บททั้งหมดของ The Merman, My Man: บทที่ 201 - บทที่ 210

Be that as it may, the dark silhouette was already gone when I swiftly hurried past several bars and finally arrived at the edge of the bridge. It was no different from when I had looked at the edge of the canal while I was onboard the gondola not too long ago—there was no one there.Was that you, Dicken? Where are you? Just now, was that really you?I stood on one end of the bridge, my soul seemingly disembodied even as I stretched my eyes wide, searching. I did not care as the downpour pelted me, soaking through my clothes.Even so, I could no longer see that dark silhouette, and I had to lean on the scaffolding as I gasped for breath. Looking upon the surface of the river, I found my reflection robbing and left in pieces from the pouring rain.The alcohol that I had just drunk was burning my nerves, and my mind was an utter mess. I had to wonder if I was drunk right then, and was actually seeing things. To tell the truth, I wanted to cry—but I laughed instead, because I found

I promptly sat up in reflex and jumped into the water, searching around crazily. Even so, all I found was the vague illumination of the lights from both sides of the canal, and no glimpse of a fishtail.Realizing that the glimpse I had a moment ago could be an illusion, I was crumbling inside and started to flail my arms wildly against the water like a child throwing a tantrum, but I just couldn't care about the weird looks pedestrians nearby were throwing at me.“Dicken! Get out here, you bastard!” I yelled maniacally. “I know it’s you! It has to be! Are you punishing me? Did you want me to see me lose my mind thinking about you? Or did you just want to see how much I yearn for you? Well, let me tell you this—you’ve totally won! I’ve been searching for you for over a year… A whole year! If I can’t see you again… Fuck, I’ve really gone crazy…”I lowered my head in despair and buried my face in the water, feeling as if something was stuck in my chest as despair overcame me. But sud

Dicken did not answer me, but his arms tightened over my waist while his lips slid down to my neck. He nestled my neck from behind the mask, inhaling my scent deeply. He then put a webbed claw over my head, petting me like one would a child, before tucking the hair that was covering my forehead behind my ear.“Dicken…” I looked longingly into his enrapturing gaze, and reached out to touch his cheek when a woman shrieked, “Hey, what are you doing?!”I flinched in surprise and turned to find a girl, holding a bucket of laundry on the shore. She had probably come down for a wash, but was startled by Dicken and me.I was left stammering awkwardly, unsure of how to explain what was going on right then, just as I heard a loud splash behind me—Dicken had dived into the water, and was gone without a trace before I could catch him.“Where are you going?!” I was more angry than surprised, and slammed at the iron gate furiously, but my response was the banging and the splashing in the night

“You have to trust me, Mr. Mora—I would never dare to cross you. I honestly believe that it’s a gemstone, and just look at how mystical it is: it would definitely fetch millions even if it wasn’t a gem,” David explained through grinding teeth. “I salvaged it from a German shipwreck that was marked with the Nazis’ emblem, and you should know the treasures they have. Moreover, it was locked in a safe—why would it be protected so well if it’s worth nothing? Mr. Mora, I swear that something valuable must be inside.”“Oh, my poor David—I’m just not interested in your explorer’s crap. All I care about is whether this thing could get me more weed and heroin, but now I’m starting to think you and your paltry tricks are costing us too much.”Mora slammed his hand furiously on the table then, and a man beside them immediately seized David by the stump that was once his wrist, prompting a scream from David. I felt my body turn numb and couldn’t help turning away, even as I told myself that this

“It’s very unstable, Linda. It’s turning back into a tail again—I need a place to hide.” Dicken watched me, even as he spoke quietly in Mermish that I could understand perfectly.I did a double take as I watched him. Those were the first words I had heard from him after so many years. At once familiar and unknown, his voice left my whole body trembling.Dicken patted my hand with his leather-gloved hand then, and it soon slithered down to my nose and then my lips as he spoke raspily, “Do you still fear me now?”Nonetheless, I said nothing and simply grabbed his mask, firmly tearing off his face. It did not change despite his transfiguration: pale, handsome, and with pronounced facial bones. However, the upper tip of his ears resembled plant shoots slowly growing out of the ground, and while such an appearance could be a little frightening to other humans, I found it absolutely adorable, even funny. I couldn’t help giggling then, and tugged at his ears as if playing with a big dog.