“The sea and the sky look the same to me. Except one is not as wet as your eyes when you weep and our lips when they meet.” ― Ingrid Vargas
Hyperion felt a massive weight lifted off his shoulders. His mission completed as soon as he received confirmation the sample was in the hands of his team lead. With his debt paid, Hyperion could cut the strings of his past and trust his fate to whatever happened on the island.
“I hope you’ll stay, he said to his resting mermaid. I should have never doubted Derek. You’ll never know how many countries, in how many villages, cities, and bars I’ve looked for you. No woman wants a man that does what I do. They don’t like waiting for months to find out if I’m coming home or not. They fall apart worrying if I’m in another woman’s bed instead of theirs. No wife wants to be in love with a ghost that comes and goes according to whatever little secret war needs interdiction. I’ve learned love isn’t about duty, honor, and country sandwiched between the hopes and dreams of a man and his woman. It’s better to be alone than put someone you love through all that. I’ve been looking for the woman that will take me as is with all the nightmares, scars, and imperfections. She’s the one I’m never leaving again.” Hyperion poured out his soul to the fathomless eyes that peered out from under sleepy lashes. Fingertips touched the wild creature’s cheeks, stroked her thick black hair, and hoped she was the woman that had visited his dreams for many years.
Hyperion felt an aching need for Dàng Shi to stay with him. He hoped she would not run away before Derek saw her. “They all go at some point; he said more to himself than Dàng Shi. Maybe you can bring the mother and child to us. We need your help finding Meera.” Hyperion noticed the dark mermaid’s eyes grow wide at the sound of Meera’s name. “Dear God, is the other mermaid Meera?” he wondered out loud.
“Dreek, Dreek, came her reply.” “Yes, Derek. You know about Derek and Meera?” “Meera cha ma su, Kit ta nah, the indecipherable words slipped from Dàng Shi’s lips in a slow drawl. Hyperion drew closer, trying to make out what he heard. She enveloped Hyperion’s hand with hers and brought it to her breast. “Me Dàng Shi,” she said. “I’m Hyperion, he replied as an urgency welled up in his mind. She spoke in broken English. How?” “Hi-pur-on,” she attempted to say his name. The lens cover crawled across her eyes as her lids closed and Dàng Shi fell off the edge of consciousness again.
“I’ve got to go to Derek and tell him about you, Meera, and the boy. You rest, and I’ll be back soon.” Dàng Shi looked peaceful. If not for her skin markings, she looked like any woman that lived an active outdoor life at the beach with her dark skin and windblown hair. She could be a surfer as far as anyone could tell. “Except for a few differences, Hyperion said, holding her webbed hand and touching the pads of her long fingers and the short talons where fingernails should be. “Sleep well, Dàng Shi.”
* * *
“Derek, I swear to God, she knew Meera’s name, and she spoke yours and tried to tell me something. She said she was Dàng Shi. Do you recognize that name from when you were with Meera?” “It’s too hard; I can’t think. No, Meera never mentioned anyone else. You saw a child with her? My son, I might have a son?” Derek sat with his face buried in his hands and shaking in disbelief.
“You just have to keep holding on. Meera headed up the path that leads here to the cave. I haven’t seen a soul around the lagoon. She is still around here somewhere. You have to keep an eye out for her in case she comes here. I’m going back to the boat, and we’ll come back here as soon as Dàng Shi is strong enough. If you haven’t heard from Meera, Dàng Shi can lead us to her. You alright with that? Can you hang until I get back?” Hyperion was no less anxious than Derek. He hoped the sailor could keep it together until he could return with Dàng Shi. “I’ll do my best. Thank you, Hyperion. I don’t know why you have done so much for me, but, I won’t let you down.” “You haven’t let me down; you’ve helped save me.” Hyperion gave his friend a pat on the shoulder and headed back to take care of Dàng Shi.
* * *
When Hyperion returned to the boat, he saw the radio had received a message. Package received today. Enjoy your time off work. Hyperion smiled at the last part. “I’ll do my best.” He decided to change out of his tactical gear. He went to the shower to wash the day’s sweat, and grime off. It was time to put on something more refreshing to wear in the waning heat of the late afternoon and fix something to eat for Dàng Shi. “I wonder what mermaids like to eat?”
Image source: Dark Mermaid by Robyn Jane – DeviantArt
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