The Water Lilie's

Vengeance

We walked back to the cabin, my clothes dripping wet and my hair covered in seaweed. Jack picked at pieces of my hair trying to get the weeds untangled but I shrugged him off. We walked together for what seemed like forever in complete silence. I could tell no one wanted to bring up the topic, or even ask what happened. I felt like I was lying every time I opened my mouth to tell someone, It all just seems so unreal, so fake. I couldn't even understand it myself.

When we arrived back at the cabin I went and took a shower, it was quiet and peaceful. But I couldn't stop thinking about the last two few days... I still can't seem to wrap my head around what has been happening. But I think im starting to understand why. I know I have something they want, something that they need to survive. But why do I have it? How did it end up on human land in the first place? There is still so much more I want to know.

I washed my hair and rinsed down, the warm water cleaning me off from what felt like slime covering my body. I turned the shower off and stepped out. Everything I did felt like I was doing it in slow motion, one step at a time, all so cautiously. Im not sure why, but I felt like every move I made I had to be precise, careful... one stupid move and id be off the edge of a cliff again.

I changed into a pair of jean shorts, a pink and yellow floral top, with a pair of flip-flops. When I walked out of the bathroom everyone was sitting on their beds and their heads quickly turned and looked at me.

"Emzy," Natasha spoke. "Sit, Lets talk."

"Okay, but this isn't an interrogation is it?" I laughed.

"Em, I know your struggling" Eliza butted in "but you don't have to make light of this conversation."

I walked through the cabin and sat on my bed, Jackson came and sat beside me placing a small kiss on my cheek.

"As curious as I am right now, Im not gonna bother asking about that," said Natasha pointing at the two of us. "Okay. Now im serious, Im worried about you. I thought you were going to die, Emzy."

"Natasha its Ok-" I tried saying but she cut me off.

"NO. It is not, it is not okay you're my best friend. And now you're not even telling me what is going on. What is going on with you? What is this?"

"Okay, nothing is going on with me. It's not me." I replied, a bit of anger in my voice.

"First of all, I feel like you don't want to tell me anything anymore."

"Natasha, this is not about you. I am trying to protect you guys. I do not need you all involved in this."

Colton gave me a strange look, he was the one from the group who usually stopped arguments or would make a funny joke to lighten the mood but this time he just sat there in silence.

"Well then fine... I won't get involved with whatever you are doing. But can you at least tell us what is going on?" She replied.

" Okay, but before I began.. I am not crazy..." And with that, I began explaining what had happened in the water, 2 days ago and what happened today. I told them how my grandma bought the necklace and an antique market, and how it was my moms and now it is mine. I told them what they said to me, what the necklace meant to them according to my grandmother and how I was able to breathe underwater.

------

"That sounds completely insane." said Eliza. "but I believe you."

"Me too." Natasha stated, " and I am sorry."

Just as I was about to say something we heard a loud whistle blow from outside.

"Here we go, Ms. Erendale is calling." Colton laughed.

We walked down the beach and met in the center like we always did and gathered around the campfire that was still set up from the first night we arrived.

"Class, as you know Emzy got very hurt two days ago on our hiking trip while exploring the island, so she is going to have to take it easy around here and have extra supervision from me for the remainder of the trip. I will not be canceling our schedules, they will remain as it is on the set paper. With that being said I expect you all o be extremely careful and cautious. Thank you." She said sternly.

"Emzy may I speak to you in private?" She asked. " Everyone else may head back to their cabins, I just wanted to let everyone know that our day plans for tomorrow will remain the same and I expect to see you here all before 8 am."

I nodded and walked to her as quick as I could with my crutches.

She took me aside and walked me down to her cabin where we could speak without anyone hearing.

"Oh Emzy, I see you've been the only one getting into mischief this trip, I may need to speak to the principle when we get back home." Ms. Erendale stated.

"What? I've been doing nothing but following the day plan-"

"Ah! But that's not true." She stopped me.

"What do you mean? You think I purposely flung myself into the water?"

"That may be true.... Attention from your lover possibly or ... something else."

"You honestly believe that? You think I want and need attention that bad?" I was furious now, how dare she accuse me of such things. I would never do anything like that intentionally.

"I know rocks could never do that to your leg!" She began speaking to me rudely.

"What are you hinting at Ms. Erendale" I snapped back.

"Im saying that YOU know something, you wanted to see what was in the Ocean waters."

"What? You mean mermaids?" I laughed, pretending as though they don't exist. "What a silly thing for a 40-year-old woman to believe."

"I know what you saw. I heard them too. I heard them talking to you! And I know you can see them because of that damn necklace, give it to me!" She yelled as she slammed me back into the cabin, causing me to wince in pain.

My god, this woman is strong.

"This is my mothers necklace, how dare you!" I yelled back.

"This belongs to me, I belong back in that ocean with them, not you!"

She ripped the necklace off my neck and opened the back door to her cabin. She threw me in their against the ground and locked the door behind her.

I quickly got up to run to the front door but before I could make it I hear the sounds of a key being turned and the door became locked. I tried the windows but they were bolted shut.

Why was she doing this?

"You're a crazy woman!" I yelled at her.

I tried getting out but all my options didn't work, I sat down on the floor and waited... it was quiet outside and it was beginning to get dark. So, I decided to figure this out for myself while I had the chance, I looked around her room for books, journals, diaries. Anything to give me some sort of clue as to what exactly is going on and why she took us here out of all places for our final trip.

I began digging through her suitcases that laid upon the floor.

Nothing.

Her dresser drawers.

Nothing.

I checked underneath her pillow.

A journal.

I flipped to the first page-

August 1897

Dear diary,

I was cast out today. They killed him. They killed Owen. The only one I loved and now I'm left to suffer as a human as I watch all the loved ones around me die. I will never age. I will never be who I once was.

I found this journal in Owens room. I needed to write about this. I'm surrounded by pictures of what I once was and it will haunt me for the rest of my life. But this is my fault.

I exposed my self. I've ruined everything and now I have nothing to live for.

I must gain vengeance. I will be one of them again and this time I will rule.

***