Summer's Children

6. Beneath The Surface

.Soo, I've been sick for a few days.

I apologize for not updating, but I think what I might do is put two or three chapters up every week.

Because I was sick, I missed YM Saturday. I was NOT happy! Okay, so here is chapter six :)

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Ch. 6 Beneath the Surface

Peppers POV

I tried to see where Ashley went under the water, but most of the pool was covered in bubbles. Claire and Skyler walked up to me, also training their eyes on the pool.

"What is she doing?" Skyler asked. No one answered her, but Ashley's appearance. The bubbles cleared, and Ashley was in the middle of the pool. The bottom half of her body was a huge tail. The greenish-blue tint to the tail glittered in the water every time she moved.

"So...you're a mermaid?" Claire asked.

" And you were the one in our dreams?" Skyler asks.

"And we are supposedly one too?" I finish.

Ashley sighs and swims towards us. "Since you all touched or put on the bracelet when it was active, you all are. The bracelet is an ancient relic passed down generation to generation in my family, and each person it is passed down to, chooses a trusted person of their desire to become one of the spore, or mermaids.

"The Companion of the relic, which is me, will know or feel when the bracelet is active by the Holder, which I guess it's all three of you now. Usually the guppies, or new mermaids, are to learn their power and way of life on their own.

"I obviously broke that rule, because you were supposed to figure out this on your own, including your powers." Ashley props her arms against the side of the pool to balance out.

"What do you mean 'powers'?" Claire asks.

"Each mermaid of the Aphrodite Spore owns an unique power from the four elements of the Earth, depending on your personality, family, and your birthday. " Ashley puts her hand out over the water, and circulates her wrist and curls her fingers. Water fully surrounds her whole arm, and then drops back into the pool. All three of our jaws drop, and Ashley looks back at us.

"I know that it will probably take a little longer to actually become one of the spore for you three, because the bracelet usually only works for one person at a time."

"How do you know that we are...changing?"

"A mermaid has a keen sense of knowing who is what. And I sense all three of you changing. If I am going to help y'all prepare, we have to prepare quickly and efficiently before you become one of the spore." Ashley goes under water and swims to the shallow side of the pool and sits on the steps.

"Can you help me out? I need to dry off before the sun sets." Ashley asks helplessly. Claire and I drag her by the arms out of the pool and Skyler comes back with a towel. I didn't even notice that it was getting late. I mean, we were watching movies all day...

As Ashley dries herself off, her tail starts to smoke. Then out of no where, the bottom half of her body turns into small water droplets, making an outline of her legs. I back up in shock as her legs appear.

She stands up, and walks towards my house like nothing happened. Ashley turns around and looks at us confused. "Well? Come on!"

Skyler gets up and we walk to my house. Ashley opens and holds the door for us, and we pile in. I hear the door close behind me, and I walk to the front of the house into the living room. I sit on the couch, and wait for everyone to take a seat.

Then, I blurt out, "But I hate the water! How am I going to live with this for the rest of my life?"

Ashley looks at me sympathetically and then turns away. " I know that this is obviously hard for you, but this is going to be good for you!"

How is this good? My mother died because of her passion for the waves, swimming... My dad can't find a good reason to stay home or even talk to us, no less. And my sister acts like nothing happened. How is this good?

Claire turns on the TV, and we sit there in silence. About thirty minutes later, Ashley gets up starts walking out the living room."I should be heading home now. Can we talk about this tomorrow?"

"Sure, Ashley. See you tomorrow."

"Bye!"

"Bye."

The front door slams, I get off the couch and start walking upstairs.

"Where are you going, Pepper?" Claire calls from the living room.

"I'll be right back."

Instead of taking a left to my room, and take a right towards my parents room. My dad doesn't sleep in the master bedroom since my mother passed, so he sleeps in the guest room. My parents' old bedroom probably hasn't been opened since my mom died.

I put my hand on the doorknob, and opened the door. Nothing's changed but an eerie silence. The king-sized bed sits in the middle of the room against the dark orange wall. The walk in closet lays on the right side of the room, and my dad's dresser on the other.I can still see my mom putting on her long red dress and diamond necklace, with her dark brown hair flowing down her shoulders. I make my way across the room and into the bathroom.

The bathroom was still clean, looking like it was never touched. The shower in the right corner of the bathroom, and the tub in the left. A closed door near the shower for the toilet. The two sinks for my mom and dad, and the wall mirror is on the left side of the bathroom once you enter. I looked closely, and my mothers toothbrush and makeup lay on the right side of the second sink, and her slippers sit near the bathtub.

I walked up to the mirror, and opened the middle piece. Her medicine was all still in order, just as she left it. I closed the middle mirror, and looked at my reflection in the mirror. I didn't even notice the water running down my face until now, and I wiped it off.

I walked out the bathroom, and went to my dads old dresser. The top of the dresser had pictures of our family. One picture had my sister, mom, and me as a young kid all on the beach. Another one had us all dressed in a white shirt and light blue jeans on the beach.We looked like a normal happy family.

Where did that all go...

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Again, sorry for the long wait. I was sick..

Thank you for reading! I can't believe I already have over 700 reads! Unbelievable!

Love you all:)

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