Page 34 of A Secret Cornish Wish
‘Suzy’s right,’ I tell him. ‘St Felix in particular has many myths that surround it.’
‘Like the place you work,’ Claire says to me. ‘The flower shop has its own special magic, Rob.’
‘Does it?’ Rob asks, looking at me.
‘Yeah,’ I say, feeling a bit embarrassed. ‘It’s supposed to, anyway. Something to do with special bouquets made up with white ribbon.’
Rob nods, but doesn’t mention the bouquet I made up for him and his mum. ‘So what do you want to do then – throw it back?’
I look at the others.
‘We are the Misfit Mermaids,’ Eddie says, smiling. ‘It seems quite appropriate we should be entrusted with a mermaid’s treasure like this.’
‘What about if we climb up on the rocks and throw it back?’ Rob asks. ‘If we try to roll it back into the sea, it will probably just wash ashore again.’
‘Yes, I think we should do that,’ Claire says, nodding. ‘To give the treasure a good chance of being returned to the mermaid.’
‘You don’t really believe this is a mermaid’s treasure, do you?’ Suzy is looking with concern at Claire. ‘You know there’s no such thing?’
‘You don’t know that, Suzy,’ Claire says. ‘Just because you think you know everything about the sea and the beach. There are some things that can’t always be explained.’
‘Yes,’ Suzy says. ‘I know science has a lot yet to teach us about nature. But whether mermaids are real or not isn’t one of those things.’
‘What about that tail Eddie saw a little while ago?’ Claire says defiantly. ‘Frankie and Rob have both seen it too. The way they described it sounds exactly like a mermaid’s tail to me.’ She looks to me for backup.
‘It could be, I suppose?’ I reply carefully, keen to remain impartial. Suzy and Claire are both my friends – I don’t want to side with one over the other. ‘It did appear to be what you might imagine one would be like.’
Suzy shakes her head. ‘Rob?’ she asks. ‘Surely you don’t think it was a mermaid’s tail you saw?’
Rob stares at Suzy with wide eyes, then he looks across at me and at Claire. He’s now caught in the same quandary. Whatever he says, it’s going to cause trouble.
‘Do I think it was a mermaid we saw – no, probably not. But if you’re asking me if it looked like a mermaid’s tail might – then I’d have to say yes, it did,’ he answers very diplomatically.
‘You see?’ Claire says. ‘It’s the mermaid’s treasure. If we throw it back, she will grant us a wish.’
‘All of us, or just one?’ Eddie asks.
‘If we all push it back, then I guess we are all worthy of a wish being granted,’ I say, looking at the barrel again. ‘Anyway, it looks pretty awkward to lift, so it will probably take all of us to get it up on the rocks. I say we give it a go.’
With difficulty, we all manage to hoist the barrel up to the top of one of the clusters of rocks that surround Morvoren Cove.
‘Ready?’ Robs asks as we all balance a little precariously on the rocks, with the waves splashing at our feet.
‘Does everyone know what they are going to wish for?’ I ask, looking at the others.
‘Can I wish I don’t have a little sister?’ Mandy says, grinning. ‘Hetty has been a pain in the arse recently. I wouldn’t mind being an only child for a while!’
‘Mandy, you must take this seriously,’ Claire says with a stern face. ‘It isn’t a joke.’
Mandy nods. ‘Sorry, Claire. I’ll behave. So how are we going to do this, then? Do we all do it one at time, or all together?’
‘We have to keep our wishes secret or they won’t come true,’ Claire says, wobbling a little on the rocks.
‘Careful, Claire,’ I tell her.
‘We’re not cutting a birthday cake,’ Eddie says. ‘Why do we have to keep them secret?’
‘Guys!’ Robs calls from below me, where he’s taking the majority of the weight of the barrel with Eddie. ‘Can we hurry up and do this, please, or I might be washed away like the maid was soon. This barrel is heavy!’
