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He emerged from the ocean. Droplets hung from his hair, forming something like an iridescent crown. His eyes—blues and purples—like a mirror to the burning sky and its setting sun gazed up at you, pleading.
He spoke then in that same lilting tone, like music, like honey, like gold. The last word was inflected.
A question you couldn’t understand.
You shook your head, shooing him away as your chest tightened with panic. “Please, you have to go,” she pleaded. “They’ll catch you.”
The merman cocked his head, briefly glancing behind you as if to check.
There was no one yet; you made sure of it. But there would be soon when they finally discover the empty cage, its lock clearly broken from the outside.
You knew the consequences, but looking at him, at the bright red gash running from shoulder to collarbone. The skin around it puffy, the cerulean scales smattered pink.
Better you than him.
This time, it was him who shook his head, brows furrowed. A webbed finger pointed behind you, then down to his wound, then to all of you.
Tears prickled your eyes. How could anyone even think to harm creatures like him?
“I’ll be okay,” you said. “I promise.”
The creature paused then, turning his head to the sea, like how you would turn when someone called for you. Was it from home? You wondered only as you buried the wish deep, deep, deep under.
When he turned back to you, there was a steeliness to his gaze. A set to his shoulders as he swam closer. Close enough that you could feel the chill from his skin.
He held out his palm then, the webbing between his fingers shimmering in the sunlight, like transparent film.
Your breath caught in your throat, gaze bouncing between his face and his hand.
Distantly, you could hear a faint cacophony of voices. Shouting. But he didn’t bother to glance behind you. Instead, he pushed his hand towards you once more, gentle but firm.
This was a question you certainly understood. But could you answer?
Land or Sea? Home or Another?
The voices grew louder until finally a shout, “There they are!”
A gunshot rang in the air, and you yelped as it grazed your arm, the sleeve now torn and quickly blooming red.
The creature hissed then, his jaw unhinging till it opened impossibly wide revealing sharp teeth. If you let him, you knew he’d shred their flesh till not even bone was left.
But you heard the unmistakable click of a reloading gun.
Reflexes and training kicked in then as you reached for the knife you always kept hidden in your boot. With a flick of your wrist, it went flying.
The silver hilt glinted under the sun as it struck the Captain’s chest, but you didn’t watch him fall.
No, you turned to your friend, a wild grin splitting your face as you took his hand. It was cool to the touch, the skin armored with scales, but surprisingly smooth. Like fish.
Your fishie.
He returned the grin, full and wide, and with a tug of your hand, together you plunged into the waiting sea.