The loud, annoying beeping played in my ears again. I groaned, rolling over. School..
I rolled out of bed, wondering down to the bathroom. On the way, I grabbed onto the clothes I had set out the night before. I shut the door behind me, setting the clothes down onto the counter. I looked up to gaze at myself in the mirror. My eyes were droopy, my hair was a reck like I had just gotten out of a freak tornado, and my clothes were all wrinkled.
I swapped clothes, from my PJ's to my day clothes. Grabbing a hair brush, I quickly brushed threw it. Running into a bunch of knots, hard to get out like you won't believe! but eventually, I successfully brushed them out. I turned the faucet on, water spitting out into a steady stream.
I moved my hand closer to the water, a weird feeling came over my hand as it drew closer. When the tips of my fingers were about to touch, the water pushed away. My eyes flew open and I yanked my hand away. I had about forgotten about what happened, is this something that's suppose to go along with it?
I wondered, am I controlling it? Or is it like a magnet with the same sides? Not able to attract. I tested if I was able to control it first, I thought with my mind what I wanted to do, bringing my hand closer once again.
The water moved slightly, with me getting closer. Once in range, it completely bent. I was controlling it..
"Unreal.." I mumbled to myself, trying to remain calm. I moved and twisted my hand, with the water pouring out of the faucet and into the sink, it changed directions. Instead on going down the sink, it went through the air. I twisted it around into the air, making weird shapes until I decided it would be best to bring it back to the sink before I accidentally touch it.
There was a knock, I dropped my hand with my eyes instantly going to the door, the water falling and splashing back into the sink.
"Skylar, are you okay in there?" Mom knocked.
"Yeah, I'm fine!" I shouted back, so she was able to hear me.
"Okay then, well you gotta hurry up. It's time for school."
"Alright, I was just coming out anyways." I looked from the water to my hand.
I slightly smiled. "This will make things more interesting." I balled my fist and ran out the door and on my way to school. It was all an uneventful day, I'll save ya from the very boring details and just skip to the end of the day when I was finally in Art class.
Our project was to paint a picture, anything we wanted. As long as it wasn't stick figures. I was painting an image from my dream. I luckily remembered every detail, and was able to put that detail into my work. I painted a girl in deep, dark waters with mystical sea creatures swimming around her.
I felt eyes on me, like a presence behind me. I looked over my shoulder to see the teacher with her arms folded across her chest, smiling and admiring my hard work.
"That's very good, Skylar."
I flashed a quick smile. "Thank you."
"Oh! I also forgot," she yanked out a piece of paper. "To give you this." She laid it out in front of me. "I forgot to give it to you last time, it's your art terms and you might as well start studying them for future tests and quizzes." She nodded.
"Okay, thanks." I got up, taking the paper with me. I walked around the cubbies and got down onto my knees to place it into mine for the time being. Sliding it in, when suddenly..
SPLASH!
I flenched at the cold thing running down me. Please don't be water please don't be water!! It felt thick, red poured down my arms,dripping from my chin. Laughter erupted from the room. I looked up, wiping the red substance from my eye brows before it could run into my eyes. I flicked my hand, with what I wiped from my head now flung on the floor.
Blair was on top of the cubbies in a fit of laughter with a red, empty paint jug next to her. Wait, what if a liquid contains water.. Wouldn't that still make me turn? I snatched the jug away and scanned over the ingredients. Calcium, carbonate, talc, and WATER?! I dropped the jug, then ran.
"Hey! Get back here!" Blair yelled, apparently running after me. Just as I was out of sight, from the room's point of view, I heard the teacher yell "what happened?" As for she must have been trying to get new paint from the back rooms.
My feet pounded against the ground, my legs began to feel weird and tingly. I'm gonna change! But I definitely can't do that in front of Blair. I looked to my left just in time to see a janitor's closet. Thinking fast, I yanked the door open and ran inside, shutting the door behind me. There was no lock on the door, at least that doesn't require a key. I had to hold it shut.
I got into a stance to keep my legs planted into the ground, gripping onto the handle tight. I felt Blair wiggle to door knob. "Ugh! Dang it, Skylar! What's your problem?!"
"U-uh nothing!" I shouted back. Man I hope a teacher doesn't hear or see this. I don't want them to kick me out when I'm about to-
I gasped, falling down. Seeing the bright colors again. "Then why are you hiding in a janitor's closet- what are you doing in there?" She must have heard me fall.
"Nothing!" I gripped the door the best I could. I couldn't get the best hold from being on the ground.
She tugged onto the door one last time.
"Bad time bad time." I grumbled to myself.
"Fine! You wanna be more of a freak than you already are and hide in a janitor's closet?! Fine by me. It'll just be something to tell everyone else!" She hit the door, her footsteps slowly fading into the distance. I released the door knob, sighing.
I looked down at my tail, red covering my entire body. I wiped more paint that was making a bee line for my eyes. "Okay, they have to have some sort of cloth or towel I can use to dry off with." I scanned over the small room until my eyes landed onto something white in the corner. I grabbed it, pulling it I front of my face, I see it's about a medium sized towel.
"Thank goodness." I sighed, rubbing my tail down good. Most of the paint had dried on me, so I wouldn't think that would interfere with any transformations. Soon, the familiar bright colors appeared. Swirling circles around my tail, with a bright flash, my legs returned.
I jumped up, my legs felt like they were asleep. Probably an effect from the transformation. I poked my head out the door, scanning the hall. It seemed empty, I sneaked out the door, shutting it behind me as quietly as possible.
I went back to Art class, right as the bell rang. Everyone pushed by me to get out the door. I grabbed my bags, stuffed my work away in my cubby, and went out the door.
"Hey! What happened?" Noah came up from behind me.
I looked down to my now red clothes, tugged at the neck of the shirt. "Blair dumped red paint on me." I frowned.
He seemed slightly shocked, then it was replaced by anger. "Okay," he sighed, anger fading down. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up." He grabbed my wrist.
I gasped. "No!" I pulled away. He turned to look at me seeming confused.
"Uh, no. It's okay, Noah. We're going home now, I can get myself cleaned up there. Bye!" I walked away. Noah didn't stop me, he just stood there dumbfounded.
Ugh! What's wrong with me? If someone mentions anything with water, my mind goes blank and I don't know how to keep my cool without people looking at me like I'm crazy!
"-yeah, then she runs into the janitor's closet." I heard someone say. Looking in the direction I heard the voice, I saw Blair with her friends. She sent me a glair, I huffed, looking the other way. Continuing home.
During the ride, I didn't even talk to Ava much. I gave her a little hi but didn't really say anything. She asked what happened when she noticed the paint and if I was okay. I ran through the little 'story' and told her I was fine, just tired. So she left me alone, but sat next to me the whole ride. Once home, I dug into my bag to retrieve the keys. Since this was one of the day's my Mom was gonna be working late.
The lock clicked, creaking open. I threw my stuff onto the table. Huffed, looked around the room. Then just wondered back outside. I didn't know what was I even doing, I just wondered back to the docks and sat down. I kicked off my shoes and allowed my bare feet to hover over the water.
A nice, cool breeze blew. I sighed. "How am I suppose to keep the secret?" I wondered to myself allowed, since luckily no one was around to hear me.
Then I felt something grab my ankle, tightly. Something wet, and yanked me harshly off the docks and into the water. I yelped, feeling the bubbles around me float to the surface. What the heck was it?!
I held my breath, I looked down but couldn't get a clear image. Using my free foot, I began to kick at the thing, but for it to only grip onto me tighter. Everything was happening so fast, the thing dragging me down has to be some sort of creature, a FAST one at that. Any of the dried, red paint began to wash off of me.
In my perhithial vision, I saw the colors again. Here we go again.. I've never actually swam with my tail, I couldn't count the time when I first turned since I kinda went unconscious then and had no idea what was happening. I wasn't sure if I can even breathe underwater and I was much too afraid to find out.
The creature then let go, I was at the bottom. I could feel my legs merge into one. I flicked my tail around a little before attempting to swim away back to the surface. I tried to swim up, not use to swimming this way. How do you work this thing?! It'll take some time to get use to it. I didn't get far by the time I felt the same hand grab my tail to yank me back down. I saw nothing but shadowy creatures all around me. I felt a huge urge to breath, the nagging feeling was picking at me too much.
I grabbed onto my throat, needing to breathe. Wouldn't I drown? I couldn't take it anymore. I took the dare to breathe. The salty water poured down my throat, forcing its way down. I started gagging and coughing. It was such discomfort. Well I guess I just got my answer, I can't.
Then the discomfort disappeared, my breathing evened out. Maybe I can.. When my lungs have became accustomed to the ocean water, my eyes cleared up. By that I mean instead of everything looking blurred, it was all crystal clear!
I looked all around my surroundings, but I was instantly shocked. The creatures that have dragged me down, wasn't just creatures, they were mermaids! Like me! Merman, mermaids all together, there were thousands of them! Way too many to count. They began to circle me.
"What do you want from me?" I tried to sound demanding, but instead sounded a little quiet and slightly fearful. My voice echoed throughout the water.
"Why did you grab me?" I asked, not getting a response back. But, one mermaid came forth. She had blonde hair and blue eyes, along with a bright green tale.
Seeing her come up to me made me back down.
Gaining back all of my courage, I asked again. "What do you want from me?"
"You." She stated plainly.
I felt that weird feeling in my chest, fear? I guess. "W-why?"
"Dear," she simply smiled. "You're one of us." She brushed her fingers through my hair. I wined at her touch, not feeling comfortable with a stranger being this close.
"I'm not one of you, I got turned into this." I gestured to my whole frame.
"It doesn't matter." She shook her head. "Born, changed, you're now one of us. Part of our species."
My breathing hitched. I shoved her hand away. "I am human! I have a life up there. Friends, family." I pointed towards the surface.
She stared at me. "You don't know much do you?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Since you were turned you will soon be getting more power that you may not be able to even control. And humans are NOT allowed to know of our existence." She put more emphasis on 'not.' She smiled. "Anyways, you won't be able to live on land anymore."
"What!" I shrieked. "Why?"
"Because each passing day you will turn more mermaid than human."
"You don't really expect me to go with you do you?" I slowly backed away.
She lightly laughed. "Of course not. Not willingly anyways."
I broke into an er.... Swim? I swam as fast as I could to the surface. I'm sure they can go faster than me, but how?! I quickly looked over my shoulder to see them remaining in the same spot.
"Don't worry, we will get you another day! By the time you get a full tail you won't be able to get your legs back ever again. You'll have no choice but to come back!" She called out to me. I looked back ahead, picking up as much speed as I could. I was getting close to surfacing.
I ended up jumping out of the water, falling onto the docks. I coughed up so much water. Puking it all up. My lungs burned, feeling the air. My tail bent in impossible ways, reacting to the pain I was feeling. Well, at least impossible if they were legs. I felt discomfort and fear. I blacked out..
(One hour later....)
I awoke back up onto the docks. I had my legs luckily and my hair was a disaster. I looked back to the water, standing back up.
"Hey! What's your problem?!" A familiar voice shouted. I spun around, Blair.
I got off the docks and went to the grassy side, right next to the docks.
"What's your problem, you ran into a janitor's closet!" She got a little close.
"Please Blair, trust me you don't want to get too close!" I warned, backing away.
"What? Okay what the heck is going on?" She glared.
"Nothing."
"Oh please! Stop lying! I know something is up. Something fishy is going on here."
Huh! Only if she knew..
"It's nothing!" I couldn't tell her, she would most likely tell on me. She completely hates me.
"STOP! LYING!" She yelled, obviously getting madder each minute. And apparently, so was I.
"I WAS NOT LYING!" I threw my arms out. The water at shore immediately burst up and slammed into her. Knocking her down and nearly drowning her. I held my hands up, in shock, frozen. The water stayed put, into like a giant water ball with her in the middle. She was gonna drown if I didn't do something! Apparently with me keeping my hand up the way it was, was the reason why it stayed where it was.
I moved my hand away, the water dropped her and went back to the ocean. Blair was unconscious.
I put my hands over my mouth. "Oh no.. What have I done?" I charged over to her, checking to see if she was still alive. My hand went to her neck, I could feel a pulse.
"Oh thank goodness." I sighed. Now what should I do? I don't think I can keep this secret from everyone. I began to think about what I'm about to do.
Maybe I should tell Noah, he can keep secrets and I'm sure he might be able to understand.
Looking back, I spotted an old pay phone they kept near the docks. I ran to it, dialing his number in.
"Hey Noah its Skylar, can I ask you for a favor? I'm up here at the docks and I need help." I twisted the phone's cord.
"Okay sure, I'll be there in about three minutes." He hung up first. I sat by Blair the whole time as I waited.
When Noah got there, he froze when he noticed Blair's motionless body laying in front of me.
"Whoa... Skylar, were you that mad that you decided to teach her a lesson?" He came closer.
"Oh shut up, this is no time for joking. Help me get her home." I tried to tug onto her, waiting for Noah to grab her legs.
He shrugged, just simply picking her up and waking into a direction.
"Or.. I don't really have to do anything.." I awkwardly followed behind him.
"How did this happen?" He looked back to me.
"I'll tell you later.."