…where are they keeping the missing Normals?”
“There’s a little more I haven’t told you. On Halloween—the night I saw the red stone—I saw faces in the porthole. They said, ‘I am you, you will be me.’ Tonight, when I returned to the porthole to get the stone, I saw two more faces…Trey’s and Polly’s.”
“My Poseidon and all things aquatic. This is far worse than I could have imagined,” said Doctor Tenly, rubbing his forehead.
“What? What does it mean? Are my friends trapped somewhere? Are they…dead?”
“I’m…not sure, Marina,” he said, grabbing tightly at his hair. “You said you only just found the note your mom took way back on New Year’s Eve. Why didn’t you see it sooner?”
“Mr. Anderson visited my mom the day she took this note. I’m convinced he hid the note in the drawer, so I wouldn’t find out about Polly’s birthday. I’m guessing Meikle just dropped the whole idea when she didn’t hear back from me. Wait…I just remembered…the first day back from Christmas break, Meikle tried to ask me something—”
“That’s when she collapsed, isn’t it? From some allergic reaction?” asked Doctor Tenly.
“Yes! I think she was going to grill me for not getting back to her about Polly’s birthday.”
“Anderson poisoned her to keep her from talking. I’m betting Andersnout was unloading a brickyard when she didn’t keel over before lunch. She must have a strong immune system.”
“He told my mom that Meikle had Prehendo Animus.”
Doctor Tenly slammed his hand on the counter. “That sick son of a bitch could have destroyed her! He was desperate to keep you two separated, so you wouldn’t learn of Polly’s birthday and start questioning things, potentially piecing together their corrupt puzzle.”
“Do you think they ripped Meikle’s soul from her?”
“I don’t know, Marina,” he said sadly.
“They’re supposed to be transferring her to Baylor. Why do that unless…Doctor, can you wake my mom up for a second?” He waved his hand over her eyes, and she stared at me like she had been downing the Lone Star Hooch. “Mom, do you know when they are moving Meikle to Dallas? Mom?”
Her eyes glazed over and she started snoring again.
WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!
“Would you kindly stop hitting my mother on the head?”
“Sorry.”
“Mom? When are they moving Meikle?”
“July first,” she said dazedly.
Barely breathing I asked, “Do you know when Meikle’s birthday is?”
“Her file had her birthday on it. We should really get her a little gift or something before she leaves…”
“When is her birthday, Mom?”
“July second.”
“Tomorrow,” I said.
Doctor Tenly once again placed my mom in a deep sleep. We both watched as my poor mom slumped over and banged her head on the floor.
“She should be comatose for two solid days now. Maybe three after hitting her head. One less thing to worry about.”
“You really have to work on your bedside manner,” I said.
“We need to get you to safety, now more than ever. The Ravenflames are on their way here right now. That’s why I came. We might have ten minutes.”
“I can’t. I have to go to Trey’s house. I promised. And I need to save Meikle.”
“Marina, if they get you…”
“They won’t. Please, just take care of my mother and get yourself hidden. We don’t stand a chance without you,” I said.
He placed his hands on my shoulders. “I’ll take care of your mother, not to worry. When you can, get yourself hidden in the caves on Lockleigh, by the lagoon. And do be safe.”
“I promise. And thank you, kooky merman doctor dude.” I hugged him before rushing to my room and crawling out my window.
My feet barely touched the sand when I heard a voice.
“Marina?”
“Troy! Thank goodness you’re back!”
“About earlier, I didn’t mean—”
“I know. Don’t even think about it. Troy, I need your help.”
“What’s going on?”
“I need you to get Meikle out of the hospital.”
“What?!”
“I know it sounds crazy…”
“Crazy? Marina, it’s massively insane!”
“You need to trust me, please. Anderson and the Ravenflames are kidnapping Normals the night before their seventeenth birthday. Meikle’s birthday is July second. That’s tomorrow, Troy. They’ll take her away tonight unless I can get her first. Please, Troy,” I begged.
“Okay,” he said darkly.
“Do you think you can get in and get her out without getting yourselves killed?”
“It shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Are you okay? You seem�
��different.”
“I’m fine, just concerned about you.”
“I’ll be okay. I’ve gotten pretty good at lurking and barely escaping sure death. Get Meikle and meet me at the Lockleigh caves. I have to take care of something first.” I kissed him on the cheek and ran for Trey’s house, carefully staying in the shadows.
Trey’s house looked sinister and desolate. Running around to his bedroom window, I kicked a small piece of rope, very much like those Trey used to tie notes around the baby seal. Must not think about the fate of the seal right now, otherwise severe, unstoppable crying will ensue.
I crawled in, falling hard on the worn floor. Looking around, I spotted odd streak marks all over the room; it looked as though someone dragged a body about.
“Floorboards, key, drop,” I said, re-reading Trey’s note. “Drop. What does he mean? Drop the key on the floorboards?” I joked, before raising my eyebrows, crinkling my chin, and dropping the key.
It didn’t take long to realize why this was definitely not your average key. The plush hermit crab opened, spun about the room, and oozed a foamy blanket, covering the floor like snow. Soon, eerie words, drawings, maps, and photographs squeezed through the floorboards and arranged themselves on the walls.
“Okay, Trey, show me what ya got.” I looked around at all of the ghostly, glowing words and images, trying to find something that might help. Then, I saw them: yearbook pictures of the faces I saw in the porthole—Trey’s best friend, Earl, his girlfriend, Ophelia, and her sister, Odette. Next to their names, Trey noted their age, birthday, and disappearance date. “All went missing the night before their seventeenth birthday.” Spinning around, I saw a list of over one hundred Normals, all having disappeared the night before they turned seventeen.
Big blue arrows caught my eye on the opposite side of the room. Beneath the arrows was a small rectangular box depicting an image of a note Trey must have written.
The deliverer: Delivers Normals to Zale by force or coercion; is a force of superior strength; cannot be killed by conventional means. Rumored demon. Has no propensity for love. Discover: Why are they taking Normals? And what kind of creature is the deliverer?
“My God. The deliverer has no propensity for love,” I read aloud, horrified.
“Scary enough for you?”
I whirled around to find Katrina and her siblings, Kyle, Kathreena, and Kellen, all standing with their tridents blazing.
“Eh, not any scarier than a clogged toilet, and I’d give the edge to the toilet.”
“Smart tongue,” said Kathreena, Katrina’s considerably older sister. Her violet eyes made her skin look sickly green. “Can’t we just take a little bite? Chompy-chomp.”
“No,” said Kellen, the youngest. He reminded me of some devil-child with his narrow brown eyes, colorless skin, and leather-like hair. “We have our orders from Father.”
“You’re early. My birthday isn’t until July Fourth,” I said coolly.
“Well, you know what they say…early fish gets the bait,” said Katrina.
“Let’s just take a little nibble,” said Kathreena in a simpering voice. She kept twirling her black and red ringlets around her bony fingers.
“What is the deliverer? Unless, maybe, it’s one of you?” I asked.
They all smiled the exact same unnerving grin.
“The deliverer? Well, well, someone has made progress on her meddlesome snooping,” said Katrina. As if in slow motion, she calmly reared back, flailed her mini-trident, and screamed, “Mashyasha!”
“Precious clues! Precious clues! Bye, bye, bye!” Kathreena clapped and jumped up and down as the key holding everything Trey had worked so hard to uncover went up in flames.
“Dang. Looks like those clues scare you way more than me,” I said, smiling.
Katrina kicked the burning hermit crab. “Tell ya what, I’ll let you choose. Come with us now, or wait for the deliverer. I tell you, sometimes I’m so obliging, I can’t believe it. Maybe your humanity is rubbing off on me.”
“Yeah, you’re a real fairy godmother. Let’s see, which free-will taker should I pick—you or the deliverer. Tough choice. Think I’ll go with option three.”
“Not very math-minded, are you? I didn’t give you a third option,” said Katrina, inching closer to me.
“I assumed it was implied. Option three…I’m gonna run. Your lowly deliverer will have to find me.” Slowly, I backed up towards the window.
“Yes, run, run, Marina. I’m sure our deliverer couldn’t possibly find you.” Tilting their heads back at precisely the same angle, they all laughed identical evil cackles.
The window behind me cracked and creaked. Katrina and her family of freaks cocked their heads, staring inquisitively at the window. I held my breath, wondering what the sounds and their stares meant.
“Why do the walls go pop, pop, POP?” Kathreena whimpered. “Does something come for the wee little Normal? Simper, scamper, the deliverer comes after!” said Kathreena.
One final pop echoed off the walls, and the window exploded, sending a sea of glass across the room. While trying to shield my eyes from flying shards, two arms forcefully snatched me out of the shattered window.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Lie To Me
July: It’s all about freedom
Monthly Life Caption: Freedom Isn’t Free
“LET ME GO!” I screamed, kicking and pushing, trying to get free.
“It’s me, it’s me.”
“Troy! Oh, God, Troy, get me out of here, please!” I said, burying my face in his chest.
“Hang on,” he said, picking me up. He ran so fast that we were halfway to the Lockleigh caves when he finally slowed to set me down. Not even remotely short of breath, Troy turned his gaze towards the sea.
“I didn’t know you could run like that. Is it a merperson thing?” I asked.
“Not really.”
“Oh. Were you able to get Meikle?”
“Yes.”
“Is she okay?”
“She’s fine. Had the doctors and guards pinned to the walls by the time I got there.”
“Guess she got a hold of her bag,” I mused.
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Okay, but I need to tell you something first. Troy, there’s a demon, a beast that takes Normals to King Zale for some unknown purpose. They call it the deliverer. It’s coming for Meikle tonight, and it will come for me—”
“—on July third. The night before their seventeenth birthday, he shall come.” He sounded hollow.
“You’ve known about this all along, haven’t you?”
“Yes.”
“This doesn’t make sense.” My brain literally bashed against my skull. “How could you keep this from me? You knew all along what happened to Polly, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I knew about Polly. The deliverer brought all the faces you saw in the porthole to Zale, one by one.”
“You aren’t saying these things to me. Were you just going to let it take Meikle?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you help me save her?” I asked, somewhere between crying and shocked numbness.
“Because you asked me to,” he said, still facing the sea.
Angry, hurt tears poured from my disbelieving eyes. “And me? Would you have let it take me, too?” He wouldn’t look at me. “LOOK AT ME!” I roared.
Slowly, deliberately, he faced me. “I won’t do it.”
“Won’t do what? Stop the demon or protect me?” He wouldn’t answer. “Answer me, damn it! WON’T DO WHAT?”
“Take you to King Zale,” he said, his eyes burning my own.
“I don’t understand…I—”
“Marina…I am the deliverer.”
Troy Tombolo, the boy whose touch made me quiver, whose lips propel me into another dimension, was the deliverer. His words ripped at my soul far worse than the soul snatching poison did. I felt my heart slowly shredding into tiny strips of nothingness; my soul
, squeezed by the pain of truth, screamed for air.
“You…you’re the deliverer.” I clutched my stomach, afraid I might break in two.
“I am.”
“No. No!”
“What do you want me to say? How can I make this better?”
“Lie to me,” I begged. “Lie! LIE!”
After a moment’s pause, he sighed, “Never.”
Moved by burning anger, hurt, and fear, I sprang for him, beating my tiny fists against his chest. He didn’t try to stop me. “WHY?” Now I know what it means when the soul needs to weep. “H-hurts…so…much.”
“I’m so sorry. So very, very sorry,” he whispered, the words catching in his throat.
Then, like a sudden clap of thunder on a sunny day, the hurt I felt mutated into rage. “Sorry? You took away my friends! Polly! Trey! You took them to Zale! You’re a liar and a thief! You stole my heart, my trust, knowing the day would come when you would have to take me to Zale. I hate you, Troy Tombolo! I HATE YOU!” I sprinted for the caves as fast as my legs would go. “HELP! PLEASE! HELP! MANAKEL!”
I hadn’t run far when Troy appeared in front of me. I couldn’t escape him. His eyes looked different, empty.
“Manakel can’t jump from his cloud right now, but if you leave your name and location, he’ll probably get back to you when it’s too late.” He slammed his fists over his temples and squeezed. “Stop,” he pleaded. “I’m sorry I have to do this.” He threw his arms towards me, and everything went black.
*****
“I hope she stays asleep.”
“Troy, you should talk to her before you go. It has to be a shock to her, you know. As your friend, this isn’t exactly easy for me either.”
“I know. And I hate hurting any of you like this. At least you’re giving me a chance—I don’t deserve it. But, she hates me, Airi. Hell, I tripped out when she called for Manakel. I can’t risk that happening again…it’s not a side I want her to ever see. There’s nothing I can say to make this better. Besides, I don’t want her to know until it’s done.”
FINNED (The Merworld Water Wars) Page 26
