Acrilla

Emma is amazed by what she is seeing. It looks like something out of her old story books.

“Tyler, it’s a mermaid,” she smiles. “It’s a girl mermaid.”

The mermaid’s golden tail stretches up to her body which is covered with a multicolored mix of silver, gold, and sky blue. She has long straight beautiful golden hair with strands of dark blue.

The mermaid is uncomfortable with the lights on her face.

“The flashlights are bothering her,” Emma says.

“Oh, sorry,” Tyler says. “We just wanted to know what you were.” The mermaid can see better after Tyler and Calem stop shining the lights on her face.

“Unbelievable,” Calem says. He takes a better look at the mermaid. The mermaid is scared to go near them. She pushes herself back to swim away.

“Where are you going?” Emma shouts out. “We’re not here to hurt you. We just wanted to meet you.” The mermaid feels chills on her body, and would rather ignore the human interaction. But instead, out of curiosity, she turns around to meet them. The mermaid swims back and leaps up onto the sand. She takes her full body out of the water. The kids can’t believe what they are seeing.

“You are a mermaid,” Tyler says in wonderment. Emma smiles with more amazement as she steps closer to her. The mermaid flinches back when Emma puts her hand out.

“You’re so beautiful,” Emma says. She sticks out her hand more before the mermaid finally shows courage to touch her hand.

“Thank you and your skin feels the same as mine,” the mermaid says. “You all smile.”

“I’m just excited to see a real mermaid. Tyler used to tell me when I was little that they don’t exist and that I read too many fairy tales.” Tyler and Calem walk up to the mermaid with their eyes bugging out.

“I still cannot believe what I’m looking at,” Tyler says. “My little sister talking to a mermaid.”

“This is the best night of my life,” Emma says. “I’m Emma. What’s your name?”

“I’m Acrilla,” she says. “I knew I recognized you. You almost drowned yesterday.”

“I almost did when I felt something push me to the lifeguard who was helping me out,” Emma says. “That was you?”

“Yes,” Acrilla says.

“Thank you for saving my sister,” Tyler says. “My name’s Tyler.”

“I’m Calem,” Calem says. “Do you live here?”

Acrilla takes her hand back and leans back into the water. “You’re welcome, and no I don’t live here. I come by regularly to visit and help the animals who live around here,” she says. “I live quite a distance away, down in the ocean with the other mermaids.”

“There are more mermaids like you?” Emma asks.

“Of course,” Acrilla says. “We come around here regularly to check on the animals because of what humans do to them.”

“What do they do?” Calem asks. He, Tyler, and Emma sit next to Acrilla.

“Well, fishermen try to snatch animals like whales, dolphins, turtles, and even sharks for money,” Acrilla says. “They use these nets and these sticks with strings attached to them.”

“You mean fishing rods?” Tyler asks.

“I think that’s what they’re called,” Acrilla says.

“Those have to be the men I keep seeing,” Emma says.

“That’s right,” Acrilla says. “Those men are not regular fishermen. They illegally steal mammals from the oceans. They talk about how they earn these green papers with numbers and faces on them from other humans.”

Acrilla has trouble thinking of the word when Calem steps in. “Green paper?” he asks. “That’s called money.”

“Yes, and they're very happy when they receive it,” Acrilla says. “It’s scary facing humans,” Acrilla tells them how all the other mermaids in different oceans have a mission to protect all sea animals. Sometimes, it’s hard for the mermaids to trust humans when the fishermen want to stop the mermaids from ruining their plans.

“What can we do to help,” Tyler says.

Acrilla asks him and the others to come forward “How would you like to come with me into the ocean to see where I live?” she asks. Emma smiles and jumps up and down all enthusiastic. “Wow, that would be cool,” she says.

Tyler pulls her back as Emma gets ready to jump in the water.“Hold up, we can’t breathe underwater,” he says. “We don’t have gills.”

“I’ll be right back,” Acrilla says. She goes underwater for a minute. The kids wait for her to come back.

“Where did she go?” Calem asks. Acrilla returns to the surface with pieces of crystal rocks.

Tyler picks one up. “What is it?” he asks.

“These are special rocks that will help you breathe underwater,” Acrilla says.

“Get out of here,” Tyler says. “That’s impossible.”

Acrilla hands one to Emma and Calem. “All you have to do is smush it between your hands and it will turn into powder dust to rub on your neck,” Acrilla says. Tyler goes first, then Calem. They both follow her instructions, and the rock turns into orange and silver dust. They rub it on their throats. Emma does it next. The powder smells like seawater, but it is soft and smooth without feeling like the gravel texture of the rocks.

“How can you know to do this if you’ve never actually interacted with people?” Calem asks.

“Others have done it before, but I wasn’t around when it was used,” Acrilla says. “It was during the time we trusted humans around here before everything changed. But it will work, I promise.” She sticks her hand out to Emma. Emma holds onto Tyler’s hand as he holds Calem’s.

“I trust you Acrilla,” Emma says. “If it wasn’t for you, the lifeguard wouldn't have been able to find me when I needed to be saved.”Acrilla smiles emotionally and leads them into the ocean.

“Wait, we need goggles,” Calem says. He pulls his and two extra pairs out of his pocket, and he gives them to Tyer and Emma. Tyler and Calem's phones are covered in waterproof pouches, and they’re able to swim in the ocean with them. “I always come prepared.” They put the goggles on their faces and hold each other’s hands tight as Acrilla takes them down.

“Get ready and stay close,” Acrilla says. She dives down and takes the kids with her into the dark blue cool water. “How are you doing with breathing underwater?”

“This is so cool,” Calem says. “I can’t believe we can breathe underwater. If only we could do this all the time.” He, Emma, and Tyler stay underwater as long as they want without needing to come up for air.

“The powder I gave you works in ocean water, and never comes off from the salt water,” Acrilla says. “You need fresh water to wash it off, but you’ll be able to breathe up on the surface.” Emma swirls her body around like she was a real mermaid. Tyler and Calem swim back and forth near the ground where the rocks and seaweed are. They all watch as small fish swim past them, around their faces and hands. Emma swims through a bunch of seaweed while looking at the pink coral. As they swim under water, the powder dust Agrilla gave them remains on their necks. Even though they’re breathing, no water is getting into their lungs. It’s the strangest feeling.

“I’ve always wanted to be able to swim anytime I wanted to,” Emma says. “It’s too bad human lungs aren’t the same as mermaids.” Tyler points at what's ahead.

“Feels like we haven’t been swimming that long, look,” he says.

“We’re getting close,” Acrilla says. “My home is not too far.”