Chapter Six: Mermaids aren't real?

*:･°✧* 𓆝 𓇼 ⋆｡˚ 𓆝 ˚｡⋆ 𓇼𓆟 *✧*:･°

Wayne stared at the girl. “Didn’t you just speak?” She didn’t respond.

“I didn’t hear her speak,” Drew said, then turned to the other officer. “Neither did I.”

Nessa placed a hand on his shoulder. “Wayne, are you okay? You were discharged from the hospital today, I think you need rest.”

Wayne dragged a hand through his hair. He hadn’t rested since this morning. Maybe he was just tired and hearing things.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. Forget it.” He turned, walking back into the cabin.

“Get some rest, Wayne,” Nessa said.

As he was about to open his cabin door, he heard it again.

[For a moment, I thought he could hear my mermaid voice.]

His body stiffened. Slowly, he turned around. The girl was staring at him through the tinted car window, and something flickered across her face, as if she realized she shouldn’t have said that.

His eyes narrowed. “Did I just hear… mermaid?” he said to himself.

The car door shut, and the engine started. Wayne stood there until the taillights disappeared. No. He had a head injury. He was tired, hungry, and broke. Of course his brain was making things up. Mermaids weren’t real. He walked inside and locked the door. Twice.

*:･°✧* 𓆝 𓇼 ⋆｡˚ 𓆝 ˚｡⋆ 𓇼𓆟 *✧*:･°

The rain had gotten heavier. Drops hammered against the roof that night. Wayne tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. He closed his eyes, and eventually darkness took over. His body sank deeper and deeper, his lungs burned. He was drowning.

He reached for something but his fingers found nothing. Then he saw them. Crystal-blue eyes and then a tail. He tried to move, but his body wouldn’t respond. The figure came closer, then pulled him into her arms. Suddenly he was seven. He struggled to catch his breath as his mother’s voice filled his ears.

“Stay here and wait for help. I’ll go get your father.”

Wayne reached out to her, but her dress slipped from his fingers. She dived back into the water as the car sank beneath it. “No… Mom.”

Wayne jolted awake, gasping for air. He sat upright, his body slowly calming down. “It was just a dream.”

But it hadn’t felt like one. It felt like two separate memories had spilled into each other. He sat there for a long while, staring at his shaking hands, listening to the rain. The first memory he knew he didn’t have. The second one he’d never been able to forget. And somehow, they had ended up in the same dream.

He shook his head. Mermaids weren’t real. He was probably letting Cupcake’s words get to him. Add a concussion and a bad day, and anyone would have strange dreams.

He walked into the bathroom to wash his face when a loud roar echoed from outside, followed by a flash of lightning. A sharp pain struck through his skull. It was from the injury on his head. He pulled the bandage off and stood in shock. The injury on his forehead had healed into a small scar.

That wasn’t the only thing that caught his attention. For a brief second, the scar seemed to glow.

Wayne grabbed his hair. “What the hell is going on?”

Morning came quickly, but Wayne couldn’t go back to sleep. He arrived at the fish market before everyone else. If Duncan saw him working this early, maybe he would finally start believing he was serious about changing. At least, that was what Wayne told himself.

The truth was, he didn’t want to be alone with his thoughts. Shortly, the others came, and the market became extremely busy again.

“Wayne…” Cupcake cried, “Nessa told me what happened. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He gave her the most reassuring smile.

She studied his face. “You don’t seem fine, you look like you have a lot on your mind.”

“I’m just tired, that’s all.” Wayne added, then picked up a knife, about to cut fish.

Suddenly, Cupcake pointed at his forehead. “Only a day and your injury is healed?”

Wayne quickly ruffled his hair over the scar. “The doctor did a really good job.”

Her lips curved upwards. “Maybe he did. Or maybe…you’ve been touched by a mermaid.”

He flinched. “How would you know? Have you seen one?”

“No I haven’t. But I know someone who might have.”

Wayne’s fingers stiffened around the knife. He didn’t want to yield to anything Cupcake was saying, but a strange unease kept growing in his chest.

Before he could say another word, a polite voice interrupted them. “You can lead a horse to the river, but you can never force it to drink.”

They turned.

“Reverend…” Cupcake smiled as the man walked closer. “What brings you here?”

“Just passing by. You must be Wayne.”

“How did you know?” Wayne asked.

“The whole town was searching for you. I thought I’d come say hello to the man I prayed to the Lord to protect.” He held out his arm. “I’m Reverend Zaphyrus Obidian. But people in town call me Reverend.”

Wayne gave a firm shake.

“You came right on time. I was just talking about you.” Cupcake turned to Wayne. “He’s the one I meant. The one who might have seen a mermaid. Isn’t that cool?”

Wayne blinked. “You’ve actually seen one?”

He chuckled softly. “The flattery is much appreciated, but no. I haven’t.”

“Then why would Cupcake say you have?”

“Because I’ve spent most of my life hearing stories about them.”

Cupcake nodded in agreement. “His family knows more about the sea than anyone around here.”

Zaphyrus’s smile grew wider. “My family has a long history with the sea.”

“Doing what?” Wayne asked.

“Hunting,” he said. His smile never left, but something in his expression changed.

Wayne swallowed. “Hunting what?”

Zaphyrus’s gaze sharpened. “That’s a story for another time.”

“I see you’re already imposing your ideology on my new work-man.”

Everyone turned. Duncan stood at the entrance of the market, Nessa beside him. Her eyes landed on Zaphyrus.

“Rev—” The words caught in her throat the second she realised Duncan was still by her side.

“Duncan. I see you are well.” Zaphyrus gave a polite nod.

“Cut the pleasantries. Why are you here?”

“I simply came to pay my respects. I heard Wayne was finally back, so I thought I’d stop by and see how everyone was doing.”

His gaze shifted to Wayne. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Wayne. I hope you’ll consider joining us for mass one Sunday.”

Duncan’s expression hardened. “So you can fill his head with your vain philosophies?”

Zaphyrus’s smile remained. “I have no vain philosophies, Duncan. You can ask Nessa yourself.”

His eyes briefly moved toward her. “She knows we don’t preach such things at the parish.”

Nessa shifted uncomfortably. Duncan stared at him for a moment. “You’ve paid your respects. I think it’s time for you to leave.”

“Of course.” He nodded. “Farewell, everyone.”

Then he walked away. Nessa reached out to Duncan. “Grandfather–”

“Back to work.” He cut her off without even looking at her.

“Yes, sir.” She lowered her head while Duncan walked away.

No harsh words were exchanged, but the energy between them was suffocating. And it remained so until lunch break.

Even while eating, Wayne couldn’t stop thinking about the mermaid. His dream. His scar. And now a man who claimed his family might have hunted them down.

And that voice. It didn’t make sense. He picked up his fork, put it down, and picked it up again.

It was none of his business. The girl had broken into his cabin. She had kicked him in the chest. He should be relieved that she was locked up somewhere far away from him, and he should get back to sucking up to his coworkers.

But the voice kept replaying. If what Cupcake kept hinting at was true, then the girl in the police car had been handcuffed, locked in, and left to the mercy of a town that didn’t know what she was.

What would happen if that girl and the reverend crossed paths?

Mermaids aren’t real, he reminded himself. Then why couldn’t he finish his lunch? He told himself it was just curiosity. He had every right to ask some questions after what she did. So he stood and walked over to Nessa.

“I need your jeep.”

“For what?”

“I’ll bring it back.”

“Well, at least tell me where you are going?”

He hesitated. “I’ll be back before the next shift. I promise.”

Nessa studied him before tossing the keys at him. “You better.”

Wayne caught them with a grin. “Thanks.”

Five minutes later, he was standing in front of a police station, staring at the building. Was he really about to speak to the person who had broken into his home?

He shook his head. He was here for a reason, and he wasn’t going to leave until he got some answers.

He pushed the door open, and to his surprise, Drew was the only one present.