Beneath the Waves

Questions and Answers

"I'm diving in," Brock said to his friends and they nodded, Tyler rolling his eyes. Brock really loved diving into the water and always took the opportunity to do so.

Brock climbed into the railing, Brian looking at him confused as he swam backwards. "There's no one under me, right?" He asked and Brian shook his head.

"Right, here I come," he said, jumping off in a perfect dive and knifing through the waves. He curved and popped up out of the waves just in time to see Jon also dive in, Tyler, Chrissy and Marcel moving to the ladder. Anthony and Lui just jumped in feet first once Jon was out of the way, breaking the surface and treading water while they waited for the others.

Brian's friends appeared and went to swim by each one of Brock's friends, Brian taking Brock's hand. Evan swam next to Jon and Anthony, Daithi next to Tyler, Kris next to Marcel, Scotty next to Chrissy and Lui, and Smiity next to John.

Once each merperson had their hands on the people closest to them, they took off through the waves. Brock whooped, hearing his friends cries of excitement behind him.

Brian laughed, swimming effortlessly through the water. Brock looked down to see his tail moving powerfully, the red glimmering in the moonlight.

Brock didn't know how far they traveled, but soon they were coming upon a tiny island and the merpeople were helping them onto the sand.

Brock was out of breath, but he and all his friends were grinning widely, Jon jumping around excitedly as Evan watched him amused.

The merpeople used their arms to pull themselves onto the sand, laying out next to the humans. Brock sat down next to Brian, eyes on his tail amazed.

"This is freaking insanity," he mumbled to himself and Brian laughed, patting his arm. "It probably is to you guys. We know humans don't believe in merpeople, but we've been watching your kind for centuries," he said amused and Brock nodded slowly, looking over to where his friends were scattered along the beach talking to a merperson.

"What's it like? Where you live?" Brock asked, a hint of wistfulness in his tone. "Wet," Brian said and Brock smacked his arm, rolling his eyes at Brian's laugh.

"It's home. I don't know how to explain it since I've never seen a human dwelling before, but it's comfortable. Lights are usually from the jellyfish and phosphorous moss, our homes are made of sandstone and clay, we have jobs like humans do, an economy.

"We also have rivaling kingdoms, there's hundreds under the water. Different types too, Evan's from a kingdom of sharks we're allied with. I've been friends with him since we were children," he said and Brock sighed, eyes on the water.

"I wish I could see it someday. My whole life all I've ever wanted to do was escape and live in the water, live away from the world," he said wistfully and Brian smiled faintly.

"Maybe someday. I think you'd love my world," he said and Brock just smiled faintly at him.

The two sat there quietly, questions burning in Brock's head but not wanting to irritate the other with them. But he wanted to know everything.

Brian said they had jobs, what kinds of jobs? Jellyfish and phosphorous moss as their lighting, how did that work? How did they build their houses? Could they speak to the ocean life? What more could the merpeople do?

"Dude, your brain is going a million miles a second," Brian said amused and Brock flushed, looking at him sheepishly.

"I'm sorry, I just, there's so much I wanna learn about, but I don't want to bother you with questions," he admitted and Brian shrugged, shaking his tail a moment to dislodge a crab from his fin.