The darkened skies and quiet streets did little to ease my apprehension as I pulled my suitcase down the road to meet Brendan. The wheels screeched and chirped over every piece of gravel, giving me a panic attack each time I thought someone might see me.
It had been relatively easy to sneak out of my house, especially since it hadn’t been the first time I’d done it. My parents and my sister were sound asleep thanks to the day’s exhausting events. Since my bags were already packed, I’d only had one more task before leaving. I wrote a note to Kain. It was short and simple, and probably didn’t do him any justice, but I didn’t want everyone thinking the worst had happened. He needed to know that I was safe and wasn’t coming back. I left it on the middle of my bed beside my cell phone that could no longer be used to contact me.
The hum of Brendan’s car made my heart flutter. He waited at the end of the road for me just like he’d promised. The old Honda purred, seeming to approve of our escape. Brendan walked around the front of the car to grab my bag, but not before stealing a kiss.
“You made it,” he said with an air of relief.
“Of course I did. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” My smile stretched from ear to ear as I climbed into the front seat. With one more kiss, we were off, leaving California forever and starting our wonderful new life together.
We drove through the night and the entire next day, stopping only for gas and food when absolutely necessary. Brendan would drive for a couple of hours while I slept and then we’d switch. By early Sunday evening, we finally made it across the mighty Mississippi and into Tennessee. Driving through the mountains was peaceful and breathtaking. Although we were used to forests and trees at home, this was a different type of scenery all together. I lowered my window to take in the scents of wet ground, cool fog, and crisp mountain air. There appeared to be more conservation areas around than people, so when we pulled into the parking lot of a secluded mountain lodge, I was rather surprised to see as many cars and campers as we did.
“Do we have reservations?” I asked. I didn’t think Brendan had made any concrete plans since we didn’t know how far we’d travel each day.
“Just stay here,” he said with a mischievous grin and jumped out of the car.
I watched him walk into the main office before really looking around. The hotel was built like a large cabin with giant tree trunks making up the walls. It was two stories high and boasted a large deck with a railing made out of smaller tree branches running along the edge. There seemed to be a little restaurant on the far end of the first floor and I guessed there to be no more than fifty rooms.
Brendan jogged back to the car with a piece of paper in his hand. He opened my door and bowed with a wave of his hand. “Right this way,” he said.
I followed him up the outdoor stairway to a room at the end of the second floor. He used the key to open the wooden door and then effortlessly lifted our suitcases inside. The room was exactly what I would picture the interior of a cabin to look like. Light wood planks that smelled like cedar lined the walls and ceiling. A king-sized four poster bed encompassed most of the open space, allowing just enough of a footprint for two bedside tables and one dresser along the opposite wall.
Brendan started digging through his large suitcase that he’d thrown on top of the bed. I, on the other hand, kept staring at the bed realizing this would be the first night he and I ever spent alone together. Butterflies twisted in my stomach at the thought. We’d always been close, but our relationship had not yet gone to the next and final step. Would tonight be the night? Was I ready for this?
Brendan’s laugh startled me. “Come on. Get changed. I have something I want to show you.”
“Changed? What kind of change? Where are we going?”
“For a swim,” he replied nonchalantly.
I looked back out the open door and into the never-ending landscape of trees, rocks, and mountains. “And just where are we supposed to go swimming?”
He unlocked a compartment hidden at the bottom of his suitcase and pulled out his seal skin. Holding it up in the air he peeked around it and grinned at me. “It’s a surprise.”
Pointing to his furry suit I asked, “Aren’t people going to suspect something when they see a seal swimming in the middle of Tennessee?”
“Not when it’s dark. Now come on, let’s go.”
I rolled my eyes and shrugged my shoulders while closing the door behind me. Apparently, Brendan had a plan and I trusted him completely. I found my swim suit and robe, even though both were completely unnecessary for me. But it helped to keep up appearances should someone see us.
It took me only a few minutes into our hike before I wondered again what the plan was. It was nearly dark at the hotel, but in the massive wooded lands, nighttime had already settled in. I wasn’t dressed right, nor did I have the proper shoes for the thirty minute adventure into the forest. Even though we walked on a beaten path, it was covered in fresh mud and puddles making it difficult to navigate. Especially in a pair of sandals.
I was just about to ask how much further, when Brendan suddenly stopped and sighed. My foot slipped and I reached out to grab his shoulder before landing in a pile of mud. When I looked up, I saw what had caught his eye. In front of us was a tranquil mountain lake surrounded by a sharp rock cliff on one side and endless forests on the others. The pine tree branches made an archway for us to pass through and the moon highlighted the water’s surface like a mirror.
“Wow,” I breathed.
Brendan grabbed my hand and we walked the remaining few steps to the edge of the bank. Large pieces of rock lay scattered along the beach area and we carefully balanced on the mini boulders as we made our way to the water. Without saying a word, we stripped out of our clothes. I dove into the water to encourage my change while Brendan became his seal. With little effort, he wrapped his skin over his shoulders, dropped to the ground, and shimmered several seconds before the transformation was complete. He once told me it was like entering a dream for him. No pain, no twisting of bones and sinew. Just a transformation to a different state. I envied him.
The cool water was more akin to our California stomping grounds, but it was much calmer and clearer. Sharp rays of moonlight danced around just under the surface and the depths of the lake reflected back a dark abyss. There were very few animals to see, but it didn’t matter. I’d never been here before, so the exploration alone was enough to keep me occupied.
Brendan and I swam together, investigating the lake’s perimeter. When a seal, human communication was impossible, but we were so attuned to each other that words were no longer necessary. Large underwater outcroppings and the animals sleeping beneath soon became our biggest curiosity. We dove and leapt around at the surface not really feeling the need to explore the deeper, darker waters in the center of the lake. It was as if something warned us to stay away.
I don’t know how long we were in the water until he signaled for us to head back to shore. We changed and moved several of the small rocks out of the way so that we could lie on the beach with some type of comfort. Nestled in his arms, Brendan used his seal skin to wrap around our naked bodies. Neither of us wanted to leave yet, so we stayed there, content with exhaustion and the elation of being next to each other. We’d found a new sanctuary.
I’d nearly drifted off to sleep when Brendan suddenly tensed. I sat up and pulled the fur tighter around my body. “What is it?”
“I don’t know,” he replied while scanning the lake back and forth with his eyes.
I followed his lead but didn’t see anything. I was just about to say that, when I noticed the water rippling slightly in the center of the lake. “Do you see that?” I whispered.
He nodded and hugged me closer to him. The ripples became larger and larger until it almost appeared as though the lake was bubbling from underneath. A dense fog began to form around the water’s edges and moved like smoky tendrils reaching out toward the area of disturbance. We watched in awe as the fog swirled around in a
circle, almost like a slow tornado, until it began moving in our direction. The forest suddenly grew silent and I no longer felt as welcomed as before. But we couldn’t move. The sight was too amazing.
From the boiling center of the lake, water droplets rose and moved together in a pattern like millions of tiny synchronized swimmers. In a few moments, a human shape appeared as the water particles molded with each other to become one. The figure floated toward us on the water’s surface waving its arms around and controlling the fog. Colors materialized in and out of the being until her body appeared almost corporal. Long, blonde hair that disappeared into the depths of the lake seemed to have a mind of its own as each piece ebbed and flowed throughout the air and fog.
“He was telling the truth,” Brendan whispered in awe and I whipped my head toward him.
“What?”
But he didn’t have a chance to answer. The beautiful women in front of us made a noise almost like a hiss and a growl rolled in one. She still floated on the water’s surface and her body was now at least ten feet tall.
Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath she said, “Who are you?”
We didn’t move and we didn’t speak. I think we were still admiring this creature but it may also have been due to fear. She breathed in again and then reached forward to touch my chin. Her watery hands dripped down into my lap as she turned my head from side to side. A piece of her hair reached toward me from around her shoulder and grabbed a lock of mine, lifting it out from underneath the seal skin and letting it fall to my back.
Suddenly, she hissed and pulled away from me with a look of horror on her face.
“A mermaid.” Her voice came out in a breath and washed over my mind like a warm blanket. I thought she might be intrigued, but her eyes seemed wide with fear.
“And you,” she turned toward Brendan. “I have not seen one of your kind in quite some time.” She stood back up and looked beyond us into the forest. The dancing hair continued to move with a mind of its own while she stayed silent. “Yes, it has been many years.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off of her even though I wanted to ask Brendan what she was. I had never encountered a creature like this.
“I am a naiad, little mermaid, and I am the protector of this lake.” She answered as though hearing my thoughts. “I did,” she said abruptly and I swear I saw her face change into something dark and nightmarish. “Now, tell me what you want.”
“We…we don’t want anything,” I stuttered, thinking that it would be better to say it out loud instead of having her pick it from my brain.
A ghost of a smile played at the corners of her mouth as she listened to my inner analysis. “Are you sure?” She answered me but looked at Brendan. Snakelike arms of fog and hair continued to float around her face and body. I followed her focus and was surprised to see Brendan looking bashful.
“Forgive us for the intrusion, but we are seeking guidance.”
What was he talking about?
“I would like to know that myself, mermaid,” she said while answering my unspoken question.
“My father told me about you a long time ago. We’re embarking on a great journey and I would like to know if all will be well.”
The naiad swooped down and plucked the seal skin from around us. We dropped to the stones and stared up at her in utter disbelief and in complete nakedness. She rubbed the fur all around her face and body in an almost sensual manner. I turned away for fear of interrupting a private moment.
“Yes, I remember him.” She hissed while continuing to sniff and caress the seal skin. “I remember him well.”
Her head snapped down and she stared at Brendan. It was then that I noticed her eyes. An almost iridescent lavender color, I swear they were glowing. She gently placed the skin back over the top of our bodies while wisps of her hair embraced us like a hug. Water dripped onto the skin making small plopping noises. She looked directly at me again and I saw another hint of fear playing behind those large shiny eyes.
“You have much to learn little mermaid. Your journey will not be long.” It was all she said before turning away in a spray of water droplets. Her body began to fade amongst a mirage of tiny bubbles and endless fog.
“What do you mean?” Brendan called after her, but it was too late.
I think I heard her laugh as the last of her figure disappeared beneath the surface. Instantly, the sky cleared and the forest became alive again with a cacophony of chirping crickets and peeping frogs. I was momentarily stunned at what had just occurred, until I remembered Brendan’s question.
“You knew about her? About naiads?”
“Kind of. My dad used to tell me a bedtime story, and I thought that was all it was until I found this lake on a map. I figured it couldn’t hurt to check for sure.”
“But naiads are supposed to be extinct.” At least that’s what we had always been taught. Once they inhabited all types of bodies of water, but increased pollution and a growing human population made it difficult for them to survive. In fact, all of the water sprite lines had supposedly disappeared.
“Don’t tell this one,” he teased.
“So what do you think she meant about our journey not being long? Does that mean that something’s going to happen or that we’re almost finished? Because we’ll be at the coast tomorrow.”
Brendan ran his hand through his hair. “It’s hard to say. They’re kind of like genies when it comes to evading and fortune telling.” I must have looked pitiful because Brendan continued to explain. “Neither is known for giving you a direct answer. And usually there will be a million different ways to interpret their words.”
“So why did we come here?” I asked.
He smiled. “To see if she was real.”
“Yeah, okay. That was pretty cool,” I agreed.
He squeezed me one more time before standing. We dressed and walked the complicated path back to the hotel. The moonlight struggled to reach through the pines but our night vision was good enough to get by. I let Brendan lead the way and tried to step wherever he did.
My mind drifted since we didn’t speak much on the return trip. Today was Sunday; my wedding day. I wondered how things were going back at home with Kain and my family. Did he get my note? Did he hate me more than anything? My only comfort was in knowing that our friends were there and that they could provide him some sort of comfort for a while. That thought made me feel lonely when I realized that I’d also lost all of my friends. I couldn’t even tell them about the naiad.
It was just Brendan and me now.
It was almost midnight before we made it back to the room. I decided to take a shower and Brendan told me he would get us some snacks. We’d skipped dinner to go swimming in the lake, but it had been worthwhile. The warm shower water almost took the chill out of my body, but I suspected that the remnants buried deep within wouldn’t go away any time soon.
I’d wrapped myself in the fluffy robe supplied by the lodge by the time Brendan got back to the room. He stuck his head around the door and called out to me. “Close your eyes.”
“Why?”
He stomped his foot. “Just close them. And face the bathroom.”
I did as he asked but listened to him shut the door and sneak up behind me. Pretending not to hear him, I stood still.
“Okay, open them.”
I did. He stood in front of me in a pair of jeans, no shirt, and with a vending machine cupcake in his hands. There was a single pink candle in the center and a cheap lighter hidden in his palm. “Happy birthday, Evs.”
“It’s not my birthday yet,” I argued.
He jerked his chin toward the bedside table behind me and I turned to see that the clock showed it was five minutes past twelve. Today was my eighteenth birthday. I smiled at him and felt a few tears building in my eyes. He remembered when I’d forgotten.
“Make a wish,” he said.
I squeezed my eyes shut and wished for happiness. I know that was a pretty vague wish,
like asking for world peace, but I just wanted everyone in my life to be happy and content. Especially those I left behind. I blew out the candle and wrapped my arms around his waist. My head rested against his bare chest and my nerves began to buzz again. We were totally alone and he was only partially dressed. I looked up at him wanting to feel his lips against mine. But when I lifted up on my toes, a piece of cupcake flew toward my mouth. He smashed it against my teeth before I had a chance to take a bite.
“What’s wrong with you? Why can’t you eat like a normal person?” he teased just before another piece of chocolate got smeared down my cheek. I pushed at him, but only half heartedly because I was laughing too hard. Every time I tried to snatch the cupcake off the plate, I’d get another smudge of chocolate icing somewhere on my body.
“I just took a shower you know,” I yelled at him.
“Well, if you’d stop smearing chocolate all over your face, you wouldn’t need another one.”
This continued until both cupcakes from the packet painted our skin. I washed my face while Brendan picked up the crumbs on the hardwood floor. When finished, he climbed into the shower and I collapsed onto the bed. The soft sheets wrapped smoothly around my naked body like a second skin.
I decided to make my move. Brendan had always been patient with me, but now I was eighteen and I intended to stay with him the rest of my life. There was nothing stopping us from moving forward in every aspect of our relationship now. I heard the shower turn off and my heart climbed into my throat. This was it.
The lights were out but I stayed tucked under the covers anyway. I heard him playing around in his suitcase for what seemed like an hour before he finally crawled into bed next to me.
“Are you awake?” he whispered.
In response, I rolled over on top of him and kissed his soft lips. My hands held his head in place and he didn’t make any attempt to move at first.
“You’re naked,” he stated between ragged breaths.
“Yes, and I’m eighteen.”
I continued to seduce him in the only way I knew how. Soon, his hands began to wander over my body, exploring areas that he was already familiar with and some that were newly discovered for both of us. I’d never felt so close to anyone in my life and I just knew this was right for us. Here, in this amazing lodge, on my birthday. I began to pull at the top of his pajama pants.
His hand grabbed mine and stopped my intentions. “Are you sure about this?” He was gasping for air and I could tell that his control slipped away with each touch.
“Yes,” I breathed into his mouth and any last sign of restraint disappeared from both of us.
We spent a wonderful night together followed by a prolonged morning enjoying each other’s company and love. It was perfect.
When the time came to check out of the room, we reluctantly got out of bed but still managed to take one last shower together. Breakfast had already ended in the restaurant, so we got on the road and continued on our drive to the Maryland coast. We held hands the entire time. It felt like I couldn’t get enough of him and breaking contact, for even a moment, seemed wrong. We talked, and laughed, and planned for our future. I was saturated in love and I knew that, no matter what the consequences might be, I was meant to be with Brendan.