Coria's Secret

Further to the north, all the way to the Atlantic, a terrible storm was in progress. It rained so much that it shook the waters and caused huge waves to unfold across the sea. The lightning bolt illuminated the dark cumulonimbus hovering over the sky, followed closely by a loud thunderclap. It was definitely not a safe place to be. But deeper below the surface of the ocean, to the very depths of the aquatic floor, lay utmost calm and serenity. Here was where the different species of the salt water habitat lay in total rest; ranging from corals and underwater weeds, to crabs, dolphins and other kinds. And there was Coria. A mermaid. She swam quickly past the other underwater creatures, but with a quietness that matched her speed, so as not to disturb the peace. Her blonde wavy hair had a tint of bright aquamarine colour down the edges, and it matched her long flexible tail. She hung her magenta coral purse around her slender shoulder, and in it she had packed all the necessary things she would need when she got to where she was going. That is, if she knew where she was going. Confused, Coria stopped. She was in such a hurry to leave that she did not even think about where she was going to. All she knew was that she had to leave. Sighing heavily, she slightly touched the necklace on her neck. It was a blue sapphire stone which she had gotten on one of her adventures with Dillon. Dillon! That name struck the very core of her heart. He was the reason why she was leaving. And she would make sure he never saw her again. But how? What other aquatic body could she go to? Going to Crystal Cove near the Komodo Island was a bad idea. He would definitely look for her there. And so was Merryway Cove. It was way too close to the Bermuda triangle - a rather rough and dangerous habitat, even for merpeople. Coria remembered the times when she and Dillon would converse freely, she listening to his numerous, never-ending tales of his travels. As the youngest daughter among six mer-children, she was filled with an adventurous spirit, and a longing for other worlds. His tales filled her with amazement, and she had always stood in awe of his vast knowledge. But today would be different; she was leaving Mermaidia Cove forever. Coria brought her thoughts back to the present. With his knowledge of all the aquatic habitats, there was an only one safe place to go to... Land! She glanced down at the necklace she wore. It was her golden ticket to escape to land, and be free. With that thought in mind, she continued swimming. Her mother had given her strict instructions to never go up to the surface, or be seen by humans. According to her, humans were vicious creatures who murdered aquatic lives just for fun and satisfaction. Her father had also told her terrible stories of how horrible humans were. Coria shuddered as she recalled these stories. But she knew she had to risk it. After all, she now had the power to do what no other mermaid had ever done. Feeling quite assured, she began to ascend to the surface. As she got closer to he surface, the waters shook violently, with a current quite stronger. It was so different from the still waters she was once in. Determinedly, she increased her pace, ignoring the doubt and fear gnawing at her. The water pressure became stronger that she had to increase her strength and pressure to be equivalent to that of the waters, focusing on them both on her tail, until... Splosh! Coria came out face first, and the smile that was on her face disappeared abruptly. The sky was really dark, the rain poured heavily, and the ocean current was rising rapidly. There was no problem here though; she could swim through it. She only hoped that there would be no predators in her way. When it comes to those, she was almost powerless. Looking around her, she scanned the vicinity. Mass upon mass of thick thunderclouds hovered over the vast length of the ocean. To the east, she could see a gleam of bright light flickering in the storm. Maybe that was a way to get to land. Anyway, she would go and see. Still unsure of her assumption, she plunged back into the water and continued swimming with a course set due east. The current here was not friendly. It kept flowing with high pressure in the opposite direction. Coria had to increase her strength; even as it became rougher by the second. She continued relentlessly; it seemed like her will power was at its peak tonight. There were no other sea creatures around, but she still kept a watchful eye for Great White Sharks and Killer whales. Those two were the most dangerous predators of mermaids. Curious to see how the weather was, she raised herself above the water level. The storm still raged on, making everywhere dark; well, except for the gleam of light that still shone far away. Turning behind her, she saw how the waters shook and ebbed under the heavy current. But something else caught her attention: there was not one nor two, but many killer whales. And they were coming towards her at rapid speed. Gasping, Coria dove back into the water and swam faster. The only way was to outrun them before they caught up with her. But the current made it quite difficult for her, and she could now feel them enclosing it. She tried moving in a zigzag motion to counteract their attack, but they still kept coming at a constant motion. One of them got so close that it almost snapped its jaws at her tail fin, but she escaped just in time. She could see the bloodlust in their tiny beady eyes, and that confirmed that they meant business. One false move and she would become fish food. How ironic. Ahead, that little gleam of light shone brighter and brighter as she got closer. Somehow it felt welcoming to her, and that was safer compared to a company if hungry orcas. With her last ounce of courage, Coria surges forward at immense speed against the resisting current, to what might be her last chance of survival. .