Mer Tales 01 - Everblue

my strength. The desire to keep my eyes open became harder to fight.
    My face submerged.
    I opened my eyes one more time, my last breath bubbling out of my mouth. The light from the sun twinkled in the water as the darkness pulled me downward. My lungs burned for air, air impossible for me to swim to.
    A bright light barreled toward me under the water. It couldn’t be good, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. It’s what everyone sees at the end.
    “ I’ve got you,” I heard in my mind. The voice sounded faintly like Fin’s.
    I smiled. Of course my last thoughts would be lying cradled in the warm and safe arms of my unending crush: Fin. What an amazing way to go.

27
FIN

    I could have swam in circles of joy when Mr. Gumboot requested smooth rocks for his fence surrounding his algae garden. With pleasure, I insisted on retrieving them and left Kiernan to help arrange the existing collection. With a quick flap of my fin, I secretly slipped back into Tahoe for a little extra curricular rock-hunting adventure. Sure, I was pushing the limits, but hey, Mr. Gumboot asked and my explicit instructions were to please the elder mers. And where else would I find smooth granite stones?
    I returned to the lake with a grin and swam to the shoreline, careful to stay far enough underwater so no one would see me. Of course, Uncle Alaster and Colin were nowhere in sight either. Scanning the bottom, I laughed at the bountiful selection. How would I choose? Heck, it might take me all day to find the perfect stones.
    Hours later, when I finally stopped procrastinating, I found some that were satisfactory. I lugged them back to the gate. That’s when I realized the opening through Tessie’s mouth wasn’t very large.
    Annoyed, I returned to grab some smaller ones to take back with me when a scream from the surface grabbed my attention. One I’d know anywhere. Ashlyn’s scream. Without a thought, I dropped the stones and with a powerful flick of my tail, I shot through the lake like a cannon, only slowing to listen.
    The voice came from somewhere in the bay. Without a care for who might see me, I raced underwater. I found her lifeless body, slipping under the waves.
    In one swift motion, I cradled her fragile frame and burst onto the shore, phasing as soon as my skin found the sunlight. Holding her against my body, I turned up my internal heater to warm her blue-tinted skin.
    “ Ashlyn, open your eyes,” I said and rocked her, watching the water steam off her skin, but she wasn’t breathing. I pulled her tighter into me, giving her a gentle shake. “Come on. Wake up.”
    She lay there, lifeless in my arms, the minutes ticking by, her life ebbing away. I panicked. The mer power behind my breath would save her, but our lips touching would seal me to her forever; our souls would intertwine. She’d want for me always and become immune to my powers to erase her memories.
    “ Ashlyn, please wake up.”
    She wasn’t responding. Death’s fingers were wrapping around her soul. I couldn’t wait any longer for a miracle. I couldn’t let her die. A world without Ashlyn in it, even if she wasn’t mine, would be a travesty.
    I pressed my lips onto hers and exhaled. The heat from my immortal kiss warmed her from the inside out, pinking up her skin. With the next breath, something inside broke free, flowing into her and making me care deeper than I’d ever cared for anyone. She had to live. Then she coughed, a tiny sweet cough that melted my fears. She’d survived. Barely.
    I clutched her to my chest and patted her back, helping the water escape from her lungs. With a quick glance, I scanned the tree line for onlookers and didn’t see anyone. I was naked, holding a drenched-to-the-bone girl. Quite an awkward situation. I kneeled down, holding her against my body with one hand, and took out my shorts with the other. Thank goodness for Velcro.
    Ashlyn began to shiver and lulled her head around on the crook of my arm.
    “ Shhh. . .” I whispered, tucking her back into my side once I was clothed. “You’re safe. Just stay with me. Fight.”
    Her words garbled off her tongue, recalling the events prior to her falling into the water.
    “ I fell . . . fire . . . it’s burning.” She feebly reached down toward her leg and that’s when I saw the blood. Blood everywhere.
    “ Oh, no.”
    I inspected the wound. A clean slice ran right across the side of her thigh. She needed medical attention quickly. Gently, I tore the rest of her