I froze. “Nothing.”
“Are you on the floor?”
“Uh, yeah.” I pulled my head into the bathroom, and once again yanked on the door to close it, but my tail filled the entire space. The creak on the third step of the stairs sounded loudly. She was coming.
In a panic, I tried to pivot, and put my tail behind me, making more thumping noises in the process, but then my body was in the way now.
“Ash?” Mom’s voice was so close, too close.
“I’m fine, Mom.” Heart racing, I curled into myself and had just enough room, when her hand made purchase with the door, stopping me from closing it.
“What’s wrong, honey?”
She pressed harder as I knelt with my tail bent underneath me, the fin smashed up and inside the tub. Quaking in the dark, I pulled a towel off the wall and held it to my body, praying she couldn’t see anything.
Then the urge to vomit overtook me from the strain. I dry heaved. If Mom had Kryptonite, that was it. Her hand released from the door.
“I’m going to be sick,” I said quickly.
“Oh, honey,” she said. “Was it something you ate?”
“Don’t talk about food.” Another wave rolled through me, making me gag. I broke out in a fresh glossing of sweat. I needed water, now.
She moved somewhere further down the hall. “Do you need anything?”
“No.” I turned to the toilet, and let loose my dinner, unable to help it.
“Oh, gross,” I could hear Lucy say.
“Don’t come in.” I closed the door and locked it.
“I’ll leave your phone out here,” Mom said through the door.
The ringing started up again, but I had to get into the tub. Turning on the water, I pulled myself onto the toilet, then dunked my tail in. A sigh of relief escaped from my lips as I slipped the rest of the way in.
Heaven.
Even underwater, I could hear the phone ringing, but I didn’t have the energy or the willpower to get out and retrieve it quite yet. Fin would have to wait a few more minutes.
Then I remembered I was still wearing my mother’s veil.
EIGHTEEN – FIN – May 26 – 8:20 p.m.
The phone kept ringing, then rolled over to voicemail. I cursed. What the heck happened? Where was she?
Dad hovered in the current close by. “Where’s Ash?”
“I don’t know. Her mom said she was upstairs studying and that she’d call back, but now no one is answering, and she’s not here.”
My mind went to the worst, that she was too late and finned out in her room. Without water, she’d die.
“I have to get a closer look.” I broke the surface.
My eyes zeroed in on the light illuminating out of her bedroom window, but there was no silhouette. Helpless, I called once again. This time, the phone just rolled straight to voicemail. If it weren't for the fact I needed it, I would have chucked the phone onto the beach. Instead, I stuck it in my sling pack.
I kicked my tail and swam to shore.
Dad intercepted me. “No, Son. You can’t go up there.”
“But I have to do something!”
“Let’s just wait for a bit. I’m sure she’s okay.”
“Okay?” I was shaking with adrenaline. “How can you even say that? What if she fished out in front of her mom? They’d panic. I’m sure authorities are on their way.” Then I had an idea hit. “Convert me.”
“What?”
I sucked in a breath. “Convert me, then persuade me to go get her. I’ll bring her to the water, then you can bring me back. Mom has some essence on her, right?”
“No. That’s ridiculous.” Dad shook his head.
“I’m going to lose her!” I said, breathless. “She’s carrying my child!”
Dad put his fist to his lips. “There’re risks. What if she made it to the bathtub?”
“What if she didn’t?”
“Do you have a friend you could call?”
“A friend?” I slapped the water. “Are you nuts?”
The longer we watched the house, the more my scales ached. We’d cut things too close, talked at dinner too long, gotten comfortable. This is what we’d been warned of ever since we were merlings.
“Please,” I begged.
Dad closed his eyes, then balled his fists. “Fine, but we can’t do it here. We need to do it in a place where we can collect your blood to revive you.”
My heart raced. “Then where?”
He blew out a hard breath. “The houseboat has a tub.”
“Okay.” I kicked my tail, propelling me to the houseboat.
Dad followed. “It would be easier to persuade someone.”
“Who’s going to walk along this beach now? It’s dark.”
“If we made a scene,” Dad suggested. “Someone would come.”
Though his idea sounded better, her family would flip out if anyone but me walked into the house uninvited. “No. We can’t chance it. She’s running out of time.”
“It’ll break your promise to her,” Dad said.
“I can easily kiss her once this is over. I can’t lose her.”
Dad’s brow furrowed. “But we could lose you.”
“How?”
“You could not be revived in time.”
“So, you’re saying it’s between either her or me?” When he didn’t answer, I moved closer. “What if it were Mom in there, huh? Would you sacrifice yourself or just stay out here and wait?”
Headlights illuminated the trees by the shore. A van came into view and parked in the lot. The engine died, and a man stepped out, eyeing Ash’s house.
“Hey!” Dad called out before he did a backflip, creating a huge wave. “Over here!”
The guy turned toward the beach, and froze, just staring at us.
“Come here,” Dad sang.
The guy leaped back into his van, but he didn’t drive away.
Dad growled. “What is he doing?”
“Come here,” I sang, hoping he’d hear me.
The guy flicked on his headlights, illuminating the beach and the water.
Dad kicked his tail and landed on the shore in the beam of light. His song burst from his lungs. “Turn off your lights and come here!”
The lights didn’t go off. Instead, the engine started.
“Doesn’t he hear us?” I asked.
“Probably not.” Dad swiveled around and rolled into the surf, cursing the entire way. “Or he’s deaf.”
Deaf. Just like the one Hill Billy boy with the gun in Oklahoma. Each minute we wasted took chances with Ash’s life.
Visions of when Alaster had chained me to the wall to dry out coursed through me. I wouldn’t wish that torture on anyone, well, maybe him.
“Change me!” I yelled. “We’re running out of time.”
Mom’s head popped out of the water. “What’s going on out here?”
“Ash is stuck inside,” I said, frantic. “I need Dad to convert me.”
She pulled in a gasp. “What?”
“We need to get out of the light.” Dad pulled the both of us underwater. “If he takes pictures—”
“Jack,” Mom said as a warning.
“I don’t care about pictures. Ash’s life is at stake.” I glared at the both of them. “If she dies, I’ll never forgive myself.”
Dad stopped and looked at me. “Come on, Maggie. We need to do this.”
The three of us swam to the houseboat. One by one, we kicked our tails and leaped onto the deck. I slid across the floor, smashing into the table, taking out a few wedding decorations with me.
“Fin, be careful,” Mom said as she unwove fabric from my tail.
After I was free, I slithered into the bathroom, and tried to stuff myself in the tiny tub. How would we do this without making a huge mess?
“Are you sure about this?” Mom asked Dad, her expression pensive.
“I—I don’t think we have a choice.”
My heart lumbered on, anxiety snaking through and cho
king me. Dad approached slowly, pulling himself across the floor with one hand while holding a knife in the other. Mom brought several bowls.
“I can do it fast or slow,” Dad started.
“Just do it quick,” I interrupted.
“Okay, I’m going to have to cut you on your neck, your upper fin, and your armpit—”
“Fine.”
“Are you sure you want to do this?” His eyes flashed in warning.
“I don’t have a choice. Do it already!”
He brought the knife to my neck and held it there. The cold metal felt like ice against my throbbing jugular. At the pinch, I held my breath. Hot blood poured down my neck and chest. Mom blanched and turned away while Dad grabbed a bowl to collect the liquid.
I leaned back, thinking only of Ash. Thinking of when I’d rescued her from drowning, of our first kiss.
“Lift your arm.”
He sliced into my armpit, and I sucked air through my teeth to keep from groaning. My head spun, and I clutched the side of the tub for support.
“You’re doing good,” Dad said in a low tone.
He switched out the bowls with Mom’s help. I imagined Ash’s soul holding onto mine, not wanting to leave. Then my ears began to ring. I knew whatever happened, it would be soon.
“You should get that,” Dad said anxiously.
“No. Keep going,” I said, my throat raspy.
“What if it’s Ash?”
Then I realized the ringing was coming from my sling pack. Dad put pressure on the wound while I shakily pulled the phone out. Ash’s name illuminated on the screen, dancing around in small circles. I hit the talk button and barely had the strength to hold the phone to my ear.
“Fin?” Ash’s voice cracked.
I almost dropped the phone in relief, and Dad quickly propped up my elbow. “Ash. What is going on?”
“Maggie, a towel,” Dad mouthed.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice echoing in the background. “I finned out… and… I’m in the tub… No one saw me.”
“Poseidon. You freaking scared me.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” she mumbled over and over between her sobs.
I wanted to reach through the phone and hold her.
“No. Don’t be.” Delirious, I pressed my cheek against the cold wall as dad pressed the towel to my armpit. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“It happened so fast, but luckily, I was able to make it to the bathtub.”
“No, more,” I said softly. “This can’t happen again.”
“I know.” She sounded as weak as I felt. “I threw up, so I think they won’t bother me in here. Dad isn’t home tonight, either.”
“I almost had to—” I stopped, realizing I was talking out loud.
“Almost what?”
I blew out a breath. She didn’t need to know how close I’d come to risking my life by stripping my fins for her. “I would have slid up to your front door if I had to…” I lied. “Are you going to be okay?”
“I can’t keep all of me underwater, so… I’m miserable, but… I’ll see you in the morning. I have to go. I’m worried I’ll drop the phone.”
“I love you, Ash,” I murmured.
“I love you, too,” her voice faded. “Bye.”
When she hung up, I let out a groan. The phone tumbled from my fingers and hit the floor.
“You’re okay.” Dad patted my head and turned on the shower. “Take your time.”
The water cooled my aching scales. Opening my mouth, I swallowed away my dry throat. Then I tried pushing myself up, collapsing in the tub. Exhausted or not, I still wanted to go get her, but I knew Dad wouldn’t convert me now.
“Let me help you out,” he said.
Together, they heaved me out, and I flopped onto the floor. Blood and water smeared across the floor. “Sorry, Mom.”
“Don’t worry about that.” Mom gave a kind smile. “I’ll clean it up in the morning.”
I turned off the shower and slowly slid past the dining area to the outer deck. Mom and Dad had already returned to the water, watching anxiously from the water. Glancing across the yard, I noticed the van wasn’t in the lot anymore.
Tomorrow we’d have some mojoing to do, but for right now, all I wanted to do was sleep.
NINETEEN – ASH – May 27 – 9:20 a.m.
My head snapped forward, and I woke up with a start, sucking in a loud breath. Georgia looked over the table at me with a concerned frown.
“That’s the third time you’ve almost fallen asleep during lunch. What’s going on?”
I wanted a bed. I wanted coffee. I wanted to be done with high school. Maybe I could just lower my stupid standards and have Fin mer mojo me A’s on my finals so I could quit. I’d let him quit so he could finish our house.
“Is that a pregnancy thing?”
“Georgia,” I scolded and looked around to see if anyone had heard. “I just didn’t sleep well, okay?”
“Sorry.” She clamped her lips shut. “They’re going to find out sooner or later.”
“I prefer later.” I took my aggressions out on my apple by taking a huge bite.
She sucked her straw extra loud. “So, wedding planning after school?”
I took another bite and looked beyond her, at all the seniors milling about, thinking about how different things were for me. College and swimming used to be my concerns, now I had a husband, a child on the way, and responsibilities. The weight of the wedding made me even more tired.
“Yeah,” I said with a yawn.
“How about you give me a list of what you need done and take a nap later.”
“Okay.” I leaned into my hand, too tired to chew, too tired to argue.
“Girra is just so funny, you know? Being homeschooled, she like knows stuff, but then doesn’t.”
I could imagine the conversation. “Yeah? Like what?”
“Oh, simple stuff, like driving for instance. She said something about pressing buttons to make the car go, I mean for really expensive cars, sure.” She laughed. “She probably was messing with me, but it’s good to hear that I’ll get to see Colin again.”
I swallowed hard. A piece of apple lodged in my throat. I swallowed again, but it wouldn’t go down. I tried to cough, but couldn’t get any air out. My feet hit the floor as my hands splayed on the table. I couldn’t breathe.
“Ash?” Georgia asked.
Panic settled in. I tried to suck in a breath, or press one out, unable to do either. The sides of my neck tingled. I reached up, feeling my gills just under the surface. They were going to pop out any second, wanting air. Then the seam of my jeans between my legs started to strain. The delicate skin ached from what had happened last night. I was going to fish out.
No, no, no.
“Are you choking?” she asked. “She’s choking!”
I backed away, lightheaded, tripping into my chair, trying to ready myself to run for the bathroom. No one could see this, especially if I sprouted my fin.
Arms slid around my middle, and whoever held me, made a fist. At the jerk of their hands upward, I coughed and the apple went flying across the room.
I pulled in a long breath, then turned to look up into Callahan’s chocolaty warm eyes. My body reset to human form.
“You okay?” he asked.
Tears formed in my eyes. Without thinking, I reached up and hugged his neck. Students around us were deathly quiet, then one lone person started clapping. More joined in, and the room burst into cheers.
“Thank you,” I said softly.
“I’m here for you, Ash,” he said. “Anytime.”
My heart warmed at his words. I let go and slunk down in my seat, embarrassed and relieved. The little baby merling leaped in my stomach as if to celebrate with everyone else.
All of these close calls last night, and then today, were going to put me in the grave. Why did we think the other mers with less experience could handle this better?
Georgia’s ey
es were wide. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” I took a swig of my bottled water.
“That was like, wow.”
Heat crept along my cheeks up to my ears. People kept staring, and I wanted to leave.
“Can we talk about something else,” I suggested.
“Yeah, okay, so…”
My phone dinged with a text message. I looked down, scared Fin was checking up on me after he somehow felt my near death experience. It wasn’t from Fin.
UNKNOWN: Your secret isn’t safe much longer.
I blinked at the text, then looked around. Who had sent this? Then another text came. An image of Fin’s dad lying on our beach, finned up and looking at the camera, flashed on the screen.
My hand started shaking. I quickly clicked the phone off.
“What is it?” Georgia asked.
“Nothing.” I didn’t want to be there anymore, pretend anymore. Things were getting out of control. “I, uh… don’t feel good. I think I’m going to let the office know I’m going home.”
Her phone dinged, too.
“What the—?” She held the phone toward me. “It’s that Fin’s dad?”
My heart nearly stopped. The picture was the same. Whoever had texted me, had texted her, too.
I chuckled. “What? That’s so photoshopped.”
She studied it, tilting her head sideways. “Looks pretty real. Is Fin messing with us? I’m going to text him back.”
“No, don’t…” I started to say.
“Where is Fin, by the way?” At the sound of Brooke’s voice behind me, I nearly jumped out of my skin.
Lacking the mental energy to battle with her today, I plastered on a sneer. “Why do you care?”
She returned my look. “I care because he’s supposed to be my partner in Biology, and I’m not doing all the work by myself.”
Partner? Since when?
I continued to glare at her. “Well, you’ll have to find a new partner I guess, ‘cause he’s not coming back.”
“What?”
I gave her a fake smile. “Sorry.”
“Figures.” She gave me a snide look, then walked off.
Her entourage followed behind, all giving me smirks. I smiled sweetly at them.
“I so can’t wait until high school is over.”
Evermore Page 10
