Page 53 of Bewitched By the Siren
Standing, I rip the wet dress over my head and drop it to the sand-covered, rocky floor. Then I pull the clean, dry clothes from the bag. I pull on the hoodie first, then the matching white sweatpants. Shoving the wet dress and towel into the bag, I zip it up and make my way toward the back of the cave on bare feet.
I guess if there’s a silver lining to this whole mess, it’s that I was barefoot and wearing a dress when that creep tossed me into the water. I would’ve lost the shoes, and I shudder to think what might happen if I phased wearing pants. Since my legs fuse together…
I can’t even finish the thought.
Finding the crack in the wall that’s just wide enough for me to slip through sideways, I squeeze through it and pop out into another cave. This one has a tunnel that spills out onto Mermaid Beach, and I start to run toward it.
I have to get home. Now. I need to talk to Mom.
That guy was filming me, and he got the whole transformation on video. He’ll post it online, and even if most people think it’s a hoax, there will be many who flood here hoping to catch a glimpse of the mermaid. Not to mention the residents of Circe Key who know my face and will instantly recognize me.
We have to leave. Move somewhere else where no one knows us. And no more singing. I’ll just have to find another way to earn money.
Because how else did that man figure out what I am? He must’ve come into the bar and somehow, he realized he was being manipulated by the power in my voice. Maybe he studied the old myths and recognized it for what it was.
There’s no other way. I’ve been too careful.
And what about Brendan? I’ve been trying to avoid thinking of him, but I keep seeing his shocked expression despite my efforts. My mind replays the images of him sprinting toward us and punching the guy in the face to protect me. Of the shock and fear in his eyes when he saw me phase.
He knows the truth, now, and there’s no telling how he’s handling it. I didn’t stick around long enough to find out. But honestly, how does one react when they find out the person they’ve been sleeping with isn’t even human?
My gaze darts around as I make my way through town, looking for threats in every shadow and around every corner. I make it to the other side of the island unscathed save for the ache in my feet after stepping on a few sharp rocks.
When I get to my street, I pause and duck behind a parked vehicle when I see Brendan striding toward his rental car. He’s carrying a suitcase, which he plops into the open trunk before slamming the lid down. As if drawn by a magnet, his eyes find me, and I slowly step out from my hiding spot.
Taking a deep breath, I walk toward him, intent on thanking him for helping me and…explaining everything? How do I even begin? How do I make him understand?
“Brendan––”
“I threw that guy’s phone into the ocean,” he says, cutting me off in a robotic tone with very little inflection. “The video he took is gone.”
“Thank you,” I say, not feeling nearly the amount of relief I should be. “Brendan, listen, I––”
“I have to get out of here,” he says, cutting me off again. “I’m sorry. I just…can’t. I can’t be here.”
“Brendan, please.”
“Call the police,” he says, not meeting my eyes. “Tell them you’re being stalked and were assaulted. Give them his description. When they arrest him, he’ll start talking about merm…you being…different, and they’ll lock him up in a mental health facility. You’ll be safe.”
He pulls open the driver’s side door, then looks back, meeting my gaze for the first time since I approached him. I open my mouth to speak, to saysomething, but he just shakes his head, and says, “Goodbye, Hali,” before climbing into the car and slamming the door behind him.
He drives away without looking back, and I just stand there, frozen, watching him go until the car disappears around a corner. Blinking at the sting in my eyes, I turn and head toward my house, my footsteps heavy and slow like my legs are made of lead.
When I walk in, Mom’s in the living room with Barb. Taking one look at me with my wet hair, red eyes, and wearing a different outfit than when I left, she tells Barb to take the rest of the day off. That she needs some alone time with me.
“What happened?” she asks as soon as the door closes behind the nurse.
I throw myself onto the chair Barb vacated, then lean over to bury my face in Mom’s lap. She rolls her chair closer and hugs me to her thighs while making shushing noises and softly encouraging me to stop crying and tell her what’s going on.
“Mom,” I gasp through my tears, “it’s over. Everything is ruined.”
“What’s over, honey? What happened?”
“Our life here. Brendan. All of it,” I wheeze out between sobs, and Mom gently grips my shoulders, pulling me up so she can meet my gaze.
“Start from the beginning. You went out for a walk on the beach. What happened next?”
I swallow against the hard knot of emotion clogging my throat, then take a few deep breaths to calm myself enough to get the words out.
