The sun started to disappear as darkness slowly invaded our lands. It was at the exact same time that all the lights on top of the houses started to light up. It was my favourite moment, being able to see all the lights lit up one after the others, with the fishes swimming around the light bulbs making different colours shining up. It was beautiful.
I could sit there all night, but if I didn't swim back home soon, mom would throw a tantrum and ask everyone to search for me again. I loved her very much, but sometimes, she worried way too much. After looking at the view for a few more minutes, I produced a powerful hit with my tail, making me stand up and immediately after that, I swam off the cliff and went through all the buildings and houses.
Finally, arrived in front of my house, I opened the door and swum inside. Soon, I was tackled by Hiro, my pet. Hiro was a seahorse, except the fact that he was bigger than an ordinary seahorse. He was yellow with a slight green tone and when angry, he would turn to a vibrant orange colour going slightly red at the end of his tail.
With Hiro in my arms, I slowly swam to the living room, where my dad was watching the news on the coralivision and mom was in the kitchen. I let Hiro go as I went to the dining table. There were three plates of seaweed salad and some plankton in a shell for my pet. Yet, there was a pile of papers next to them, so I took it to place it somewhere else when I accidentally read the title.
Humans invading the sea.
I sighed, why wouldn't they let us alone? It wasn't as if they could actually live like us underwater. They didn't even have a tail! What did they have already? Anyway, not useful at all in the water…
“Dear, don't stand there and come feed, Hiro. He doesn't stop swimming around the shell,” called mom as I snapped out of my thinking.
“Yeah!” I answered as I put the papers away. “Dad? I put your papers here,” I informed him before taking the shell with Hiro's food in it. “Hiro, dinner time!” I called and once again, I was tackled by the seahorse.
I chuckled and told him to calm down before opening the shell. I gave it to him as he happily ate everything. I watched him chasing the plankton with other fishes that came in by the open window before mom called me again.
As we ate, my parents discussed the humans on the surface. They were both researchers trying to find a way to make the humans leave the sea. So, no fishes, mermaids nor mermen would get trapped in their fishnets.
In fact, it was hard to get new data since it was forbidden to be in contact with a human because one day, a young mermaid was curious about them, and she swam to the surface. At first, the elders and the King saw nothing to it, but one day, she disappeared. Days later, some of her remains were thrown back into the sea. It was like a warning. It appeared that she died from a slow, torturous death. Since this day, we have remained hidden, and the surface was forever forbidden to us.
Later, I went to my room and laid on my bed as took my coraliputer. I did some of my homework and then watched a movie before going to sleep.
The next morning, as I swam downstairs for breakfast. My mom and dad were already talking about something suspicious since they didn't stop glancing at me. Whenever I asked what it was about, they brushed it off. I decided to ignore it, but they were really acting suspiciously! Maybe I should ask them about it later.
As I swam outside, everything was so bright that I had to cover my eyes. Fishes and turtles of all sizes and colours were swimming all over the place. It looked like it would be a great day! Out of nowhere, a yawn escaped and the saltiness of the water hit me. Maybe we'd have a salt storm tonight.
Anyway, with Hiro at my side, I went to Mira's house, my best friend. If I didn't show up in the morning, she would never be able to leave on time for school. She was always stuck at choosing shells that would suit her humour of the day…
Arrived at her front door, it would be pointless to knock and wait for her here, so I swam up and knocked at her window. After a few seconds, she opened for Hiro and me. Once inside, she had at least twenty shells laying all around her room with different tones of blue. Guess, she was feeling bluish today.
“Mira, are you ready?” I asked, even if I knew she clearly wasn't.
“Do I look like I am?” she answered back as she swam back and forth from shell to shell. “Llyr… Help me, please?” she whined, tears already falling.
“How about this one?” I took one of the shells that attracted my gaze.
“Light blue… Almost green, oval-shaped…” she mumbled things for at least a minute before giving me her approval. “I don't know what I'll do without you!” she gave me a hug. “However, you have to get out now, no matter how much I love you,” she pointed at her door.
I complied, and Hiro and I slowly swam downstairs. I greeted Mira's mom and dad. I came here every day, so seeing me appear in their house without coming by the front door was normal now.
“Llyr dear, did you already eat? Are you still hungry?” asked the elder woman as she was frying something.
“Thanks, but I already ate,” I answered as Mira appeared and took her plate.
“Mira, you have to hurry or you two will be late!” reminded her father, while never taking his nose out of the newspaper.
Soon after, I let Hiro go wherever he wanted since he would always come back as we left the house. We rapidly swam to our school. Since we weren't a lot of “children”, there were separate classes for each age group. At nineteen years old, we chose to attend advanced classes, since we had to yet find out what we wanted to be. We were roughly thirty by class, sometimes less. Usually, I enjoyed our day at school, but not today.
One reminder was enough to set my mood off.
One event made me more nervous than ever.
One word made me freeze, praying I could reverse the sun.
One person would transform my life forever.
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