Peter

Mermaids

We pull away slowly and sit down. I talk. "Tell me more about mermaids." I beg. "Well, the truth is, was I said earlier is not exactly true. Not all mermaids are bad." "How so?" I ask. "Some are born mermaids and some become them. If you become a mermaid then you can choose when you want to turn and when to change back." "So I can become a mermaid?" I say. "Well, yeah I guess. I've heard the first time is excruciating and very confusing. The evil mermaids don't have mercy either." "How do I stop becoming evil?" "Only mermaids that have made a deal with the witch become evil with magic. You just have to have a will to be good before she gets to you." That made almost no sense. We eventually walk back down the rocks and to our clothes. I tug my jeans back on and my shirt then carry my shoes. We walk back to the base and I realise my shirt is still filthy. "Got any spare shirts?" I ask. "Yeah I've got one." Calls out Felix. I go inside and follow Felix. He passes me a slim, dark green shirt with ripped sleeves that looks like it was salvaged from a bin. I turn my back to Felix and slip my white shirt off, hastily putting the other one on. Then I briskly walk out to the others. Peter laughs when he sees me in the shirt. "Bit big hey?" I self-consciously tuck it in to my jeans. "want to go outside?" I ask. "Sure." The sun is hot but the breeze is cool. We sit on the edge of the verandah, with our bare feet dangling over the water.