1 A Kiss, A Cave and A Magical Tail

I looked through the spotted glass as I spun the car's handle, carrying the car window down to get a clearer view. The wind caressed my face as It rushed in to fill the car and my face was being pelted by the sun's rays. The car was getting stuffy before and even with the air conditioner on, inside the car wasn't getting any cooler. The morning was still early when we got up to head out early but we had slept through all three alarms and we made haste to leave the house after the sun had risen.

"Warn me if you're going to open the car window, A/C burns a lot of gas," Dad said

"Sorry, but your A/C is broken. it's a lot cooler now than before" I replied as I spun the handle even more.

"She's right Derrick" Mom chimed in as she spun her handle as well, the glass moving down.

"Antonette, don't agree with her," Dad said with a loud playful sigh as he also spun the handle attached to his window. He turned off the A/C and accelerated on the gas a little. Breeze flooded the car and I could feel the hot air being pushed out on the other side.

We were headed to the north coast for a week of family summer activities via the old road. Mom wanted to take the toll but me and dad wanted the scenic route. Normally I would be against being seen anywhere with my family but the sun was so hot that I couldn't even complain when the idea was first proposed. My Mom and Dad ( Antonette and Derrick, a name I could never call them) were a goofy pair when in each other's company. It was as if the other triggered a child-like state and they were my age again, every time they looked at each other. I have only allowed them to come to my school alone, never together. I could not deal with that level of embarrassment. Could you imagine two fully grown adults acting like teens? With it just being the three of us here though I can relax and enjoy their quirks.

We made a stop at the Angels Gas station to get some breakfast. The drive to the north coast was about three hours long and none of us had enough time to make any breakfast before we headed out, In an attempt to beat the traffic. We turned into the gas station that had a Jucci Patties attached. I rushed through the doors and gazed at the menu. I didn't realize that I was the only one inside at that moment as I glanced over the menu on the monitors. It seemed at that time they had just opened and we were their first customers.

"Mom, can I have a cheese patty and coco bread?" I asked with my most adorable face.

"For breakfast! Yuh muz b crazy," she said in our thick accents. Rarely did she revert to our native dialect as she tries to maintain the proper English for her job in the corporate world. If you guessed that she only reverts in the presence of my dad, then you would be correct. They find ways to stay professional at company gatherings and functions. With mom being a Lawyer and Dad an Accountant then this type of behavior would not be allowed. She was in her fifties (50's) but didn't look a day over thirty (30), with dark afro-kinky hair caught into a ponytail puff. She wore a floral white dress, just above the knee with yellow and Burgundy flowers on it. Her skin was a golden caramel complexion with dark colored eyes and a figure that would drive men of all ages crazy, at least that is what my dad always says when he tries to swoon her. She came from the West for school and never went back, so the accent was a lot thicker than those of the East.

"Please, it has been a while since I've had one" I turned up the charm.

She turned to look at the Tv monitors displaying the different food items they had served for that day. She peered up until the image of the patty prices came into view with an animated effect. I noticed when she located the item " Cheese Patty" and watched as her gaze slid to the right.

"Three Hundred and Fifty dollars ($350)!! Abigail"

"Please, Mom!" I begged.

"You know a patty cost around eighty dollars ($80) back in my day," she said as she dug around in her purse. Why is it that anytime you mention anything with a price to older people; they dive into telling you what it cost back when they were your age? If I don't stop her she could go on for hours and we just didn't have the time.

"It has been a while since I've had one, so please"

"I can see why," she said my charm failing.

"These were once a poor man's hearty meal, a meal two friends could grab together after a day of fun but Now!..." she exclaimed " They are more of a luxury food item".

"Well, here you go.." She said as she handed me the three hundred and fifty dollars ($350) and I took the money and left my hands there to hang.

"What?" she looked at me puzzled.

"Um. That is just the price of the patty. I need more for the Coco Bread and the orange juice" I said a little sheepishly

Click. She smacked her tongue against the roof of her mouth emitting a sound usually associated with dissatisfaction.

"Gurl, go ask your father for the rest"

"But Mom" I started to beg but she just glared at me.

"Okay. Okay. " I said my hands up as I turned to face Dad.

"Where is Dad?".

"Guess," she said annoyed.

I went through the doors of Jucci Patties and on the other side of the door were another two doors. One led that led outside to the gas station and another that led to a different store. I didn't notice it when I first entered, my stomach controlled my body at the time. From the outside, it looked as if it sold items used in fixing and in the maintenance of a car. Different bottles with designs of engines and car tires on the front. I pushed the door slowly unaware if the door had a buzzer to indicate you wanted to be let in. The door eased open, moving back as I applied force.

"Dad, What are you...?"

" I want one of those, three of those, five of those," he said as he pointed at items through the glass.

" For the love of...Dad!, are you buying sweets?"

"Yes. And?" he said noncoherently.

" You know that I am the kid right? Aren't you afraid of Diabities"

" Healthy man like me, having diabetes, HA," he said with a chuckle as he rubbed his belly. Dad was also in his Fifties. His hair had grey mixed in with a black twist that reached shoulder length. He had a little Bar belly but he was mostly fit with arms as strong as an ox, at least that's what Mom would say in return for his antics. My parents need to understand that our house echoes. His hair was also caught into a ponytail at the back and he wore a loose burgundy-colored shirt and karki shorts.

"Anyways... Can I have money for Patty and Cocobread?" I asked quickly

"Why didn't you ask your mother?" he said never taking his gaze off the glass.

"I did and she sent me to you" I replied crossing my arms.

That sound again. Click. "Lose the attitude".

He rifled through his wallet and extended his arm to me, "Here".

He pulled out a Thousand dollars ($1000) bill and I grabbed it quickly. I wasn't going to risk the chance that it wasn't intentional. I exited the store and just before I did I shouted back to him

"Get me a bag of gummy bears too" and I moved through the door before he had a chance to respond.

I went back into Jucci Patties and my mom was ordering her food.

" Can I have three beef patties, two coco bread, one soda, one cranberry water "...

"Will that complete you order Miss?" the cashier said with a face that said it was too early for her to be out of bed. Mom turned around to see me entering and she looked back to the cashier. " Can I also have a cheese patty with coco bread and a... Um," she paused.

"Orange Juice" I added quickly.

"and an orange juice," she said completing the order.

"Is that all?"

"Oh, add a small fries to that as well"

I backed up slowly through the door. Slowly but at the same time as quickly as my feet would move as the cashier read her the bill and the total. I waited in the passage in front of the door that led outside.

Back in my seat, we continued on our journey. I let out a big sigh and Mom handed me my order and I took it, looking at my pocket that now contained one thousand three hundred and fifty dollars ($1350). A smile stretched crossed my face before Dad with one hand on the wheel threw my bag of gummy bears at me. He then threw a few into his mouth from his bag and Mom started to complain.

"Jesus Derrick, Dont you think it's time for you to stop eating so many sweets"

"Never!" he shouted and we both laughed. Mom's eyebrows fell at the center of her face.

"Antonette, Dont be mad. ill start after this trip. This is supposed to be a trip of fun and excitement." he assured het using his hand to caress hers. She quickly pulled her hands away

"We will see," she said skeptically " But for now just keep your sticky fingers to yourself".

We were headed to a fancy hotel with luxurious accommodations, that offers its guests a wide range of amenities and services to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable stay. These hotels typically feature lavish decor and, high-end furnishings. That is what Mom would say each time I asked her where we were staying. We had planned to spend most mornings by the pools, evenings out in the town, and end the day with dining at a fancy restaurant. Well, that's what we agreed to with Mom but Dad and I added some late-night gaming sessions into that plan. His PlayStation 4 was hidden in the truck between our luggage and the controllers in my bag. Before Dad had returned to the car, Mom told me that she made us Spa accommodations at the hotel and that I shouldn't tell Dad. That will sure to revive my mind and body after a night of nonstop gaming, I thought.

A loud noise blurred out into the early morning and I was brought back to the present from my thoughts. A large truck drove slowly in front of us. Cooler air now rushed into the car and I realized that there was a river running downstream on our right. Water rushed through and pass large rocks, the water was brown in some areas and clear in others. I wished that this truck would drive a little faster. I could already hear the pool water calling my name. Dad slowly pressed down on the break and that's when I noted where we were, "FLAT BRIDGE".

"Did any of us pray?"

"Why?" Dad asked. He wasn't very spiritual.

" Dad! You're always to pray before you cross the flat bridge. A lot of freaky accidents always happened here" I said nervously

"Abbey Seriously! " Mom said unconvinced

"Yes. People have said that the waters next to the bridge are so deep that it swallows cars, never to be seen again. Even divers who when under said that they could feel a strange presence pulling them down " I said quickly

My mother looked at me skeptically.

"Mom it's true. Now hurry"

The truck made its way over the bridge but my dad did not follow behind it. The truck needed the space to ensure it was able to make the turn. It took its own sweet time as it motioned over the bridge and I took the time to plead my case.

" You know what they said is in those waters, right?"

" A Golden Table and a Mermaid" They both answered.

"Yes!" I exclaimed.

" and you, a fifteen-year-old girl believe in mermaids".

" I might not believe, but I'd rather pray to the false deity and get safe passage through, than not and end up in the water".

The car started to move and I grabbed onto both of their chairs and eased myself closer to them.

"I Can't believe this, we are going over a flat bridge without a prayer. Jesus!" I said as I gripped the chairs tighter

" Abbey!" my dad shouted as he gazed into my eyes. " Why don't you pray then," he said annoyed but I didn't get the chance to.

An orange sports car, a yellow streak on the side with its headlights on and music so loud I could hear the words of the song very clearly, sped around the corner and passed the stop light. Dad tried to maneuver his car but the bridge was so small that the cars collided. It seemed at the time, the driver also tried to pull out of the way and only the front-sides of the car smashed together but It was enough to knock us over the side of the bridge and before anyone could react the car fell into the water and began to sink.

The impact cause me to hit my head on the dashboard and I was dazed. Before I knew it water was rushing in through the windows and Mom and Dad were underwater. I rushed to swim through the window and just when I thought I made it through, something grabbed onto my leg.

The car was sinking and it was pulling me down along with it. The seatbelt that was absent during the initial impact somehow felt that now was the best time to fulfill its duties.

I tried my hardest not to panic but something was trying to hold me down. I shook the feeling off quickly and swam in the direction of the belt. My lung capacity was great as I've been swimming since I was a little girl and today I felt like that would be that will be my blessing. I touched the frame of the car and then worked my foot free from the clutches of the seat belt.

It was stuck but I managed to wiggle my foot enough that it loosened and I was set free. I kicked off from the frame of the car and I started to swim up. I kicked my legs as hard as I could, pulling forth the knowledge of different swimming techniques that I knew. I extended my arm and pushed the water behind me with each stroke but my body felt weird as if I wasn't going the right way. The air in my lung was almost converted to carbon dioxide and soon I won't be able to breathe.

After a few more strokes, I stopped and let the waves move me. The water pulled me back and my face turned grim in the dark waters.

"All this time was I swimming in the wrong direction? Everyone knows if you relax in water you rise to the top. This is not making any sense. If I don't know which way to go, will I die here? Am I going to drown? I floated in the same spot, the water pulling me in the opposite direction I was swimming and I could feel the air in my lungs slowly vanishing. I felt like crying but I wasn't sure if I even could underwater or would my eyes be flooded with water. I wondered if Mom and dad made it out already or we're they sharing the same fate as me just at different points in this water. I want to call out, to scream, to beg someone to save me but then what sense would that make when not even I could make sense of what was happening in the water, it's not like I was a fish.

I could feel my mind becoming heavier and I thought about my prayer and doing it now.

"River Mama, If you are real, I beg you to bestow the ability to breathe underwater" I held my hands together and I waited but nothing happened.

"Grant this wish of a dying innocent child" I didn't know if that was right but I continued and waited some more.

"Please grant me salvation from the depths of this water and ill be forever grateful unto you..." I waited some more. There was no more air in my lungs and I started to choke on all the carbon dioxide, my head became very foggy. I was losing feeling in my limbs and I could feel myself beginning to sink.

" I will do anything you ask of me, your servant until the day you set me free" the last thought to cross my mind...

I Blacked Out.

I don't know how much time passed since I came to. Seeing that I was now dead, I kind of didn't care. All that was going through my mind was that I was a ghost and the afterlife must exist.

"A Ghost?" I said, " But do ghosts feel, could I feel?". Something was touching my lips". I motioned my hand to my mouth and it was greeted by a full head of hair. At least I thought it was hair..weird seaweed maybe". Something ran its hand over my shoulder and down my arm and held on to my fingers guiding me forward and that's when I jerked back. I tried to kick my legs but something strange happens. One of my legs was missing.

My eyes shot open and at first I thought it would burn but all that happened was that all I could see what darkness. Darkness with a faint glow of light in front of me. A light that became more and more focused as I stared at it. With enough time I could see clearly beneath the water. Everything was coated in a light green glow. I looked around and then really focused on the thing floating before me.

A face, two arms, a naked torso, and a tail. A tail, my eyes slowly drifted down towards my legs. " I had a tail!" I screamed "Wait, I can talk" I touch my neck and noticed I had gills. "Oh god, Noooo!"

"Follow me if you want answers," the mermaid said and she swam away. It didn't take long for me to make up my mind and I swam after her. Turns out it wasn't so difficult to swim like a mermaid when you knew how to do the butterfly stroke.

We swam into a cave entrance and came up into a section of the cave that had a pocket of air. Half of the space was taken up by a flat surface. At the opposite end of that rock was a very shiny table made of Gold. Large rocks hung from the ceiling that glowed at the very tip. Shells and smooth rocks were embedded into the walls that reflected the light all around. The entire area resembled a table just floating in space among the stars. Then I remember I was a mermaid in fake space.

Wait, was I kissing a mermaid? What I felt was her lips upon mine.

"Would that be lesbianism or Beastiality " I happened to say not meaning to.

At that moment she got out of the water opposite the take where steps were carved into the rock. She made a huge flip and landed gracefully on the steps. A water arch and a rainbow were formed temporarily in the air. She was now dressed in a fitted aquamarine dress that hugged her body tightly. It accentuated the curve of her hips as pieces were held together by what looked to be metal rings at her waist, hip, and chest. Her skin was the colour of a shadow, Dark but in the form of scales upon her body. She had long black hair and her eyes glowed a bright yellow.

"Okay, so Lesbianism " I sighed