Falling in Deep Collection Box Set

by Pauline Creeden

  It may have helped that I left angrily. I think the memories faded quickly for that reason along. Regardless of why,as I embraced the human world, my new concerns, human concerns, took over. Looking human wasn’t the issue. Mer were created to blend in with humans in their environment, but we did not think the same way or follow the same rules.

  I immediately met Holly and Candy when I humanized. I had asked for directions and jumped on a bus with the girls when they told me the fastest way to find the library. As friendly as they were, they eased the transition from a life surrounded by females in the sea to what I expected would be isolation on land. But I had to create a believable story that offered excuses for not having normal human things like a family or a driver’s license.

  I decided to claim my parents’ deaths, to say I was raised by an aging grandmother. That explained the lack of family in an area where generations lived within blocks of one another. But it didn’t help me create an identity.

  “So, no license?” Holly had asked when we met on the bus.

  “Uh, no. Just moved from Boston and never had to drive there.” Luckily I knew enough about cities to understand their transportation options.

  “Well, that’s a better reason than Holly has,” Candy interjected. “She got hers suspended for DUI.”

  Not willing to be outdone, Holly took the opportunity to air Candy’s dirty laundry too. “Won’t do that again. But in my defense, it was only a block and it was only two beers. I still swear the trooper’s breathalyzer was broken. And Candy failed her test for the third time.”

  “Whatever,” Candy said. “We’re both bus riders now. And we met you, so that’s cool.”

  The girls were happy and joked freely between each other, involving me, a stranger, when they could. And since they also lived in town, I had immediate friends.

  They dropped me at the library after trying to convince me to join them at the mall. I spent the next three hours researching what I could and finding out ways to get identification and what I’d need to work. Diana sent me out with enough money to last at least a year, but I was generally a cautious mer if you didn’t count acting as the illegal consort to the queen.

  Finishing up my research, I looked up the bus schedule to ensure I had enough time to catch one to where ever I was headed next. Laughter caught my attention and I turned to see Candy and Holly stumbling over each other. They waved excitedly to ensure they caught my attention and came over to me as I closed the books and closed the open windows on the computer.

  “Whatcha doing?” Candy asked. “Curing cancer?”

  “Lotta books here. Seriously, what’re you doing?” Holly chimed in.

  “Oh, this, I’m just trying to figure some stuff out. I needed the computer. Wanted to figure out how to get a new state id. I can’t seem to find the last one is all.”

  Holly linked her arm in mine as I got to my feet. “That’s easy stuff. We’ll take you tomorrow. So, where you staying?”

  “The Best Western down on Route 1.”

  Candy, appalled, claimed my other arm. “Hell no you’re not. You’re staying with us.”

  And it was settled. I was set to sleep on the girls’ couch until I found a job and a more permanent spot.

  I ended up working with the girls, too. They got me a newly vacated position at the department store where they worked, and I soon had access to all things human. Candy was only in the apartment for two months before she and Brandon decided to move into the apartment over his mother’s garage. That left me with a room instead of just a couch and living with Holly became a permanent thing. The three of us commuted to work together on the bus until Holly got her license back. Then she drove as the three of us sang along with the radio.

  While it wasn’t my time in the sea with Diana, I definitely learned that human women were not sexually attractive to me. Beautiful, yes, but extremely dramatic. And if Candy and Holly were good examples, human women were also flakey. I later learned that not all women were as sweet as my friends, but they also weren’t as impractical either.

  Then I met Tom. The world changed for me at that point. I found someone who loved me whole heartedly and was allowed to do just that. He didn’t feel the need to hide me and had no reason he couldn’t be with me. None of the guarded behavior I had with Diana existed in my relationship with Tom. Instead, I loved and was loved in return.

  And that is why I had to go back to the ocean, back to the tribe to face Diana. My husband needed me, and he deserved better than whatever he had right now.

  Ten

  Tension crept through the water chilling me as I swam. I knew it wouldn’t be easy to see her again, but I hadn’t expected the dread that sat so heavily in my heart. It pinned me to the ocean floor more than once, and I needed to stop and gain perspective.

  I was returning for Tom. I was returning because not only had she sent me away, now she called me back. I was returning to take back what wasn’t hers — my husband, my life. The life I’d started when I left belonged to me. It had no ties to the Lunaria and nothing to do with Diana.

  The further I swam, the less anxious I felt and the more anger emerged. I wanted to see her. I wanted to see her and show her she had no effect on me. But she did influence my life, even today, or I wouldn’t be in the ocean, heading north, to a small island and the cove beyond.

  I could feel the distance between us closing. The temperatures began to drop and the ocean deepened. Even the color of the water began to change from the dusty blue of the coast to the dark sapphire of deeper water.

  While I knew she was expecting me, I wondered how she felt about my arrival. Would she be vengeful? Apologetic? I also wondered why she called me back to her. What could she possibly need badly enough that she would take my husband?

  As I kept swimming, I realized that what I once thought of as short trip was winding me and leaving me tired. I took breaks often, lengthening the trip and heightening my anger and curiosity. Plenty had changed in my life, but I was right about the ocean. Nothing had changed here. The same species of fish shared the water with me, and seals and gulls dove for food. I came across two whales in my travels as well. And I found a boat sitting at the bottom of a coastal basin that had probably been burned and sunk for insurance money. But nothing more had changed.

  I approached Monhegan Island’s Deadman Cove from the east having traveled along the coast and across to the island. I hadn’t expected the welcome I received as I entered the cover, however. What seemed to be the entire tribe was gathered together, waiting. And as I looked from face to familiar face, I finally saw her. Diana, sat in the midst of the group, as beautiful as she had been fifteen years earlier.

  She narrowed her gaze as our eyes met, and ashamed, I quickly turned away. Remembering that she was no longer my queen, I forced myself to meet her stare. She had no power over me now. She held my husband, but she did not rule my heart or my new human tribe.

  “Laura, finally. I didn’t expect it to take quite this long once the news broke. You’re swimming much more slowly now.”

  “Diana,” I said flatly, trying to keep any feeling from my voice.

  “So formal, Laura, or maybe not formal enough. No longer addressing me as queen I see.”

  “You haven’t been my queen for a long time.”

  “You are still a Lunarian, Laura. You have a tail, so you are a mer. As a mer, you have a tribe. I am the queen of that tribe, and I expect to be addressed as such.”

  “Fine, Queen Diana, feel free to call me Mrs. Flynn. While I may temporarily be a mer, I plan to return home with my husband as human. No tail, no tribe.”

  “Funny that you mention your husband. Tom is it? He is a rather charming man. A little corny, but amiable enough. And he adores you. Is that what you wanted, Laura? A puppy dog of a man who would take care of you?”

  “We take care of each other. That’s something you’ll never know anything about.”

  I hadn’t noticed, but as we exchanged barbed comments, the
other Lunarians looked between us. Having never heard their queen spoken to in that way, they all seemed a bit taken aback. But no one else spoke.

  “Where is my husband?” I asked. “I assume I didn’t come all this way for nothing. You are planning to release him, aren’t you?”

  “Of course, but there is something I need first.”

  “I figured as much. You wouldn’t summon me here so dramatically for nothing. What is it you need from me, Diana?”

  “No need to rush into business, love. We have plenty of time to discuss that. Your man,” she said with as much disdain as she could put in the word man, “is safe. He’s alive and doing just fine. He loves the Metarian grog we came across. He’s quite a drinker. Impressive.”

  “Oh, so you’re keeping him plied with alcohol. Nice work.”

  “We offered him alcohol and women, but he turned down the girls. He really only has eyes for you, Laura, in case you ever questioned that.”

  “Don’t worry about my marriage, or my husband, or me for that matter. We aren’t your concern. And if you’d just let me know what you want, we’ll be on our way.”

  “Stop pushing me. I told you, I’m not ready for that yet. But, I can let you see him if you’d like. Just to ease your anxiety a bit.”

  She motioned to two mer in the corner that I remembered but couldn’t name at that point, and ordered them to take me to Tom. The three of us swam away, the mer saying nothing to me, but indicating I should follow.

  Heading north, we swam to the Duck Rocks. They were keeping Tom on the small rock islands in order to keep him dry and prevent the need for mer root. Ingesting the root allowed humans to breathe below water, but it didn’t offer them the same benefits that came with being mer. Their legs remained, as did their propensity for hypothermia. And since I’m guessing that Tom wasn’t in a wet suit when he was taken, he’d need to remain dry and warm.

  As we approached the rock, I saw Tom sitting by a fire and holding a steaming mug. A beautiful mer sat beside him. Was she guarding him or keeping him alive? Maybe it was both. As I climbed up the rocky shore, I noticed the guard was Versilla. She hadn’t changed at all, and her flaxon hair glittered in the sun. Her cheeks were flush from the fire, and she lay naked, propped on one elbow, and in human form. Her blue eyes caught mine and she smiled at me.

  Eleven

  Versilla looked towards me and gently touched Tom’s arm. “Look who’s here, Tom,” she said calmly. One of her greatest gifts was her demeanor, and she sat tall and calm amid the worst situations.

  “Laura, oh, it’s Laura,” Tom said drunkenly. “That’s my wife Laura. Isn’t she beautiful? Oh, Laura, put some clothes on. Why are you all naked?”

  Tears came to my eyes. I suddenly felt overwhelmed by the entire situation. “Tom, are you alright? Are you hurt, Tom?” I rushed to him, my legs still a bit shaky from the transition.

  “Oh, I’m good. This whatever they called it — I don’t remember — is delicious. It’s warm and sweet. I feel very good. Not hurt at all.”

  “Are you cold? Hungry?” I just couldn’t let myself believe that Diana would treat Tom well.

  “Nope, I’m set, baby. But if you want to bring your gorgeous, naked self over here and give me a kiss, that’d be a good thing.”

  Drunken men were now a specialty of mine after working in the bar. Tom was a happy drunk just like he was a happy sober. And the number of times he’d been drunk during our marriage were few, so while I could figure out what to do with a patron, my husband was a little different. I wanted nothing more than to kiss him, but I also knew that even one kiss could easily lead to far more. The prospect of putting on a show for the mer with me wasn’t one I wanted to entertain, however, so I needed to keep my distance.

  “If you’re alright, I’m going to go find out why we’re here, okay, honey?”

  “Oh, don’t go, Laur. You just got here.”

  “I’ll be back soon, and Versilla will keep you company.”

  “Don’t forget me, baby. Remember to come get me. I’m ready to go home.” His head bobbed a bit after that, and I could tell he was close to sleep. I figured it would take about 30 seconds before he started snoring. That put me at ease. At least he’d be unlikely to remember most of this event.

  Signaling to my guides, I slipped back into the ocean, the saltwater mixing with the tears on my cheeks. I just couldn’t believe this was happening. Turned away from my tribe only to be summoned by way of kidnapping was not what I saw in my future as I swam away that night. I never anticipated being back in those waters again.

  We rejoined the tribe. They’d moved further south and closer to shore while were visited Tom. I couldn’t figure out why, but their change in location put me on edge. I knew this had something to do with the reason I was here.

  “Welcome back, Laura. I trust you found Tom well,” Diana almost cooed as I swam to her.

  I hated hearing her say his name. Just the fact that she knew who he was made me insane. She let me go, sent me away actually. She didn’t deserve to know anything anymore.

  “He’s as fine as he can be. I’m sure his ideal wouldn’t be to sit on a rock in Atlantic Ocean sipping tribal alcohol. But at least he’s warm and dry. Sailors can’t ask for much more than that.”

  “Well, if all goes well, you two can be back home soon. But you need to do as I ask, Laura, and we all know how difficult that is for you.”

  I’d have liked to spit back that her comment was a lie, but it wasn’t. I hadn’t wanted to do what she asked then, and I surely didn’t want to do it now.

  “You’ll have to tell me what you need in order for me to do anything about it, Diana. So could we get to that, maybe?”

  “Never one to mince words, were you? Let’s retire to my den then and we’ll discuss what your tribe needs from you.”

  “This is not my tribe,” I said deliberately.

  “What? What was that?” she asked.

  Louder than before, and more slowly, I spoke the same words. “This is not my tribe.”

  A few of the mer gasped at the direct denial of the tribe. That was something we were taught as children was against mer law. Once a Lunarian, always a Lunarian. But none of these mer had been cast away, thrown into a world that was not ours. None of them were forced to leave the only life they’d known for more than a hundred years. And none of them had to swim away from their love. But that meant I was the only one who had the advantage of knowing how the human world worked and learning the lessons the species had to teach. Most mer found humans tedious with nothing to offer. Only I knew the truth.

  Compared to mer, humans were creators. They asked questions and progressed. We may transform physically depending on our environment, but they evolved socially. They educated their young on history and culture, technology and science. Mer education consisted of rules and how to read and interpret them. Humans spent time finding out the errors of their species and working to fix them.

  I was hoping to use some of that foresight in my discussion with Diana, although I knew it would be less discussion and more listening to her demands.

  We entered her chambers, lovely in the simplicity of the architecture. A underground cave streamed with seaweed and strung shells shown in the blue green light of the ocean. I knew the cavern well, having spent many a night there myself in the arms of our queen. But today the romantic ambiance was gone, replaced with a dark coldness that reflected Diana’s mood.

  “Now that we’re alone, let’s get to know each other again,” she suggested, moving towards me. She offered me option other than to look into her eyes. The depths that were once there shallowed since. And I noticed her age was showing more than I originally noticed. Stress had not been kind to the queen, and she seemed older and weaker in her den, no longer surrounded by her tribe.

  “I’d rather get to know what you need from me. I think I know you well enough.”

  “Laura, there is no reason to be nasty. Your precious man is safe, as you’ve seen, and
I’ve been nothing but accommodating to you since your arrival.”

  “Yes, you have. But there is a reason you’re accommodating me. You need me. You need to be sure I don’t swim away right now, and you’re a beast who must be in desperate need to call on me.”

  “We are in need, Laura. You’re tribe is in need,” and with that, she began to cry.

  Twelve

  “Tears? Really?” I asked Diana, not willing to fall for her emotional manipulation as I had before.

  “Yes, Laura, tears. That alone should show you how badly I need your cooperation. I’m vulnerable, Laura. The tribe is vulnerable. We need you.”

  “Need me for what? What could you possibly need me for after all this time?” Her need to keep this fake sense of desperation going amazed me.

  “Well, it is because you were sent away that we now need you.”

  “What’s that mean? There is something only I can do, huh? Am I your only hope, Obi Wan?” Her confusion showed she had no sense of the cinematic allusion.

  “Actually yes, you are the only hope.”

  She circled the room a few times, picking up odds and ends, straightening things here and there before settling in again. I knew this was her thinking behavior. She needed to take a few moments to sort through her ideas, to figure out what she needed to say and the best way to say it. It was something I’d seen her do repeatedly. It reassured me to see that part of her. So much of her had changed, and seeing this behavior, one I remembered, softened me a bit.

  Prodding her, I asked, “And what is it that I am needed for?”