When I got to the Rover, I checked all around me before slipping out of the school lot and into traffic. I drove a circuitous route down to the shore, taking pains to ensure that I wasn’t being followed. I pulled into an unfamiliar lot cautiously, noting with satisfaction that there were only a couple of people on the beach despite the sunny late summer day.
I had taken to entering the water from a different random beach every time, and I kept my wetsuit and board under lock and key. I climbed into the back seat of the Rover and changed, popping out the back with my board under my arm. I scurried down to the beach with a few backwards glances.
School was back in session.
~
“Repeat after me!” I demanded, “Stop. Think. Take a breath. I must find a way to go around the net.”
The three mermaids clung to the edge of my board, but I could tell that their minds were already elsewhere. Lorelei was fiddling with her golden hair and Nixie was giggling like someone was tickling her under the water. Nerissa looked like she was stifling a laugh.
“This is serious! Are you listening?” I barked at them.
The trio froze and nodded solemnly, and I realized that I’d probably reached the end of their attention span. Most of our lessons consisted of repetition, and I could never be quite sure how much information they retained.
“Please!” I begged, “Promise me you’ll remember the rules.”
“Yes Marina,” they warbled, sounding almost unbearably sweet.
I sighed, “Alright… we can go surfing now.”
I lay down on my board and experienced the unique sensation of being towed across the sea by three mermaids. They propelled my board through the water faster than the fastest speedboat, and we cleared miles of ocean in minutes. I narrowed my eyes against the sea spray, racking my mind for any other useful information I could impart to them.
I’d brought them samples of nets for show and tell, trying to describe in the most basic terms how to find a way out of one should they ever become trapped. I made them promise to take this information to the next council meeting, and spread the word about the mermaid hunters that were stalking every single one of them.
After some prodding, Nerissa had haltingly told me about how she was captured, and it was a chilling tale. They had used the mermaid’s favorite animal, an otter, as bait. She heard it squealing in pain and rushed in to find them torturing the poor creature. Disregarding her own safety, Nerissa drew closer and closer until they threw a net over her.
I warned them repeatedly about staying away from all boats, with a mind to to re-enforcing their ancient rules about avoiding people. I tried to describe scuba divers and submarines to Nixie, who had never encountered them before, and explain how even people who swam underwater could pose a serious threat.
I found myself losing sleep, envisioning one nightmare scenario after another.
Nixie had grown even bigger in the past few weeks, losing most of her roly-poly baby fat. Still a child, she was already showing signs of the rare beauty she was rapidly growing into. She was expanding her range, and even foraying out on her own to feed, a thought that made me nervous in a strangely maternal way.
I still had a hard time imagining that she was actually Nathan Edwards’ child. Fortunately, she took after Nerissa, but sometimes I thought I could see a slight resemblance to Bradley, and the thought was disturbing. I had no idea whether or not I could trust her brother.
We pulled up to a stretch of coastline with a wild rocky shore and I sat on my board, looking up at the eroding bluffs. I could see fossils embedded high in the cliff wall, giant bones from an ancient whale that had washed ashore millennia ago. Could my mother have known that primordial creature? The passage of time weighed heavily on me, and I started to wonder what the childlike mermaids would see in their eternal futures.
The enchanting sounds of my sisters at play brought me back to reality. Like the perfect Zen masters, the mermaids lived nearly every moment of their lives in the present; thoughts of the past and the future were rarely entertained. I could take a lesson from them.
I sat up on my board and waited for a swell to form, savoring the familiar delicious thrill. The waves were crashing like cymbals and the mermaid’s laughter was as sweet as any symphony. I gave myself over to the present, to the sea, and surfed the afternoon away.
When I managed to come to my senses, it was later than I had planned. I rushed to beat Ethan back to Abby’s house, coming in to find her lying on the couch, distraught.
“Abby– what’s wrong?”
She sat up and wiped her eyes, “Mary came and picked up the kittens, but then she said that the one that can’t walk would have to be put down.”
“No!” I cried, “That’s not right! Where did they take it?”
She sniffed, “I wouldn’t let her have it. It’s still here.” She gestured to my room. “But I don’t know what to do about it… It’s all alone and Charlie won’t have anything to do with it and it just hisses at me whenever I come near it.” She looked like she was going to cry again.
I was relieved, and I patted her shoulder, “Don’t worry Abby, I’ll take care of it… okay?”
She yawned, and lay back down, “Thanks honey, I’m just so tired. I’ve had a backache all day and I can’t get any rest.”
I tucked a blanket around her and kissed her cheek, “Kick back and relax. Don’t worry about a thing.” I went to the kitchen and made her a cup of tea, returning to find that she’d dozed off. I left the tea on the coffee table and hurried to my room, finding the one lonely little kitten curled up in the box, also fast asleep. I checked its food and water and grabbed a change of clothes, heading down the hallway for a quick shower.
When I finally stepped out of the bathroom along with a cloud of steam, Abby was standing just outside the door. She was holding her overnight bag with a frightened look on her face.
“Can you drive me to the hospital?” she asked in a tight voice, “I tried to get a hold of Dutch, but they don’t expect him back for at least an hour.”
“Oh my God… of course… are you alright?”
“My water just broke,” she said. Her voice was shaking.
I took her arm and led her to the front door, “Wait one second!”
I raced to my room and snatched my purse, digging for my keys. I slipped on a pair of shoes and hurried back to Abby, who was grimacing in agony, her hands clenched in fists.
“Abby?”
She looked up at me with pain in her eyes, and clamped onto my arm, her grip loosening a little as she panted out a few breaths. “That was a major one,” she gasped.
We stepped onto the porch, and I turned to lock the door. I was just helping her down the steps as Ethan came up the walkway. He took one look at us and his eyes flew open wide.
“Uh oh,” he said.
I handed him my keys, “You drive.”
I helped Abby into the back seat of the Rover, climbing in alongside of her. Ethan’s freaked out eyes met mine in the rearview mirror, and he started the car, turning to back out, “Are you okay Abby?”
She gasped again, gripping my arm even harder as another contraction tore through her body.
“They’re really close together,” she managed to choke out.
The drive seemed to last forever, and with each contraction Abby started spitting out strings of obscenities through gritted teeth, cursing out every other driver and traffic light, words spilling out of her mouth like I’d never heard before. I understood. I had a very good idea of the pain she must be experiencing and it made me feel completely helpless.
“Hang in there,” was the only advice I could offer.
We pulled up to the emergency entrance and Ethan jumped out to get help. Before I knew it, Abby was being wheeled into a delivery room, her hand still clamped down on my arm.
“Go get Dutch!” I called to Ethan as the door swung shut between us.
The minutes dragged on like hours as nurses bustled around u
s, helping Abby onto a table and positioning her feet in the stirrups. The way she was writhing in pain made my examination earlier in the day seem like a walk in the park.
“You’d best tell the doctor to hurry.” I heard one nurse mutter to another after she checked Abby’s condition between contractions. Within a few minutes the obstetrician arrived, cheerfully greeting Abby and taking a seat between her feet. I kept a hold of her hand and brushed the hair from her sweating brow, meeting her eyes.
“Where’s Dutch?” she wailed.
The doctor looked up at us, her face calm but serious, “Everything’s going to be just fine. It’s time for you to start pushing,” she told Abby. Just then Dutch burst through the door, and I was as relieved to see him as Abby was. He took my place at her side and I backed away, forgotten.
“You’ll have to wait outside,” a nurse told me. I slipped out of the room to find Ethan just outside the door.
I slumped into his arms with a sigh.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“I think she’s having a baby,” I said, without a hint of sarcasm.
Our eyes met and we laughed. We fell into some cushioned chairs in the hallway holding hands. It didn’t take long for Dutch to pop his head out the door like a crazy cuckoo clock. “It’s a girl!” he hollered, disappearing back into the room.
After what seemed like a very long time the doctor bustled out and Dutch re-appeared to invite us in. Abby was propped up in bed, magically transformed back into her normal peaceful self. She held a squirming little red faced baby, bundled in a pink blanket.
“We’re going to name her Adria,” she announced. “Do you think your father will mind?”
I shook my head no as I fought back tears.
~
When Ethan and I got back to Abby’s, I showed him the last kitten. We played with it a little, trying to get it to stand up on its weak hind legs. It was a spunky little fellow, and pulled itself back and forth between us until it was exhausted, its crooked little tail dragging along behind it.
“Come here, little stumpy,” Ethan called.
I looked at him sideways, “Did you just name that cat?”
“I guess I did,” his eyes met mine with a smile. “So, are you coming home with me tonight?”
“I’d better stay here with Stumpy,” I yawned. “I should get the house cleaned up for Abby when she brings your sister home tomorrow.”
He sighed, “I have some studying to do anyway... Is it just me, or is this taking forever?”
“I’ll be there tomorrow, I promise,” I whispered, kissing his ear.
Ethan smiled, squeezing me closer, “What a day. I can’t believe I officially have a little sister.”
I snuggled into him, resting my head on his shoulder and stifling another yawn. Me too, I thought, and a new little cousin.
“Dutch and Abby sure looked happy,” I mused.
“Yeah,” said Ethan, “And now I know that they’re perfect for each other.”
“How’s that?” I asked sleepily.
He chuckled, “Because my dad’s a sailor… and Abby can sure curse like one.”
~
Chapter Three
LANDMINE
~
“That’s great news honey! Tell your aunt I’m looking forward to seeing her… and meeting Dutch too. I’ve had a few delays, but I promise we’ll have a big celebration when I get back.”
Dad’s voice sounded very small and far away on the phone, and it made me miss him once more. I’d grown used to being without him, but it was high time he came home. I couldn’t wait for him to meet Ethan.
“And when will that be?” I asked, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice. It seemed like every time he got close to finishing his research, one problem or another cropped up, keeping him weeks past his original deadline.
“Two weeks, tops. I promise. I just need to collect a few more samples.”
“Hurry back,” I told him. I could hear some voices in the background.
“Sweetie, I have to run, one of the farmers I’m working with is taking me out to his fields. I’ll talk to you soon.”
I hung up with a frown, uneasy. So much about me had changed since he went away; I was having a hard time imagining how it would be between us when he returned. I was stronger than he realized, and much more independent. I had been hardened by ordeals I had purposefully kept from him, tempered like a steel blade by hot anger and cold determination.
I pulled up to school early and made my way to the science building, slipping into the advanced marine biology class. I sat in the back, ducking down and trying to be unobtrusive. Professor Powell came in and spoke to the class about the work they’d be doing at the lab. I tried to disappear behind another student, but I think he noticed me. I was grateful when the lights came down and he gave a presentation about the Citation, a new research ship the University had just acquired with a generous private contribution.
I sat up in my seat as he proudly showed us pictures of the craft, describing its special sonar capabilities and underwater cameras. The ship boasted custom made tanks, and was equipped with sling hoists to lift large fish and marine mammals. It was a floating laboratory, and Professor Powell would be taking it on his maiden voyage in the coming weeks. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end.
His voice was excited as he announced the ship’s first mission: a fully funded year-long study to catalogue the genetic diversity of the many species of dolphins and porpoise that frequented the bay. The ship had been outfitted with air propelled net cannons that could ensnare and immobilize even the fastest cetaceans for quick capture, using the hoists to scoop them up. They planned to capture and temporarily hold some of the larger marine mammals at sea; measuring, weighing, and taking blood samples before releasing them back into the ocean.
I realized it would be the perfect mermaid hunting vessel, and I wanted to throw up. Everything Yuri had told us about their plans was ringing true.
When the professor went on to tout the latest genetic sequencers the program had just received due to the generosity of the late Congresswoman Barbara Watson I had to bite my lip to keep from screaming. The lights came up, and several students asked questions about the launch schedule and various aspects of the research, but I could no longer focus. My mind was racing, my thoughts elsewhere.
What could I do about it? I imagined sabotaging the ship, breaking into it to destroy the equipment and making it look like the work of a protest group… Or maybe I should go directly to the source and hunt down Nathan Edwards… I sighed with frustration. As angry as I was, I knew I wasn’t capable of murder as a pre-emptive measure.
Then there was the muse Olivia. She was encouraging this whole endeavor, and perhaps seeking immortality for herself as well. The thought occurred to me that most of the hybrid council members would probably jump at the chance to extend their lives of luxury; no doubt many of them could care less who they had to destroy in order to achieve endless life.
I looked up to meet the professor’s eyes. The class filed out and I got up to go, trying to lose myself in a throng of students before he could intercept me.
“Miss Vanderpool– ” he called out as I passed. Did he know? Now I was getting paranoid.
“Professor Powell,” I replied, stopping at his lectern.
“I thought that was you,” he smiled with friendly eyes. “Aren’t we getting a little ahead of ourselves? This program is set up incrementally, although with your background, you might be uniquely positioned to move ahead a bit faster than the average student.”
I looked down modestly, “I’m sorry I didn’t ask before I audited your class… I must admit, I’m very curious about all the new research. I find it extremely exciting.”
He laughed his agreement, “Oh yes! This program has truly undergone a Renaissance in the past few months– do you think your father might be interested in stopping by the lab to take a look?”
I looked up at him with
a smile, “That’s a wonderful idea! He’s due back from his latest research project in about a week. I’ll bring him by then.”
Ha! I thought, nepotism strikes again. I hurried out with a smirk, wondering why it hadn’t occurred to me before. I was sure that Dad would like to see the facilities out of sheer scientific curiosity; unfortunately, he would also be uncomfortable with my sudden interest in marine biology. I was thinking about how to ask him about it when an old familiar feeling stopped me in my tracks.
A sharp stabbing pain blinded me, and I groped for the wall, rounding a corner to lean against the bricks to steady myself.
~
I was weightless, strangely suspended. My hair was flying all around, waving in front of my eyes slowly. I struggled to pry a man’s hand off my wrist, one finger at a time. His body slowly spun around, and we came face to face. His eyes were wide open, regarding me with a blank, flat stare. They were cold and lifeless, the eyes of a statue. I knew that he was dead, and I shrank away in horror.
~
When my mind cleared I found myself crouched on the ground, my head in my hands. I looked up, relieved to see that no-one was around, and I leaned back against the wall to catch my breath. Great. I was underwater with a dead man, only I was very much alive. That could only mean one thing, and I shuddered down the whole length of my spine.
I had no stomach for sitting through an art history lecture after that, so I left campus early, retreating to the safety of my car to recover. Ethan and I were going to start moving my art studio into his place this afternoon, and I drove to Abby’s, thinking about how much better I’d feel once I was wrapped up in his arms again.
I wondered how he would react if I told him what I just saw, and I waged an internal debate over how to handle it. I hated to worry him, but he had a right to know. I wished my visions were more concrete, but they never seemed to telegraph anything, other than the fact that more trouble was on the way. Like we didn’t know that already.
I felt like a walking disaster area.
I pulled up to see Dutch and Abby had made it home from the hospital, and stepped inside to find her sitting on the couch with Adria in her arms. There was soft music playing and the delicious smells of food cooking in the kitchen. Abby looked up at me with a beatific smile. The whole scene was one of such domestic tranquility and bliss that it made my breath catch in my throat.
The Turning Tides (Marina's Tales) Page 3
