I made my way up the hill towards the lighthouse. Distantly, I was sure I heard splashing from the cave. I faintly wondered if the mermaid would try to follow me somehow. Though I'm not entirely sure how she'd do it. Unless she suddenly grew legs...
But that would be ridiculous right?
Quickly I turned back around half expecting to see the mermaid there. Thankfully, for the moment, that didn't seem to be the case. Taking a breath I headed towards the house. I was probably going to need some stitches from this... Though I wasn't sure how exactly I was going to explain this in a hospital.
Once back in the house I heard my phone ring from my bedroom. My eyes widened. "Oh shit!" I exclaimed remembering that I had left my phone in the house. Rushing towards the bedroom I accidentally bumped my arm on the door frame. "Damnit!" I cried in pain before picking up my phone.
"H-Hello!" I greeted wincing due to the pain pulsing from my arm. "GLORIA! Where the hell have you been? I've been calling you for the past hour!" My agent's voice screamed at me from the other end of the phone.
Hissing through my teeth I slowly sat down, "Sorry Esme! I... Was preoccupied." I had to stop myself in the middle of speaking, I had almost told her about the mermaid. Not that Esme would believe me. She wasn't the type to believe anyone by their words. Her common catchphrase, after all, was 'put up or shut up'.
"Preoccupied with what?!" Esme exclaimed, "Unpacking...?" I sounded unsure of myself. It was the first thing that came to mind. "You're lying, but I don't have time to get the truth out of you." Esme immediately called me out on my bullshit. "Look, Gloria, I've got a publisher lined up for a new book for you. The thing of it is, they're wanting something fictional. A romance novel. They're trying to get in that GTBL stuff you're apart of." Esme explained.
"Right letters but wrong order Esme." I corrected, Esme immediately snapped back, "Honey you know I don't know two shits about that! Back in my day the only thing you had to do to be a lesbian was fuck your boss's hot wife!" I had to keep myself from laughing at that. "That sounds like a personal experience there Esme."
Esme took a drag of her cigarette, "It is! How the hell do you think I met my first wife?" Esme said with a laugh, "God, I miss my Charlotte." Esme added on a much sadder note. "Honey promise me, you find yourself a good girl. You don't let her go." Esme lectured me as always. "I promise Esme," I replied with a smile on my face.
"You fucking better! If I was 60 years younger-!" Esme cut herself off remembering why she called, "Oh damn! Right the book! Look they're wanting it done in about 18 months! Just throw something together!" Esme quickly added "It doesn't have to be anything good. Some of the people at the publisher love your old work! You know, back when you couldn't write for shit? So just kind of phone it in!" Esme exclaimed, I opened my mouth offended but I didn't get anything in wordwise because she cut me off.
"Look sweetie I got to go! I call ya back next week to see how the new book is going!" After that, she hung up. "Same old Esme," I said with a sigh before looking down at my arm. "Well, time to call the hospital."
After some stitches and confused looks, I somehow managed to convince the doctors that I was trying to help a beached shark back into the water and it bit me. Which wasn't too far off from the truth. But still lying. Thankfully this time I was more successful with the doctors than I was with Esme.
Then again, I had never been able to lie to Esme in the first place. I briefly thought back upon my younger self walking into Esme's office. Back then I was so damn scared of everything... Esme had been there when my parents hadn't.
As I pulled back into my driveway I got out of my car. On my way home from the hospital, I picked up more tuna and other fish for the mermaid to eat. I wasn't entirely sure if she had access to food or water in there. But it didn't hurt to offer her some food. The last thing I needed was to have sailors wandering into the cave below my house and being eaten.
Grabbing my new flashlight, seeing how my old one was still in the cave. I made my way down to the beach with food and a flashlight. Walking into the mouth of the cave I saw a light flicking on and off. So, is either she was playing with the flashlight or the battery was dying.
"I'm back!" I announced my presence as I rounded the corner. I heard the soft click of the on and off switch to the flashlight letting me know that she was playing with it.
As I rounded the corner in the middle of the small pond in the cave the mermaid spun around flicking the flashlight off and on. "Having fun?" I asked just before she nearly dropped the flashlight in the water at the sound of my voice.
Her eyes widen at the sight of me and she let out a dolphin-like clicking noise. She rushed over towards the water's edge and pulled herself up sitting there.
'You're back!'
I wiggled my pinky in my ear. I could've sworn I just heard someone talk... Shaking my head I made my way over towards her. Though I kept some distance. I didn't want another repeat of this morning. "I brought food," I announced pulling out some sandwiches. Her eyes widened at the familiar sight of a tuna sandwich, I smiled and quickly unwrapped the sandwich and handed it to her.
She carefully sat the flashlight aside. The light still on pointing at the ceiling. Then she quickly grabbed the sandwich from my hand and started going to town on it. "Someone's hungry," I remarked before flashing my own flashlight on her tail.
She had struggled with the net earlier and I remembered seeing some blood towards the mouth of the cave. So I wondered if she had cut herself on the plastic? As I ran my light across her tail, I was suddenly splashed with water by her tail.
"Hey!" I shouted at her looking up to see her glaring at me, she pointed to her eyes in an obvious way that clearly said, 'my eyes are up here!' I felt my cheeks get hot at this, I couldn't believe I was being scolded by a mermaid! "I was checking to see if you had any injuries!" I defended myself, I wasn't even thinking of that!
She folded her arms and glowered at me. It seemed she didn't believe me. "I was!" I defended myself in spite of her disbelief. I then saw her eyes flickered over towards my bandaged arm. I guess she noticed that the bandage had been different from the one before.
"Yeah, I'm still injured. You got me good." I said holding up my arm pointing to where she had bitten me. She winced at this and looked guilty. She sat there for a moment before reaching over to the flashlight and then offering it to me. It seemed that she was trying to apologize with the flashlight she had been playing with.
Laughing a little bit I pushed the flashlight towards her. "You keep it. It's okay." The mermaid looked a little unsure as she held the flashlight close. "Really it's fine. You were scared." I told her, she relaxed a bit before setting down the flashlight back down just as before.
She turned back to me just as I fished out some more food. Peering at the bag curiously, I smiled at this and pulled out a fresh fish. I tried my best to get only local fish from the market. I had no idea what she ate though.
Unwrapping the packaging I barely got the fish out before a webbed hand shot over and grabbed it. Before I even could look up, the fish was gone and the mermaid looked satisfied. "Someone was very hungry," I spoke mostly to myself. I wasn't entirely sure if she understood me, a question that I often went back and forth on in my mind.
My instinctual assumption would be that she could communicate somehow. But there was no telling how she did so. Just because she looked kind of human didn't mean she spoke like a human. Even if she did, there was no guarantee that it was English.
Shifting myself around, I sat on the cave floor with the mermaid watching me. She seemed to be just as curious about me as I was her. After a moment she shifted her position to be vaguely similar to mine.
I folded my arms, she did as well, I tilted my head and she did the same. It seemed that she was mirroring my every movement. Getting an idea I kicked my legs a bit. The mermaid splashed her tail, in one swift movement I flashed the flashlight onto her tail and saw a large gash near what would be her upper thigh.
"Ah-Hah! I knew it!" I exclaimed victoriously. The mermaid let out a shrill cry of embarrassment, I slowly stood up as the mermaid hid her face in her hands. Carefully approaching her, I kneeled down next to her. "Can I take a closer look?" I asked quietly, the mermaid's eyes peered through the gaps in her fingers at me.
Had there been enough light in the cave, I might have gotten a better look at her face. But there wasn't. Though the light level didn't seem to make much difference to the mermaid whose eyes widened at the sight of my face being so close. She covered her face again and shook her head before diving into the water and splashing me.
"H-Hey!" I called after her, but she was at the bottom of the pond hiding from me. Pushing back my now wet hair from my eyes I sighed. "What was that about?" I grumbled.
It was obvious that 'visiting hours' were over for today. Checking my watch I noticed what time it was. "I need to get going," I mumbled to myself. Once again, I began to clean up my stuff. Pausing as I cleaned up the mess I made, I wondered if she hated being in the dark like this...?
She did like playing with the flashlight... Suddenly I got an idea. "I'll be right back!" I announced before taking off. I heard shifting of water just as I left the cave.
Racing up to my house, I ran inside looking for some very specific items. While I didn't have enough flashlights to spare there was something I did have plenty of. Quickly grabbing plenty of packages of the item in question I ran back down to the cave. Only managing to slip on the wet sand once.
Making my way back into the cave, I caught the mermaid biting into a plastic water bottle and sucking the water out. Pausing there with my arms full, I cleared my throat at the sight. I then saw her drop the water bottle and quickly dive back into the water.
Apparently, I saw something I shouldn't have.
Brushing the sight off I quickly got to work. I ripped open the packages and began cracking as many glow sticks as I could. I was a hobbyist spelunker so I bought a ton of these things one summer. As I cracked them, I placed them around the cave, hanging them on rocks that stuck out of the cave walls, placing them in areas where they'd give off the most light, and far enough away from the mermaid so she didn't try to eat them like that water bottle.
The last thing I needed was the terrifying sight of a mermaid with a glowing mouth. Also, it would probably make her sick...
Glancing over at the pond, I saw her slowly peering out of the water watching what was doing. After I was done I heard her let out a soft gasp, the cave was now better lit than before. But not so bright that was easily spotted from a distance.
I wasn't sure what the locals thought of a mermaid in their midsts. But I decided not to take any chances just in case. The last thing I needed was them killing off a rare species because they were scared of what she might do.
I heard the mermaid pull herself out of the water, looking over I was finally able to get a better look at her. I nearly dropped the last glow stick in my hand at the sight.
I had heard stories about how beautiful mermaids were supposed to be... But this! This was insane! She could be a model! Feeling my face burn red hot and my heartbeat skip I clutched my chest and turned away trying to calm down.
How the hell was this creature the most beautiful woman I had ever seen!? My knees felt weak so I leaned against the cave wall doing some breathing exercises. No wonder sailors jumped off boats for them! I would too!
Gulping dryly I slowly turned around to look her. Her soft features were contorted with confusion. I guess she was wondering why I was having a fucking heart attack from just getting a better look at her.
I punched the wall before collapsing in pain. Damnit! That was my bad arm! Cradling my arm I slowly turned around huddled up. Somehow, the mermaid was mere inches from my face. I let out a cry in surprise, I hadn't even heard her approach.
Suddenly my eyes were blinded by a bright flash of light. Moving the flashlight in the mermaid's hand away. I rubbed my eyes seeing spots. I opened my eyes up and tried to ask her why she did that for only to have the words die in my throat.
A mischievous smile was present on her face as she reached up and tapped my earlobe. I wondered why she was doing that, before remembering what earrings I had put on this morning. They were starfish... I guess she thought that I had starfish attached to my ears.
"Do you like them?" I asked trying to keep a steady voice. Though, it was hard considering the fact she began putting her hands into my hair. I saw her eyes light up with delight and she furiously began rubbing my hair causing it to become staticky and stick up every which way.
"Alright, that's enough..." I grabbed her hands and moved them from my hair. With my hands on her wrists she gave me a toothy grin, I smiled back sheepishly at the sight of so many pointy teeth. Letting go of her wrists she sat there in front of me and stared.
Feeling self-conscious now that we could see each other better. I sat up straight and smoothed out my hair. "I'm glad you like the glow sticks," I spoke up. She blinked and smiled at me before letting out some soft melodic tones.
I was never musically inclined in any manner. But if I didn't know any better it sounded similar to the do-re-mi musical scale. But because of my lack of knowledge on the subject. It could've been anything.
Smiling at her cluelessly as to what she might be saying, I was confused when she gave me a disappointed look. "Is everything alright-?" I began before my cellphone went off. The mermaid quickly dove into the water at the strange sound of my cellphone. Hissing in irritation I stood up before answering it.
"Hello?" I asked, surprised I could get cell reception in a cave. "Hello, would you like to purchase car insurance-." I hung up before the sentence could be finished. "Stupid fucking telemarketers." I cursed under my breath before seeing the time. It was nearly midnight... How long had I been down here?
I heard shifting in the water and saw the mermaid staring up at me. "Everything's okay," I told her holding up my phone. "This isn't going to hurt you," I reassured her. She looked at me wearily. I slowly crouched down in front of her. "It's getting late and I need to go home," I explained to her, she frowned at this before swimming away.
Sighing I stood back up. "Well, goodnight then," I said not sure what exactly I did wrong. As I left the cave I swear I heard a voice say.
'Goodnight...'
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