Alex

Alex stood on the dock, watching the waves dance under the fading sun. Nerissa glided to him; her pretty sun dress shone in the golden light. “Are you really ready to see my world?” she asked, a mix of excitement and apprehension in her voice. They had been discussing a trip up north to the Bay of Fundy for weeks. Weighting the potential risks with the benefits. Alex was excited to see where she came from, but from the way she spoke of her pod, he knew they were probably never going to meet her people. Their hatred of humans is what drove Nerissa away in the first place. Even still, the thought of exploring the magical underwater realm thrilled him.

“I can’t wait,” he replied, taking her hand. Their kids, playing in the water below the dock, yelped with joy as they splashed each other lightheartedly. He could see their scales deepening on their legs and arms and glanced around the marina quickly to make sure no one was watching. But Nerissa’s expression turned serious.

“I want you to understand something,” she said, looking out at the horizon. “My pod, my people…they might never accept you. They can be dangerous, especially if they feel threatened.”

Alex nodded, she had said this before. It was her main concern about the trip. The last thing he wanted was to put their little ones in danger. “Do you think they’ll even see us?”

Nerissa bit her lip, contemplating. “If we are careful and stick together, we will be fine. We will keep an eye out for them, and if we see any signs, we will head back to the boat immediately. I promise, I will not let anything happen to you or the kids.”

He smiled, squeezing her hand reassuringly. “We’ve faced challenges before, right, angelfish? Together, we can handle anything.”

Their children, caught up in their own play, didn’t hear the heavy undertones of their conversation. Alex watched as Nerissa’s gaze drifted to them, softening. “They deserve to see my home, even if it is risky. It is where they come from too.”

“Absolutely,” Alex agreed. “Let’s make it special for them.”

Alex helped Nerissa and the kids aboard their boat and cast off. The gentle waves lapped at their hull, Alex could feel the pulse of adventure in his veins, along with lingering worries about what lay beneath the surface. But with Nerissa by his side, he felt a surge of courage. They would navigate this uncharted territory together, as one family, no matter the dangers that lurked below.

Alex fired up the engine of the family boat. “All right, crew! Ready to set sail into the great blue?” he hollered, grinning like a kid who just got an extra scoop of ice cream after dinner.

“Just don’t crash into anything this time!” AJ teased from his lounging position at the bow, rolling his eyes dramatically.

“That was one time!” Alex shouted in humorous defense. “And I don’t remember you being much help during that storm buddy.” His family broke into peals of laughter as AJ tried to sputter a response.

~~~~~

Sometime later, as they cruised along, Pearl, Coral, and Kai shifted into their Nerida forms—their sparkling tails flickering in and out of the water as they swam playfully alongside the boat. “Look out, my love! They are coming for you!” Nerissa shouted, as the kids, pretending to leap out of the water like a majestic dolphin, instead performing a clumsy belly flop that sent waves crashing against the sides of the boat.

AJ rolled his eyes but couldn’t suppress a smile. He sprawled on the deck, earbuds in, pretending he was too cool for the antics below. Yet, his fingers drummed along to a beat, clearly enjoying the rhythm of family life, even if he wouldn’t admit it.

“What’s the plan for this afternoon, kids? Fishing or swimming competition?” Alex shouted, suppressing laughter as the kids twirled effortlessly, their tails creating a whirlpool of shimmering scales.

“Both!” they all signed, clearly taking the rivalry seriously, especially when it came to wagering the snacks packed on board.

~~~~~

Hours later as they approached the inner heart of the bay, the water transformed into a murky palette of blues and greens. The silty water gave it an almost brown hue and clouded the chilly water. Nerissa had asked Alex to stop just outside of where she remember the pod’s territory to be, and he believed they were in the right spot. He powered down the boat, sank the anchor and hoisted the diver down flag so passing boats would not panic when they saw no one on board.

His family excitedly leapt off the boat, transforming seamlessly into their Nerida forms once again, tails shimmering as they glided through the water, laughing and playing games of tag among the coral reefs. He followed closely behind in his gill suit.

With laughter echoing above and below the waves and the sun shining bright, the day melted into a jovial montage of family memories—a collage of cannonballs, underwater dance-offs, and a fearless exploration of sunken treasures. Alex expertly navigated the currents while playing with his family. He glanced over to see Nerissa tossing seaweed confetti at the twins, each strand glistening in the sun as it settled in their hair like aquatic crowns. Pearl was showing Triton some interesting shells, but AJ was nowhere to be found. Maybe he’s back on the boat already, he wondered to himself. But he couldn’t help felling a nagging sense of unease that grew in his chest.

~^-^~

AJ

AJ had always been a curious guy, but today his curiosity took a sharp turn into something even more thrilling. As he swam along the shimmering coral reefs, his eyes landed on a pretty young Nerida by herself. AJ spotted her from a distance. She was a young woman, gliding through the water as if she were born from the ocean’s very depths. She was enchanting—her long brown hair swirling like seaweed around her and her aqua scales glistening in the deep. His heart raced with excitement; he had never seen another of his kind before. He glanced back in the direction of his family, but he didn’t see them. I should go back, he thought carefully. His mother warned him not to talk to any Nerida if they saw them, but the chance to speak to another one of his mother’s people was too great.

With a mix of nervousness and curiosity, AJ swam closer, hoping to strike up a conversation. But as he approached, the girl turned to him with a playful flick of her tail, a wicked smile dancing on her lips. She pretended to be bashful, slowly swimming away, casting coy glances over her shoulder that seemed to beckon him to follow.

“Hey! Wait!” he sang out, but she only glanced back over her shoulder and flicked her tail, beckoning him with a sly crook of her finger. AJ's heart skipped a beat; he was absolutely smitten. He chased after her, flinging himself through the water.

“Uh…hi! I’m AJ!” He tried to shout, but the words seemed to slip away, swallowed by the ocean’s embrace. She didn’t respond, just giggled softly and darted ahead, an elusive ghost among the coral.

They played a slow, tantalizing game of cat and mouse. Every time he thought he’d catch up, she’d vanish behind a rock or weave through a patch of seaweed, popping back up like a slippery eel. AJ couldn’t help but chuckle at her antics; this playful dance was unlike anything he had ever experienced.

“Come on!” He laughed, determination lighting up his eyes. “I’m not giving up that easily!” Maybe it’s his bad pronunciation and she couldn’t understand him or maybe she couldn’t hear him at all, but she didn’t respond. But even as he tried to keep pace, she knew every twist and turn of the underwater world, and she kept slipping just out of reach. Each time she looked back, her wicked smile dared him onward. And each time he caught a glimpse of her laughing face; he found himself enchanted.

Deeper into the underwater landscape, she guided him through narrow tunnels that twisted and turned, each flick of his tail drawing him further from the safety of his mom and dad. Finally, they arrived at a breathtaking underwater grotto, illuminated by sparkling shafts of light streaming through the water. It felt like he had entered a hidden world.

She paused at the back of the grotto, her expression changing from coy to serious. The smile faded, replaced by an air of intrigue that sent a shiver down his spine. AJ tilted his head, trying to read her expression while stealing glances around the magnificent cave. He moved forward slowly now. Something didn’t feel right about this.

Suddenly, something shifted above him. He looked up just in time to see another Nerida peer over a ledge—this one older, maybe the pretty girl’s mom or an aunt. But what really sent a chill through him was the realization that he wasn’t alone anymore. More faces began to emerge. Nerida were popping up from hidden spaces, appearing from behind rocks, and slipping out from corals. One seemed to have appeared from the sand below him. He flinched back. His eyes widened as he looked from one new face to another, feeling the weight of their gazes settle on him. Panic hit him like a tidal wave.

“Crap,” he whispered, his breath catching as he thought of the consequences. His parents were going to kill him. If only he had listened, if only he had turned back before it was too late.

AJ froze, and he realized three things at the same time. Those realizations hitting him like a cold splash of seawater. First off, the pretty Nerida had set him up. So much for that plan to ask her out—what a joke. Second, he was backed into a corner, surrounded by armed Nerida who weren’t exactly waving friendly flags. And third? His escape route was narrowing rapidly. He needed to act, and fast.

With a burst of adrenaline, he kicked backward with a fierce twirl, slipping between two hulking figures just as their nets of braided seaweed swished through the water behind him. They recovered quickly and gave chase, armed with stone knives and scrap metal spears that gleamed ominously in the dim light of the underwater caves. Clearly, they weren’t looking for a swim buddy.

Okay, think! he urged himself as he glided through the water, scanning for any potential escape routes. The Nerida were masters of this terrain—just like the pretty one who led him into this mess. But his mother always said he was fast. Really fast. He could even outrun his dad’s boat for short bursts. If he could just make it to the open ocean…

Suddenly, a sharp rock jutted out in his path. He dodged it effortlessly, but not without risk—one of the Nerida fired a spear in his direction. AJ flinched as it whistled past, shattering against the cave wall. Whoa, that was close! he thought. Up ahead, a narrow opening caught his eye, and desperation forced him to take a leap of faith. He kept moving forward but at the last moment he twisted and swung his body through the opening. His plan worked because several bodies flew past the opening. They were going too fast to turn. One crashed into the mouth of the opening with a sickening crunch. He didn’t have time to worry about them, though; he had to keep moving. Flicking his flukes harder than ever, he propelled himself forward, spotting the exit leading to open water. A whoop of joy almost escaped his lips as he exited into open ocean, but it was cut off when a massive figure tackled him from the side.

Yelping, he rolled with the force of the impact, using the momentum to fling the guy off him. The huge man whipped his tail to try to recover. AJ didn’t wait for him, he shot off again, and he could sense the others still in hot pursuit. They were relentless, but a glance back told him some were already lagging and gasping for air. Maybe, just maybe, he could outpace them.

Thoughts raced through his mind—where could he go? Not back to his family, that was for sure. The last thing he wanted was to put them in danger. So, he would just have to keep swimming. Faster, faster! He mentally chanted to himself.

He dodged another man that lunged for him, and then two more collided awkwardly, reminiscent of his rambunctious younger siblings playing tag. Who would’ve guessed all those games were prepping him for an actual escape?

He needed more speed and less drag. He looked up, the surface seemed tantalizingly close, but going up would cause him to slow down, which he couldn’t afford. Just then, a spear zipped past his head and exploded into a spray of bubbles. Taking his chances, he swam through—only to regret it instantly as he realized the bubbles concealed a net.

“Shit!” he yelled, feeling the ropes wrap around him, tightening like a vise. He wriggled and twisted, but nothing worked. The more he struggled, the worse it got. Before he knew it, he was spiraling down toward the sandy bottom. He braced for impact as he tucked in on himself, knowing it was going to hurt.

The crash into the sand knocked the wind out of him, gold and turquoise stars swirling in his vision—wait, no, not stars. A saw flash of gold and turquoise in his peripheral vision again. Blond hair, turquoise eyes and a dimpled chin. His little brother Kai!

Kai’s expression morphed into horror as he started swimming toward AJ. “No! Stop! Don’t let them see you,” AJ signed furiously, trying to warn him while glancing back at the approaching Nerida. He looked back to his brother and was glad to see he ducked behind a rock. “Go get Mom and Dad!”

Kai hesitated. AJ glared at him as he signed, “Go” emphatically. Kai looked conflicted but then nodded and took off. Good, AJ thought they hadn’t had a chance to spot him. Now, if only AJ could figure out how to get out of this mess…