“Okay, am I caught in an episode of The Twilight Zone because that was nuts?!” Shelby shouted crashing onto my bed. She was sprawled out and staring at the ceiling like she didn't know what to make of anything anymore.

“I feel the same way,” I said taking a seat at my window. It was open, sending a steady breeze into cool the room. In fact, it was the only steady thing in my life at the moment.

My grandmother had pretty much shut down after she blabbed about the alleged "research team". Her eyes glazed over and suddenly she wasn't even aware of our presence. I helped her to bed but I was far from reaching a peaceful sleep. She left me with so many questions.

If what she said was true then I could still be in potential danger. My mother must have found something significant for people to kill for it. Had she confirmed the existence of mermaids? If she did what did I have to do with it? Why had my mother been so resilient in handing the information over?

And if all this wasn’t true, did that mean her condition was getting worse?

I didn't know which reality I preferred.

Shelby sat up, her eyes traveling the room. It was her first time seeing it. “I’m no detective but from what she said I deducted that she may have involuntarily implied that your mother had discovered evidence of the existence of mermaids which leads to the conclusion that-”

“Woah that’s a lot of high-class vocabulary,” I interjected. It was rude to interrupt but Shelby was never one for professor talk - up until now that was. Her language was usually laid back and filled with slang.

“Let me finish!” She crossed her arms and her fishnetted legs. “I’m trying to tell you that it sounded like your mother didn't want the research team to read her journals because it would endanger you. Now, why would her research about mermaids put you in danger?”

I lifted my arms and dropped them dramatically. “Because I’m a mermaid?!”

She wore a dead serious expression.

I blinked. “I was kidding.”

“I’m not.”

She kept her gaze intense while I commenced questioning everything I knew about myself.

Then she broke out into hysterical laughter and fell back onto the bed. “Kidding! Mermaids don’t exist. You’re gran was probably messing with us.”

That idea didn’t make sense for an array of different reasons. One of those being my gran wouldn't joke about my parent's death. If what she said wasn’t true it was because of her disease.

I squeezed my eyes shut and let the breeze tussle my hair. “I don’t know.”

The wind started to blow stronger, causing the ballerina on my music box to spin without having been wined up. Unlike the typical music box, the dancer wasn't alone. A young man dressed equally as elegant was spinning her. It was ceramic and the base was a cylinder with storage space for jewelry. It uses to be my mother’s. When I received it on my seventeenth birthday it had come with some of my mother's jewelry as well.

Shelby and I were watching it move in silence, enjoying the simplistic performance. Then my phone buzzed on the counter, disrupting the dance.

A message from Helen.

Listen, I know ur trying to steer clear of Hannah and Norah but we need u tomm.

I groaned.

Why?

moral support. Going to visit Tori’s mom and Hannah’s cousin.

It made sense we were going to see Victoria’s mom. She was back in town and probably had questions about the suicide and would want her friends to comment on it.

Hannah’s cousin was Eline Nesswit. I remembered her from when she was crying hysterically at the funeral and faintly from the days Hannah and I use to hang out. She was always around but Hannah and she were both headstrong girls which caused them to clash if they spent too much time together. The girls and I never spoke to her. We weren't friends, more like acquaintances.

Eline? Is she ok?

nope. Checked in at Sea View. :(

Sea View was a psychiatric hospital on the other side of town. I was definitely curious. Eline never seemed like she was having any problems. What could have set her off?

“Who you texting?” Shelby asked dragging out the words, leaning forward to peer off my shoulder.

“It’s Helen. The girls are going to visit some people and want my moral support.” I knew she wasn't going to like that.

“Arielle, don't go! They’re just going to drag you back in,” she argued, jumping off the bed and rushing over to me.

“Not if I don't let them. I’m just going to show kindness and maybe that will rub off on them.” I shrugged it off but Shelby wasn't acting as tranquil. She was getting anxious. I would rather have her praise my new found confidence and optimism.

“If you miss having a big group of friends we can recruit some friends of our own. Good ones. Whatever you do, don’t go back to that toxic environment.”

Her desperate attempt to stop me from spending the day with the girls sent my eyebrows up.

“It’s not like that. It’s only for the day.” I squeezed her shoulder and then walked over to my closet. Once I found the extra blanket I tossed it at her.

“Whaddaya say we turn this into a sleepover?”

Shelby threw her arms in the air with a giant grin, her hair frazzled by the sheet. “Oh yeah!”

-----------------------------

Shelby left early that morning and so I started getting ready to meet with the girls. I picked out something very ‘me’ to wear in defiance of the girl's standards: an oversized knitted sweater with black leggings. As if a simple outfit could serve as a shield against the lure of the girl's lifestyle.

I met them at the end of my block which was also the corner of Norah’s street, feeling beyond nervous to see her. She was most likely still mad about the whole Theo situation.

“Hey,” I said coming to a stop. The wind sent the girls hair into their faces which made them scramble to uncover it. Norah’s hair fell away from her face like a curtain to reveal a neutral expression.

“Let’s get to it. We have a lot to do today,” she sighed and turned as Hannah hopped ahead of her to lead the way.

We were pretty much silent the whole way to meet Tori’s parents. It was like since we were visiting on the business of death we walked like we were at a funeral. The hotel they were staying at was the main local one that the tourist liked to rest in. It had a cute indoor cafe area and they waited for us there.

Tori’s father had a swollen face which led me to believe he had been drinking though he appeared to be sober at the moment. Her mother was sipping her coffee like she didn’t really want to drink it and was staring off with empty eyes.

We greeted them with warm hugs and strong handshakes. I wedged myself between Helen and Mrs.Barely, back to the window that was starting to become dotted with raindrops.

“It’s so good to see you four,” Mrs.Barely said. “It means a lot that you took the time to see us. Every time I’m around you I feel like I have a piece of her.”

There was small talk and catching up. She told us about their new house across the state and the welcoming community that came along with it. Mr.Barely asked us if we were shocked to hear it was a suicide. All of us answered yes, he felt differently.

“Victoria was a lonely girl. Sure, she had you girls and that boyfriend of hers but who was waiting for her at home, huh? You know, we could have been there more as parents but we buried ourselves in work. I think we thought it was a way to deal with the hurt that came from losing our children prior to her.”

Mrs.Bartley's head snapped to him while Hannah leaned forward. “You mean, child. Her brother.”

“Ah, yes.” He rubbed his head.

“Even before we lost him when he went to serve,” Mrs.Barely added, “we were never very involved.” She scratched her head and focused her gaze on the ceiling, to recall something. “She did have her cousin though. Then we moved here and left her behind. I don’t even speak to my sister anymore.”

Norah patted her hand. “Try not to think about the ‘what if’s. You were great parents.”

But Norah didn’t know that. None of us were very sure of that.

We left a few minutes later. The Barely’s looked like they needed rest and some quiet which was sad to think about since -without their children- they would be left to a home filled with quiet.

However, the walk to the hospital was nowhere as quiet as the first walk.

“Eline has totally flipped. Her mother told me about it. She’s spooked.” Hannah shivered. “She has been hysterical and talks about things that don’t make any sense. When she isn’t freaking out, she’s dead silent.”

“Do the doctors have any ideas on what triggered this?” Norah asked her mind at work.

“They did a psychiatric evaluation and found no disorders or illnesses. They think it was caused by stress and/or a traumatic event.”  

Now I was shivering. I killed a man, lost my closest friend, left all my other friends, had a dangerous deal hanging over my head, a stalker, and a murder investigation. Could I snap too? Yes, I could. A better question was: Would I?

“Poor girl! Isn't she supposed to be leaving for college soon? At least we’ll be able to show our support for her today,” Helen said attempting to be positive. We were walking up the gravel path towards the entrance of the facility. It was a bit of a walk up the hill but worth it because the top had a nice view of the beach.

The clinic was two stories high and a charcoal gray color. The windows had gates on them that reminded me of a prison and the sign was worn down almost beyond legibility. The place couldn’t have been receiving much funding. There weren’t many patients checked in and not much staff either. Most people that were in need of special care went to the fancier modern one a few hours out of town. The doctors said that my gran should be looking into places to put herself in when the disease gets worse. This made me wonder where she’d end up. Or would I end up taking care of her at home?

We were patted down when we entered and had to walk through metal detectors. After stating our reason for visiting a strong, built women led us to Eline’s room. It was clear that patients were protected here. No one was getting in or out unless the staff wanted them too.

The halls smelled like lavender and unlike what I was expecting the color scheme was cute.

Eline’s door was open. The women let us all go inside and then let us know she would be close by if we needed anything.

The brunette was sitting cross-legged on a recliner. She was hunched over a sketchbook, completely wrapped up in it. She didn’t move or show any signs of acknowledgment as we shuffled around the room.

Hannah hopped over some color pencils that were spilling onto the floor from her bed. She held up one that was sharpened and splintered so severely it could serve as a weapon, furrowing her eyebrows.

The anticipation was so strong I could taste it. It tastes like bleach and hand soap.

“Afternoon Eline! Your favorite cousin has come to visit you!” Hannah announced theatrically.

Eline lifted her head just enough to make eye contact with her and look at us. Her eyes had dark bags under them and her skin was pale. After a second, she went back to her huddled position.

“Aunt Marie said you were like this. Don't know why I expected to get a reaction out of you.  . . You don't even like me.” Hannah shrugged and sat on the bed placing her purse down.

It had seemed Hannah had given up on communicating with her cousin but I wasn’t when I saw some of the sketches hanging on the wall. They were dark, their color scheme consisting of greys, purples, and blues. The setting of the drawings was the beach and the ocean. The characters were mermaids.

They weren’t anything like the kind I grew up hearing stories about. They wore evil grins displaying razor sharp teeth, webbed hands with claws, and eyes that were pitch black. Sketches like that were taped all over the wall. It gave me chills and made me wonder why the doctors let her keep these sketches up.

It also made me have deja vu. Tori had a fascination with mermaids before she died.

“Why do these mermaids look so scary?” I asked the patient. I wasn’t expecting a response but my curiosity was peaked. Figured it was worth a try.

None of the girls were listening. They were standing together discussing something that didn’t involve me. It made me wonder if they had even wanted to come to visit Eline or if it was an act of fake empathy.  

Eline didn’t shift in her seat or anything but the words still flowed out of her lips. “Because they aren’t mermaids.”

Shocked, it took me a second to respond. “What are they?”

“Sirens,” she mumbled. “The evil version of mermaids.” Her voice was high pitched and cracked like she hadn’t used it in a while.

Not completely sure what she meant, I decided to redirect the conversation. “Either way, you’re a very good artist. Hannah has come to visit you, why don’t you tell her about them or your time here?”

She shut down again. Five minutes later and she still hadn’t said anything. Maybe her only interest at the moment was the sirens.

“We’re leaving!” Hannah concluded as the little circle she created with the girls deflated. Hannah gave Eline a pointed look though she wasn’t seeing it. “If this drama queen doesn’t want to talk to me I don’t want to talk to her!”

I flinched at the way Hannah addressed her ill cousin. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Classic Hannah behavior.

I took a single step in Hannah’s direction when Eline started to scream. It was more of a howl than anything and came accompanied by twitching. I jumped back against the wall of sketches as Helen screamed, Norah flinched, and Hannah grasped her chest.

“What the heck?!”

“She’s having an episode!”

“We can get a nurse! Arielle stay here!”

Before I could protest they all rushed out of the room leaving me alone with Eline. I came off the wall and a foot closer to Eline who’s screams immediately stopped. She lifted her head, her hair falling to the sides, revealing the new sketch she was working on.

A red color pencil dropped out of her hand and fell onto the floor with a haunting echo. The sketch was of a red-haired girl staring out onto the water on the beach. It was a sketch of me. It couldn’t have been created in the time span of me and the girls arriving here.

She whispered quickly. “She knows. Take down the evil. Take Hannah down.” Her eyes were focused, her voice precise. She looked more down to earth and sane than anyone I’d ever seen. She didn’t look like she belonged here.

I blinked. “What do you mean? What does Hannah know?”

“She knows about Victoria. She knows it wasn’t an accident. It wasn’t a suicide. She was there.”

I stood gaping at the older girl who was holding onto me so tight my arm was bruising.

----------------------------

Hannah had done the unexpected.

Once the nurses kicked us out claiming Eline had settled down, the group scattered. Norah and Helen had disappeared leaving me and Hannah walking alongside each other.

She brought up the deal but not in a taunting fashion. In fact, she gave me a gift. She extended the amount of time I had to complete it. Her reasons were simple. The deadline was fast approaching. Six days. She had too much going on right now to go turn me into the police. It wasn't an act of pity but I still appreciated it very much. I was far from getting someone to fall in love with me.

I had until the homecoming dance in December. Not only would it give Hannah more time but it would give her the opportunity to put me out with pizazz.

Upon arriving home, I set aside my purse on the counter near the door. My feet found their way across the house and up into the attic. The loft was small but not dusty. I cleaned it out often but I never went up looking for anything. Today, I went up looking for my mom's journals.

I pulled out anything that resembled a notebook and placed them at my feet. I read through them. They were from my mom alright. Even though it was all science talk, reading words my mother wrote was refreshing. She felt so far away- like a distant memory. My fingertips grazed memories of her but they were never clear. It was hard to miss her because sometimes it felt like I never had her.

None of the documented information seemed like groundbreaking talk about mermaids or even hints at the existence of mermaids.

A floorboard creaked to the side of me. My gran was standing on the ladder watching with sad eyes.

“I figured it was only a matter of time until you came up here after what I said.” She finished the climb and kneeled next to me. “I wish Melody had the chance to raise you. She would have done an excellent job.”

“You’ve done an excellent job, Gran!” I gave her a reassuring hug.

“Thanks, darling.” There was a silence and I anticipated she had something very important to say by the way her back is hunched. “I think you already know this but I never actually told you: I was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's.”

I nodded because I didn't trust my voice. The lump in my throat is already growing.

“Because of this condition, I might have messed up my information when I was talking to you and Shelby. What I meant was your mother found a creature that resembled a mermaid. She collected its DNA but never gave it to the company she was working for. They were upset, killed her for it and got a way with it. That's my theory anyways. It's a closed case."  

“And she thought they would go after me as well,” I concluded. It made sense. The possibility of me being a mermaid was a dumb assumption to make. It was just Shelby being silly.

With my mother gone, I guess the world would never know if mermaids existed.

-----------------------

It was only 7:30 yet I was laying in bed half asleep yet wide awake. The thought of Eline in that hospital was bothering me. It didn't add up.  She was having a mental break down but she looked completely sane when she was talking to me.

She said something about Hannah. That Hannah knew what happened the night Tori died because she was there. How did Eline know this? She didn't seem involved with Victoria in any way. The only way I could link the two of them was when she was crying hysterically at her funeral.

She would only speak to me when we were alone so maybe I should visit her again. Alone.

The bike ride was long but my mind was so busy my body didn't care.

I found my way to Eline’s room. Visitation hours were dome in half an hour so I’d have to be quick. The door was open a creak. I lifted my fist to knock but the sounds of whispers mare I pause.

“I told her what you said to. But listen, she can't come here again. It’s putting me in danger. I'm out,” that was Eline.

“I know, I know. Thanks for what you've already done. As long as I keep figuring out ways to get her to find the truth without telling her or outing myself, things should all go to plan.” This voice sounded vaguely familiar. The person had to be on the other side of the room because their voice was muffled.

“I hope it does, for all our sakes but for now, I'm done. I worked too hard to get here to ruin it. If they take me out of this place I'm in big trouble.”

The sound of shuffling feet sent me fleeing out of the hospital.

Maybe Eline wasn't residing