Siren Heart

Flash of Light

Emelie

Collecting my bags from baggage claim had me almost running with excitement. I knew my dad would be waiting for me and I could not wait to see him. "Dad!" I waved my hand in the air. "Emy, my little fish" I run into his held out arms like a little girl. I was so glad to be home, of course we got a few stares from people around. "Look at you, you are really starting to look like an old man" I kissed his cheek and we both grabbed a suitcase, pulling them to go out and find the car. "Well, I am a happy family man with a graduate daughter. I am old and proud." I side hugged him because I was so grateful he was my Dad. "Still riding in old Charlie I see." Dad's old truck was never hard to miss in a packing lot. "Well she is one good car, besides her stereo has all your favorite songs and I thought you would enjoy that" We put my suitcases in the back and got in. 

On the ride home of course we played Taylor Swift, I was a Taylor Swift fangirl growing up. Pulling up into the driveway, I was still in love with the sight of our house it always looked like a Pearl. Its white outer paint always shine as the sun's reflection of the ocean was projected onto our house. My mom came running to the front door as soon as she heard the engine. I jumped out of the car and literally flew into her arms, "Mom!". "Oh my darling, my darling look at you. I only saw you six months ago and you look so grown. Come on in, I have a surprise for you".  Oh no, wasn't family dinner with family enough of a surprise. Walking through the doorway, I barely looked at old family photos hanging on the wall when I saw..."Rosie!" Both of us screaming like 5 year old's run to each other for a hug. "Oh my goodness, Oh my goodness! look at you, look at your red hair! "Oh my God! you are so blonde. You are blonder than when we were kids".  We were speaking at the same time like old times. Laughing together we sat down on the couch. "It's really nice to be home I can't believe it, look at you". I was touching Rosie's red hair, she had always been a brunette so this was new. "Do you like it? I thought of trying something new, since you know new start, new hair. Oh Rosie always wanting to make a statement. "Of course I love it, you look amazing." Dad passed the hallway with my suitcases and I remembered my manners. "We can take those Dad, so I can freshen up and be ready for dinner." Rosie was behind me and we each grabbed a case. "Still the same room, we did not kick you out yet. I will help your Mom in the kitchen." He kissed my cheek chuckling. "Ha, Ha you would not kick me out even if you needed to" I followed Rosie down the hallway to my old bedroom, of course it was just the same as the day I left. Typical of parents. "Wow it still even has your old posters up and everything" Rosie had already sat on the bed as I entered. "I know right, it feels weird" I laughed. "You know what we need?" Rosie and I both smiled "Secret Swim spot!" I pulled her arm and we rushed through the house and out the patio doors leading to the ocean. "Girls dinner is in an hour, don't be late Emy we have guests coming to see you!" Mom of course was calling from the kitchen window. "Yes Mom, we will be back in time, pinky promise." I felt like a teenager again, well I was 24 so not so far off from my teenage years. 

Rosie and I passed the rocks that led to our secret grove and we were laughing all the way. "Canonball!" Rosie dove in with a splash and of course I followed her right in. It was so good to feel the water again. It felt like something had changed in me and the water felt like it embraced me. As I swam around it felt like there was an invisible force around me, like a covering and energy I have never felt before. "I missed you so much Ems" Rosie swam up close to me. "I missed you too". We swam for a good 15 minutes before heading back to the rocks to lay in the sun to dry. The sun was almost setting but you could still feel its warmth and it felt good, no more London weather for me. "Are you excited to be working at the hospital." I looked over at Rosie who was twisting the water out of her T-shirt. "Yes, yes and the best part is I get to work with Pete". She always had a glimmer in her eyes when she talked about Pete. "Ah, so you and Pete are still Prom Queen and King." She sprinkles me with the water from her shirt for my teasing. "I mean he is my high school sweetheart so we make it work." Rosie and Pete are the true love story high school sweethearts who went to the same Uni together and now looks like they'll be working together. "Pete is doing his medical internship there and I get to start my new job so I can be his boss for a little bit." I giggle knowing how much she enjoyed teasing Pete. "That sounds like you will have a good time playing tricks on him just like in high school." We lay there for a while letting the Sun dry us out. Suddenly I hear a little splash and sit up. Rosie is still laying there with her eyes closed so am guessing she did not hear it. I look around in the water and see something shinning under the shallow waves. Gently stepping into the water, I notice it is a fish trapped in something; looked like some grass and plastic. Poor thing looked like it had been trapped for a while and had broken its fin. I walk over and pick up the fish slowly with a little bit of water and unwrap the plastic cutting through its fin.  As I touched the fish it felt like electricity went through me into the fish and there was a bright spark and flash of light. The fish jumped out of my pam and back into the water quickly swimming away. "What was that?" Rosie was sitting up now. "I don't know. I was just rescuing a fish from some plastic and boom static spark." "Or could have been the sun's reflection" Rosie was standing up now, we both knew it was time to head back but I could not shake off the weird feeling I got after whatever just happened. 

Jack

 I still could not shake the feeling that there was something in the water today or was it in the air. I had  gotten out of the ocean and was on the beach that led to Mother's Ocean side restaurant. Finding the bag of supplies Mom always left for me under some rocks, I quickly dried myself. It always felt icky, the weird change from merman to human legs it tingled a lot. I quickly got dressed into a t-shirt and shorts it was going to be a hot day. I jogged the beach up to the restaurant and went to the back where the house was; and of course it smelt like human food; the smell was not bad I just did not like it. "Good morning Mother" I sat at the kitchen counter across from her, she was at the sink washing up some dishes. "How's my king today? Nervous? She turned to look at me with her warm smile. "I think am more nervous about you being in the ocean today, anything can go wrong" I tried not to look scared. "Son we have practiced it a number of times, the oxygen tanks will work just fine, many divers use them, imagine the advantage I have" she said it so light heartedly, of course Mom was over optimistic. "Where's Layla?" I was trying to change the subject. "She's in town, picking up vegetables, Andy is with her" I frowned. "She should not be hanging out with that human boy so much" I was a protective older brother, it didn't bother me that he was human, it concerned me how he would react to her being a mermaid. Past instances have taught us to be careful of revealing our identity. " Do not be like that, they are young let them discover life on their own. Will you be helping out in the restaurant today? Most tourists come to see the handsome server" Mom was always charming, that's what made the restaurant so popular, that and also the fact that we did not serve any fish. "Of course Mom, I will help out, I know its tourist season and there will be traffic today." She wiped her hands with the dish towel and looked at me "We will close early so we can go over the ceremony ritual again and practice your safety protocols" I let out a breath of relief, "thanks Mom, I will get to work then."

We only opened for brunch that day because we had to close early for the ceremony in the ocean that the humans were unaware of.  I gave a little wave to everybody and went down the steps to the beach looking at the ocean. Again I felt it, the ocean had a glimmer today I could see it in her waters something was changing, or maybe was it because I was to become king today. But it felt a little bit more than that. I was slowly walking down the beach heading close to the groves that hide the entrance to our kingdom; I was thinking of tonight whether we would be able to have the ceremony with my mother wearing an oxygen tank. I heard giggling and splashing and I stopped; where there people here? People never came to these groves because of how steep the rocks were and the water seemed too cold for humans. I decided to walk back and not alert whoever was there and hoped they would be gone when it was time for my people to transform and head to the kingdom for the ceremony; we had to be extra careful today. I was almost back at the restaurant when a wave of strong energy hit my entire body. I quickly turned around and so a glimpse of a sparking light that was gone in a second coming from the direction of the groves. I panicked and immediately started to run back; my kingdom could be in danger.