Stolen Dream

Chapter One

The sun was shining brightly, sending rays of light filtering through the water in ripples of pale blue and gold. Herbert Grey swam slowly along the Andres Barrier Reef in the early light of dawn, scanning, always scanning for the most subtle clue that he was on the right track. He was a certified diver and had been for years. It was necessary for both his job and his private life that he be in the water as much as possible.

He was a Marine Biologist. His specialty was mammals and he was incredibly good at his job, bringing to light many new discoveries about whales and dolphins that no one had ever before even dreamt of.

"Are you seeing this?"

Herbert glanced over at his partner, Natalia Fitzgerald, and gave her a hard look as several fish darted away into hiding at their intrusion. "Obviously. Be quiet, Fitz." She should be rather accustomed to his lack of interest in communicating by now but, apparently, she didn't understand that he wanted—needed—complete silence when they were out exploring like this. Impatience with her had him practicing a breathing technique that helped to calm him when things weren't going according to plan. He was now going to have to come back without her. Something he rather preferred to do anyway, but he'd hoped to be able to cross this area off his list sooner rather than later.

Two birds, and all that.

He inwardly sighed. Oh well. It was what it was. He resumed scanning the area, taking readings with his equipment on the water, the plants, the animals. Everything he could. He found nothing of serious significance. They were just about done, ready to rise to the surface, when something caught his attention.
He frowned and turned towards it.

Fitz went a little way ahead before realizing he wasn't with her. She turned to look at him curiously.

Herbert held up his hand in a classic signal to stay quiet.

Fitz nodded and slowly, quietly, made her way to his side.

A school of fish swam up in front of them and they were both distracted by their antics for a few moments before Herbert looked around again, hoping for another quick glance of...something. Something more elusive than any other known creature on the planet. Or unknown, for that matter. On par with the yeti, bigfoot, unicorns and fairies, Herbert was seeking the mythical merperson. Just like the one he'd seen as a child so many years before.
Before he'd developed the film, he'd almost convinced himself that he'd imagined it, that what he'd seen hadn't been real after all.
The picture had completely and irrefutably solidified the truth in his young mind.

He'd seen a merperson.

They were real.

He looked around almost frantically. Not only did he know that they were real, but he was sure, absolutely convinced, that he was getting closer to finding another one with every dive.

"Let's go, Fitz. There's nothing more to see here," he told his partner with resignation. He looked around one last time, determining that he'd be back.

~*~

Rave was on her way home, swimming quickly through the late dawn. She was in a hurry, knowing she shouldn't be out as late as she was. Moving with more speed than stealth, she didn't see the bubbles until it was almost too late. She dropped down, disturbing a small group of butterflyfish that, thankfully, distracted the divers. Panicked, she just barely managed to duck out of sight before she was noticed. She took a few deep, calming breaths before stealthily moving away from the danger zone and skirting around the area, this time keeping a sharp eye out for more.

She disappeared behind some porous sea rods, her white hair blending in with the pale sticks and her pale blue body blending into the sunlit water. She was grateful to be so well-camouflaged for the area she was in and, once out of sight, made a beeline for the chasm where she had her home, fear curdling her belly.