Barkada

.:: Lost Paradise {4} ::. Ben (Part II)

"I want you to do me a favor," Elmer began, looking at one of his soldiers who accepted his offer to talk to him in private. "In fact, do yourself a favor. This task is going to greatly put some honor on you and would probably earn you something good as a soldier for the Horo Dom Mermaids."

The soldier slowly nodded, eager to hear what his leader has to say.

"I want you to go to the Captain's fruit hut," Elmer said. "There, you will find the human we swore to find."

The soldier's eyes widened. "A-Are you really sure, Sir?"

Elmer nodded, a wide grin on his lips.

"Dare I ask, how do you know, Sir?" the soldier wondered.

Elmer leaned in, eyes darkening yet his lips shown excitement and hunger. "I want you to see it for yourself."

He swims away, leaving the soldier puzzled and surprised. Regardless, he couldn't resist finding the truth. Was his leader simply drunk or imagining? Either way, he wanted to know badly.

His leader never lies.

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I managed to hide Ben for almost a week. I fed him some fresh fruits and we would often fish together if we had a night to ourselves.

Catching fish wasn't difficult though. Especially when Ben waits on the shore while I do all the chasing.

Our hidden paradise was the pond. It was a place we both could talk without worrying about anything.

And I admit, in the past few days, we've become closer. Closer than I ever thought.

Soon, the thoughts of my Mother finding out was all at the back of my mind. Ben gave me joy like no other. I want to keep that for as long as I can.

But, deep down, I know I can't protect him all my life.

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"So I really am the first human to see mermaids?" Ben asked, hugging his legs as I swam around the pond, ever so proud of my tail.

"Well, the first to be friendly around them," I replied, swimming towards him, my chin and arms resting on the rock he sat on.

"Oh?" Ben muttered.

"The last time a human saw us, he killed mermen," I shared, the story haunting me.

"What do you mean?" Ben asked, shifting towards me, eyes full of curiosity and worry.

"A group of men came to this island stranded. We gave them hospitality but they came back days later with even more, killing the innocent merfolk they saw before our soldiers."

"Oh no," Ben whispered.

I nod, laughing nervously. "I guess that's why my people hate you. Your kind betrayed us."

"But why would they do that?"

"Because we're monsters?" I whispered. I laughed softly. "Because we're not human."

"No," Ben began. "So what if you're not human? You have heart unlike other people I've met."

I remember the statement making me so mixed up in emotions. I felt a strange feeling. My heart beat rapidly, my face warm. Is this, perhaps, what it feels to--

"Ben--"

"Pam," he begins, cutting me off. "You're the only person who's never really pushed me away."

"W-What do you mean?"

He looks down, smiling. "Everyone back home calls me crazy for believing in mermaids. My own father refuses to accept my beliefs. I lost my friends and money to get here."