For a moment he was frozen, unaware of what exactly had happened...or was happening.
He noticed her wheezing as if trying to catch her own breath. Her soft eyes looked up into his, her mouth opening and closing as if trying to form words, but her skin had become dehydrated and dry.
It was not the fact that she could not survive without being in the water, but she could only go so long without consuming water.
The first thing he did on instinct was remove the sharp net which was keeping her body captive. He rushed to tear it apart, causing the material to dig and scratch into his own skin, causing blood to rise to the surface. His arms tensed as he tore it off her, trying to split the net open so could help her.
He did so a few minutes or so later, noticing the dried and fresh blood smothering her human legs as he panted and looked up into her eyes, noticing her frown and light sobs as her body quivered and shook.
His immediate instinct was to get her back into the water which is what he thought she needed. So he picked her up quickly and headed for the water only to have her thrash around in his arms as sharp cries of fear escaped her lips.
He looked at her confused and she furiously nodded her head, pushing herself further into his body as if pleading him not to put her back in there.
"You don't want to go back in?" she shook her head 'no', fresh tears lining the surface of her eyes as she clung to him tighter, digging her nails into his skin.
"Why?" She just continued to shake her head, pointing to the net on the floor, indicating that she was afraid of getting caught again.
He understood and puzzled as to what he was supposed to do he bit down on his lip, looking into her eyes as she looked up into his.
It was a few moments before he finally spoke again.
"Alright." he breathed, taking steps away from the water before placing her safely back onto the ground.
He removed his coat from around his body and placed it over hers, keeping his eyes away from her exposed parts as he ensured she was wrapped up and no longer in harms way, noticing that the only thing she seemed to be wearing was his wristband that he gave her.
"It's okay. It's alright." he comforted her, tucking his coat around her before gently trying to ease her up off the ground, thinking she would be heavy after his previous attempt to get her into the water but was surprised when he lifted her and she felt featherlight in his arms.
Her arms crept their way around his neck, securing a safe grip as she looked up at him, admiring his features as he briefly turned to look at her before leading her away to a safer place, unsure of exactly where that was supposed to be.
*
*
He walked slowly, carrying her back up towards the cabin, though he knew he would not be able to take her inside due to the endless questions his friends would be asking about the naked girl in his arms.
On reaching the cabin, he went around back and sat her down on the ground, ensuring her body was still covered by his coat before he though of a plan, mentally hoping it would work. Her body was shaking and her teeth began to chatter as she wrapped her arms around herself and looked up at him for answers.
"Just wait here okay. I need to get Ashton, but i'll be right back i promise." he told her looking at her quivering body as she nodded and smiled weakly at him.
He moved quickly, nodding at her before rushing around to the front of the caravan and making his way in, giving no response to the hello's or questions his friends was asking him as he rushed over to Ashton who was in the bathroom fixing his mop of curls.
"I need to talk to you." he said quietly, impatiently tapping his foot on the ground.
"Just give me a minute."
"I can't. it's important." he pushed and Ashton could tell from the look on Calum's face that it really must have been.
"What is it?" he asked, concern in his voice and present on his features.
"I can't tell you here...we need to go outside." Immediately Ashton agreed and both boys exited the cabin, telling their friends they would be back in a few minutes.
Calum lead the way to the back end of the cabin as Ashton followed, until both boys were faced with a shaking human mermaid.
"No way." Ashton breathed, eyes wide as he took in the sight of her with fresh human legs.
"Wh-what the hell happened?"
"I don't know. I found her like that on the side of the lake, she was caught up in this fishing net. I didn't know what to do."
"She's too scared to go back into the water." he added, looking to Ashton for help as he too found himself stuck on what to do.
"But how does she have legs? i mean i saw a tail...wh-....how can this even happen?"
"I don't know. But i cant think about that right now, what we do about her? i mean i can't just put her back in the water-"
"Why not? How else is she going to survive?"
"She's scared. And ....i don't know." he said looking down at rose.
That question did roll in his mind. Of course he feared for her safety outside of the water and so crouched down to ask her the question himself.
"Can you even survive without being in the water?"
She nodded 'Yes' furiously as if she didn't even hear the question at all.
"How?"
Both boys watched as her mouth open and closed again, as if she tried to form words. She looked at them and her facial expressions changed as she tried to find a way of communicating with them through words...but nothing was coming out.
Calum noticed her frustration to speak as her eyebrows furrowed and a frown crept upon her face, her eyes glistening as water began to line them.
"Okay, okay it's alright...never mind you don't have to say anything. i'm just-" He looked up at Ashton "Were just worried that you might not be alright without being in water."
She nodded her head again.
"Are you sure?" Ashton asked, his own eyebrows furrowed in concern.
She nodded, exchanging glances between them both.
Calum turned his head to look up at Ashton, concern evident on his features as he moved over to Rose and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, keeping her body warm against his.
"Where am i supposed to take her? I mean she's freezing, she needs some clothes, food..water...what do i do?" he asked, looking to his best friend whose eyes were on the now human mermaid.
Ashton released a deep sigh as he thought of an idea, noticing how much she seemed to mean to his best friend.
"Wait here. I'll get my car keys, you can take her in there. There's spare clothes in the back and a couple of snacks in there."
Calum nodded as Ashton got up and began making his way back towards the front of the cabin.
"Hey Ash!"
"Yeah."
"Thanks."
The curly haired boy smiled and nodded, before continuing towards the direction of the cabin as Calum stayed warming up the shaking mermaid in his arms.
*
~~~~~~~~~
ASHTON IS BEING NICE YAAAAY
SO FYI SHE CAN SURVIVE AS LONG AS SHE HAS ENOUGH WATER TO CONSUMED AND UNLIKE H20 HER TAIL WILL ONLY GROW BACK IF HER BOSY IS SUBMERGED IN WATER...LIKE A BATH OR BEING THROWN INTO THE DEEPENED.
TOUCHING WATER DOES NOT CAUSE ANYTHING TO HAPPEN.
REMEMBER THAT FOR FUTURE REFERENCES.!!
THIS IS MY MERMAID AND MY BOOK SO THOSE RULES APPLY HEUHEU
-S