I've escaped again today, she told herself, swallowing her fear. I hope that boy didn't recognize me.
Her thoughts spiraled. I'm not human. If he saw me clearly… if he remembers…
As the crowd thinned near the water's edge, she broke into a run, feet kicking up sand. The ocean glistened under the moonlight, calm and welcoming. Without hesitation, she rushed into the shallows. As soon as the water reached her knees, she yanked the small pendant from under her shirt and gripped it tightly.
A soft, almost imperceptible glow enveloped her as the transformation began—legs shifting, melting into iridescent scales, a tail unfurling beneath her. Serrira's form shimmered before she dove beneath the waves, vanishing into the depths.
Celix arrived at the shoreline seconds too late. He scanned the horizon, his eyes darting across the waves. Nothing. No splash. No sign of anyone swimming away. Just the quiet lapping of the ocean.
"Where did she go?" he muttered, his brows furrowing. "Why did she run away after seeing me?"
The question gnawed at him. Her fear had been real. Her urgency not just of someone avoiding a stranger, but someone desperate to hide something.
His mind raced. The way she moved. Her panic. And those eyes... He had seen them once before, long ago. Not in a dream, but in a memory he barely remembered faint, distant, and blurry. A girl in the water. Eyes like the sea after a storm.
Could it be…?
"No, that's impossible," he whispered. But the doubt had already settled in his chest.
He walked along the shore for a while longer, scanning every rock and shadow, hoping for even the smallest clue. But Serrira was gone. Not a trace remained.
Still, he couldn't shake the feeling something about her was different. Something not entirely… human.
Serrira's POV:
The waves shimmered under the sun, but Serrira's heart felt heavy. From the heart of the ocean, she hovered just beneath the surface, her eyes fixed on the distant shoreline where humans laughed, played, and basked in the warmth of the day. Her silvery tail moved slowly through the water, barely causing a ripple. The salty breeze didn't touch her, but she could feel the change in the air a tension she couldn't shake.
With a sigh, she whispered to herself, "I don't think it was right for everyone to go there like that. If that boy really saw me… if he tells everyone I'm a mermaid…" Her voice faded into the currents. The idea of being exposed terrified her. The human world was fascinating, yes but dangerous too. If word got out, everything could change.
She gave the beach one last lingering look before diving deep beneath the surface. Her body cut through the water effortlessly as she made her way to the hidden entrance to her world a narrow crevice in a coral-covered cliff that only she knew. Through it, she swam quickly, weaving past luminous jellyfish and quiet sea anemones, until she reached the cave that led to her home.
The room was familiar and comforting seashells decorated the walls, soft seaweed carpets lined the floors, and bioluminescent orbs floated gently in the corners, casting a soothing glow. She sealed the entrance behind her, restoring the barrier that kept her secret safe.
"Serrira… Serrira! You've come back!"
The voice, full of relief and joy, echoed through the room. Arri swam toward her, her eyes wide and shimmering with concern.
Serrira nodded. "Hmm," she replied softly.
"I was so worried about you," Arri said, rushing to her side. "Are you alright? I mean was everything okay? Now tell me, what did you see among the humans?"
A small smile touched Serrira's lips. She had missed this the warmth of someone who truly cared. "I saw many things," she replied.
"Really? Tell me too!" Arri was practically glowing with excitement, her fins fluttering like delicate petals in the water.
Serrira moved to her bed, the soft sea moss cool against her skin. She looked at Arri and said, "Humans… they're so different from us. If I hadn't gone, I would have never known. They live together so closely like a giant family. They laugh and touch and talk all the time. And their clothes…" She paused, a look of wonder in her eyes. "Their clothes are so colorful and beautiful. So many patterns, so many kinds of fabric. I even saw some that sparkled like fish scales."
Arri gasped. "Really? Then I want to go too!"
Serrira sat up and gently took Arri's hands in hers. "How will you go, Arri?" she asked softly. "It's not easy. The surface… it's different. It's bright, loud, and fast. And dangerous. If they discover what we are…"
Her voice trailed off, but she gave Arri's hands a gentle squeeze and added, "But you know what? Human food is amazing. I tried so many things sweet, salty, crunchy, soft. I didn't even know food could taste like that. I ate things I can't even describe, Arri. Things I've never tasted before in my life."
Arri's eyes lit up. "That sounds incredible!"
Serrira laughed lightly. "It was. I think my favorite was something they call 'ice cream.' It's cold and sweet and melts on your tongue. It's nothing like the kelp cakes we have here."
Arri laughed too, though a hint of longing appeared in her eyes. She could picture it the humans, the lights, the sounds, the food but it still felt like a distant dream. "I want to see it all too… but I know I can't," she said quietly, her voice tinged with sadness. "I'm not as brave as you. And even if I were, what if I don't make it back?"
Serrira pulled her close. "You don't have to be brave right now," she said. "Just dream with me. We'll figure it out someday. Maybe one day, it'll be safe enough for us to both go. Together."
Arri nodded, resting her head on Serrira's shoulder. The two friends sat in silence for a while, the gentle hum of the sea surrounding them like a lullaby.
Outside, the ocean continued its rhythm waves crashing, tides rising and falling. But in that small hidden room beneath the sea, two mermaids dreamed of the world above. Of colors, and sounds, and sweetness. Of wonder, and perhaps even of danger. But most of all, they dreamed of seeing it together.
Celix's POV :
The moonlight glistened over the sea's surface, casting a silvery sheen that stretched far into the horizon. The waves crashed gently on the shore, whispering secrets to those who listened. Celix sat at the edge of the beach, lost in thought, his eyes scanning the fading silhouette of a figure that had disappeared too quickly.
"Where did that girl go so suddenly?" he wondered, troubled. "And why did she run the moment she saw me? Could she be the same girl
I saw before... the one who saved me?"
He shook his head lightly, as if trying to knock the thoughts out of his mind. "No, no. That can't be. If she were really a mermaid, how could she just walk around among so many people so easily?"
Still, the questions kept swirling in his head, refusing to leave. He placed a hand on his forehead and sighed. "Maybe I'm just overthinking it…"
The sound of footsteps crunching through the sand drew his attention.