Then I heard a vibrating sound coming through the water. A speedboat. So it wasn’t that I couldn’t hear. I just couldn’t make sounds myself. I swam up and looked out over the water for the boat. It was some distance away but it seemed to be coming in my general direction. I tried saying hello again but, still, there was only silence. I couldn’t talk. …This could be awkward... But maybe I would just hide myself from the people in the boat. Yes, that would probably be better anyway. I let myself sink so that I could just see over the water between the waves.
It was a go-fast boat, the type of ocean-going vessel used by modern-day pirates and smugglers, as I recalled from a news article I’d read on the topic. Pirates! I was curious, so I swam closer to where the boat would pass by.
They were pirates, all right. By the light of the moon, I saw that three of the men carried machine guns. A small group of what looked to be tourists cowered in the middle of the boat. I felt concerned. What would happen to them? As the boat flashed past me, I wondered if there was anything I could do to help. I swam after the boat, as quickly as I could. There was no way I could catch up. The boat’s top speed was much greater than mine! I continued to press on hard after them. Helplessly, I watched the boat get smaller and smaller as it moved farther and farther away.
I saw a splash behind the boat, but the boat didn’t stop. Was someone thrown overboard or had they jumped? Or…I shuddered. Was it a body? I stopped at the place where I had seen the splash. There was no way I could catch up to the boat anyway. I could see nothing above the waves. I looked down under the water. It was dark now and it took my eyes a moment to adjust. Slowly sinking down into the depths was a human form. Fear welled up within me as I dove quickly for the figure. Oh, please, let them be alive! I grabbed the body. There was no movement in response. Please let them just be unconscious! From the size, I judged it to be a man. I hauled him towards air. When I pulled his head and shoulders from the water, he didn’t move. Keeping his head above the surface, I swam towards shore. Somehow I knew the direction. Crying now, I swam as hard as I could. Swimming up to the beach, I placed him gently on the sand. Only then did I get a good look at his face in the moonlight. It was Blaze. Of course it was. If only I had taken CPR! I didn’t know what to do for him. Oh, please, help me save him!
It was then that I noticed the bottle that I had drunk from, lying nearby in the sand, glowing faintly. Unable to stand because of my tail, I dragged myself towards it. Grasping the smooth glass with my fingertips, I pulled it from the sand and peered inside. In the bottom pooled a small amount of the liquid, which now glowed softly. It couldn’t hurt to try. I scooted back towards Blaze.
Brushing the sand from my fingers, I parted his lips. Slowly, I poured the glowing liquid into his mouth. Please let this work! I put the bottle down and watched his face.
His eyes fluttered open. Then he smiled. His lips moved like he was trying to speak, but the words I heard were like thoughts in my head. Thanks, Angel!
I laughed soundlessly but Blaze seemed to hear me because I heard his laughter in my mind. I think we must both thank the High King, I tried to say.
So, this is weird. It’s like I’m hearing your words in my mind instead of from your mouth. Blaze sat up. Whoa! This is beyond weird! I have a tail! No, seriously…I’m a mermaid?! That’s just not cool! Angel…what have you done!?
I couldn’t help but laugh again, at the stricken look on his face. Not a mermaid – that’s for girls. Looks like you’re a merman.
A merman! Blaze shook his head. I never got that. Why is it mermaid and merman? Doesn’t make any sense. It shouldn’t be maid and man; it should be maid and butler! He sighed heavily. Then he put his head down into his palms in mock-grief. Guess I’m a merbutler now.
I groaned but then laughed, in spite of myself. Everything had to be funny with him. But funny was actually …pretty nice.
Blaze laughed too and ran his hand through his hair. The way this day has gone - I seriously hope this is a dream.
A dream. Right. That would make sense. Funny how, usually, it never seemed like a dream; instead, it seemed intensely real, night after night. I refocused my attention on Blaze, who was staring at me. What happened, anyway? I asked him.
The laughter drained from his face. A pirate hit me and I fell overboard. He must have knocked me out cold.
And before that?
I was on a small yacht when pirates attacked. It all happened so quickly. They shot the boat with a rocket or something and then they captured most of us. Except for one family – they were hiding below deck. He sat up straighter and leaned forward, looking at me intently. Maybe we should go see if they’re all right. The boat was taking on water. What if it sinks?
I started moving back into the water. Would you be able to remember the way?
Blaze splashed into the waves beside me. I think so. He swam under the water and out into the deep. I followed. It didn’t seem very long before he surfaced. I’m sure it was somewhere around here.
I looked out over the waves in the darkness. The water looked black, reflecting the dark night sky. I don’t see a boat.
There it is! Blaze pointed off to our left. A white yacht listed in the water, much lower than it should have floated.
I wonder if the pirates came back for them? I asked.
Doubt it. I don’t think they knew there were more people on the boat. Blaze swam towards the yacht. We reached it at the same time. Then he swam around and found a ladder. Hmm…don’t think I can climb this. How do you suppose we should get their attention?
Call?
Blaze laughed in my head. I don’t think we can do that either.
I felt my face flush. Right. Uhhh…Can’t mermaids sing or something?
I’m not much for singing. Why don’t you give it a go?
I opened my mouth to sing the way I’d heard mermaids in movies do but nothing at all came out. Blaze turned away and knocked on the side of the boat. The aluminum rang out, announcing our presence. Maybe this will work. He struck the hull with his fist again and again.
A man’s face peered over the railing. His look of fear shifted to concern as he saw us in the water. “Oh, my! Are you two all right? Can you climb up the ladder there?”
Blaze looked up at the man. We’re fine, actually, just a little worried about you. How’s your boat doing? Are you going to be okay?
“No, I think it’s sinking. We have an inflatable dinghy but no paddles.”
I looked at Blaze in surprise. He can hear us!
Blaze grinned back at me. We have telepathic mermaid powers, don’t you know?
“And just what do you mean, you’re fine? What, are you just going for a swim, in the middle of the ocean, at night?”
Blaze laughed again. Yeah, something like that. If you and your family climb down here with the dinghy, we’ll pull you to shore. It’s not far.
The man squinted down at Blaze. “Hey, weren’t you on the boat with us?”
I was. The pirates took me prisoner with the others. But then one of them didn’t like my attitude so I ended up unconscious in the ocean. My friend here saved me. Blaze gestured towards me.
The boat tilted so that the man almost fell right down on top of us but he caught the railing and managed to find his footing. “We don’t have any choice. This boat is sinking. I’ll get the dinghy and my family.” He staggered away as the boat lurched again.
A few minutes later, he threw an inflated yellow dinghy overboard to us. Then he climbed down the ladder, followed by two scared-looking children, a boy and a girl. Their mother came last. We held the dinghy as they climbed in. Waves splashed into the small craft.
“I don’t know how you can be out swimming on a night like this,” exclaimed the woman. She pulled the children close to her, one on each side, as they settled down in the small inflatable boat.
Blaze took the rope at the front of the boat. Oh, we love the water; it’s like our home. Right, Cara?
That’s righ
t, I confirmed. And we can help you get to shore. It’s no problem.
The family didn’t seem to notice that we didn’t talk from our mouths. Blaze started pulling the dinghy towards shore. I pushed from behind. It was slow going, pushing against the waves. The children were shivering. Finally, we saw the shore. We pushed the inflatable up onto the beach. The father stared with wide eyes at our tails resting in the shallow water.
The children saw too. “The mermaids saved us!” the little girl cried.
Mermaids are girls, Blaze told her. I’m a merbutler. Laughing, we dove back into the waves.
Let’s see who else we can save! I suggested.
Yes, let’s. It’ll be a rescue mission!
***
As the dream faded away, I looked up at the florescent lights of the clinic with a great sense of peace. Dream Cara had again done well, displaying bravery and selflessness. Certainly, entertainment like this would help people, probably more than any movies Blaze was making! Apparently, I was very popular as a Dreamer. Surely this was my calling! Though my life wasn’t perfect and I was alone, I could feel happy because I knew that I was doing what I was supposed to be doing.
After getting dressed, I found Reina waiting for me in the hallway. It had been several weeks since I had seen her last. She spoke quietly.
“Cara, we haven’t been able to resolve the problem. In fact, it’s gotten worse. It looks like you’re not going to be able to work for us much longer. Our scientists haven’t been able to determine why this is happening and, so far, there’s nothing we can do about it.” She shrugged helplessly. “I’m sorry, Cara.”
“I don’t want to accept that.”
“You could quit now or keep going and see how long we can keep the connection open.”
“I want to keep going.”
“Very well. But, please understand, I am serving you official notice. When the connection is lost, you will be terminated.”
“Uhhh… by terminated you mean fired, right? Not executed or something...”
Reina laughed lightly. “Terminated as in fired. Sorry, Cara.”
I turned and leaned my back against the wall. Closing my eyes, I heard the click, click, click of her high-heeled shoes against the tile as she walked away. Would there really be some new phase to my life now? Should I go to college and become a nurse, after all? Or take something else? I did have money saved up. But I didn’t want to do anything else. I loved adventuring every night. Maybe they wouldn’t lose the connection.
Chapter 16 – Super Change
“Are you ready?” I found myself crouched on the roof of a flat building. It was nighttime. I turned to see that I was with the High King again! Only, now, he was crouching beside me, dressed in a gold and red superhero costume. I almost laughed but I didn’t want to offend him.
“Ready to go, Boss,” said a deep voice from my other side. I turned to see who was there. Incredibly, it was Blaze. He was crouched on my other side, dressed in a blue superhero outfit.
The High King looked at me. “I’m ready,” I stammered. “Wait, ready for what?”
“You know, a rescue mission,” said Blaze impatiently.
I looked down at myself. My costume was green and silver. I’d never dreamed of being a superhero. I looked to the High King for confirmation. He nodded, a smile playing on his lips.
He led us across the roof in a walking crouch. Then he sprang off the edge of the roof, out into nothingness. I rushed to the edge of the building and looked down. He landed, with a roll, on a roof ten feet down and five feet away. Blaze took a running start. He also landed with a roll. Blaze brushed himself off as he took his place beside the High King. It was like Blaze had been altered, changed into some sort of superhero.
“I can’t do that!” I called down.
“Of course you can! You are Cara the Warrior Dreamer,” said the High King.
I peered straight down over the edge. Streetlights illuminated a sidewalk far below. This building must be over seven stories high. Nothing happens if you die in a dream, right? But I wasn’t so sure. I held my breath and then slowly let it out. My breathing made wispy fog in the chilly night air. I would try it. I took a running start as Blaze had done. My foot tripped on the edge of the roof and I sprawled into the air. I clutched at nothing. I didn’t even have time to scream before I hit the roof below. I slid to a stop on my belly and my palms. My momentum had carried me across the gap. I gasped for breath but none came. I rolled over onto my back. I’m not a very good superhero.
“You’ll be okay, Cara,” said the High King. “Some things just take practice.” He gently lifted me to my feet. At his touch, I could breathe again. My palms burned. I looked at them. Even in the dim light, I could see that they were bleeding and had gravel embedded in the flesh. “Let me help you with that,” the High King said gently. He brushed off one palm and then the other. I was amazed to see his hands come away clean. The burning faded and I looked down. My skin was whole, like nothing had happened.
“What?” I sputtered.
The High King gave me a brief hug. “Trust me, Cara. It’s all part of the plan.”
“What now?” asked Blaze.
“Here, you’ll need this.” Incredibly, the High King’s sword hung from his belt. I had not noticed it before. He unsheathed it and held it out to me. I hesitated. Blaze took the sword instead.
“It’s still glowing,” he said.
“It is life to you now because you believe. But, today, Cara will use it.”
Blaze held the sword out to me and I took it. “What now?” I asked.
“Just one more jump to make,” said the High King.
He took off running and leapt off the other side of the building. Blaze just followed him, not even bothering to check how far the jump was first. So I followed too. At first, I worried about the sword thumping against my hip as I ran. But, as I launched myself into the air from the edge of the building, I felt that the sword was actually helping me. I landed, bending my knees. I had made it.
I looked at the High King and smiled. But his expression was serious. “It’s time. Listen.” A scrabbling sound came from the other side of the building, down below the roof. “A young man is climbing up to this rooftop. He has stolen goods with him. If there is no intervention, he will jump to the roof of the adjacent building. But the police officer who is chasing him will fall to his death.”
“What are we supposed to do?” I asked frantically.
“Hold the sword at the ready.”
“Okay.” I held the sword up. Blaze and I tensed, getting ready to intervene, whatever that would look like.
As the thief stepped away from the ladder, I held the sword high. “Halt!” I called out. He bolted across the roof. Blaze tackled him to the ground.
“Stop struggling,” I commanded, going closer to them. When the guy got a good look at the sword, he stilled in Blaze’s grip.
“We could use our Spidey super powers now and wrap him up in webbing!” Blaze exclaimed, holding the bewildered-looking youth down on his back on the pavement.
“Or you could use this,” said the High King. A roll of duct tape fell onto the cement beside Blaze.
I couldn’t help but laugh at the disappointed look that flashed across Blaze’s face.
“Now, don’t try to get away,” Blaze threatened as he took the tape and stretched it across the guy. “See that lighty-up blue sword? It’s really sharp. I should know. Just look at my face.” The young man’s eyes went even wider as he took in Blaze’s scar, by the light of the sword. Blaze sat him up and wrapped the tape around and around his body, pinning his arms down by his sides. Then he taped his feet too. “Done!” he exclaimed.
“Now, tell him that it’s not to late to turn his life around,” said the High King.
“What?!” demanded Blaze. “I thought we were here to stop him, not council him!”
The High King shot him a hard look. “Both. You should know that I always give people anoth
er chance.” Blaze dropped his gaze and closed his mouth. “Tell him quickly before the police arrive. They are on their way up the ladder.” The boy didn’t seem to be able to see or hear the High King. He looked from Blaze to me and back to Blaze.
“So what, you gonna kill me now?” he demanded.
“Of course not,” snapped Blaze. “Can Cara do the talking this time?”
The King nodded so I exchanged places with Blaze and gave him the sword. “It’s not too late to turn your life around,” I whispered.
Chapter 17 – FUN Change
I opened my eyes to the white florescent light of the clinic. I sighed. It had been an exciting dream. I sat up and looked around. I was alone. Good. Six days had passed since Reina gave me official notice of my pending termination. Guess the techs finally got it sorted out. Waking up to beeping had been unsettling. I got up and dressed. As I walked through the lobby, the woman at the desk didn’t acknowledge me. She must have been having a bad day.
I sighed. Looked like I was destined to have a bad day too. I had arranged to visit Mom today. Why I had initiated it, I didn’t know. I guess some part of me still wanted her approval, her love. It made me feel small and vulnerable inside and just a little sickened. I wished I didn’t care about her approval anymore. We had planned on going shopping. I groaned inwardly. Shopping really wasn’t my thing. And with Mom…I sighed again. Looking at my watch, I decided to walk. I had plenty of time before I was supposed to be there.
As I walked along the sidewalk, I pulled a granola bar from my jacket pocket. The season was late summer, I guessed, or early fall. It was pretty bad that I didn’t even know what month it was anymore. Come to think of it, I didn’t even know what year it was anymore. I stuffed the last piece of granola bar into my mouth and looked at my watch. The small font above the number read FEB. Obviously, not February. Clearly, my watch was on drugs. This day was getting worse by the minute. I sighed again. Seeing the trees swaying in the gentle breeze cheered my mood a little. Maybe I needed to get out more.
After about an hour, I arrived at home. Well, at my old house, where Mom and Matt still lived. I hesitated on the doorstep. Her car was in the driveway. Should I just go in? I still had the key. Or should I ring the doorbell? I decided that ringing would be the safer bet. I didn’t live there anymore and I didn’t want to give Mom any excuse for getting mad. I pressed the doorbell and heard a chime echo through the house.