Through My Eyes

Chapter 2 - Panic

Chapter 2

(Alysia)

I swim swiftly through the streets of the ruins, tugging a half asleep Brea behind me. “Breanna. I’m going to be late if you don’t pick up the pace.” I think at her snappily.

“What’s up with you?” She grumbles back.

“I just want to be on time for my first lesson.” I sigh, “Is that so bad to ask for?”

She shrugs as she starts to swim as well, “It’s not like mother didn’t tell us everything we need to know anyway.”

I shush her quickly. “The guardian’s don’t know that and neither do the elders.” I whisper to her seriously, “I’ve been enrolled automatically anyway, as will you when you are of age.”

She blows out a stream of bubbles as we come up to one of the structures which are still intact. “You sound just like Gabe.”

I kiss her forehead before pushing her towards the doorway, “Have fun in your lessons. I heard you’re learning how to harvest kelp today.”

Brea rolls her little brown eyes at me, “Whoopee for me…”

“Go on Ms Enthusiastic. I’ll see you later.”

She turns away without a word of goodbye and swims into the building, leaving me by the entrance. I can’t help but feel a little sad that she now considers herself too grown up to say goodbye to me.

I turn to make my way to the training grounds but before I leave small arms wrap around my torso quickly.

I look down at my younger sister as I hug her back, “Love you Lys.” She murmurs in my mind.

“Love you too Brea.”

She pauses for a second, “Always?”

“Forever.”

*

“Sorry I’m late.” I call out to the guardian in charge as she untangles some armbands. The rest of the trainee mermaids like myself chatter amongst themselves.

“Take a seat.” She nods, “We’ll be starting in a minute.”

I float over to the crowd confidently taking my place at the front. No one speaks to me or acknowledges my presence. Many of them slyly glance at me, getting a good look at the daughter of the infamous Marissa. One of the rare mermaids brave enough to take in a Strigmatar’s offspring despite the risk.

“Good morning girls, my name is Guardian Sharia and I will be in charge of your education as of now.” The raven-haired guardian suddenly calls out, “I want each of you to take 1 armband as it is being passed around.” Everybody ends their conversations, turning towards her, taking the coloured strips of seaweed as they pass them by.

“Today is your first day of training for your journey to land.”  Her stern voice fills our heads as she glides back and forth in front of us, her blue tail barely swishing behind her, “As you know, in 3 years’ time when you shall be turning 21 summers, you will be sent to the surface in order to ensure that our aquatic race does not perish. You will spend time looking for an appropriate mate before producing an offspring. As soon as this is done and the gender of child has been determined, you shall return back here. This is an essential time in your lives girls and a great honour to contribute to.”

After somehow being skipped, a band is finally chucked at me. It’s red.

“Today we shall be trying a new course. When you arrive on land, there will be a guide who will make sure you are housed and comfortable in your first few days. After that, you will most likely have no contact with anyone who knows our duty. Communication with others is an important aspect of being able to find a suitable partner so today we shall be breaking up into groups according to your armband colour and carrying out a series of tasks.”