Chapter 7.
Three days pass and Ariel is getting annoyed. “Eric I’m going out.”
“No it’s dangerous.” He stands in the door way.
“Eric!” She glairs at him. “I’ll be an hour and if I’m not back by then come and look for me.”
“Ariel you are not going anywhere.”
“Eric I’m tired of being cooped up in here.”
“It’s been three days.”
“Exactly that’s too long for me.”
“Oh alright, half an hour and stick to the beach.”
“Ok, I’ll see you later and then me, you and Melody can go for a picnic.” Ariel kisses Eric and sets off out. Ariel walks the length of the beach and stops to watch a pod of dolphins. “Psst, Ariel.” She turns round then looks down.
“What do you want?” She steps back. Coral looks up at her.
“I want to say sorry.” She hands Ariel a package. Ariel takes it. “Why, what is this?”
“It’s a good luck charm and the reason is I have finally learnt the true meaning of family.”
“Oh.” Coral swims off and leaves Ariel.
“What did she want?” Flounder pops up.
“Huh? Oh she gave me a charm.”
“A what?”
“A good luck charm.” Ariel kneels down and opens the package. She holds a stone bird in her hand. She strokes its head. “Ow.” It pricks her finger. “Urm I’ll see you later Flounder.”
“Will do.” He turns and swims away.
When Ariel gets back Eric runs up to her. “Are you hurt? Did anything happen?”
“Eric I’m fine!” She smiles at him “Now go and get Max and the picnic basket we’re going on a picnic.”
“Ok where to?” Ariel walks past him.
“It’s a secret I’m going to Melody.” She walks off and goes up to Melody’s room. “Now then young lady!”
“Mom, urm I was just urm.”
“Melody I need you to look after something.” She gets the figure out of her pocket and gives it to Melody. “Why?”
“Because your father doesn’t know I have it.”
“Oh, ok.”
“Now let’s go and have some fun.” She puts her arm around her. When they get downstairs Eric is waiting for them. “So where are we going?” He opens the door. “You’ll have to wait and see.” Ariel smiles at him. “Just follow me.” They head off up the beach and up onto the grass. Max runs off in front. “Max, wait up boy!” Eric calls after him. Ariel runs to the top of the grassy incline. “Come on you’ll miss the view!” Ariel walks up to the top of the cliff. “This is where I come to think.” She turns around to see Melody and Eric slowly walking to the top. Ariel looks down. “I feel dizzy.” She collapses and falls off the cliff. Eric runs to the edge. “Ariel!” He goes to jump off the cliff after her. “Dad no!” Melody grabs his arm. “We’ll both go down in the boat.”
They run back down to the beach. Eric drags the boat out. “Melody, take Max home. I’ll go find your mother.” He rows off.
“But...” Melody starts to argue.
“No buts just do it!” He shouts at her. She walks off.
“Come on boy, Max!” Eric rows towards the bottom of the cliff.
“Hang on darling I’m coming.” He stops rowing and starts to search for Ariel. Then he sees her and grabs her just as she is about to sink. “I’ve got you.” He pulls her up into the boat. “Ariel? Ariel are you ok?” He holds her in his arms. She coughs and opens her eyes.”Eric, what happened?” She tries to sit up. “I’m cold, very cold.” She shivers and Eric hugs her. “You’re ok now, god you’re freezing.” He starts to row back to shore. “Come on out you get.” He helps Ariel out of the boat and onto the beach.
“Eric I can do it myself.”
“Are you sure?” He puts his arm around her shoulders.
“Yes I’m sure.” He lets go and steps back.
“Ok if you’re sure.” Ariel stumbles through the door.
“Mom, thank god you’re ok!” Melody throws her arms around Ariel. “Come on.” She helps her mother up stairs and into the bedroom. “Melody.” Ariel looks at her daughter. “Could you ask Carlota to bring me some tea. I’m absolutely freezing.”
“Yes of course, you feel freezing.” She pulls the covers over Ariel. She goes out of the room and into her own room. Melody takes the stone bird out of her dresser and puts it in her pocket. She then goes down stairs and tells Carlota to get her mother some tea.
Melody goes out of the front door and bumps into Eric. “Whoa there Melody where do you think you’re going?”
“To see Flounder and Sebastian.”
“Why?”
“Because they’re my friends and I haven’t seen them in a while.”
“Ok, but be careful.”
“I will don’t worry.” She kisses him on the cheek. Eric goes back inside and Melody goes down to the boat. Melody rows out to sea and then dives in. She swims down to Flounder’s cave. When she gets there Flounder comes out. “Melody what are you doing here?” Melody smiles at him and points to the surface. They swim up and Melody climbs into the boat. She shows him the stone bird. “Flounder I think there is more to this than meet the eye.”
“Mmm, I don’t know give it here.” He holds out his fin. She gives it him and he goes to hit it on the boat. “Wait what are you doing?” Melody shouts at him.
“I think it’s hollow.”
“Ok, do it.” He smashes it.
“Just as I thought.”
“Flounder what is that?” she points to the liquid on one of the fragments. “Look.” He looks down at it. “Mmmm, I wonder.” He looks up at Melody. “Do you have a cut?”
“A what?”
“A cut on your hand or arm.”
“Yes why?”
“Scratch it.”
“What?!”
“Scratch it and make it bleed.”
“Ok.” Melody scratches her hand. “Now what?”
“Put some of the blood onto this.” He holds the fragment up to her, she does as her told her and the blood starts to bubble. Flounder looks up at Melody. “That is what is happening inside your mother.”
“What can I do?”
“Nothing, I’m sorry Melody.”
“Flounder I can see it in your eyes.”
“Ok, there is one thing we can do.”
“We? No Flounder I have to do it on my own.”
“But Melody it’s dangerous.”
“I don’t care.” Flounder sighs.
“Ursula’s magic.” Melody looks at him confused.
“Alright, how will it help?”
“Mix it with milk and make your mother drink it. It will make the poison stop in its tracks.”
“Good I’ll see you later.” She thanks Flounder and swims off towards Morgona’s cave.
Mean while Eric meets Carlota half way up the stairs. “Let me.” He takes the tea tray off her and carries on up the stairs. “Eric is everything alright?” Carlota smiles at him. “Urm yeah, yeah everything is fine.” He walks into their bedroom. “Hey honey how are you feeling?” He gives her the tea. Ariel smiles at him.
“Cold.” She puts the cup on the bed side table and takes Eric’s hand. “Eric where is Melody?”
“She went to see Flounder, why?”
“Why did you let her go? You know where she’ll go next don’t you?”
“I told her to come straight home.” Ariel gets out of bed. “Where are you going?” Eric blocks her way. “Out to find our daughter.”
“Ariel you know Melody she’ll be fine.”
“You’re right.” Ariel hugs him. She feels a sharp pain in her chest.
“Ariel are you ok?”
“Yes, Eric do me one last thing and Find Melody.”
“I will and you will be fine.”
“I hope so.” She kisses him and Eric goes out of the room.
Back in the boat Melody has reached the cave. “Ok let’s find th
at bottle and get out of here.” She steps onto the ice and walks over to the shelves. Melody searches every shelf but the bottle she is looking for is not there. “Where could that be, hum?” She walks over to a big cupboard. Melody starts to go through all the boxes in the cupboard. “It’s not here either.”
“Looking for this?” Melody turns round and gasps.
“Coral give me the bottle.”
“Melody!” Eric runs into the cave.
“Dad?”
“Oh good you can watch each other die!” Coral laughs. “Oh but who’s going to watch Ariel die?”
“Dad you have to go home I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure you’ll be ok on your own?”
“She won’t be alone.” Both Eric and Melody look into the water.
“Flounder?”
“I told you not to follow me.”
“Ok, ok enough of the social gathering. Oh and Eric before you go keep this in mind, Ariel only has half an hour left I’m sure she’s dying to see you.”
“Oh, no Ariel!” Eric runs out of the cave.
“Now where were we? Oh yes. Looking for this?” She holds the bottle out of Melody’s reach. “Wait a minute you’ve got legs.” Melody steps back in surprise.
“Yes I have nice of you to notice.” Melody runs at Coral and they start to fight over the bottle. “Hey, why don’t you pick on someone your own size?!”
“Tip, Dash what are you doing here?” Coral looks at Dash and smiles.
“Someone like you?”
“Oops!” They swim off.
Meanwhile Eric has made it back to the palace. He runs upstairs to where Ariel is. “Ariel?” He walks up to the bed.
“Eric it feels like I’m boiling from the inside out.” He takes her hand in his.
“Ariel don’t worry you’ll be ok you always are when these things happen.”
“Eric, Eric! You’re babbling like Flounder.”
“I’m sorry.” He kisses her hand. Eric starts to cry.
“Eric what’s the matter?” Ariel hugs him.
“You’re going to die and it’s my fault.”
“What do you mean?”
“I shouldn’t have let you go out.”
“Eric don’t blame yourself.” She kisses him. “I love you Eric, I loved you the first time I saw you.” She lays back on the pillow and Eric squeezes her hand.
“I love you too.”
“Where’s Melody?”
“She’s with Flounder, don’t worry.” Eric pats her shoulder.
Back in the cave Melody and Coral are still fighting. “You do know she only has ten minutes.” Coral laughs.
“Give me the bottle!” Melody jumps to try and grab it but she misses and slams into the wall. Melody falls to the floor. “Now why would I do that?”
“Because I know what you want.”
“You think?”
“Yes, you want a family.” Melody stands up. “You want a family and because you don’t have one you think no-one else can have one.”
“You don’t know anything. You are the one who took my family, so I will take yours.” She opens a door. “Two down, seven to go.” Melody looks into the room.
“Grandfather!” She runs into the room and kneels down next to him. “Grandfather are you alright?” He opens his eyes.
“Melody get out of here save yourself.”
“Yes and you better hurry the clock is ticking.” Coral laughs and throws the bottle at Melody. She catches it, kisses King Triton and runs out of the room.
In the palace there is the sound of Ariel’s painful cries. Eric sits next to her. He puts his hands around her wrist. “It’s ok you’ll be fine.” He kisses her hand.
“I’m sorry Eric.” Then Melody bursts into the room.
“Mom!” Ariel turns her head and then she goes limp. Her hand flops down. “I’m too late.” Eric places Ariel’s hand on her chest and turns to Melody.
“You did your best.” He hugs her. “It’s alright Melody we’ll be alright.” Melody pulls away. “Wait maybe if I give her just a little bit she’ll wake up.”
“Well give it a go it might work.” Eric smiles at her. Melody climbs onto the bed and pours some of the potion into Ariel’s mouth. “Come on mom fight back I know you can.” She hugs Ariel’s body.
“Melody, I’m sorry but...”
“No, I’m not giving up. You can if you want but I won’t!” She sits up. “Coral!”
“What?” Eric stands up. Melody stands up and jumps off the bed. She runs out of the room and down the stairs closely followed by Eric. “Melody wait, what about Coral?” He grabs her arm. “Melody!” She pulls her arm away.
“Stay here, I’m not loosing you as well dad.” Before Eric can argue she runs out of the door and jumps into the sea.
When Melody reaches the cave she takes a deep breath then slowly swims in. Coral is sitting in the middle of the floor mixing up another poison. “Oh Melody how nice of you to join me, I mean us.”
“Coral!” Melody runs at her and pushes her over. “You have gone too far, you have killed my mother and now you will release my grandfather of I will kill you.” Melody screams. “Is that so?” Coral laughs. “Silly child you really think I’m going to give up just like that?” Coral throws herself at Melody. “Hopefully, yes.” Melody jumps out of the way. They start to fight. “How is your mother?” Coral laughs. Melody pushes her into the wall. “You know exactly how she is you’re the one who killed her!” She goes to punch Coral but she ducks and Melody punches the wall instead. “You know what? I don’t know how your mother could be so stupid.”
“What do you mean?” Melody leans up against the wall.
“She actually believed that I had found the true meaning of family.” She squat down in front of Melody. “The best part was that she didn’t even know.” Melody kicks her. Coral falls to the floor. “You lied to her and now she is gone!” Melody starts to cry and then she hears Flounder. “Melody what’s wrong?” She wipes her eyes.
“Flounder look out!” She shouts just as Coral throws a rock into the water.
“Whoa, I’ll come back Melody don’t worry.” Flounder swims away.
“Well he is a real friend.” Coral laughs.
“Yes, he is he’s just a bit of a guppy.” Melody stands up.
“God you and your friends are so pathetic.” Coral grabs Melody’s arm. She struggles and then grabs Coral’s other arm. They wrestle and then break up. Coral steps back and Melody does the same. “You’re the pathetic one.”
“And how does that work?”
“Well you did kill my mother the one who raised me.” Coral just laughs. She pushes Melody and she falls. Melody looks around for anything that she could use as a weapon. She sees some icicles hanging from the ceiling. She breaks off one of the bigger ones and throws herself at Coral. They both fall to the floor. Melody holds Coral to the floor. “I’m not scared of you!” Melody tells Coral through gritted teeth. Coral laughs at Melody. “Go on then do it, or are you not a murderer like, well like me.” Melody drops the icicle. “I’m nothing like you.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“You are going to release my grandfather and then you are going to leave here and never come back!”
“As you wish but before I go I have to do one last thing.” She pushes Melody back into the wall. Melody gets to her feet. “And what would that be?”
“T finally make sure that you are gone.” She grabs Melody and ties her up. She gags her. “Now here’s your first request.” Coral opens the door to the room where King Triton is and drags him out. “Melody!” He shouts, Melody just looks at him, her eyes wide and scared. “Let he go Coral or I’ll!”
“You’ll what? You haven’t got this.” She shows him the trident. “Now get out of here!” He submerges and swims off. Coral turns to Melody. She ties the trident to Melody and then puts her in a boat. “Let’s go out.” She rows out of the cave and out to Atlantica. She un gags
Melody but puts her hand over Melody’s mouth. “Do you want to see your grandfather on last time?” She takes her hand away. “What are you going to do to me?” Coral takes a small vile out of her pocket. “You are going to take this.” She pegs Melody’s nose and pours the contents down her throat. “Now your chest will start to hurt right about now.” She picks Melody up and drops her into the water. “Bye bye forever!” She rows away.
Back at the palace Eric is getting worried about Melody. “She’s been gone ages, maybe I should go, no she told me to stay here.” He decides to go back up to the bedroom. He opens the door. Ariel hasn’t moved from the position he left her in. He sits on the side of the bed and holds her hand. Eric hears a bang outside on the balcony. “Melody is that you?” He stands up and walks out on to the balcony. He starts to look for Melody. Someone grabs him from behind and covers his mouth. Then a muffled voice whispers in his ear. “If you want them to live come with me and don’t say a word.” Eric nods and leads the way down stairs to the back door. The mysterious person leads Eric to a boat. They climb in and then the voice says. “Row until I say stop.” Eric nods again and starts to row.
In Atlantica news has reached Sebastian of Melody. He rushes into the throne room. “Your majesty, I have some bad news.”
“Well I don’t want to hear it Sebastian. I’m not in the mood now leave me in peace.” “But sire it’s about Melody.”
“Why didn’t you say so? Is she alright? Where is she? Is she in danger?” He looks at Sebastian. “I was going to tell you. No, she is not ok, she’s in a house at the other side of the reef and I don’t know.”
“Well let’s go then!” He picks Sebastian up and swims off. “Urm show me witch house Sebastian.” Sebastian leads him to the house of a young couple. “Where is she?” King Triton bellows. “Through here sire.” The man shows him to a room where Melody is lying. “When we found her she had this tied to her.” The man passes King Triton the trident and a rope. “Thank you so much, I really don’t know how to thank you.”
“It was nothing sir really.” The man and woman hug each other. “We lost our daughter it’s the least we could do.” The woman smiles at King Triton. He picks Melody up and takes her back to the palace. When he gets there he takes her to his daughters’ room and puts her on Ariel’s bed. He waves the trident over her and then Adela comes in. “Father is it Ariel again?”
“Yes, but this is Melody.” He moves out of the way Adela swims up to the bed.
“Daddy why our family?” She hugs him and he hugs her back.
“I don’t know but what I do know is whoever did this is going to pay.” He swims out of the room and into the garden. He sits at the base of the statue. “Oh Athena our little Ariel is all grown up now and getting into trouble all the time. What can I do to help her?” He looks up and sees the shadow of a boat. “Ariel?” He swims up but the boat disappears.
Up in the boat Eric is still rowing. “Row faster!” He feels something poke his back. Soon they come to an island. Eric slows down. “Stop here.” He beaches the boat and stands with his back to the boat. The muffled voice says. “Turn around and face me.” Eric does as he is told. The person in the boat takes the scarf from around their face. “Coral!” Eric steps back.
“That’s right now let’s play a little game.” She holds two small bottles out. “One of these bottles contains normal water, the other poison.”
“And what do I get from this?”
“Well either way Ariel and Melody will live so which one will it be Eric?” Eric sighs and chooses a bottle. He goes to change his mind. “No swapping, now drink!” Eric gulps, he undoes the bottle top and swallows its contents. Coral leans over to him. “You chose the wrong one.” Eric collapses onto the sand. She laughs and rows away. Coral drops a small bottle with a note attached into the water above Atlantica and rows to shore.
When she gets there she dresses like a maid servant and, with the bottle safe in a secret pocket, goes into the palace using the back door. She makes her way up the stairs and into Eric and Ariel’s bedroom. Coral makes sure no one has followed her and then she pours the contents of the bottle into Ariel’s mouth. Ariel wakes up and looks around. “Eric?”
“No, my dear.” Coral stands next to the bed. Ariel gasps.
“Coral, what do you want?”
“Oh I just wanted to tell you that you have half an hour to find your sweetheart and that only your voice can wake him up. Good luck.” She disappears in a puff of smoke. Ariel coughs. “Eric!” She gets out of bed and goes downstairs. She sneaks out of the back door then down to the beach. Ariel jumps into the sea and starts to swim to Atlantica but when she is about half way there Flounder surfaces. “Ariel thank god it’s you. Come on quickly.” He turns to swim away.
“Flounder are you forgetting something?”
“No I don’t think I am.”
“Well how about the fact that I am a human and believe it or not I cannot breathe underwater!”
“Oh wait here and I’ll get your father.” Flounder swims off.
A few moments later Flounder reappears with King Triton. “Ariel thank god you’re alright.”
“What’s the matter Daddy?” Ariel pushes her hair out of her face.
“Melody, I have received a bottle. The note attached said it would wake her but I’m not sure. So what would you like to do?” He sees the worry in her face and waves the trident under the water. Ariel shivers as her legs turn to a tail but she doesn’t notice. “Daddy I need to see her and I need to find Eric. Give Melody the contents of the bottle. I’ll look for Eric. You haven’t by any chance seen a boat?” Flounder smiles at her. “Urm, yes I saw a boat head that way towards the small island.” He points his fin. “Ok, father send Melody home if she wakes up.” She kisses him. “Oh daddy could you, you know?” She smiles at him and he smiles back.
“Already done it.” He swims off. She looks down.
“Thank you daddy!” She swims off in the direction of the island. Flounder starts to follow her. She turns to him. “Flounder I need you to do something for me.”
“Yeah, what?”
“I need you to keep an eye on Melody for me.”
“Yeah I can do that, ok.” He swims back the way they came.
Down in Atlantica King Triton and Flounder have made it back to the room. Melody’s body hasn’t moved. King Triton gives her the potion but nothing happens. He picks Melody up and then lays her back on the bed. Flounder swims in. “Is she awake yet?”
“No sorry Flounder, I thought you were going with Ariel?”
“Yeah about that, she told me to keep an eye on her.” He points to Melody.
“Oh right, ok then you stay here and I’ll go and see if she is ok.”
“Yes your majesty.” King Triton looks at him and laughs.
Meanwhile Ariel has made it to the island. “Eric..!” She shouts. Ariel pulls herself onto the beach and lies next to him. “Eric, Eric can you hear me?” She puts his hairs out of his face and starts to sing to him. “What would I give to live where you are, what would I pay to stay here beside you?” Eric’s eyes flicker then open. He puts his hand on Ariel’s face and runs his fingers through her hair. “Ariel, is this a dream?” He smiles at her. “You’re ok.” She smiles back.
“I told you, you would never lose me.” They hug each other. “Eric you know I love you don’t you?” She sits up and holds his hand.
“Of course I do why?”
“Well do you trust me?”
“What?”
“Eric do you trust me?”
“Yes, why?” Ariel smiles at him.
“Stay here, you’ll be fine I promise.” She kisses him and then goes back into the water but Eric grabs her arm and pulls her back. “Be careful and don’t get hurt.” “He looks her in the eyes. Then he smiles and kisses her. “I will don’t worry.” Ariel gets in the water and then disappears beneath the waves. She starts to head back to Atlantica. Half way there she bumps into King T
riton. “Daddy,” She smiles at him. “How’s Melody?” He holds her hand. “Ariel she didn’t wake up.” Ariel looks at him and starts to cry. “Let’s go home.” They swim off towards Atlantica.
When they get there Ariel and King Triton go into the bedroom. Ariel swims up to the bed. “Oh Melody.” She lays on the bed next to Melody’s lifeless body and cries into her hair. “I’m so sorry Mel, I’m so sorry.” She hugs her. King Triton leads everyone out of the room and turns to Ariel. “I’ll leave you here.”
“Father wait! You stay here I need to get back to Eric.” Ariel gets up and swims over to King Triton. She kisses him then swims off down the hall. She starts to swim off towards the island and then she hears a voice behind her. “Mom, wait for me!” She turns round to see Melody. Ariel swims up to her and then holds her. She starts to cry. “Mom, why are you crying?” Ariel strokes her face.
“Oh Melody I love you.” They hug for what seems like hours. Then Ariel holds Melody’s hand. “Stay here I’m going to get your father.”
“No, mom I’m coming too.” Ariel glares at her.
“Melody.” She hugs her again. “I nearly lost you.”
“Exactly, I’m still here so I’m coming.”
“Ok, there’s no point in arguing with you.”
“Cool come on then.” Melody swims off and Ariel follows her.
When they get to the island Eric is sat on the sand. When he sees Melody he smiles. “Melody, you’re alive.” She smiles back.
“So are you.” Eric wades into the water.
“How are we going to get back home? We don’t have a boat.” Ariel takes his arm and puts round her shoulders, Melody does the same. “We swim.” Ariel nods to Melody and they take Eric back to the palace. They leave him on the beach. “Why aren’t you coming?” He asks them.
“Well Eric we need to go and see my father so he can turn us well human.” Ariel smiles at him. “Ok, see you later honey!” He kisses them both. They swim off and Eric stumbles up the beach. He opens the door and casually walks up the stairs. Eric goes into his and Ariel’s bedroom and throws himself onto the bed.