Humans have never been my best friends. Every time I turn around, they're messing something else up. Oil spills, fish nets, whale hunting, you name it, humans do it. I wouldn't say I necessarily have any animosity towards them, but I'm certainly not their biggest fan.
That's why I spend most of my time with my pod. My dolphin friends are all the company I need. We don't speak the same language, but we can communicate on a basic level. I can understand a few words in their language, and they can in mine. And then, of course, there's music. That's a universal language.
I rest quietly on the ocean floor, watching brightly colored fish dart in and out of the coral. It's almost hypnotic, lulling me half asleep.
"Us hunt, you come?" Vesi chirped, startling me out of my daze. Of course, I can't pronounce his real name, so I simply call him Vesi.
"Sure," I smile back at him.
He bobs his head, and noses me playfully. I throw my arms around him, trying to tackle him. It's not very effective underwater. He easily twists out of my grip and erratically dashes off. Oh no you don't! I flip my tail with all my might, catching up to him easily. I grab ahold of him and we spiral until dizzy, collapsing on the ocean floor.
"Crazy children." Onda clicks maternally in our direction. Vesi almost looks sheepish. But of course, as soon as his mother turns her back, he bumps me, one last time.
"Ok, hunt start." Aalto said, at least, that's all I understood. The older dolphin is the unspoken leader of our pod. He always organizes the group hunts and maintains order.
The whole pod, about 15 of us, take off toward open sea. I grin at Vesi and grab his dorsal fin. He glares at me, but doesn't put up a fight.
I always tag along for the pod hunts. I can't help with echolocation, but I do grab a few fish for myself. It's a free for all once we find a school.
The water slides over my tail easily, feeling perfectly weightless. I love to swim. I feel so relaxed, like nothing can touch me.
My life may seem alternative, but I don't think it could get any better. Sure, I don't live with my kind, and I can't exactly communicate fluently with my dolphin pod. But speaking is overrated. I understand them, and they understand me. And we love each other. When it comes right down to it, that's all that matters, right?
YOU ARE READING
Almost Mermaid
FantasyLyra is a vagabond. She runs with the dolphins, charming them with her beautiful music. Her life is perfect. Until humans enter the picture. Will she take care of them once and for all?
