Turbid

(adj TER-bid)

Image made in Canva

I'll never forget the day I met them.

The mermaids.

It was a normal, sunny day in our little mountain village. I had been counting daffodils next to the path as I walked, trying to rebel against my daily chores by dragging them out.

"Hey, Layla." Katherine said as I let the bucket drop to the ground. "You don't seem happy to be here."

I deepened my frown. "I can't believe my parents are still making me do this!"

She smirked. "Oh no, however will you survive?"

"I'm not a child anymore! If I'm old enough to start considering marriage, I'm certainly too old to fetch water."

Another girl chimed in. "You know, I heard that Miss May met her husband on her way back from the river. She caught his eye 'with the swagger she learned carrying those heavy buckets.'"

"As if! She couldn't 'swagger' if she wore the finest shoes on marble halls." They lost themselves to laughter as I knelt next to the water. Before I could lower the bucket into water, I noticed something odd. "Has the river been like this all day?"

Katherine glanced at the water. "Yeah, what of it?"

"It's cloudy."

"It gets like that all the time. Probably just some fish disturbing the silt at the bottom."

I looked back at the river. If a fish had disturbed the silt, it usually cleared up after a bit and only happened in one spot. This was... different. There was a streak of cloudy water, straight through the middle of the river, as if someone had taken a paintbrush and run along with it.

And... It was flowing in the opposite direction to the river.

Take a look.

Leaving the bucket where it was, I began walking upstream.

"Where are you going?"

"I'll be right back. I'm just checking something."

Leaving her protests behind, I followed the flow of the dusty streak, hiking up my skirts and climbing over rocks when necessary to remain near the water. After slipping into the mud a few times, I found myself at the head of the river. A waterfall fed a broad pond that eventually found its way to the river and down the rest of the mountain.

The dust stream did not follow the same path.

Once it was free of the confines of the river, it cut through the eddies and whirls straight to the center of the pool. There was a concentration of the dust there, swirling around itself and creating a sphere within the water.

Swim out to it.

"That's absurd." I said, I thought, to myself.

Why not?

"It's filthy. And wet. My dress would be a mess."

Come now, sister. Won't you at least look?

Sister? Wait, was this voice not my own? Was this not the inner voice I’d always heard?

Bubbles gurgled in the water before me and I stumbled back as a head emerged from the depths. Dark, beady eyes blinked as I stared from where I fell.

Come. Said the voice in my head again. When I didn't respond, the creature raised out of the water more, revealing what appeared to be the top half of a woman, wrapped in what I realized was leaves from the plants below in some semblance of a shirt. She tilted her head.

Are you hurt?

The voice was coming from the mermaid, straight into my mind.

Are you hurt? She repeated.

"Oh, uh. No, I'm fine."

She raised her hand and held it out to me. Then come!

"Where?"

Home, of course.

For a moment, I wondered if she meant her home or mine, but there was something in the way she said it that made me think she thought the two were one in the same.

"My home is that way." I pointed into the trees and I realized that I actually wasn't sure that was accurate. We never went to the pond, it was too far for our chores and the water too wild for us to really enjoy ourselves swimming.

Come. She flexed her hand, reminding me of a child asking for more food.

"Wait, I don't even know you. How can you expect me to trust you?" I shifted my legs under me so I was kneeling on the ground, far enough away I was confident she couldn't leap out of the water to grab me. "All the stories I've heard of mermaids say they're vicious, drowning sailors with a kiss."

Those of the distant sea. Unfortunate family relations.

"So you're saying you don't drown people?"

Not in many many moons.

I sighed. "That's not exactly reassuring. So I ask again, why should I trust you?"

You recognize my voice, don't you?

"I..." I didn't want to admit it, but I did recognize it. I knew this voice. It was the one that encouraged me, comforted me, gave me guidance. As I child I had attributed it to an imaginary friend. Later I simply believed it my own mind, giving me advice I'd heard somewhere before but could not recall with my waking mind.

Have I ever led you astray?

Combing through my memories, I couldn't find any mishaps related to her advice. On the contrary, the few times I disregarded it I met with unfortunate consequences.

"No." I finally responded.

Then come. I have something to show you.

I had to admit I was curious. And she hadn't harmed me in all these years when she could have easily drawn me here to drown me.

“And your name?”

I am called—

The sounds she used for her name made no sense to me, as if whatever language they were made from wasn’t real.

“Um, I don’t think I can pronounce that. Can I call you Voice?”

She grinned. I like that. Yes, it is acceptable. Are you ready now?

So I took her hand, wondering at how crepey her skin and webbing felt beneath my fingers. One foot stepped into the water, then the other. I pulled back slightly when I felt the water hit my hips, my dress flaring around me.

Voice looked back at me, but didn't increase her pull on my hand.

It's alright. I promise, you won't come to harm.

Nodding, I allowed her to lead me past the drop-off into the deepest part of the pool. I kept my head above water as we went, further and further, until we reached the edge of the cloudy sphere.

Ready?

"Wait. I can't hold my breath for very long."

It won't be a problem once we're inside.

Inside? Inside where? The sphere?

My curiosity won out and I took a deep breath. She held onto my hand as the cold water slipped over my head and we went deeper, closer to the sphere. This close I could tell the water was swirling with regularity, as if with a purpose. Voice turned, swimming backwards as she tugged me into the sphere.

I couldn't see anything for a moment and started to panic, squeezing my eyes closed.

You can open your eyes now.

I had expected to still be in a cloud of dust, blinded to which way was up, but that is not what I found when I opened my eyes.

Before me, stretching farther than should be possible, was a city.

Buildings sprawled out in an array of bright colors, so much so my eyes weren't sure what to focus on. They were spread on cliffs and hills and some even reached from the sandy bottom almost to the water's surface.

And then I remembered I was underwater. And I hadn't taken a breath in a very long time.

The realization brought the tightness in my chest to the forefront of my mind and my held breath exploded out of me. Panic set in as I anticipated the burn of water pouring down my throat and filling my lungs.

Only it didn't.

Calm down. You're fine.

I was afraid to speak, as if doing so would break whatever spell kept the water from killing me.

Come on, this way.

She took my hand and pulled me along behind her, into the city. The tall, colorful buildings enveloped us. I glanced up in wonder as they towered above us. I couldn't tell where the buildings stopped, the bright colors fading into the shifting blue of the water above us.

Ahead of us there was a flurry of activity. I pulled on my Voice's hand to make her look at me and cocked my head.

It's market day. She replied with a smile. The best day.

It was less a market, and more a festival. Stalls were scattered everywhere in no discernable pattern. And not just on the pond floor either. There were stalls staggered higher as well, placed on outcroppings of rock and set up on personal balconies, all vying for the attention of passersby with bright flags running between them.

There had to be at least a hundred merpeople swimming about. Some wore clothes fashioned from plants, others seemed to be wearing cotton shirts like those we'd wear in the village.

The village. Right. How long have I been gone? I looked back the way we came, but could not find my answer there. A tug on my hand made me turn back.

Come on, I want to introduce you to some people.

She led me through the crowd to a small pagoda where a group of merpeople were waiting.

There you are! We were beginning to wonder if you were coming! One mermaid said, planting her hands on her hips.

I had to get someone. Everyone, meet Layla.

Greetings drifted around as if my not being a mermaid was nothing unusual. They each told me their names in their indecipherable language and I silently gave each a nickname.

Voice asked after another friend.

You took so long, he went to check the schedules of the performances. Her gaze drifted to a point behind us. There he is now.

Voice and I turned to see an impossibly attractive merman approaching, his shirtless torso well-toned and a great compliment to his chiseled face. Voice told me his name, but I had already dubbed him Handsome.

A pleasure to meet you. Handsome’s voice in my head was deep and smooth. I could have listened to it all day. Then he took my hand and pressed his lips to my fingers in a gentle kiss that made me blush. A pleased smile brightened his face even more as he straightened.

Shall we? Voice said and we headed off into the market.

We went from stall to stall, my guides excitedly perusing the wares. There was sparkling jewelry, curious clothes, and, oddly enough, old shoes. I was about to point them out to Voice when they pulled me to a food stall. It was all fish and coral, either cured or raw, some things were even still moving. Handsome offered me one dish and I declined.

That was about the time the uneasy feeling began to really settle in.

At first I had thought it was still the doubt about being able to breathe. Any time I remembered we were underwater, I had to force myself to forget so panic wouldn't overwhelm me. Then as the day wore on and my hosts continued to laugh, enjoying the performance we’d stopped to watch, the feeling grew.

What's wrong?

It was Voice. I shook my head.

Mutters rippled through the crowd and we turned. A beautiful merwoman had entered the market. Her hair flowed around her in a shimmer that made it hard to focus on her face, though I got the impression that it was exceptional. A half dozen necklaces alighted on her neck, matching the bracelets and rings she wore. All of it sparkled beyond what should have been possible.

She headed straight for us and my cohorts bowed.

My Queen.

The Queen. Of course, that made sense. I bowed my head as she gazed at me with piercing eyes.

Are you ready, child? She asked.

When no one jumped in to answer for me, I knew I was going to have to brave my voice.

"Ready for what, Your Majesty?" It felt strange, but the words seemed to come out fine and I didn’t drown.

To join us.

I froze. "Excuse me?"

Voice came around with an exuberant smile. After all this time, you can finally come home! Join us, Sister!

What were they talking about? Join them? Home?

I see your hesitation. The Queen said. But there is no need to be uneasy. We have everything you could want here. Home. Family. Wealth. Love.

My eyes drifted to Handsome and he gave me another of those dazzling smiles.

I realized with a start it was fake.

While his mouth was smiling, his eyes seemed almost... hungry, desperate. They all did.

Cold seeped into my skin.

"I..." I began backing away, bumping into a stall of potions and tinctures. "Thank you for the offer, but I really must be getting home."

You are home. The Queen crooned.

I grabbed some of the bottles and slammed them against the stall counter, relieved when they shattered and let out a cloud of darkness. The merpeople screeched, some bolting away, others trying to cover their faces.

Using the chaos to my advantage, I pushed off the ground and swam into a space between two buildings, barely big enough for me. With one wall on either side of me, I used their rough surfaces to propel myself upward, faster than I would have been able to swim on my own.

A screech pierced the water, making me stop with a stab of pain.

FIND HER! The Queen ordered.

I squished myself farther back into the space as a few guards swam by. When I was sure they hadn't seen me, I continued my ascent. Higher and higher, it didn't seem like it was ever going to end.

A fear crept into my mind.

This was an impossible space. Was it even possible to reach the edge?

Could I even go home?

I reached the top of the buildings and paused, scanning the area above me. I couldn't make out how high up the light was. To the left was empty water. The right, too.

Was I trapped?

That was when my eyes caught on it. Something shifting in the distance. Squinting, I could barely make it out.

A cloud of dust.

That had to be it. That had to be the way out of here.

Ducking down to evade another group of guards, I waited.

They got a little farther away.

A little farther.

Now!

Gripping the edge of the building, I used it to launch myself upward, kicking and clawing at the water as hard as I could.

There!

They were coming after me. I could only hope that I'd managed to give myself enough of a head start to escape.

I was maybe halfway to the dust.

The swish of their fins bubbled in the water behind me.

It was getting close now.

Screeches were nearly at my back.

Nearly there.

Sharp fingernails snagged on the hem of my dress.

I was in the dust shutting my mouth to keep from swallowing the particles. Unable to tell which way I was going or where I was, I continued to kick as hard as I could.

The pressure of water resettled on me.

The dust cleared.

The surface was there, I could see it.

Something wrapped around my legs.

Wrenching around, I saw a trail of dust coiling around my skirts, growing tighter and tighter. It slithered up to my waist as I struggled. It started to slowly pull me down. To pull me back. I fought with everything I had, wishing I could scream. Wishing someone could help me.

The pressure in my lungs was too much.

As the weight of the dust reached my chest, the pressure threw my mouth open and water began pouring down my throat. It burned as the edges of my vision darkened, enveloping the light above me bit by bit.

I couldn't fight anymore.

In my last moments of focus, I thought I saw something in the water above me, a dark shape. It melded with the rest as I lost hope and consciousness.

A painful cough jolted my body awake. I rolled over on hard grass, spitting up murky water. Someone was next to me, saying something, but I couldn't make it out over the ringing in my ears and I didn't have the energy to sit up. A warm hand settled on my shoulder and my hearing snapped back into clarity.

"Layla!" It was my father. "Breathe!"

I glanced back at the water as he helped me sit up. There was no sign of the cloudy sphere.

I'd escaped.

The rush of relief had me burying my face in my father's chest. He held me as I cried.

"It's okay. You're okay."

It wasn't too long before I started shivering, the sun nearly beneath the horizon. Father helped me stand and we began the trek home.

"How did you find me?" I asked.

"Katherine found me when you took too long to come back. When she told me what had happened before you walked away, I knew exactly where you were."

"How?"

He held a branch out of the way and we ducked under it. "An old legend my grandmother used to tell me. In exchange for prosperity, the first settlers of the village would sacrifice a young woman to creatures of the river. Whenever the water grew cloudy they knew it was time to send in another young woman. Once she was accepted, the water would clear and the village would be prosperous again. At some point, the sacrifices became either too frequent or too dear and a monster hunter was hired."

We were so close to the village now I could smell dinner cooking in various homes. "But he didn't wipe them all out?"

"I think the village thought he had. But Grandmother always warned me, should I have any daughters, to keep them wary of the river. She believed that young women who’d disappeared over the years had been lured away by the creatures, a line of murky water appearing just before each one. I'm sorry I didn't say anything. I always wrote it off as a simple story to keep the girls from wandering off while fetching water."

I shook my head. "Not your fault."

A shiver ran through me and he rubbed my shoulder. "Your mother should have dinner ready soon. Hungry?"

A hopeful smile lifted my lips. "A warm meal and dry clothes sound wonderful."