Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ A Charm to Bind My Heart to Yours ❯ Part 1 ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

I got this idea from a wacky dream I had a while ago. Where in the world it came from God only knows, but as soon as I woke up from the dream I felt the need to preserve it despite the fact that I had class early that morning. So before I knew it I had the characters drawn, a few hasty details about them written down next to their pictures, and a vague outline. So far only my close friends have read this and they liked it well enough, so everyone else might as well have a shot at reading it too. Sorry if it’s crap or if it sounds like something you’ve already read. My close friends have learned that my dreams are usually based off of anything and everything I’ve seen, read, or done. Anyways, enjoy.

Part 1

“Sven!” she called, waving to him from her chosen spot on the beach.
She was roughly 15 in appearance with short cut sandy blonde hair swept over to the left side of her head so that part of it hung in her eyes. She had silver studs in her ears today and was wearing her favorite beach outfit. That outfit consisted of a pale pink skirt that came down to her knees, but flowed around the ground in a circle when she sat down; and a white tank-top that dipped just low enough so that someone could see her developing breasts. Around her neck hung a seashell charm that Sven had made her when they’d first promised to be friends forever and had a pair of trendy sunglasses crowned her head. Her skin was so fair you could see every vein when she stretched or flexed a part of her body, and was only the slightest bit tan with the hint of sunburn starting to creep down her shoulders.
Lying next to her in the sand was an old-fashioned wicker basket holding their lunch for the day and tools for their project. Partially covering it was a blue and tan striped towel with her pink flip-flops sitting on top of it like a paperweight.
“Collette!” Sven called back, running over and sliding to a stop next to her.
“Come on!” she said, spitting out sand, “Can you ever not do that?”
“Sorry,” he said, standing up to dump the sand out of his swim shorts then sitting back down again.
He was also 15 in appearance but instead of wearing his hair short like most boys his age would he had it in a style that was his and his alone. What should’ve been his bangs was cut into a bob-like style that framed his girlish face while the rest was grown to the middle of his back and always braided or swept back into a low ponytail. Like Collette he was also dressed for the beach with his sandy-yellow and red swim shorts and pale blue flowing tank-top. Around his neck was a seashell charm that Collette had made and given to him on the same day he had given her his. Unlike her his pale skin did not tan or sunburn no matter how long he stayed in the sun without sun block on. Most unusual about his appearance were the thick, too-big sunglasses masking his eyes from view.
“So how long do we have?” he asked, kicking off his black sandals and leaning back on his hands.
“Until dinner,” she said, opening the basket and pulling out plastic buckets of various sizes and two small plastic shovels.
“We are so not about to come of age,” Sven said, laughing, “We’re only, I dunno, maybe 5 years old?”
“Agreed,” Collette said, handing him the shovel and smiling, “But 5-year-olds play in the sand all the time so we’re all right.”
Sven peered at her from behind his sunglasses his eyes meeting hers for just a moment. They’d known each other since birth and had been friends since they first learned how to talk. In fact, they were each other’s only friends. But now that they were coming of age…There was something different about the friendship they’d always shared. Almost as if it was growing and changing of its own accord into something neither of them were able to recognize.
Smiling awkwardly Collette was the first to break the spell and walk to where the churning waters of the ocean met the still white sands of the beach with bucket and shovel in hand.
He sat in the sand in a stupor, watching the sway of her forming curves as she walked. Maybe, someday…Shaking his head to clear the thoughts he picked up his own bucket and shovel and joined her. What was he thinking? She was his friend there was no way something like that could happen, but still…
Together they scooped mud into their buckets while they talked about what kind of wonders the ocean might hold beneath its dark depths.
“I think there might be a city,” Collette said, the sand landing in her bucket with a wet plop!
“Why?” Sven asked even though they’d talked about this same things several times before.
“Because it would be just fantastic!” Plop! “Just think of what it would be like! A city under the water! Think of the sights you’d see down there!”
“I’d rather not,” he said, shuddering despite the tropical weather.
“Oh, that’s right. You’re afraid of the dark water aren’t you, Sven?”
He nodded mutely and continued scooping in wet sand. Even though he was one of the best swimmers in town he was still absolutely terrified of the deepest water. There was no telling what was down there, no one had ever managed to build a machine that could go far enough without breaking; so no one knew. What they did know was that it was lightless down there. Completely dark. Sunless. A world without the sun terrified him even if the light did pain his sensitive eyes.
“I still think it would be wonderful though,” she continued, packing her gathered sand firmly into the bucket, “I wonder if the people in that city would be part fish like all the legends say.”
“The legends are just stories Collette,” he said, dumping his packed sand nest to hers, “You’re not really supposed to believe them.”
“But you look just like the people in them, Sven! And you’re a great swimmer like they were supposed to be! You can’t tell me there isn’t some kind of truth in them!”
“Maybe there is…” he mumbled, uncomfortable with the legends of the merpeople, “But, Collette?”
“Yeah?”
“Can we please talk about something else?”
“Ok…How about…? What are you gonna do after the ceremony tomorrow?”
He smiled as he started to shape the four cylinders and filling sand into a square while Collette went to go get more.
“I’m gonna go finish my house,” he said, proudly, “Then you can come and see it.”
“Where is it again?”
“Nice try, but I told you…It’s, a, secret!”
“Jerk!” she said, swatting him with the shovel playfully, “I showed you mine! Why won’t you show me yours?”
“Because it’s a secret.”
“Lame.”
They both jumped and dropped their shovels as the town bully and his two cronies came over to where they were working.
All three of them were big, strapping boys; with more muscle development than Sven could ever hope to have with dark black hair and cruel blue eyes.
Their leader was dripping wet from his recent swim in the ocean and had his pale green beach towel draped across his shoulders. His sodden swim trunks clung to him and both Sven and Collette had to concentrate to keep from staring. His cronies stood on either side of him, perfectly dry, and smirking at their victims of the day.
“So,” he said, cockily, “What’ve you two lovebirds been up to today? More playing in the sand?”
The two flanking him guffawed loudly at his joke even though they’d heard it a million times before.
Sven and Collette’s faces burned red with embarrassment. They had been playing in the sand, but not in the way that he’d implied it.
“Go away Drew!” she said as fiercely as she could muster.
“Which one?” the boy on the right said.
“Yeah, which one?” the one on the left said.
“How about all of you!” Sven shouted.
The three Drews laughed amongst each other. Each of their names was a mimicry of each other’s and all started with ‘Drew’ so everyone just called them the three ‘Drews’. Drewson, Drewtas, and Drewley. They were the only set of identical triplets the town had ever had. So they were spoiled and allowed to do whatever they wanted without getting punished. Sven had no patience for them, but lacked the power to do anything about it.
“Come on Collette,” the leader, Drewtas, said, pulling her up from her sitting position by the wrist, “Ditch the dweeb and come hang out with us.”
“In your dreams creep!” she said, pulling her wrist away.
“Come on don’t be like that,” Drewton said, reaching for her while his brothers goaded him along.
“You leave her alone you ass!” Sven yelled throwing a bucketful of sand in his eyes.
Drewton stumbled backwards, letting out with a stream of curses while clutching at his burning eyes desperately. His brothers rushed to his side and helped him sit down. Then, after checking to make sure that he would be alright, turned their attention to Sven.
“Now you’ve gone and done it twerp,” Drewley said, cracking his knuckles loudly.
“We’re gonna get you got for that one freak,” Drewtas said, twisting his towel until it looked like a rope.
Sven stood immobilized by fear. Never in his whole life had he done anything so bold; and he didn’t regret it at all. He’d take whatever came to him now, but at least he’d always know that he’d had the courage to stand up to them.
“Ready?” Drewley said, punching him in the gut.
Sven doubled over in pain, gasping and wheezing for breath. He felt his glasses fall off and closed his eyes tight. Another punch followed by a kick to the side of his head. Somewhere in the distance he could hear Collette yelling for them to stop it. Then he felt Drewley pick him up by the neck and force his head back.
“Open up those eyes freak!” he yelled, “I wanna see what it looks like when you’re getting’ the shit beat out of you!”
He punched him again, but he stubbornly refused to open them even the tiniest bit. However much pain the Drews might cause him by punching or kicking it would be menial compared to the agony that would overcome him should he open his eyes.
A punch to his face and he felt his nose crush from the impact.
“Open ‘em!”
He shook his head stubbornly, feeling the hot tears of shame and pain flowing down his cheeks.
“Get off me you creep!” Collette screamed, “It’s forbidden!”
“The hell do I care?! You think the cops are gonna take the word of twerps like you over us?!”
“No! Don’t!”
Sven’s eyes had popped open with outrage before he knew what he was doing. He caught a glimpse of Drewtas lying on top of Collette trying to force her skirt up, and felt in that instant the burning urge to kill him for what he was trying to do to her. That is before the bright rays of the sun shot lightening bolts of pain through his blood-red eyes.
He screamed and screamed in agony. The sound of it drowning out everything else that was happening. How he longed to close his eyes and end it all, but he could not. No, he was trapped by the blinding glare of the sun; unable to look away even though he wanted to.
“Hey! What’s goin’ on down there!” a voice yelled from the road.
“Busted!” The three Drews yelled together.
Drewley dropped Sven and Drewtas got off Collette simultaneously as they collected Drewson and went running off in the opposite direction.
Collette sat up shakily and picked up her sunglasses out of the sand. Drewtas hadn’t touched her, but she was still more terrified than she’d ever been in her whole life.
“Sven? Are you OK?” she asked, her voice trembling a bit, “Sven?”
He lay flat on his back in the sand, moaning, and twitching convulsively while staring unblinkingly at the sun above him. Seeing this Collette scrambled over and slid her sunglasses into place over Sven’s eyes. Immediately he stopped convulsing and she sighed with relief.
“Are you gonna be OK Sven?” she asked.
He didn’t answer. Frantic she screamed at the top of her lungs to anybody who might be listening.
“HELP!!! ANYONE!!!! HELP US!!!! SVEN’S HURT!!!!!”
Looking up she saw the old man who had stopped the Drews come running down from the beach towards them.
Feeling the tears starting to well up in her eyes she looked back as Sven lying in the sand and tenderly brushed his snow-white hair our of his blood-caked face. As she did so she wondered how anybody could be so cruel as to force someone with Sven’s mutation to look directly at the sun.
For Sven was an albino. One of seven born in the town during the month of June so he was anything but an oddity, but the Drews still felt the need to single him out.
“What happened here?” their rescuer said, kneeling in the sand next to them.
He looked more like he belonged on a cattle ranch than in the tropics with his plaid flannel shirt, grease-stained jeans, and hard leather boots. His skin was ghastly pale like Sven’s but wrinkled and wizened with age and his large-sunglasses also covered up his eyes. On top of his head was a wispy mass of silver-white hair that seemed to sway about as if he were underwater.
Reaching into his back picket her pulled out a cloth and wiped the blood away from Sven’s face.
“What happened?” he asked again, this time with more force.
“Sven and I were making a sandcastle when the Drew’s came and started bullying us like they always do. Drewson was trying to get me to come with them and I think Sven knew he might hurt me so he threw sand in his eyes. Drewtas and Drewley got really mad about that and started beating him up. Drewley was making Sven look at the sun and Drewtas he-he-he…”
Her voice cracked and she couldn’t continue anymore. Throughout the tale the old man’s face got harder and harder.
“These boys,” he said, “They’re the triplets right?”
Collette nodded. The old man must be from another town not to know immediately who the three Drews were.
“It’s all right now little girl,” he said, picking Sven up as if he weighed nothing though he was in fact nearly as thin as he was, “I’ll make sure they get punished well for what they’ve done. But right now your friend needs help.”
Collette followed him back to where his truck was sitting in the middle of the road and climbed in. The old man hefted Sven up into the seat and laid him down so that his head was resting in her lap. He then climbed in himself and brought the vehicle roaring to life.
“Where’s the clinic lass?” he asked.
“Just-just down the road a ways you can’t miss it.”
He slammed his foot to the gas pedal and Collette felt her head lurch backwards.
She glanced at Sven lying in her lap as they raced down the road. He still wasn’t awake yet, but at least he didn’t look so bad anymore. All that blood earlier had made his look truly horrible. Gently she brushed his hair back and made sure the sunglasses were covering his eyes should he wake up.
“You love him don’t you lass?”
“What? No!” she said, her face flushing bright red.
The old man snorted as if he knew otherwise and mumbled under his breath something she couldn’t quite make out. They were silent for the next five minutes it took to reach the clinic with Collette’s face burning and the old man staring indifferently ahead of him.
When they did finally reach the clinic he climbed up out hurridly and once again lifted Sven into his arms. Without even waiting for Collette to get out of the truck he went inside.
Collette was dumbfounded and almost afraid to follow him through the electronic doors. She had always been afraid of clinics and hospitals since she had broken her arm. And the smell of the place always made her want to vomit. But Sven was in trouble and she owed it to him to be by his side until he was better.
So, taking a deep breath she stepped inside and ran up to the receptionist.
“Hello Collette,” she said, smiling warmly, “What’s the rush today?”
Collette recognized her as a friend of her mother’s who’d occasionally come over to their house for dinner in the past. She was a homely woman with straight brown hair and hazel eyes that sparkled behind her thick glasses. Her uniform adorned with the red cross and blue tidal wave clung tightly to her figure and was stained with whatever she’d had for lunch that day.
“Where’s Sven?” she said, leaning through the window, “Is he OK?”
“Sven?” she asked tipping her head to the side in confusion, “I haven’t seen Sven come in here…Why? Is he hurt?”
“Yes! I think he might’ve broke his nose!”
“Goodness! However did he manage that!? You two weren’t rough-housing again were you?”
Collette bite her lip to keep from bursting out what had really happened. The Drews were special and no one in their right mind would dare accuse them of anything.
“No, but where is he? I saw that old guy bring him in here.”
She looked rather nervous when Collette said this, but still kept up her façade of not knowing what she was talking about.
“I didn’t see anyone bring Sven in here,” she said.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive, I’ve been here all day Collette, and I haven’t seen Sven at al.”
The other ladies behind the counter were eyeing her suspiciously and one was even motioning to the security guard next to her.
“Oh, well maybe he got taken home instead,” she said, forcing her face into a false smile, “Maybe I’ll go check.”
“That sounds like a good idea honey,” she said, relaxing, “But if his nose really is broken send him straight over.”
“I don’t think it really is,” she lied, “I think I just overreacted to his bloody nose.”
They smiled and watched her leave before breathing a collective sigh of relief.
“Boy that little girl is going to have a hard time tomorrow,” the officer said, “She’s got one really bad crush on that Sven kid.”
The nurses and secretaries in the room nodded and muttered in agreement before going back to their duties.

Collette could not believe her eyes. Where there had been a truck sitting in plain sight in the parking lot there was now nothing. Not even a skid mark from where they’d stopped so suddenly.
She could feel panic rising in her chest and started running for the only person she believed would listen to her about what had happened, Sven’s mother. As she ran she thought of how the day had taken a turn from the normal and mundane to the terrifyingly bizarre.
The Drews were just bad luck and would’ve acted like that anyway. That was just the way they were on a normal basis. But the appearance of the old man right at the time when they needed rescue the most had to be more than coincidence. Coupled with the fact that he’d supposedly taken Sven into the clinic and then disappeared without her noticing made him even more strange.
Standing on the doorstep to Sven’s home she rang the doorbell desperately while trying to catch her breath from her frantic run. The mere seconds she spent there seemed like hours to Collette as she waited for Sven’s mother to answer the door. When she did it looked like she’d been crying. Collette was shocked, she hadn’t seen her cry since Sven’s father had died.
She looked nothing like her son. Her skin was dark and leathery from too many years of working in the sun and her face was sharp and angular in such a way that it looked like she’d been carved from stone. Like most people on the island she had dark black hair and dark brown eyes as was the dominant traits of the islands ancient native people. Today she was wearing one of her flower-printed sundresses, the yellow one that made her look like an over-ripe banana.
“Ms. Seaner!” she said, “Something terrible’s happened!”
“Wh-what is it darling?” she said, wiping her eyes, “Sven just got home and I have things to do…”
“Sven was kidnap-! Wait. Did you say that Sven was home?”
“Of course,” Ms. Seaner said, her eyes widening, “Why wouldn’t he be? He just got back from playing on the beach with you. Said he had a lovely time too.”
Collette opened her mouth to say something then quickly closed it again, changing her mind at the last second. Something wasn’t right here and she needed to talk to Sven about it right now.
“Can I talk to him?” she said, pretending like she’d just been playing the whole time, “I forgot to tell him something before he left.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea right now Collette,” she said, blocking her entrance into the house, “He said he wasn’t feeling well so he was going to rest.”
“Ok,” Collette said, shrugging as if it didn’t matter, “I guess I’ll just tell him at the meeting then.”
Ms. Seaner nodded and practically slammed the door in her face.
Collette waited until she was out of view of the house before dodging into the woods and doubling back to Sven’s window. Creeping up carefully so that she wouldn’t be seen she reached up and tapped on the glass. Holding her breath and praying that it wouldn’t be his mother that opened the window she waited.
Finally the window slid open and a pale hand reached down to help her inside. It wasn’t nearly as easy as someone might be led to think as both Sven and Collette were lacking in any physical strength. But they managed nonetheless until at last they were both sitting on his bed looking at each other.
Simultaneously they both reached for each other and hugged.
“I’m so glad you’re alright!” she said, close to tears again.
“Man Collette, you are so not going to believe this,” he said, breaking the hug and pushing her back a little so he could look at her, “There’s something really weird going on.”
“Sven? Are you feeling all right sweetie? I’ve got lunch ready if you’re hungry.”
“No thanks mom,” Sven said, doing his best to sound tired, “I just wanna sleep right now.”
“OK sweetie, I’ll wake you up for dinner if I have to, alright?”
“Alright mom.”
As soon as they felt that she was far enough away from the bedroom again for them to continue their conversation they did, but at a whisper this time.
“What happened to you that was weird?” Collette whispered.
“Well for starters I woke up in the clinic with this old dude who kinda looked like me. And I had no idea how I got there.”
“Yeah, you passed out after I got my sunglasses on you and he came when I called for help. We took you there ‘cause I thought you’d broke your nose.”
“See that’s the other weird thing! I know I broke my nose! I felt it, that’s not something you just imagine, you know?”
Collette nodded, but didn’t dare mention that his nose looked like nothing had ever hit it before. It looked just the same as it always had.
“Anyways, when I woke up it was fixed and I don’t even have a bruise or nothing!” he said, lifting up his shirt so that she could see the area where he’d been repeatedly hit, “Tell me that isn’t the freakiest thing? Then this old guy takes me by the wrist and makes me get in his car. I saw you in the window by the way, but by the time I noticed we were already moving. And he dumps me off right at home like he knew where I lived!”
“That’s really weird.”
“It gets worse. When my mom sees him she just breaks down crying and starts asking him ‘Why?’.”
“Why what?”
“I don’t know, that’s why it’s so freaky. She’s been crying ever since.”
They were silent for a minute, digesting what had happened to them today.
“I feel really bad about this Sven,” Collette finally said, “The coming of age ceremony and tomorrow…I just feel like I don’t wanna anymore. It feels wrong all of a sudden.”
“I know,” Sven said, “The adults are hiding something from us. I really wanna know what it is, but at the same time I don’t, y’know?”
Footsteps in the hall outside made them freeze. Before Collette got up and jumped out the window.
“I’ll see you tonight at the meeting,” she whispered, “We’ll talk more after that.”
“Yeah,” Sven said, looping his pinky around hers in a promise. They shook firmly and Collette turned to head on home.
“Hey, Collette?” he said, causing her to turn back expectantly, “After the meeting I’ll show you my house OK?”
“OK!” she said, her face lighting up.
“But, uh, you might wanna bring something that you feel comfortable swimming in.”
She gave him a puzzled look, but nodded anyways before leaving him.

That night at the meeting Collette and Sven sat together in the very back like they always did, neither really listening to what the Mayor was saying. Every so often they would lean into each other with Collette’s head resting on Sven’s since she was taller than he was. But every time they did so the mayor seemed to glare at them so they’d jump apart and sit up perfectly straight. After five times of this happening they gave up and just held hands under their seats instead.
The mayor talked for over an hour about the importance of the coming of age ceremony in the fast-paced, hyperactive way of his. He was horribly thin and had dark circles under his eyes as if he was forced to skip meals and stay up until unspeakable hours of the night. His black hair wasn’t combed at all and hung everywhere in disarray, much like his clothes. All in all he had a very frantic and haggard look about him.
“Now-remember-children!” he said, pounding on the podium with his fist, “It-is-absolutely-important-that-you-wear-nothing-but-you-white-outfits-tom orrow! Can-anyone-tell-me-why?”
After taking a moment to decipher what it was that he’d just said, a tall-gangly albino girl hesitantly raised her hand.
“Yes-Julia?”
“Because it symbolizes our other ancestors,” she said, “The merpeople of the sea who had pure white hair and shimmering silver scales.”
“Correct! Now-if-one-of-you-hasn’t-gotten-a-white-outfit-then-don’t-come-tomorrow! No-white,-no-right! You-will-not-be-justified-as-a-true-adult-until-you-perform-the-ceremony-pr operly! Are-we-clear!?”
“Perfectly Mayor!” they all said in unison.
“Good! Now-get-out-of-here-and-get-some-sleep! Tomorrow’s-a-big-day!”
Collette and Sven were out the door and running the second he dismissed them. Laughing they ran for the beach where Sven took off his sunglasses and stuffed them securely in his pocket.
“Do we really have to swim there?” Collette asked, giggling in spite of herself.
“No,” Sven said, his red eyes glittering in the moonlight, “But it’s the easiest way. And don’t worry, if you start to drown I’ll save you.”
Collette felt her heart flutter for some reason when he said those words and took his hand as they waded out into the water together.
Not knowing which way they were going she swam close to Sven as they hugged the coast and headed for a small cave set into the cliff face. Sven climbed in first and helped Collette in after him. Peering around him at the odd glow that was coming from the inside she slipped and nearly fell into the water again before Sven caught her.
“‘K,” he said, stopping her when the stone floor of the cave turned into a finely crafted wooden floor, “I want you to close your eyes and trust me now.”
Smiling to herself she did as he asked; allowing him to take her hands and lead her down the tunnel. It seemed like they’d been walking for an eternity before he told her to stop.
“Can I open my eyes now?” she asked.
“OK, go ahead.”
She did and was amazed by what she saw. All of the furniture and the floor was carved out of the finest wood. There was even a door for the way they’d come in case there was a storm outside. The walls themselves had been allowed to remain rock, but glowed from within with a soft green light; casting a surreal glow over the room. A few thick rugs were laid on the floor, breaking up the pattern of the wood nicely. Set in the middle of the back wall there was a large double bed with the sheets already placed on it. To its left was a woman’s veranda and to the right was a plain looking dresser.
“Sven…” she said, “Did you do all of this yourself?”
“No, the furniture was my dad’s from his first house, and he was the one that made everything here. The rocks glow by themselves by the way,” he said, running his hand along them fondly, “Dad and I found this place on accident before he died and he thought it would be the perfect place for me since, well, you know.”
“But Sven, this is only a bedroom. You need more than that to make a house.”
“Well then,” he said, holding another door open for her, “Shall I give you the grand tour?”
He showed her all around a series of passages that were all made of the same strange glowing rock. His was an entire house underground. He had everything down here; a kitchen, a bathroom, a living room, everything. And everything was done in the same beautiful style as the bedroom she had first seen.
“This is wonderful Sven,” she said, a little disturbed by the idea of living underground, but strangely liking it at the same time, “But I thought you said there was another way in?”
“Of course,” he said gesturing to the ladder in the far-right corner of the living room, “Climb on up.”
“Sven,” she said when she had done so, “It’s completely dark up here. I can’t see anything.”
“Hang-hup!-on,” he said, climbing and fumbling around for something.
Suddenly the lights came on and Collette found herself in another room. This one was not nearly as beautiful as the one underground had been. Everything appeared to be very rough and unpolished, grouped together into one large room instead of individual ones.
“This I made myself,” he said, sliding his sunglasses back on, “Not very impressive, but it hides the real deal so I guess it serves its purpose.”
“I think it’s a nice house,” Collette said, “Better than mine. Mine just looks like everyone elses.”
“Thanks Collette,” he said, blushing slightly and glancing at the clock, “Man, is that really what time it is!? We’re so dead if we’re not home in five minutes!”
They rushed out the door and into the night. But the sight that greeted them gave them a moment to stop and stare.
The moon had fully risen and hung perfectly over the ocean which glittered and sparkled in its light. And the sky was mercifully cloudless and proudly showed off all its stars in accordance. So crisp and clean was the whole image that the two of them felt like that could reach out and take a piece of it with them forever.
Before he realized what he was doing Sven had pulled Collette close to him and kissed her. She didn’t fight it, but instead kissed him back despite her initial shock. Together they stood as one for that moment in time. Young love blossoming in the moonlight.

All of the town children who had turned 15 or were turning 15 were lined up along the beach dressed in white. The girls wore plain white dresses that flowed and whipped about their bodies while the boys wore long pants and equally flowing button-up shirts. Only the albino children were allowed to break the ‘all-white’ rule and wear their sunglasses. But Sven and Collette rebelled by wearing their seashell charms.
Far out from the shore the mayor stood on a rock and brought a conch-shell horn to his lips. Taking a deep breath he blew into it causing a bellowing, swishing sound to come rushing forth.
On cue every one of the children stepped towards the water until they were standing knee-deep in it. Then one-by-one they dipped their cupped hands into the water and splashed it over their heads. With everyone’s hair wet they began to chant in unison.
“Ancestors of the water, hear us on this, our coming of age. We honor and acknowledge your presence. Bless us with your beauty for years to come. May you be healthy and may your numbers in the sea grow as ours on land grow.”
The mayor blew on the conch again and everyone but Sven and the other albino’s waded back to the shore. Collette didn’t notice this until she was out of the water and turned to talk to Sven.
“It’s finally over Sv- Sven?” she said, turning around to see him still standing in the water, “SVEN!!!!”
She made to run towards him, but felt a hand grab onto her shoulder. Outraged she looked up to see the old man from the other day looking down at her.
“Don’t bother,” he said calmly, “There’s nothing you can do.”
Collette tried to tug free of him, but he would not break his hold. Helpless she turned back to Sven.
Sven didn’t know what was wrong with him. He wanted desperately to join Collette back on land, but his body wouldn’t listen to him.
To the ocean…Come, to the ocean…
His body, moving of it’s own accord, stepped further out, heading for the dark waters of the ocean’s drop-off. The other albino children seemed to be having the same problem as they too moved further away from shore. When they could no longer touch bottom they swam until, level with the rock the mayor was standing on, they finally stopped.
“I’m-terribly-sorry-for-this-kids,” he said, truly looking ashamed of himself, “But-it-is-the -way.”
Sven and the other children screamed as sharp pains spread from their waists down to the tips of their feet. Their legs locked together and became one, fusing together into a long fish tail with silver scales and fins on either side. As the pains subsided they treaded water there for a moment as they recovered from the initial shock.
Good…now come to the dark depths…Come to your new home…
“No!” Sven thought, panic rising in his throat as his heart started to pump faster and faster, “Anything but that! Please no! I wanna stay with Collette!!”
You don’t have any choice child…This is your calling…This is what you were always meant to be…You’re one of us now…The land can never be your home again….
His hand reached up on its own and tore the sunglasses off his face and he plunged into the water; his tail pumping furiously behind him. He tried to let out a scream, but found that it was like someone had cupped their hand over his mouth. Sven could not make any kind of noise even though he desperately wanted to.
Together with the others he dove deeper and deeper into the dark depths, leaving a stream of bubbles in their wake. Never to return.

Collette was forced to watch in horror as her friend turned into a creature right out of legend and dove down into the thing he feared the most. She could only imagine how terrified he must be right now. She was terrified from just watching the spectacle, let alone having it happen to her. Realizing that the man next to her had released his hold she spun on him and unleashed her rage.
“What just happened?” she demanded, “And why didn’t anyone stop it?!”
“You’d do best just to forget about him little girl,” the man said, taking off his sunglasses to reveal blood-red eyes, “He’s gone home now.”
Collette gasped in spite of herself. He was one of them and everyone here knew it. Everyone but her. Tears sprang unbidden into her eyes and she pounded on his chest as hard as she could.
“You bring him back right now!” she screeched, “Bring Sven back! This is his home! He’s scared of the dark water! Now you bring him back or I’ll-I’ll-“
“You’ll what? Scream some more about something that’s out of your control?” he scoffed, taking off his shirt and stepping out of his boots, “Because if so go right ahead. There’s nothing you can do about it. This is something that’s been going on long before you or I were ever born and it will continue to happen long after our bones have become dust.”
The words of finality left no room for argument and Collette collapsed there on the beach, clutching at her aching heart. Every fiber of her being burned to deny what was happening but reality would not allow it. Her tears were flowing freely now. Tears of rage and sadness. Tears of a love lost.
Snorting at her indifferently one last time the man stepped out of his pants and ran down the diving path, unashamed of his nakedness. Reaching the end he jumped and arched his body gracefully as his legs fused into a fishes’ tail. Hardly a ripple was made as he broke the water’s surface and vanished as well.
It was all too much for her. Vaguely she felt her head hit the sandy shore behind her as she was swallowed up by an ocean of darkness, just like Sven.
* * *
Sven and the others descended for what seemed like an eternity until at last they spotted a soft green glow on the ocean floor. This, coupled with the fact that the salt water did not sting their eyes puzzled them. The confusion however was still being overwhelmed by the pounding fear of what was going to happen to them.
There was a swirling in the water next to them and the old man from the other day appeared swimming faster than they were in order to reach their destination first. Sven was annoyed and repulsed by the sight of him. He understood then that the only reason he had helped him yesterday was because he knew that this was going to happen to him. Tears of rage attempted to form in his eyes but did not. Crying was something merpeople were incapable of doing.
As they dove deeper they began to make out shapes in the glow. Others like them with the head and torso of a human and the tail and fins of a fish. They were swimming in and out of buildings carved of the same glowing rock that was in what should have been Sven’s house. Scattered throughout these buildings were what appeared to be gardens. Though how any plant life could grow at the bottom of the ocean was a mystery to Sven and his unwilling companions to this strange new world.
As they got nearer the finer details of the figures treading water to stare at them. For the most part they looked the same. All had blood-red eyes, snow-white hair, and long silver fish tails and fins. However the men kept their hair cropped short while the women let theirs grow wild so that it floated around them like a bizarre halo. None of them wore any kind of clothing on their human torsos so the women were exposed for all to see and apparently unashamed by it. In addition each of them wore a necklace made of the same stone as the buildings and shaped into a shell. Some of the men even wore bracelets and tail rings of the same design.
Sven found that they were rather strange and quite frightening to gaze upon in their beauty as all of them had perfect porcelain features, flawless flowing white hair, and vivid red eyes. They did not share the same sentiments as they did as they appeared quite pleased at their arrival. All of them even dropped whatever it was that they were doing to follow them from behind. More likely a precaution to keep them from running away rather than genuine curiosity at the new members to their society.
Finally at long last they reached the bottom where all the buildings were pushed away from a tile-coated circle. The children of Sven’s town treaded water there with roughly 20 or so others from the neighboring towns; all of them looking positively terrified.
Then the older merman that Sven had encountered on land approached with several others. For a moment they hovered in front of them, their eyes passing over them judgingly, saying nothing, before they smiled and the only female among them spoke.
“Welcome young ones,” she said, her voice echoing in their minds while her lips did not move, “It pleases us to see you among our numbers. We will have to re-educate you, you must understand. There are things here that are quite different from what you may have known on false home.”
A few around them hissed in distaste for the dry land. The young-looking merman to her left nodded sympathetically.
“I share your sentiments brethren,” he said, the faintest of smiles playing around his lips, “These children will be available to you after we have shown them our ways. You are dismissed.”
There was a flurry of swishing tails and little eddies of water were created as the gather left immediately.
Sven could feel himself trembling as the largest of the merman swam forward. He was completely bald, heavily muscled, and covered in old healed-over scars. Every thing about him exuded an air of power and authority, even his transparent fins.
“I am called Sarken,” he said, crossing his thick arms over his broad chest, “I’ll be showing those of you most qualified how to patrol our borders to keep the predators and invaders away. It’s a difficult duty and some of you will be killed if you don’t do it properly. This is your first lesson.
Life down here is not the same as life up there. Here you are not at the top of the food chain. Sharks will eat the weak, wounded, or careless. You must be prepared to face such a threat at all times. We are their prey. While we can keep them at bay we cannot force them to a new hunting ground.
Sharks will not be all that you have to fear. There are also giant squid and octopi, monsters of the deep forgotten by the land-walkers. The most you could ever hope to do when faced with such a creature when it is hungry is to swim away. To try and fight them is to die.
The last of our great predators is the killer whale. During its season their pods will pass by this island. Do not swim close to the surface during this time. Hungry mothers will eat you so that their developing young may grow.
This is merely general information all of you need to know. I will speak of tactics and hunting parties only to those who will be performing such tasks. “
He backed away and another swam forward. This merman was old and wrinkled with age. His long white beard was nearly the length of his tail, but his eyes were still sharp.
“I am the eldest of our tribe,” he said, his voice in their heads as aged as he appeared, “Giddeon is what I am called. Though you will refer to me as elder. I will be your teacher in the old ways. Through me you will learn our customs and the true story of how all this came to be. This is your second lesson.
The land-walkers you once belonged to are to never be trusted. It was you arrogant-minded ancestors that brought this misfortune upon you.
Long ago when the land-beings were rising again, we thrived. In those times it was custom for our children to come of age at 15 as you did; and as a test of their courage and endurance they were to swim to their surface and take a breathe of the air. During the challenge on year our youngsters met with misfortune.
They were caught in the nets of land-walker fishermen and eaten for their evening meal. Though the land-walkers gained the strength and abilities of our people they had invoked our deepest anger and would feel the same pain we had over the loss of our children.
We rose to the surface and came onto their home, our glorious fins becoming legs as theirs when we touched the shore, and met with the ones responsible. They were afraid of us and huddled together pathetically, begging for our forgiveness. It was too late though. The wrong had been done.
We demanded the return of our children through them and laid a curse upon them. Those who had eaten the flesh of our young would beget young of the same breed to be returned to their ocean home when they came of age at 15 years time.
And it was so. To keep them reminded to never repeat their mistake every 30 years our kind resurfaces in their gene pool. An eternal reminder of the pain we felt so long ago.”
Sven felt as though he was going to be sick and automatically reached his hand up to take hold of his seashell charm for strength. Giddeon saw this and was in front of him far quicker than his old age implied he could move.
“What’s that you have there boy?” he demanded.
His eyes wide with fear of what was going to happen Sven slowly uncurled his fingers from around the shell and let him see. Giddeon studied it for a moment before tearing the shirt off of him, leaving his chest bare.
“You may keep the shell,” he said, “From the ocean it comes and to the ocean you belong so it may stay. You will not however wear land-walker clothes in this place.” He glared at the others. “That goes for all of you as well! Remove them!”
One by one they all removed their shirts; the girls a bit hesitantly, but they removed them nonetheless. Satisfied Giddeon nodded and the female and another male that looked about her age came forward.
They had the same face and the same slender build. If it weren’t for the fact that they were of the opposite sex one might’ve mistaken them for twins.
“We will be your guardians until suitable families are found for you,” the male said, “I am Marcil and this is my sister Marieta.”
“A pleasure I’m sure,” Marieta said, “You will begin your lessons tomorrow, for now follow us and we will show you to your temporary home here.”
Marcil and Marieta swam off towards the largest of the stone buildings and they followed. None of them wanted to go, all wanted to make a mad dash for the surface, but something was holding them back. Whether it was fear of what would happen if they did or something else none could tell. But by the time they passed through the building’s arched entranceway it was too late.
Their sibling guides led them to a hallway lines with windowless iron cell doors crudely fastened to the rock.
“Five to a room,” Marcil said, smirking cruelly, “In you go now.”
None of them moved so Marieta took a long rod off the wall and brandished it threateningly.
“Move, now,” she said, a growling undertone lining the command.
There was a great rush to not be the last one in then. Sven found himself pushed in by three of the girls and one of the other boys. During the scramble his right pelvic fin caught on the door painfully. His cry of pain echoed in the heads of the others around him causing them to clutch their temples and echo his agony.
Marcil and Marieta either didn’t hear his cry or didn’t care as they shoved him the rest of the way in and closed the door behind them.
“This is your room now,” Marieta said, tapping on the doors with her rod so that echoes were sent out through the water, “You will sleep here and take your meals here.”
“The only times when you will not be here is when you are attending to your assignments or learning from Elder Giddeon.”
“Enjoy your stay,” they chimed together.
They heard a swishing of their tails as they beat them powerfully against the water and then they were gone.
The other four immediately huddled together in a group. Together they talked amongst themselves; sounding fearful about their new situation, but with a touch of excitement edging it.
Sven ignored them. He was in too much pain to want to talk to anyone. And even if he had wanted to talk to someone he still wouldn’t have. The sudden loss of the one thing he’d ever held close to his heart and left him broken and empty inside. That pain overwhelmed that of his torn fin.
Gliding smoothly over to the narrow window he rested his left arm on it while the other did it’s best to stop his fin from flicking as he treaded water. Eventually he just gave up and resigned himself to the sting every time it moved.
Fingering his seashell charm he thought of Collette and how she must’ve reacted to what had happened today. Sven sighed and gazed up at what he thought was the direction of the surface. How he wished he could see the light again, but all that greeted him beyond the city’s eerie green glow was darkness.
It was then that a tray was pushed through an opening in the door, heaped full of some strange vegetable. Sven ate it disdainfully along with the others, not so much minding the taste, but not liking the fact that it meant no more hot meals.
His meal finished he went back to the window and continued to stare into the abyss. He made a vow to himself then as he looked into that inky blackness and held his shell in his hand.
Someday he would find a way to return. No matter what may happen to him here he would not forget Collette and he would find a way to return home to her. He would be strong for the one he loved.

* * *

Collette opened her eyes slowly. Her head was absolutely throbbing and her vision felt blurred. She tried to groan from the discomfort but her throat was dry and parched.
As if on cue her parents appeared over her, her mother with a cup of cool water in her hand.
“Oh, thank goodness you’re awake sweetie,” she said, handing the cup to her as her husband helped their daughter to sit up.
“Oh…mom…where am I?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper, “What happened?”
“Shhhh, don’t talk Collette,” her father said gently, “Just drink the water.”
Nodding stupidly she did as she was told. Her thirst quenched she rubbed her lips together gratefully and began her questioning again.
“So, where am I?” she asked again.
“You’re home silly. We thought it’s be best for you to post-pone your moving out until tomorrow,” he mother said, beaming an overly-pleasant smile, “We were all quite startled. No one’s ever lost consciousness at the Coming of Age Ceremony like that before!”
It all came rushing back to her then. What had happened at the ceremony. What had become of Sven and the other albino children. How no one had tried to stop it. The wrongness of it all. She broke down crying all over again.
“He’s really gone isn’t he mom?”
“Who’s gone sweetie?”
“Sven! H-he ju-ju-just changed like that and n-n-no o-one t-t-tried to st-stop it!!”
“Honey,” her father said, kneeling down in front of her, “Who are you talking about?”
“Sv-Sven,” she said, appalled that they could’ve forgotten all about her childhood friend.
“Sweetheart,” he said, placing his hand on her knee, “There never was anyone named Sven in town your age. Perhaps you made him up?”
Collette’s sobs stuttered for a moment as she gaped at him. But as she opened her mouth to argue further she noticed the look in her parent’s eyes. It was a look that said, “Don’t you dare, or you’ll be in trouble.”
Angry and hurt she pushed them away and ran out the door as fast as she could for the house where Sven’s mother lived. Surely someone could not deny the existence of a living being they themselves had brought into the world.
“Mrs. Seaner!” she shouted, forgetting about the doorbell as she banged on the door, “Mrs. Seaner, it’s me Collette!!”
She repeated this tactic several times before barging in. Immediately upon viewing the scene inside the water she had drank earlier came back up to splatter on the hardwood floor.
Sven’s mother hung from the ceiling fan, a silly yet somehow contented grin splayed across her face. Collette’s body longed to vomit more than water at the sight of the dead woman, but her stomach was empty.
Collette staggered out of the house and somehow made her way to the nearby cliffs. She knelt there on her hands and knees, clutching at her shell charm while she waited for her heaves to subside.
When they did she leaned over the cliffs and gazed at the rocks below. How easy would it be just to end it al? Just to close her eyes and jump, take the pain away. Why not? Sven was gone, his mother committed suicide, her own parents denied that he had even existed, and likely the rest of the town would do the same. Smiling to herself she stood up and started to lean out into space.
But what good would that do? A voice in her heart said. To kill yourself would be to kill his memory in you. The memory of the boy you loved. Do you really want that?
“No, I don’t,” she answered out loud, opening her eyes and pulling herself back from the brink.
Whatever had just spoken to her was right. It was selfish of her to think of killing herself like that. What would it do to her parents should she do so? And then of course there was her memory of Sven. No one else may acknowledge that he had lived here on the island, but she would always remember.
Collette closed her eyes and made a vow to herself. That she would never forget him as long as she lived. And to spite those who would dare forget she would never marry and would never love another. She would be strong for the one she loved.