When I woke up this morning, I had no idea just how drastically my life was going to change that day. It was a regular Sunday afternoon for me. Pretty quiet since Tiffany was at work. Tiffany has been my neighbor for years, and it's easy to say we've become good friends. She just tends to randomly come into my house to see me ever since we gave each other keys to the other's house. Yeah, we trust each other that much.
Sitting at the desk in my room, I was busying myself checking my email. As I was responding to an email, my cell phone rang. Taking a look at the caller ID, I saw it was Tiffany. Sighing, I went ahead and answered it.
“Hello?”.
“Hey Kevin. Listen, I'm on my way over to your place right now. Alice says she really needs your help with something” Tiffany said.
“She doesn't want me to be part of some weird test again, does she? 'Cause I'm still recovering from the last little incident” I said.
I could hear Tiffany chuckle a bit on the other line.
“No, it's nothing like that. She needs your... well, expertise on something major” Tiffany answered.
“She wants me to help her unlock something in a game?” I asked.
“No! Look. I'm gonna be there in a bit, so I need you ready to head out by the time I get there. Wear shoes if you want, but you're gonna want to bring a pair of sandals too” Tiffany answered. “What for?” I asked.
“Just humor me a little Kevin, please?” Tiffany said.
I sighed. “Alright, alright. I'll be ready by the time you get here” I said.
“Thanks. I'll see you soon” Tiffany said.
I nodded. “Okay. See you then” I said, ending the call. How is it that I always end up letting her talk me into these things?
After getting ready, I made sure I had my phone, my wallet, my keys, and the sandals Tiffany asked me to bring, I headed outside and locked the door behind me. It was a pretty nice day. Sunny with barely any clouds in the sky.
After a few minutes of waiting, a hot pink 1992 Porsche 964 Carrera RS pulled up out front of my house. The horn honked twice before Tiffany opened the passenger side door and called out to me.
“Let's get moving” she said.
Nodding, and I hurried over and got in, closing the door. It took me a moment to buckle myself in since both front seats were fitted with 4-point harness style seat belts. After Tiffany peeled away from my house, I was glad for the extra security.
“So what is it Alice wants my help on?” I asked.
Tiffany took a moment to respond while she rounded the corner.
“A few nights ago, Alice found something Kevin. Something huge” she said.
“Okay, but what is it that she found?” I asked.
“Okay. You remember the time we went to the pier in Santa Monica?” Tiffany asked.
“Yeah” I said, nodding.
“Then you know the beach right down by the pier, right?” she asked.
I nodded again. “Yeah. Where are you going with this?” I asked.
Slowing to a stop at a red light, Tiffany continued.
“Okay. See, Alice sometimes like to go down by the beach at night to look at the stars, and three nights ago... Alice found a mermaid Kevin” she said.
“A... mermaid? Are you serious?” I asked.
Tiffany nodded. “Yes, very. A real mermaid” Tiffany said, shifting up and pressing down the gas pedal after the light turned green.
I honestly had no idea how to respond. Tiffany has pulled a couple of jokes on me in the past, but she knows how I am about the thought of mermaids truly existing. Could really be serious? Could Alice have really seen a mermaid? So many questions were running through my mind all at once.
“She's being kept at the lab right now in the area they used to use for marine studies” Tiffany continued.
“Wait. She's being kept there? Why?” I asked, now becoming concerned.
“I know what you're thinking, but it's nothing like that. When Alice found her, she was hurt. She had gotten caught in the waves and ended up getting thrown into the pier. She couldn't get away. If Alice had left her there, someone would've seen her and she would've been taken away to some kind of government facility or worse” Tiffany answered.
“Please tell me you guys haven't been doing any tests on her or anything” I said.
Tiffany shook her head. “Don't worry. We haven't. Alice forbid any kind of testing to be done without both hers and Kelly's consent” Tiffany said, pulling up to the gate of a large lab complex.
“Kelly?” I asked.
“That's her name. Kelly” Tiffany said, flashing her lab ID badge.
“Kelly, huh?” I said as the gate slowly opened.
Tiffany nodded. “Yup. Kelly. And she isn't used to men, so you better be on your best behavior, got it?” Tiffany said, pulling into the lot.
“Wait. I'm actually going to be meeting her?” I asked.
“Yes. That's what Alice needs your help with. She thinks you would be good to talk to her since you do so much reading and writing about mermaids” Tiffany answered, pulling into an empty spot in the shade and shutting off the engine.
“I'll give it a try, but keep in mind that I've never actually spoken to a real mermaid before” I said before unbuckling my seat belt.
“That's fine. She speaks english, so you don't have to worry about any kind of language barrier between you two. Also, there's water on some spots on the floor by the edge of the tank, so you're gonna want to change into those sandals I told you to bring” Tiffany said as she unbuckled her own seat belt. Or is it seat belts in the case of her car?
After switching out my shoes for the sandals I brought with, we got out and Tiffany double checked to make sure both doors were locked. We then headed into the lab complex and made our way to the special inventions area where we were greeted by Alice, the owner and head of the entire lab, as well as a long time friend of both mine and Tiffany's.
As per her usual way of dressing for work, she had a white lab coat on and her long blonde hair done into a ponytail.
“Hey guys. Thank you so much for coming out like this” she said.
“Don't mention it. Listen, I have to ask you, did you really find a real mermaid?” I asked.
Alice nodded and pushed up her glasses.
“Yes. Come with me and I'll explain everything” she said, motioning for us to follow her.
“Thursday night on the beach right down by the pier in Santa Monica. From what we gather, she got caught in a wave and ended up getting thrown into one of the support beams underneath the pier” Alice continued as we headed to the elevator.
“How is she doing? Is she okay?” I asked.
Alice sighed before pushing the down button.
“You've seen the barnacles that have accumulated on those beams, so I don't need to tell you what kind of damage they could do if you got thrown into them. They did a real number on her shoulder, and the actual impact seemed to have dislocated her arm” Alice said.
“But they were able to get her arm back into place though” Tiffany added as we stepped into the elevator.
“I see. How is she doing now though?” I asked.
“A lot better than a few nights ago. The cuts on the back of her shoulder are healing nicely, and the good news is that it doesn't look like she's going to have any kind of scarring. In fact, by tomorrow, the bandages will be able to come off” Alice said, sliding her ID card through a slot by the floor controls before pushing one of a few unmarked buttons.
“That's good. I'm glad she's recovering so well” I said.
Alice nodded.
“Me too. She's really just one of the friendliest people I've ever met, and I hate thinking about how shaken up she was the first night we brought her here” Alice said.
“She's actually more social with us humans than I imagined a mermaid would be. Let alone one being kept in a lab. Not that I mind or anything. She really is nice, I'm just saying” Tiffany said.
After the elevator stopped and the doors opened, Alice led up down a hall and to a pair of clear doors labeled “Marine Studies”. A large pool could be seen through the doors.
After entering in a pin code, the doors slid open.
“Okay, now I need to warn you, she's a bit nervous around men, so if she seems kind of quiet, it's nothing personal” Alice said as we entered the room.
A large pool was located in the center of the room, and a set of stairs led down to an observation area with a window large enough to see most of the inside of the tank.
A folded up wheelchair was placed against the wall of the upper area by the edge of the tank, as well as a small table and some chairs.
Approaching the pool, Alice kneeled down and tapped the surface of the water a few times. At first, nothing happened. Then, I saw something colorful moving through the water and began to come closer and closer to the surface. Then, it happened. A girl long flowing light blue hair and the most beautiful eyes I'd ever seen broke the water's surface and swam over to the edge of the pool.
“Hi Kelly. How are you feeling this afternoon?” Alice asked, smiling.
“Quite well. Thank you for asking” Kelly answered before looking toward me.
“I know you've been a bit shy around the men at the lab since the night you came here, but I wanted to show you that there's nothing to be scared of. This is Kevin Franklin. He doesn't work here at the lab, but he is a very good and trusted friend of mine and Tiffany's, and I thought you might like meeting him” Alice said, looking to me.
I was still in shock. I couldn't believe that I was seeing a real mermaid right before my eyes. I was snapped out of my trance however when Tiffany bumped my arm with her elbow.
“Um... Hi there. My name is Kevin. It's really nice to meet you” I said shyly before kneeling down and offering out my hand.
Both Alice and Tiffany watched to see what would happen next, and ended up being pleasantly surprised.
Kelly stared into my eyes for a moment before finally smiling and and shaking my hand.
“It's very nice to meet you Kevin. My name is Kelly Seastar” she said.
“I knew it” Alice thought to herself while watching us.
“Are you all right? You look as though something is bothering you. Is it me? Because I am different?” Kelly asked, looking away.
“What? No, that's not it at all. I didn't mean to make you feel that way. I'm just a bit entranced is all. This is like a dream come true for me” I said.
“What do you mean?” Kelly asked, looking back at me again.
Before I had time to answer, the phone on the wall rang.
“Excuse me for a moment” Alice said, going to answer the phone.
“I've dreamed about the possibility of mermaids truly existing for a long time. I'd think about how even if they were real, what would possibly make me think I would ever see, let alone get to talk with one. Seeing you here right in front me and really talking with you, it just a bit overwhelming” I said.
“So you don't find me strange?” Kelly asked.
“Of course not” I said.
Kelly look at me for almost a full minute before smiling again.
“Thank goodness. I feared that how I am might make you not wish to speak to me” she said.
“Heh, I'm like that too most of the time” I said, rubbing the back of my head.
“Why is that? You don't appear strange to me at all” Kelly said.
“Thanks. I really appreciate that” I said, smiling.
“Tell me you're joking Naru. Please tell me you're joking!” Alice said into the phone, causing all three of us to look over in her direction.
“We're still going over the technical data and blueprints! Why would you try a full on test of the ray without my authorization?!” Alice asked into the phone.
“Alice seems upset. What's going on?” Kelly asked.
“I don't know. Hopefully we'll find out what's going on soon” I said, shrugging.
“There isn't a Dr. Cohler even working in the lab Naru! How could you just take his word that I authorized the test?! … He recorder me saying it was okay? I don't know what he showed you, but I never authorized any full on testing of the ray! … Okay Naru, please don't cry. Look, I'm sorry. It's possible the recording was synthesized, so you had no idea it wasn't really me. … No, you're not going to lose your job over this, but it is serious. She hasn't undergone any kind of change yet, has she? … Okay. Keep her comfortable until I get up there, and make sure she stays calm and cool as well. … Okay. I'll be up there as quickly as I can. … Okay. Bye” Alice said before hanging up the phone and massaging her forehead.
“What's going on?” I asked.
“I'll explain later. I need to get up to the special inventions lab ASAP. Do you think you could stay here and keep Kelly company while I handle the situation upstairs?” Alice asked.
“Sure, I can do that” I said, nodded.
“Thank you. Tiffany, I'm going to need you to come with me, okay?” Alice said.
“Got it” Tiffany said, nodding her head before looking to me and Kelly.
“Have fun you two. And Kevin, you make sure you remember what I told you in the car, got it?” Tiffany said.
“Yeah, I got it” I said.
“Good. I'll try and get back down here when I can” Tiffany said.
I simply nodded again.
As Alice and Tiffany headed to the door, Kelly waved and called out to them.
“Take care, and thank you both for coming to visit me” she said.
“Of course. We're always happy to. I'll try and hurry and back, okay?” Alice said, smiling.
Kelly nodded.
“Okay. Take care” she said, waving again.
With that, the girls headed out the door. Now it was just me and Kelly. I couldn't help but wonder though what the ray Alice was talking about was though.
