Chapter Thirteen ★ Shadow

｡☆✼★━ Luna ━★✼☆｡

​

How in Triton’s blessings did that girl know that I was following them? Dang it. Am I slipping? Could it be the were-powers are messing with my mer-powers?

No, it ain’t possible. There’s more to this girl than what she appears to be. So far this town is seeping its secrets in a slow drip. All of our records were wrong.

I still can’t believe the commander, my dad, refused to help. He said that Pearl was a necessary sacrifice to keep the boy safe. Also I was supposed to report back to base.

Like I would anyways. That ain’t my memo. Never will I leave a friend in the hands of the enemy. I will save Pearl even if it costs me my life.

Another uneasy feeling swept over me. I glanced up to see the girl searching for her followers. That would be yours truly. Being the quick one I dove into a nearby trashcan to wait it out.

Ick, leftover days old ice cream mixed with half eaten burritos. I clapped my hand over my nose to quell the overwhelming stench of rancid beef and cream. Rumbles of protests gurgled from my stomach but I swallowed to hold it down.

The girl mentioned something to the boys over her shoulder and they picked up the pace. However, Daniel was slowing down even though he was fighting to go faster. The more he fought the greater the resistance.

In an instant he was thrown forward and he fell head over heels and tumbled towards a big dark blue metal post office box. The back of his head slammed into it and he slid to the ground. He tried to get up but his limbs gave out and he fell back down to the ground.

Out from the shadows was a man who was unnaturally tall. He wore a red and white striped suit with a tall top hat. His hair was tight curls like that of an afro and his face sported a waxed mustache curled on both ends.

The man walked forward with a cane in his right hand then came to a stop right in front of Daniel. That uneasy feeling became worse as he bent down and said, “We’ve been waiting for you.”

I wracked my brain trying to remember who he was and what kind of threat he posed to Daniel. It wasn’t until the other figures that emerged did it dawn on me who and what they were…

… The Carneys

It had been years since they’ve shown their dark rotten existence. I thought we mermaids had blown them into next year… or so that’s what our supposedly dead Agent did for us in the past. Apparently, that ain’t the case.

Croc-man and the Siamese sisters stood behind the Longman cackling as he extended his bony long fingers towards Daniel.

Daniel let out an ear-splitting scream that would shame any little girl in these here parts.

Shoot, I don’t have the luxury to sit here in waste as they take my chance to get Pearl back away from me. Pulling myself up I launched myself out of the trashcan and did a triple flip in the air.

Then landed flat on my face between the Longman and Daniel. Ow. That stings.

I placed my hand on the ground and peeled my face away from the cement and faced the Longman then said, “Back off.”

His upper lip curled upwards as he pulled back his hand and gave me a look of disgusts. He replied, “Ugh. Vile creature. Aren’t you a long ways from your territory?”

“This one,” I pointed back at Daniel, “is under my protection.”

Croc-man burbled, “SSSShe’sss wrong. Contract hasss been broken.”

I moved to the side and stared right back at the half-bloated corpse slash crocodile man then said, “Shut it, luggage.”

The Siamese sisters laughed and Croc-man growled back at her. The Longman stepped into my line of sight and bent down to see me eye to eye.

His lips pursed as he twiddled one end of his mustache then added, “I believe Croc is right. You merpeople have no jurisdiction in this place no more.”

“Wrong.” I glared back at him. “The merlock is working with you thus our contract is not broken.”

He flashed me an eerie grin with yellow crooked teeth. The auburn hair added to the creep factor and sent chills down my spine. 

Longman said, “Ah, you might want to relook at the contract. It does not matter whom the merlock is working for… it merely states that if a merlock enters these parts then the contract is null and void.”

“No,” I croaked and backed up. Breached contract or not they were not getting Daniel. I muttered to Daniel, “Get up kid.”

Daniel groaned and made a weak attempt at getting up. I said a bit louder this time, “Kid, get yer butt up and moving. Ain’t no time right now fer yer belly-aching.”

He tried again as he grabbed one side of his head. As he was doing his best to stand up I noticed Croc-man and the sisters moving closer. Shoot, I don’t have time to transform into my battle mode.

Longman turned and saw his comrades moving in closer and said, “Stop.”

The two stopped and waited as Longman twisted back to me and said, “I do not want to battle where the mortal can see us. Surely we can talk this out?”

Glancing around I noticed there were several people out and staring right at us. He was right. First rule of any supernatural creature walking among mankind is to not attract attention to yourself.

I stared right at Croc-man and the sisters then pointed as I said, “What about them? Don’t they stick out like sore thumbs?”

Longman grinned again then said, “They are using a cloaking enchantment. People do not see them as you see them.”

He leaned in closer and added, “They appear to be a small girl and boy out on a walk with their father and being bullied by you.”

A shock rocked the very core as I searched the eyes of the onlookers and noticed they were pointing right at me. Some already had phones out possibly calling the cops. Dang it.

I spat, “This is why I hate witches and their cronies. Y’all cheat.”

He took another step closer to me as Daniel stood up and used the mailbox to steady himself. Longman said, “I would suggest that you and the boy come with us if you do not want to cause a scene.”

Dang it. I ground my teeth and chewed on the side of my cheek. He had me fair and square. If I were to continue on to a fight then I would be the one locked up and not these psychos.

Longman tapped his cane on the ground and grabbed my attention. He asked, “So, what have you decided?”

‧͙⁺˚*·༓☾ – TO BE CONTINUED… –☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙