Beached

12- Stranded

        Luca wheels Sebastian through my front door, I close it behind them. My feet are heavy from walking all day.

        I tread into my bathroom and turn the bathtub water on. Luca pulls the wheelchair in through the door backward.

        "You think it'll help?"

        I sit on the edge of the tub. "He's not used to not being in water. It's gotta be the reason his skin's so dry." I stand and wince from my sore feet.

        Sebastian yanks the blanket off, revealing his scaly tail. 

        "I almost forgot," Luca smirks, staring. 

        He pulls Luca's t-shirt over his head, showing the gills along the base of his ribs. 

        I smile back. "Me too." I look at Sebastian. "You need any help?"

        He glances back but otherwise says nothing.

        "What's that supposed to mean?" Luca asks.

        "He just wants you to hold the handles so it doesn't roll." I watch as he lifts himself and lowers into the water. I can feel his relief at being in liquid again.

        "That is so weird," he remarks.

        "What?"

        "You can, like, read his mind. He doesn't even speak English."

        I sit on the toilet lid; Luca plops into the wheelchair.

      "Yeah but... the way he thinks... it's weird. It's like... it's like the way we think minus the words. I don't know how to explain it."

        "Sounds strange."

        "It's been a strange day overall."

        We're silent for a few moments.

        Luca scoffs. "It's only been a day. Feels like... I don't know. Longer."

        Slam. Our heads turn toward the door. 

        "Julie? You home?"

        Luca and I make eye contact.

        "What time is it?"

        I rush to my feet and lock the bathroom door.

        "Five, apparently."

        "What are we going to do?"

        We both look at the merman in my bath tub. "No clue."

        "We gotta get rid of her."

        "What do we do with Sebastian?"

        "Sneak him back in the ocean?"

        A jolt of uneasiness shoots through me. I look at him. "He's right."        

        "What? What did he say?"

        "Nothing. He just thinks those people might still be out there. What if they get him too? Then how will he get his girl home?"

        Luca grabs fistfuls of his pale hair in frustration.

        We're silent for a whole minute, thinking. before I decide what needs to be done.

      Eureka.

        "April!" I call.

        "What are you doing?" Luca hisses.

        "Shhhh. I got this."

        "You in the bathroom?" April's voice gets louder, closer.

        "Yeah."

        "Hurry up, I want to take a shower. "

        "Ahh."

        "What?" she says, through the door.

        "Can you go out and get me some TP?"

         "Did you check the cabinet under the sink?" 

        "Yes! We don't have any. I'm stranded."

        She groans. "Are you kidding me?"

        "I wish I was. I've been here for a while."

         She growls and stays silent for a half minute.

        "I'll be right back."

        "You're the best!" I shout at the door.

        "Don't forget it!"

        I hear the jingle of keys, then the door opening and closing.

        We're silent for a while, our hearts in our throats. That was close.

        "You. Are a genius."

        I laugh. "Don't forget it."