Sea Stars & Wishes

Chapter 10

 Song

I stare at Lyrika in disbelief.

"Wait. What?" I ask her.

"I wish that humans past, present, and future forget the existence of mermaids," she repeats. Why does my heart ache? Why does the sinking feeling in my stomach feel even heavier? Does she not want to become a mermaid herself? Runaway with me? She could even wish for me to become human if she wants.

"I-"

"Song," Lyrika cuts me off. She brings her hand to caress my cheek and as if she read my mind, "I could wish to become a mermaid and run away with you. But what disaster will that bring. A merman kidnapping a human girl? It could mean war. I could also wish you to become human, but you would never get the chance to see your brothers again. I could be selfish and make a wish... but I know what needs to be done. I'd rather wish for your and your people's safety than for you guys to continue to live in fear of humans."

Tears well in my eyes as I listen to her explain.

"But if you wish that," I start.

"I know," Lyrika's smile and hand drops, "but it'll be okay. You will still have our memories... for the both of us.

Our worlds aren't meant to be. Humans have not learned how to share and appreciate without causing harm. So we are not worthy of you."

We stare at one another for a moment, in the silence of the ocean water around us. I swallow the lump forming in my throat.

"I will grant your wish, Lyrika Belle," I bow my head, that's when I allow the tears to fall from the waterline in my eyes. That's when I feel her arms wrap around me. Instinctively I wrap my arms around her and hold her tightly, afraid that if I let go she will disappear.

"Thank you for everything. Song," Lyrika whispers.

"Thank you for showing me that not all humans aren't all selfish," I whisper, my voice wavering with each word, "I don't want you to go."

"I know. But not all goodbyes are forever. Maybe we'll meet again one day," Lyrika tells me. She pulls away and I unwrap my arms from her.

"I'm ready," she sniffs. I haven't even noticed her tears. I open my hand once more revealing the pearl. I close my eyes and focus. The darkness of my eyelids begin to lighten, alerting me that I'm glowing. I open my eyes and everything is well over exposed. The sea magic is running through my veins.

I hear the crackle of thunder once again. I look towards Lyrika once more. I take a deep breath:

"I grant the wish of Lyrika Belle, the human deemed worthy by the laws of the sea," I start, "I wish that humans past, present, and future... forget the existence of mermaids." I raise my hand towards the sky, the pearl slowly illuminating as well before rising from my hand and ascending into the storm clouds. Lyrika watches the pearl until it disappears. My eyes remain on her, allowing myself to memorize as much of her as I can.

Thunder rattles across the sky and rain begin to fall from the clouds. A little at first but the heaviness quickly ramps into a hard pour.

Lyrika closes her eyes and tilts her head to the sky. The sea magic leaves my body, causing my body to return to normal. Tears staining my cheeks as I watch her. The rain is what is washing away her memories, and I'm sure she figured that out the moment she turned her head towards the sky. Accepting it.

The rain is washing everyone's memories away, a rain that spreads across the world as we speak. Everyone will forget us, but we will not forget them. I will not forget her.

I slowly back away, taking cover under the dark shadowed pier. My eyes never leave her despite the heavy rain obscuring my view.

A burning sensation pierces my chest not once, but twice. I pressed my hand to my chest to stop the pain, and it disappears. I remove my hand and look towards my chest. Two of my scales permanently changed. The black representing that I have granted a wish, and the other white- a color I have never seen before on a merman or mermaid. But both the scales fall directly over my heart.

Lyrika eventually opens her eyes, after the rain lightens. She looks around as if confused and lost. She turns and spots the shore. She pushes herself up but falls down, forgetting she hurt her ankle earlier. She rubs her ankle for a moment before crawling out of the water and onto the rocky shore. She pushes herself to stand up, leaning her weight to one side. She attempts to ring out parts of her clothes and her hair.

Watching her causes my heart to ache. It's not fair to be the only one who lives with these memories. Her laughter, her smile, the way she looked at the sea stars. Her selflessness that pierced my cold-walled-up heart. Everything in me wants to swim to her and call for her, to maybe reverse her memories. To make her remember me, to make her not forget.

I stop myself. Affecting the wishmaker may also affect the entire outcome of the wish. Who was I now to act selfish when I judged her for it, despite her proving me wrong time and time again.

I watch her hobble her way up the shore and to the sidewalk. She stops and turns back towards the ocean looking out. As if she is looking for something... or someone. I catch my breath scared to be caught. I even lower myself further into the water. But I still watch her. Just a couple seconds more. Until I can't see her anymore.

She turns back around, giving up and walks right out of my sight. Out from my reach. Out from my heart.

But her entity is burned into my memories.