The Enchantress of the sea

CHAPTER 9

 The world yawned at the first awakening. It was day again.

My father knocked on the door.

"Get ready, today we have to train again." He said from the door. "Dad, was everything okay tonight?"

"Yes, we came back a couple of hours ago. We saw some movement in the water, but there were no humans around. "

"Do you know how many they are?"

"Your mother has seen five of them and for now they are at Dingle Bay, so she can feel them better given their closeness."

"When are we supposed to attack?"

“I was hoping to have more time, but we can no longer wait for more murders. Tomorrow we will have to leave and this means training today with all our strength. "

Just one day; that was the time until the showdown. None of us knew if, after the battle, we would see the day end again. Doubts and questions flooded my mind, like a timed quiz, alternating with an acoustic signal. And if you come back, what will become of your story? BEEP. Are you sure that once he healed he would stay there with you? BEEP. Would Bryan agree to live with your nature forever? BEEP. I hadn't promised anything to Bryan yet and he hadn't promised anything to me and this left me with a devastating doubt inside. When my father closed the door, I felt invaded by enormous sadness.

After putting on a pair of jeans and a white sweatshirt, I tied my hair into a ponytail and got out. Bryan was waiting for me with open arms. I could not resist the temptation to run towards him, being careful that my father did not leave the kitchen. He kissed my forehead, whispering "Good morning":

"Good morning to you." I touched his cheeks, which became more pungent every day.

"I know, I have to shave." He apologized. "Another day of training?"

"Yes, we must be ready. We'll have to be out all day ... so I don't think it's appropriate for you to come. "

He smiled. "Don’t worry. I will work on my book. You will find me here on your return. "

"And what will you do?"

"Well, there is also television ... I’ll be fine." He touched my lips with a kiss and added: "But I wish it was already evening."

I stood in the door a few moments before leaving, waving my hand to greet me and repeating that he was waiting for me there, when my sister called me back. I closed the door behind me, worried both about having to leave him for the whole day, and because I was too cowardly to ask him what would become of us. I looked up to the sky: the blanket of clouds that covered it seemed slightly inflamed by the pale rays of the first sun that tried to shine, but without success. The result was an elegant rose that embellished it. I was about to get in the car when a celery-colored Land Rover skirted the road.

"Who’s that?" My father grunted.

"He's a classmate of mine, Dad,"I replied. "I’ll get rid of him right away."

I recognized the car. Landon Rosenbitt. He got out of the car, closing the door with a sharp blow and approached me with a great smile. His brown hair was spikes hardened by the gel and her hazel eyes stood out on the slightly golden complexion.

"Ari!" He called me out loud. "So you're not sick?" with a few steps he approached me. He was wearing a windbreaker that covered his sculpted physique and very popular with girls. During gymnastics, my classmates couldn't wait to see him in T-shirts and shorts. We only had a couple of lessons together: English literature and laboratory and he had always been kind to me.

"Yes, you were not well and today I have family commitments ... but what are you doing here?"

“I was going to school and thought I'd come and see how you were. "

"Thanks," I just said. I may have seemed banal, but I did not know what else to say.

"Thanks," I repeated. "Very nice of you".

“We could meet for a pizza or to drink something one day.” It sounded like an invitation. He returned to his car.

"Okay, of course." My answer was only out of politeness. When I got in the car, I had to deal with Melody’s barbs.

"That guy drools for you and is very cute." "Stop Melody!" I scolded her.

"Melody, don't be a child!" Dad followed. "This is not the time for certain games."

I wondered if he would ever accept that his great fear had become reality. I had fallen in love with a human; a man, but still fragile. It was also true that humans had been the cause of our condition: almost all of our species had been eliminated because of them and only a few of us dressed in a body that did not belong to us. Or at least, my father felt it didn't belong to him. He had never accepted within himself that "exile" on the mainland, he had never accepted to become a drinker of their blood either. It was not a destiny that had been chosen, but that another being had chosen for him, for all of us and the only thing we could do was redeem ourselves. The education imparted by our parents had been to be creatures that stood out for value and dignity, not labeled as "demons". They had taught us to live with humans in a peaceful way, but keeping the secret. Now my father felt violated by the only thing he had left and felt "danger". Trusting someone else, especially human, was difficult, especially if it involved me, the second siren who fell into the love "trap".

When we got to the beach, the arctic wind ruffled my hair. There was already a smell in the winter. I felt it in the air that was now freezing and I saw it in the restless sea, pearl-gray color. Without thinking about it I dived into the water, ready to perform my duty.

The training started with the usual swimming race, much longer than the day before and focused on speed. The first was Mum and I, who took part in a race in which we came even. It was not the same, however, with Melody, although I pushed myself on the fin. After the race, Dad devoted himself to the movements of our tail throughout the morning, in order to launch attacks that could have quartered anything. The movements had to be so fast that they were invisible. We practiced boulders. It was painful, but the boulder crumbled to dust. I practiced with Melody on the speed of the blows. I attacked, she dodged. Eventually we reversed.

We could spend a lot of time underwater, but every now and then we had to go back up to breathe. We went out with our heads and took some fresh air, also taking advantage of it to rest.

“I saw a salmon!" Dad informed us when he returned to the surface. He sprang underwater again. As always, the animal jumped and ended up in the hands of mom, who was already waiting for it. It was large and shiny, in its pink and silver scales. While he was still struggling, my mother held him tight and took a bite. So we passed it on. The teeth sank into the pulp, rattling at the encounter with the fishbone and then crumbling it. I licked my lips.

After lunch we went to work on the strength of our powers. My father explained to me that it was all about focusing on one point and hitting it with all the vigor I had inside.

"See the top of that rock?" He asked, gesturing to me from the surface. "Hit, but don't destroy it entirely ... just the tip."

Initially the tentacle of water reached the cliff, hundreds of meters away, but while touching it, it did not crush anything.

"Aim at the exact point and put all your energy into it." I concentrated until an invisible arm came out of my mind, strong and determined and reached the tip of the cliff. The piece of stone fell by raising a meter of water. My sister, on the other hand, thought of evaporating the tentacle.

It was already early afternoon when we finished with these exercises and soon the day would fall.

Melody and Dad had taken a few dives before going home, just for fun.

"They look like children." She observed my mother, pleased. Then, she turned to me. I kept my gaze fixed on the sea, remaining silent.

"So are you ready for tomorrow?" She asked me.

"Yes, I'm worried, but I feel ready." "We are strong and it will be fine, you will see."

I sighed. "I'm sure of it and I'll do my best."

She smiled at me. "Is it just the battle that worries you or something else? Or should I say someone else? "

"What makes you think so?" I asked, amazed that she had sensed how I felt.

"You have to be honest and ask him what his intentions are." She gently caressed my hair. "Nobody can choose for us who to fall in love with, but when it happens, you have to take responsibility".

"Mom, while fighting against myself, I looked at his face and felt the need to save and protect it ... I think my feelings started from there."

"You fear he won't stay, right?"

I nodded. "On the other hand, what can I offer him? Certainly not a normal life! "

"Darling, don't bother yourself now ... only he can give you an answer."

Dad and Melody joined us and to hurry, my sister used the powers to dry herself and my father and thus accelerate the reverse transformation. The last sunburst, finding a small free gash between the impenetrable layer of clouds, took a golden bath in the water.

"It's time to go". My father asserted.

My mother took her jacket and suddenly stood still. I saw her widen her eyes and stare at an empty spot. I knew that expression and it made me shiver.

"Russine, did you see anything?" Dad asked.

My mother ran her tongue between her lips. "There will be a ship that will pass here tomorrow night and it will be a massacre."

"We must stop them before!"My dad exclaimed. We got into the car, thinking about what to do.

When we got back, Bryan was sitting in the living room with pen and paper, intent on his hobby.

"Hello splendor". He said, happy to see me again. I smiled at him. "Good evening," he said, turning to the others.

"Hi Bryan" Mom and Melody reciprocated. My father muttered something like a greeting and left the room, headed for the kitchen and followed by the others.

"What's up?" Bryan asked. "I see you worried ..."

I sat down next to him. "It is the moment. The battle will begin tomorrow night. As expected, they will arrive on a full moon. " I heard the snap of my teeth.

"So soon?" He asked, turning pale.

"I'm near here and my mother saw that there is a risk of tremendous c*****e tomorrow."

"The idea of knowing you out to face all this makes me crazy ... I'm afraid."

I touched his cheek. "Don't be afraid for me ..."

"Ari, in the kitchen!" Dad called me from the door.

"I also want to hear what you need to tell yourself!" Bryan snapped.

 "You have nothing to do!" My father thundered. "Fragile and stupid human, what would you like to do, huh? "

"Dad!" I scolded him, horrified.

"Here Ari's life and yours is involved and so I want to know what you will do."

"Yagor, now there are no secrets with him." Mom said quietly. "Ari has decided that he is part of our family and we must accept it."

My father roared and made up his mind to go back to the living room. He took a deep breath to calm down.

"We have to find a way to attract those sirens before the ship arrives." He added, in a lower tone.

"Well, we could wait for them and ..." Proposed Melody.

"No, it would be too late," Dad agreed. "We must precede them."

"I have an idea!" Bryan intervened. "Mermaids are attracted to male surfers, aren't they?" We nodded. "Well, then I will bait!"

"NO!" I screamed. "No way!"

"Ari, I won't spend another day without you, waiting to know if you will die!"

"And you have no idea what you would be dealing with." I replied. Just the thought made my blood run cold and my legs tremble. "I won't let you do it!"

"Do you think I could bear another loss?" He urged. "I prefer a thousand times to risk my life with you than to stay here, far away, without knowing anything!".

I couldn't even think and understand what he was saying to me. It made no sense and it was driving me crazy.

"Would you seriously risk your life for us?" Dad asked, in a strangely more peaceful tone.

"If this can help you and show how much I care about Ari, yes ..." I repeated. "I'm ready to do it."

Dad sighed. "Yes, I think yours is a good idea."

Those words, from my father, were a stab in the back.

"Dad, you can't do this to me." I mumbled. The voice trembled between  

tears that clouded my sight.

"Ari, there is no other solution for us. Don't worry, we will take all necessary precautions. " He and my father looked at each other for the first time as if there was a thread of complicity between them. In a mixture of anger and torment, I wondered what other worse reason could finally induce them to make friends.

Bryan put his arm around me, offering me his usual heart-warming smile. “Don't worry, Ari. Ulysses used cunning to escape death with the sirens and I will do so ".

"I really hope it works." I muttered. My mom motioned to Dad and Melody and within seconds, they left us alone in the room.

Bryan hugged me by surprise, leaving me breathless. "Let me offer you the only thing I can do for you."He mumbled. His voice came muffled from his lips resting on my shoulder.

I released myself from the embrace, pulling it away and looked him straight in the eyes. The artificial light made their color resemble emerald.

“You don't understand why I'm so afraid of you, do you? To the point that I would have liked to give up on you rather than something happening to you ”.

Bryan raised his eyebrows. "I know you fear not to control yourself and that you love me too ..."

I shook my head. "I'll try to explain it to you," I murmured, sighing. “Think of spring, when the sun caresses everything it encounters, making the world bloom again waiting patiently for that moment. Well, that wait for me lasted fifty years and only now I know for sure why I have lived up to now and how much I would like to be like you ”. He took my hands in his.

"I don't want to leave you, Ari."

I let out a nervous smile. “Actually I was afraid to ask you what you want to do once you are completely healed."

"Why? What answer did you expect? "

"Well, being with me means giving up on a normal life."

"What normal life?" He asked, irritated. “The one I had before, between smog, cigarette butts and disgusting work? In a country that no longer belongs to me? I told you, you make me feel alive and I will never leave you, unless you want it ... "With the fingertips he touched my lips.

"You want to stay with me? A simple human? "

I sighed, irritated by that rhetorical question. Still he did not understand what I felt for him?

"Stop that! You know the answer is yes and I also tell you why: I couldn't do without any of your smiles. "

He looked at me puzzled. "But don't I always smile the same way?"

 "No. For example, curl your lips when you are nervous, or they also laugh at your eyes when you're happy and stick out your lips when you're sweet. " He silenced me with a kiss. I missed that contact, which kindled the fire in me.

"Neither of us wants to give up on the other and then I see no alternatives." He went on when he let me go. "We will face things together."