Heather+H's+Short+Story

media type="custom" key="2995888" __Metamorphosis__ By: Heather Heyer 2A

//You’re just like us.// //No. I’m not.// //Yes, you are....// //No…// I sit, staring at my unnaturally pale hands, I begin to believe the conversation with the guy I’d never thought I would talk to more and more. His webbed hands, so much like my own, haunted me. I never even thought there might be others with this same problem. He wasn’t what I would have expected. The guy dressed in all black, making him seem fierce and at the same time fade into the background. However, under his trench coat hid pearls and dried starfish and bits of bright coral reef. I had never noticed him before at Lahainaluna High School. * It’s after school and I’m waiting for my turn in lane at the start of swim practice, impatient to enter the water. So impatient, it overwhelms me and I moan. The boy next to me looks over and asks, “Are you okay?” “I’m fine,” I lie, “Just a bit of a stomachache.” “Well, if you’re feeling sick, no one here would appreciate it if you puked in the pool. Maybe you should go see the nurse and not swim today?” “NO!” I can’t bear the thought of not swimming! It’s the only part of my school day that I look forward to. “Okay, okay.” He put up his slim, tan, hands up defensively, “Sheesh, I’m just trying to help.” “Thank you for being concerned, but I don’t need help.” He turned his head to the pretty blonde girl next to him and whispered, “Gosh this new girl’s touchy…” The blonde girl giggled. She may be prettier than I am, but I bet she isn’t as tough. “Why don’t you just __shut up?__” I snapped. “I don’t even know who you are so why are you fighting with me?” “I’m ‘the new girl’. Let’s leave it at that,” I said, feeling a little sorry for myself because I realized that’s what everyone knew me as and how they saw me; The clumsy new girl who doesn’t know her way around Lahaina, Hawaii yet. How sad. “Well, I’m Peter. And the coach is waving for you to dive in.” He smirked. I glared a t him, snatching up my goggles from the bench. I threw them on angrily as I stepped up to the turquoise tiled podium. Sigh, finally. There was no splash as I dived, knife-like into the green, chlorinated water. Beginning my first lap, I noticed something was off: my neck hurt. That’s //weird//; my neck didn’t hurt earlier…Oh well. I continued my lap, trying to ignore the sharp pain in the sides of my neck. Trying to ignore it, I swam faster, now eager to get out of the water and see what the problem was. Omigosh… Ow. Ow! OW! I heaved myself out of the water, nearly bowling Peter over as he stepped to start his laps. “Watch it, new girl!” “Be grateful! I’m taking your advice,” I spat back at him as I ran for the trainer’s office, where Nora the experienced trainer would be able to ease my pain. Water flew off of me onto the waxed brown floor as I flew down the sullen, empty hall. Almost there… my dry hand on the doorknob…ahh relief. Wait a minute. Relief? Wow my neck //just stopped hurting.// I touched my neck with my hand. Nothing felt unusual as I draped my fingers on my no longer slippery neck. Weird. Oh well, I’ll figure it out later. I stepped into the trainer’s office anyway, just to make sure there //was// nothing wrong with my neck. * Plop. “Hey new girl.” Huh? There he was, that annoying kid from swim practice, sitting across from me at my normally empty lunch table. Well, normally empty every other day. I do have friends but they are all in the choir which meets every other day during lunch. The choir director goes berserk if anyone misses rehearsal. And my best friend, Sandra, had a dentist appointment today so I’m alone. Peter sat in Sandra’s usual chair across from and bit into his sandwich. “How’s it going?” he mumbled, bits of chewed food showing in his teeth. I sighed, disgusted. “What do you want, Peter?” I growled, staring at the crowds of hungry teenagers fill up the yellow cafeteria instead of at his revolting, full mouth. “Whoa! Can’t a guy just sit and talk with a pretty girl without him wanting something?” he asked innocently, waggling his thick brown eyebrows at me. He gulped his food. “But since you mentioned it, I //do// want to know //exactly// why you ran out of practice yesterday.” “None of your business!” I slammed my fist on the red table. He looked at me skeptically. “You’ve got a bit of a temper, don’t you?” he said, folding his arms. “It looks like your problem was big business, and nobody can keep a secret like that. You’ll have to tell somebody and your girl friend isn’t here. You’ll just have to settle for telling me.” “Oh, am I?” I inquired, my turn to look skeptical. “Yes, you are. You won’t be able to resist me.” He leaned towards me and a scent of boy and cologne blew my way. He smelled good, not like I smell boys very often. I frowned, wanting to prove I could resist him, but also wanting to share with someone what I went through yesterday. “Ugh, fine, if you really must know,” I consented, “My neck was hurting really badly all of a sudden for no reason, so I went to the trainer to see what was wrong with it. I must have pulled it or something. “Hmm…” Helooked up at my neck. “Your neck does look a bit off,” he said. “It does?” I clasped my hands around my neck. “Yeah, it looks kinda red on the sides. Like little red lines or something…Whoa!” His chocolate eyes bulged as he stared at my neck. “What? What is it?” “Your hands! They’re webbed!” He was startled by their appearance as everyone is the first time they see them. “Oh, yeah, that. My feet are webbed too,” I explained, used to this reaction. I took my monstrosities and hid them in my armpits. I guess I looked hurt because Peter said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you or anything.” “That’s the sweetest thing you’ve said to me yet, Peter.” “You’re welcome. Hey, that reminds me, you never told me your name, new girl,” he said. “It’s Polona, or Polly, Sydan,” I said, smiling shyly. “Pleased to meet you, Polly.” Peter smiled. And it was warm. * Ever since then, Peter sat with Sandra, the rest of my friends and me, and sometimes he even brought over some of his friends to sit with us as well. This was good, really good. Awesome in fact. Unfortunately, my neck still hurts every time I go in the water. Little flaps of skin have appeared on my neck as well. I keep my hair down now so no one will think I’m a freak. I’m scared something is happening to me. Something really out of the ordinary. One day, I show mom my neck and tell her it only hurts or opens more when I’m in water. “I think maybe I’m having an allergic reaction to the chlorine,” I suggest. “No dear, I think this is something your father would have known about,” she said. “My father?” This strange man whom I had never had a chance to get to know because he left us when I was at an age so young, I could hardly remember him? He had left without a note or an explanation. “What could he do anyway?” “Oh, he knew a lot about illnesses,” Mom said, not meeting my eyes as she said it. She wasn’t telling me something. * “Polly, what’s that on your ankle?” Peter and I were at swim practice again, my neck only slilghtly hurting, as we hadn’t been in the water for a while. I looked down and saw the inch of skin where the ankle meets the foot covered in shiny, blue-green gunk. It looked like scales. “I don’t know. I had the same thing on the side of my ankle when I cam out of the shower yesterday. My mom said it was just a rash and to put calamine lotion on it. She probably thought if I couldn’t see it, I would forget about it. She knows something about the weird stuff that’s been happening to me, but she isn’t saying anything!” I explained. “Maybe you have some deep dark family secret?” Peter teased. “That’s not a bad thought,” I said. “Sydan! You’re up!” Coach Barnaby yelled for me to start my laps of freestyle. I dove in and swam as graceful as a fish, never coming up for a breath. I didn’t feel the need. My neck didn’t hurt either. Finally, I could again enjoy the water’s tranquil effects. Perhaps it didn’t hurt because I wasn’t moving my neck up to breathe. But wait, then //how am I breathing?// I finished my last lap and ran to the locker room. “Polly! Where are you going?” Peter called after me. “I don’t feel good again,” I shouted back, clasping my hands about my neck. Tears were brimming at my eyes. What could be wrong with me now? He could sense something else was happening now, and told Coach that he was going to follow me to make sure I was okay. We met up in the locker room. “Hey, what’s wrong?” Peter asked and sat on the bench. “Is it your neck again?” “Sort of,” I sniffled, blinking back tears. “Did you see how I never came up for breath?” “Yeah! That was weird, Polly, the rest of the team was worrying about you. How’d you do that anyway?” Peter was marveled. “I guess with these,” and took my hands from my neck. He looked at the fully open slits in astonishment. What new freak trick was this? I started talking, for lack of something better to do as he stared at what could only be called gills, “I had felt the slits there before and had worried that water would get in them and make them worse. But they were only doing their job; allowing me to breathe underwater.” Peter stood up and backed away, “What are you Polly?” “I don’t know, Peter, I really don’t know.” * I found out the next day. “Hello, Polona.” I look up into the stunning coral blue eyes of a pale boy. Too pale, he looked sickly and blue-tinged. His black attire made him look sunken though his posture was straight. This guy could blend easily into the background. “Umm…do I know you?” I replied, a little shocked about the sudden appearance of this almost gorgeous boy. I was sitting at lunch waiting for Peter and Sandra. “I’m Lucius,” the boy smiled and held out his hand for me to shake. The pale hand was webbed. I stared at it aghast, wondering who this boy was and what he wanted. Not to mention //what// he was. With eyes like that, he couldn’t be human. “Do you mind if I sit down?” he asked, withdrawing his webbed digits with a smirk. I shook my head, unable to speak. He took the seat next to mine and his scent cascaded over me. He smelt of sea salt, a heavenly smell. “You’re probably wondering who I am, but you’ll learn that in good time. Now tell me, Polona, do you remember anything about your father?” “N-no, he left my mom and me a couple years after I was born. Why do you ask?” Why indeed? Who was he to come up to me, know my name, and ask me a personal question about my father? “Your father is king of Optlantia, the mer-city. Has your mother ever mentioned this to you?” he said with a sly smile, like he knew the answer would be “no.” “No, she hasn’t…” “Ah, I see.” He winked. “Yes,” he sighed, “your father is the king of the merfolk underwater in Optlantia.” “Merpeople? Like __The Little Mermaid__?” I asked. “Yes.” He took my hand and began to stroke the webbing between my fingers. It felt nice. “And by the looks of your hands and neck, //you// are a mermaid too.” He smiled again trying to be comforting. Okay, no way this guy is telling me I’m a mermaid, they’re completely fictional characters. But how else could I happen to have gills and an amazing talent for swimming? This can’t be happening, I’m just a normal girl. Who happens to have gills and webbed hands and feet. Ugh… Lucius saw Peter making his way through the crowded lunchroom towards our table. He leaned closer to me and whispered, “You’re just like us.” “No. I’m not,” I was truly frightened now and I wanted to deny this staring-in-the-face-truth so badly. I had just moved to Lahaina and finally felt comfortable here. I didn’t want this freaking flux thrown at me now. “//Yes,// //you are,//” Lucius insisted, “You’re a mermaid.” “No…” I snatched my hand away from his. He snarled at me. “You //are// a mermaid //and// you’re going to do something for me.” He grabbed my hand back again and pulled the fingers just far enough apart that the webbing might almost break. I gasped in pain, “What do you want?” He smiled, cruelly this time and said, “As the king’s daughter, no one would expect you to break the law. I need you to steal for me, the Golden Pearl.” “And what would this do for you?” I squeaked with menace, close to tears and my hand really hurting. He leaned closer, “It would give me power over all swimming things. I think I could control the sea a bit better that your father. I deserve a chance. After all, he never gave your family one.” He released me. “Think about it. Meet me after school in the parking lot behind the school. See you later, Polona.” He drifted away. What am I going to do? I have to tell someone, but who? Who in this human world can I trust with this terrible secret. I heard a tray set down on the table and looked up to see Peter sitting down. His face was concerned as he looked me over. I hugged him and told him everything. * “Alright, are we good with the plan, Polly?” “Yup, it’s all good. I can’t believe how cool you are about this, Peter, I mean, I’m a freak and you’re standing next to me like nothing ever happened? I’m impressed,” I told him. “Yeah, well, I’m a tough guy. I can handle this stuff…” he trailed off, looking worriedly at the ground. “Polly, I…just be careful with this guy okay?” “Don’t worry Peter, it’ll be fine.” He looked away again. Did I miss something? Or am I growing a horn too? * I found Lucius by the grafittied dumpster smoking something. “Is that weed?” I asked. I hated drugs and it really bothers me when people smoke stuff out in the open. “By ‘weed’ do you mean ‘seaweed’?” he said, “Then yes. It gets you higher than those mortal drugs, but it keeps your head cool.” “Eww…okay, so where am I going, how do I get there, and what do I do when I get there?” Phase one of the plan was being put into action. “Lahaina Harbor is where you jump in. the ocean water will make you change completely into a mermaid. The chlorine in pools stunt the scale growth. Swim out from the harbor until you come to the underwater cliff. Then swim down, all the way. You’ll find the city in the reef. The biggest and most decorated reef is your father’s castle. I don’t know exactly where the pearl is. You’ll have to find that out.” He took a long drag on the seaweed cigar. “Got it. Will you be coming with me?” I asked sure he wouldn’t. “No way kid! I’m wanted in the ocean world.” Yes! “But I got a few friends down there to keep an eye on you.” //Oh, great…// * At the harbor, I dove in. looking down, I saw my legs changing. The bit of scale that was on my ankle expanded and was growing over both my legs, connecting them. My webbed feet flattened out into one fin. My tail was light blue and green and had a diamond sheen to it. //Wow, for the first time, I feel really beautiful. Like this was where I was meant to all along.// Down to business. I swam to the end of the cliff, then down, down, down. The castle is huge! I’ve never seen anything like it! It’s red coral walls dripped with red and silver pearls and there were merpeople coming out of almost every opening in the reef. There were all sorts, fat, skinny, some with single-colored tails, some with multi-colored. They were all bustling about, gracefully slicing the water with their fins. At the front gate, I approached the guards and told them the king’s daughter has arrived. “He’s been saying you would have to find out soon you’re a mermaid. The signs must have been there. And now look at you! You’re all grown up! You look so much like him!” I laughed nervously at the sudden recognition. The guard continued, “He’ll be in the throne room, waiting for you.” “Thank you, sir,” I said politely. He escorted me in, talking all about castle life. I wasn’t paying much attention, more distracted, looking at my surroundings. The red coral walls and no floor since mer-people float around. Suddenly, the guard said, “…and Lucius Sandor, he’s tried to get the throne several times. He’s actually your cousin you know. Your father and his brother dueled for the throne and your father won. Lucius hates him for it. Rumor has it he’s going to try and steal the Golden Pearl. The wearer of it can control the sea and all swimming things in it. Good thing it’s locked up tight, what?” “My //cousin?// That freaky slime-ball is my //cousin//?” “Yes,” the guard looked at me funny, “but how would you know he’s a, how you put it, ‘slime-ball’?” Oh, snap. “Um…when my mother told me that I was a mermaid, she told me some stories about him and how nasty he was.” The guard seemed to buy my story. “Hmm…ah, here we are,” the guard said. The king was waiting for me in the center of the room. Awkward silence. “So, Dad, I guess this is why you had to leave us all that time ago…” I trailed off. I can’t believe it’s really my father, after all of these years. Truthfully, i did want to make him regret leaving us, but not in the way Lucius had planned for me. Dad looked as though he may cry. “I’m so sorry honey, but I had to. My father, King Provost was dying and named me as heir. My brother was jealous and wanted to duel me for it. I won as you see. I miss you and your mother every day. And you’ve turned into such a beautiful young lady!” he explained his absence. “Thanks Dad. I have to tell…” Dad cut me off. “But of course we shouldn’t dally here! Let us go to the crown room, you must bring back your tiara to show your mother. She finally told you, did she?” He seemed about to burst with pride. “Yes, as soon as she saw the gills, Mom knew what was happening,” I lied, “and she told me about your git of a nephew as well.” “Oh, she did?” he said, “Yes, we’ve been having a lot of problems with him lately. Rumor has it he’s going to try and steal the Golden Pearl next.” He opened a door, leading down another long, cavernous hallway. “Well, I’m here to help you,” I said. Dad looked at me, skeptical. “Oh, really? Well, you are the same age as him, perhaps you’ll be able to figure something out,” he said. “I already have. My friend, Peter, and I have come up with a plan, we just need to know if it’s doable.” “What did you have in mind sweetie?” “We were thinking, that if it were possible to make a copy of the Pearl, and give that to him instead. The copy would punish him for trying to take your crown,” I explained. “That’s not bad,” Dad said, “We actually have something like that already and it’s actually on your tiara.” He opened a high security door. There on a podium was the most beautiful crown I had ever seen. It was silver with aquamarine gems all around it, and in the center, there was one large golden gem. My father began to talk again, “The Pearl in the middle is fashioned after the Golden Pearl. This one however, is not as valuable, but has been magicked so that if someone does steal it, they will turn into a goldfish for the rest of their life. We could take it out and replace it with another pearl to get back at old Lucius.” “Wow, Dad! That’s great! Maybe Peter would like to keep him as a pet, that would show him who the real master of fish is.” *