A Merman’s Place

Chapter 6

I packed up the last of my things in my luggage ready to leave. Today was the final day of the expedition on the island and it's an experience that I wouldn’t soon forget.

For the first time I have left my own little island of Marco to travel abroad. I explored new waters containing plants and animals that made me feel like I was in a dream. You wouldn’t find such magnificence above water. Which is way I’m feeling a little down that it was time to leave. But, this was just the start.

As I secured and double-checked everything was packed my phone started vibrating singling an incoming call. I grabbed my phone from the bedside table and saw the caller ID reading Marvin with his image icon.

Marvin has been calling me every day late at night his time just to hear the latest adventure I went on. I did try to explain my experience and the sights I’ve seen, but it’s something that he’ll need to see for himself. Fortunately I had my underwater camera with me in every dive to show him when I go back home.

I pressed on the green button on the screen to accept the call.

“Lucas!” yelled Marvin.

“Marv, you don’t have to yell,” I said as I shifted the phone to my left ear while I rubbed the one that he yelled into.

“Sorry, but I’m excited that you’re coming home soon. I missed you, bro.”

“I know, I missed you, too,” I replied with a smile. To be honest he was on my mind when we went on a dive. I wanted him by my side to see everything I saw. I wanted us to experience it all together.

“So, when are you coming home? Isn’t it already nighttime there?”

“Our flight leaves at 9 pm. It was the only time available for today. And with an 11-hour flight I won’t be there until after midnight.”

“Oh, that late, huh? No worries, I can still pick you up.”

Before I could reply there was a knock on my door and Frankie entered a second later.

“Lucas, we’re packing everything in the van. We leave in 15 minutes.”

I nodded to him. He nodded back and left the room.

“Hey Marv, I gotta go, we’re about to leave for the airport,” I told him.

“Oh okay, see you soon, dude.”

I said my goodbyes and hung up the phone. I grabbed my luggage and headed downstairs where I heard everyone’s feet stomping on the wooden floor. All the luggage big and small were laid out in the living room either in the floor or the two small couches. They were carrying out the equipment that we’ve used in the dives out into the van first it seems.

“Lucas,” called out Frankie, “We’re just about done loading the equipment here. Can you start taking everyone’s luggage outside to load up?”

“Of course,” I said.

With my stuff already in hand I took them outside next the van first. The lights from the front of the house were bright enough for me to see outside. The outside lights was practically the only one around. There weren’t any street lamps nearby and no neighbors around to shine their own lights. To be honest, it makes the area a bit eerie.

With the last bags in hand I handed them over to Oliver and Max who were loading up and climbed into the back seats of the van with Tia and Alice. Frankie and Kenneth made sure everything was loaded into the van before locking the place up and joined the rest of us.

Frankie turned on the van, and we headed out to the airport. I looked out the window to my right and wished it wasn’t dark out. The street lamps weren’t enough for me to see the beautiful landscape that I was getting used to for the past week. I at least wanted to see it all one last time before I left.

Before I knew it, we had arrived at the airport, checked in with all our stuff and waited for our plane to be called to board.

I was sitting in the waiting area while everyone else was either getting snacks for the trip, at the bathroom, or walking around to occupy their time. While my mind was wandering on nothing in particular it was interrupted when Tia sat next to me and asked, “How did you like our trip, Lucas? Think you’ll be joining us for future expeditions?” Her expression showed that she hoped I would say yes.

I faced her and said, “I enjoyed it very much. It’s really different from being a fisherman I can tell you that. Definitely looking forward to the next one.”

She smiled excitedly. “Good. Frankie had a feeling about you. Said that your love of the sea is what made him want to take you on. We all have that same love, merpeople or not.”

I nodded in understanding.

“I wanted to ask. What’s with the bag that you seem to be overprotective about? It was the same when we were at security in Florida,” she said while eyeing the black bag on my lap with my arms wrapped around it.

“It’s only something precious that someone gave me when I was a kid,” is all I said.

“Must be if it’s that important to you. Who was it from if you don’t mind me asking?”

There was a pause. “From my mother,” I answered.

“Oh. Did she…pass away?” She asked hesitantly.

“No,” I said, and then a moment later shrugged. “I don’t know.”

She gave a look that said I see and nodded.

“My mother passed away when I was fifteen. I understand treasuring something that links you to someone you love.” She pulled out a silver necklace that was hiding under her shirt. On it hung a pendant of a silver seahorse. “She loved seahorses. This was hers,” she said with a fond smile.

“You know there’s another reason why I love the sea. Her spirit is in it.” I raised an eyebrow at that statement.

She saw my confused expression and laughed. “Maybe you don’t know this, but merpeople culture has the tradition of taking the dead to the ocean and bury the body. Just like humans bury their dead only underwater,” she explained.

“Right. Sorry, I’m not very knowledgeable with the ways of merpeople, being human and being raised by humans.”

“That’s okay. You know if you were ever curious about our ways you could always read up on it. Or join a community. Humans still outnumber us by a huge percent, so we stick together by joining communities.”

“Sounds good and all, but I doubt I’d fit in much in a community. I may have their blood, but I’m still technically a human. I’d probably be better off reading on it.”

She placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. “You may be human, but you have our blood, and that makes you one of us. We treat our own like family. And you know what? Kenneth and I are in the same community back home. When we return to Florida you come join us.”

What would I say to that? I have heard of merpeople communities and Kirk once or twice mention that it could do me good to join one to learn the ways of my people. But, in my mind, I wasn’t one of them. I did wish I was. At times, I didn’t even feel like I fit in with humans, but I had to deal with I because that’s what I was. Now Tia is telling me that even if I was human I was still one of them. Family even.

“You sure it’s okay? Even Kenneth said before that those like me are rare. A defect. Would they even accept that?” I asked her.

“It’s a valid concern. Generations before our people wouldn’t accept those like you. They would cast them away to be raised by humans. Today there might be those that still think that way, but they’re mostly from families of pure blood lines. The rest of us have evolved our way of thinking. At this point, besides the pure bloods, we are all the same. We do have human DNA in us whether it’s from a parent, grandparent, or an ancestor from a century ago. You just would be more human than the rest of us is all.”

“I see. Then I guess it wouldn’t hurt to join,” I said nervously.

“Great! You’ll love it I know it.”

The conversation then switched to light-hearted topics of non-importance. After less than half an hour of that we heard the announcement that our plane was now boarding.

“Time to head home. You go on ahead; I need to make sure Frankie and the others are making their way back to board,” said Tia.

“Okay,” I responded and made my way to the line of boarding passengers. When I made it to the front I handed the lady my plane ticket and then walked into the bridge. Upon entering the plane I quickly went to look for my seat in the coach section. Many people had already found their seats, but there were still people crowding the aisle making me feel a bit claustrophobic.

After finally finding my seat up ahead, I quickly went to sit down avoiding the crowed of people. While waiting for the plane to take off I took out my phone to send Marvin a message before I have to set it to airplane mode. I tapped on his name in contacts and tapped on the text message icon.

Just boarded, I’ll be seeing you soon .

I sent the message, and it wasn’t long before my phone dinged. A message had arrived from Marvin.

Can’t wait, bro! I’ll be counting down the hours. Look for a sign with your name on it. I’ve worked on it for hours yesterday.

I grinned and let out a snort of laughter. I could imagine Marvin holding up a large sign with my name written on it and decorated so child-like, possibly with stickers, too.

An announcement had cut me out of that mental image to say that all mobile devices should now be set to airplane mode. I took a last look to Marvin’s message and then went ahead to set my phone to airplane mode.

I took a look around to see if I could spot Frankie and the others. I was able to see Tia seated behind Frankie. Kenneth and Oliver were seated in the same row ahead of me. Must have missed them when I was messaging with Marvin. I couldn’t find Alice and Max. Maybe they were way in the back.

The light signaling to fasten our seat belts turned on. As I did, I had the same feeling when I was in this position last time. Traveling on a plane once before to come here didn’t seem to put me at ease. I never will be a fan of heights. Although, the nerves were hitting me harder this time. I sat back in my seat, closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

Minutes later the plane was moving forward, steadily picking up speed. It was when we were leaving the ground that I stopped breathing and my hands were gripping the armrests tightly. If it wasn’t for my large lung capacity I would have passed out from not breathing after a few minutes. It was when the plane leveled that I let out all the air from my lungs.

I saw one of the flight attendants beginning to cart around snacks and beverages. I signaled her.

When she got to me she asked, “What can I get for you, hon?”

“Bottled water would be nice.”

She grabbed the bottle and handed it to me. “Looks like you need it; you’re a bit on the pale side.”

“I’m more of a traveler by sea then air.”

“Ha, that’s nothing like me. It’s like I was born for flight.” After that statement she moved on to serving the other passengers.

Taking large gulps of water from the bottle I began to feel better, but all that stress got me tired. Laying back in my seat, I closed my eyes and began to dose off.