The Invasion

22 | Morphing

In the cold water, I forget all about Zarius and his hotness.

Our hair floats up like seagrass in the water; wavy and idyllic — a stark contrast to how I'm actually feeling on the inside. Bubbles rush upwards and obscure my view of Zarius for a brief second.

My eyes remain wide open as panic hits me. My heart pounds away so loud that the blood rushes to my ears. I feel as if I'm hearing a war cannon in my ears, one that repeatedly fires a series of artillery shots in the background. BA-DUM, BA-DUM, BA-DUM!

Just as I'm about to have a major heart attack, a calm voice enters my mind; soft and gentle.

Do not fear the water.

The voice belongs to Zarius. Shafts of light penetrate the water, revealing the small world that lies below the surface. And then I see him. His eyes seem to glow even more, the blues in his irises swirling with little flecks of amber.

Somehow, in the midst of everything, he's channeling his thoughts to me.

Accept it, I hear him say, and it will protect you.

Following his words, he attempts to release me, but I clutch at his arms, holding on like a stubborn child. The memory of myself drowning resurfaces without my consent and a shudder runs through me.

I can't speak in the water and he can't hear me, but I let the emotions in my eyes convey my insecurities.

Please, no. I can't do this.

Watching me, Zarius gets my distressed message. He gives me another look of encouragement before slowly letting go of me for the second time, but he doesn't venture far. A small distance separates us, but we're still connected by our hands. His fingertips graze mine, and I know that he's assuring me that he's the anchor that I can reach out to any time.

From here, I get a full view of Zarius. And that's when I realize something — his legs! They have vanished, or rather, melded to form a long, large mermaid tail. Thick, silvery scales cover his skin from the waist down. The sleek suit he was wearing earlier has morphed together with him, changing from a black color to a turquoise.

His tail sweeps at the water a few times, his movements strong and graceful. But this isn't what stuns me the most.

His lips part and a song follows after.

Deep in the waters

lies a palace

full of magic and mysteries.

Creatures that you once believe was a legend

turn out to be real.

Despite the fact that I'm underwater, I can hear his words as perfect as day. Not muffled, but a clear, gentle whisper into my ears.

I feel as if I'm pulled into an enchanted world.

My terror and panic stop, as if they cease to exist. I blink several times at Zarius in great fascination as he sings, just observing and listening. I don't know what's happening, but I note that my senses are sharpening. The surroundings around me clears up, or to put it into simpler terms, I feel like I'm watching through a high-definition TV. I can see tiny details even better, colors are bolder and motions are easier to catch. My brain is picking up on things that normally I can't absorb.

My ears pop too, like there's a plug being removed, and layers of noises fill right in. But all I'm focused on is Zarius's voice. I welcome the rest of his song like sunshine meeting a meadow of flowers. Like rain falling on the roof of a car. Like the softness of my bed hitting my back and lulling me to dreamland.