Page 54 of Stealing the Merman

“Shouldn’t we help it?” Darin asked, concern coloring his tone. “What if it can’t get out by itself?”

“It will,” Finn said, his voice breathy, “it just needs time.”

“Freeing itself and making its way to the sea will strengthen it,” Conall said. “If you help it, that disturbs the natural process. Better to leave it and let it succeed on its own.” That didn’t mean Conall wasn’t rooting for the little fellow. When it gave another shove and pushed onto the beach by an inch, Conall’s heart expanded, and he squeezed Finn’s shoulder. Finn threw him a smile, eyes shining with excitement.

The hatchling’s flippers pushed the sand behind it, crawling forward. The grains made the little hole steep, and the turtle struggled to gain momentum, front and back flippers working hard. When it crested the swale, it flopped onto the ground. Conall could almost hear it catching its breath.

It lay there, unmoving for a minute. Finn’s shoulders tensed as they waited, and Darin seemed to have forgotten how to breathe. Then, a twitch of the front feet. The sea turtle paddled the grains aside and, through a herculean effort, inched toward the water.

“Come on! You can do it!” Finn cheered it on.

The hatchling crawled on. Every small dip and rise in the sand was a giant dune to overcome, grains falling under the turtle’s little feet as it climbed another one, slipping time and again.

“I believe in you!” Darin said.

Conall gazed up at the sky, looking out for predators. But no birds flew overhead. He searched the beach and didn’t see any crabs he’d have to intercept to protect the turtle.

“It’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen,” Darin said.

It was a magical moment. The hatchling climbed the hills of sand and glided into the valleys, picking up speed as it went. When it reached the wet sand of the outgoing tide, it shuffled its flippers, racing toward the safety of the ocean.

Darin got to his feet to watch the turtle cross the final yards to the sea. Conall picked up Finn and carried him to the water so he could observe their friend. Finn in his arms, Darin by his side, Conall watched the hatchling as its flippers left imprints on the damp ground. Left-right-left-right, it dragged its feet across the beach. Finally, the remnant of a wave grazed it. Almost safe! A few more steps and the next wave lapped at the shore, the water a fraction of an inch deep when it reached the turtle. The wave was too weak to carry the turtle into the sea. The water withdrew, and the hatchling paused.

“Come on,” Darin said. “Don’t give up.”

“Almost there,” Conall said.

“You can do it!” Finn yelled.

The hatchling took their advice to heart and waddled onward. A wave came to pick up the little fellow, then another one, and then the sea turtle was swimming, floating near the surface before it was lost among the surf carrying it out to sea.

“Goodbye, my friend,” Darin said with a smile in his voice.

“Good luck!” Finn cried after it. “I’ll see you soon!”

Conall couldn’t stop his lips from curling up. Seeing the little fellow succeed had brightened his mood, and happiness swelled in him that he got to experience this special moment with Darin and Finn.

It wasn’t the only miracle that evening. Later, when the sun had set, and the crescent of the moon along with a dazzling strip of stars ruled the firmament, the waves breaking on the shore glowed blue.

“What is that?” Conall asked, taking in the strange glow. The cobalt blue waves stood in beautiful contrast to the orange flames of the beach fire they had built earlier.

“I don’t know what it is, but I’ve seen this before,” Finn said.

“Where?” Darin asked, awed.

Finn shrugged. “You observe this at some beaches. It’s more visible during the new moon, and it always happens in the same bays. We mermen call it underwater fire. Watch closely—you can see it where the water is disturbed.”

Finn was right. The majority of the sea was unaffected, but where the surf met the shore, it emitted a blue light.

“You can swim in it,” Finn said.

“Are you sure?” Darin asked.

Finn nodded. “Yes, and I think we should.” He looked to Conall.

“Why not.” Conall took off his clothes and pulled a narrow strip of cloth from his bag to tie his hair in a high bun. He picked up Finn, and together with Darin, he walked to where land met the sea. He didn’t know what he’d expected, but it surprised him how normal the water felt on his skin. When the waves washed over his feet, glowing like they were from a different world, they felt wet and cool as always. He waded deeper, and the blue light accompanied his every step, circling his legs and streaming behind him.

When he turned, Darin was standing at the shore, feet a yard away from the water.

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