The Mermaid's Kiss

Maddie, Mom, Dad, school, college, her stories, they vanished. Zoe had to keep moving, she had to keep going onwards. To do anything else would be folly. What was at the end of this path?!

Soon the water was at her neck, and her arms began to push forcefully through the torrid, heavy waters. She tasted the salt splish and splash around her lips, the waters probing and pinching at her smooth lips. Her head was just above the water now, though the ground had begun to fall away. Her eyes were fixed on that moonlight; she couldn't think of anything else, but now she could barely control her own movements. The water was too thick, too viscous and restraining, as though it were a straitjacket. She began to gasp for air as her head barely held above the surface. There was nothing beneath her feet now, the silver path gave way to a black nothingness below. As her eyes finally yanked themselves away from the mesmerising moonlight, she began to wonder whether this had been a good idea?

Zoe went under, barely letting out a whimper as her face became completely submerged. She sank, into where she could not know. It stung to open her eyes in the sea-salt, the bright light of the moon replaced by the total black of oblivion. Oddly, she didn't feel panicked, even as her lungs screamed for the air they needed. The heaviness of the water above pounded more and more on her head, yet she was still alive? Or maybe she'd already died and this was what death was like, descending into the depths? It was stupid to think, but she didn't feel dead...in fact... why wasn't she? She should be freezing right? Or at least passing out from the lack of oxygen! Why did she feel so calm?

Slowly, tremblingly, Zoe opened her eyes, and would have jumped from shock if she'd been able to move at all. Drifting silently but effortlessly in the vast chasm of the endless blackness, was a woman. She was illuminated by the silver of the Moon above her, which seemed almost to glow like a spotlight upon her. She was mutely lapping her legs back and forth to remain in place, but otherwise she did not move, and instead stared at Zoe with curious and equally surprised eyes. Like Zoe, she too was nude, but her body was somehow golden in the darkness, shining and glistening like a wedding band in the gloom. Her hair was silvery, but had traces of auburn in her roots, as though she was wearing highlights. Another stupid thought came to Zoe's mind that this woman probably didn't use product. Whatever she was, she wasn't going to the salons anytime soon.

Zoe finally felt panic rise up in her chest as the woman, elegantly but purposefully, began to approach her. Her body gyrated up and down like a see-saw as she authoritatively manoeuvred her sleek body through the waters. Zoe felt helpless; she could barely move at all while this being could sway through the crushing weight of the sea like it was air! Look at her! she's so athletic and poised, while you would pass for a stick insect with your tiny boobs and skinny arms! God, why hasn't the sea killed me yet? Maybe this woman was actually a siren and she'll make a feast of my useless body? That would be a better use for it than how I've been using it, Zoe's mind thought sullenly.

As she gazed upon the woman's graceful movements, the negative thoughts seemed to melt away. She stared again at the woman and couldn't help but marvel at her beauty. Wow, she was really... Zoe stopped herself. She had wanted to say "pretty", but that seemed so small and offensive in response to this creature's elegant grace. She was angelic, transcendent, perfect! Literally glowing like a pearl in the darkness! If Zoe's face could flush red down here it would have done; she'd never fallen for a girl thirty-thousand leagues below the sea before.

The woman was just metres away now, snaking towards the timid teenager like an eel, her legs flapping left and right in a slowing motion. As she began to level with Zoe, her hands pushed at the water to reposition herself, pressing her body upwards so her long silvery hair floated about her face. When she lifted her head, her face shone in the pale moonlight. Zoe was stunned.

"Thalia!?" her voice gurgled in the bubbling water,

She was unmistakeable, but impossible! Hovering before her, in the vast depths of the ocean, was Thalia, her best friend from middle school!

In response, Thalia just smiled, her face feeling so warm and calming in this empty place. She reached her hand towards Zoe's. Zoe instinctively flinched, still shocked and exasperated by this extraordinary happenstance. What was going on? Was this real? Was this all a dream? It felt too real to be a dream, but this was impossible? Thalia wasn't a mermaid! She was the cool troublemaker who'd gotten expelled and her parents had moved away! Her face however, was uncanny. This was Thalia at eighteen years old. Was it possible to dream something like this? In such detail?!

Thalia was still smiling at her, her face teasing at Zoe's apprehensiveness. Why are you so nervous, she appeared to be asking? Her hand still beckoned for Zoe to reach up and hold it. She was nervous, Zoe realised, the whole siren-pulling-me-into-the-depths-to-drown-me thought had occurred, but then again, this whole situation was impossible! For all she knew, she had already drowned!

It was more difficult than she'd expected, but she forced herself to lift up her arm through the water towards Thalia's outstretched hand. When their fingers touched the world exploded. Well, not quite, but it was like Zoe had been struck by lightning, the vast ocean blackness instantly illuminating as though the sun were high above their heads. She looked about herself in shock and wonder. It was beautiful! They were no longer in the void, they were above a bright, colourful coral reef! Hundreds of fish swam about them and tickled playfully at their bodies. She couldn't help herself from smiling. Had they been above this garden this entire time?! Amongst the seahorses and butterflyfish and blue tangs!? Shocks of oranges and yellows and purples and white filled her vision. Was this how Thalia had been seeing everything?!

Zoe looked up at Thalia, her face a completely dumfounded expression. Thalia just laughed at her incredulity, then began to swim, gently pulling Zoe along with her. It was strange, but Zoe didn't feel so heavy and inert anymore, like someone had broken the shackles that held her body tight. She happily let her friend lead her passed the reef, marvelling at the evanescent seagrass, the algae and anemone. She couldn't hide her excitement at seeing a green sea turtle darting along beside them, Thalia looking back lovingly at Zoe with a grin. If Zoe hadn't been so distracted by the wonders of the place, she would have fired off so many questions: how are you here? Are you really here? Am I really here? Where are you taking me? How come I can see all this now? Instead, she felt a profound sense of trust in her friend, as though their years apart had never happened.

Swimming along, Zoe felt more confident, beginning to kick and sway her feet in a clumsy emulation of Thalia's grace. Again Thalia grinned, floating more slowly so that she and Zoe were together side-by-side. Zoe's heart elated at the look on Thalia's face. It was like her arrival had made her whole, like things hadn't been right when they'd been separated. Zoe wondered, if Thalia really was a mermaid, had she been sad down here, same as me up there? It seemed impossible that anyone could be unhappy down here, but maybe Thalia had shared her experience. Things hadn't been good without Thalia. Maybe...things hadn't been good for Thalia without her?

They were descending now, down into a small clearing amidst the colourful coral. Sand danced about them as their legs kicked gently against the ocean floor. At last, Thalia seemed to relax, hovering a little in the grove and staring intently at Zoe. Zoe returned the look, confused and not knowing what was meant to happen now? So is this the part where she eats me or..?

The kiss was sudden, messy and frenzied, the first graceless motion Thalia had made this whole time. Zoe wasn't complaining, she basked in the feeling of her old friend's warm, silken lips against her own. They broke contact for a moment, with Thalia looking down at the ground, sheepish. Zoe giggled in response, bubbles escaping her mouth with a distorted quality. Thalia looked up, encouraged, smiling. Now it was Zoe's turn as she reached up, cupping Thalia's cheek with her hand as she lent back to kiss her.

They held the kiss perfectly still, each closing their eyes as raw, tremulous emotions washed over them. Zoe thought about all those years apart from her friend, all the things she'd wanted to say, all the things they needed to talk about. She wanted to say so much, but right now, she just wanted to exist with her, to keep this moment in time frozen forever. She reached up, feeling bolder, and stroked her fingers along Thalia's neck to her luscious levitating hair. She felt her friend shiver from the touch, and the kiss became stronger, energised and passionate. Their lips danced around each other as though coordinated, moving left, right, on the cheek, on the chin, back onto the lips. Thalia was the first to enter her tongue into the mix.

Now she too ran her hands through Zoe's hair, causing the girl to arc her back slightly from the sweet, tickling sensation. Zoe's hands descended, reaching to caress the gleaming golden body of her long lost friend. God it was like sliding her fingers through cream; Thalia's skin was so soft and unblemished, smooth and burnished. Zoe opened her eyes and basked in the long silvery hair floating about her face, smiling as she kissed the radiant woman again and again. Her hands reached around Thalia's waist, delicately pulsing on the small of her back and stroking her hips. Thalia's hands ran down the front of Zoe's body, shaping around the curves of her breasts and pinching playfully at her nipples. Zoe couldn't help herself from gasping out another grin, luxuriating in this woman touching her so sensitively.

She didn't feel so worthless anymore. This creature only loved beautiful things. Zoe's heart soared at the thought of someone so perfect loving her so longingly.

Nervously, but sweetly, Zoe slid her hands back up Thalia's body to feel the sublimity of her flawless arches. Thalia's hand glided down Zoe's body in response, one hand pawing at her backside, the other reaching dangerously close to her crotch. Zoe breathed out instinctively at the touch, biting her lip. She opened her eyes to see Thalia was looking at her, smiling but serious. You want this, don't you?

Oh God yes! Zoe leaned in and kissed her, never wanting to let go, never wanting to be separated again, even for a second. She silently held Thalia's wrists and directed them back down towards her sex. Her heart pounded as her mind raced: no one's ever...I mean...I've never...she's going to...her world fell apart as those loving fingers tickled at her unshaved bush, pinching and petting it before reaching further down. Zoe felt inert, her whole body trembling and her brain turned to mush. All she could do was kiss Thalia but even that felt impossible. The fingers brushed at her thighs and made her squirm.

When the fingers were between her legs, she flinched, but did not break away. She wrapped her own arms around Thalia's body as the fingers probed, holding onto her so tightly she could barely breathe. She tremulously forced her body to relax, to give in to this new sensation as Thalia delicately and affectionately entered her, the fingers seeming to know where to go on instinct. Thalia found her clit, and began to rub it tenderly, causing the girl's body to go into paroxysms at this tenderest of contacts. Her hands dug into the girl's nude back and shoulders, scratching at the perfect skin as Thalia's efforts intensified with every second. Zoe squirmed back and forth, shutting her eyes tight as she bit her lip and gave herself to the waves of pleasure, bubbles escaping her throat as she audibly gasped.

She moaned softly and kissed and bit into Thalia's neck, trying to get some control over her own body so she could respond to Thalia's fingering in kind, but it was hard to concentrate as she spasmed and shook. It was like experiencing an orgasm for the first time all over again, the sense of excitement, of wonder, not knowing what it would be like! It was a feeling both nostalgic and utterly new. Who was this woman, really? She couldn't just be Thalia, could she?!

Zoe climaxed, letting out a low, inexhaustible moan as pure, unimpeded pleasure reverberated about her body, making her tingle and shake from head to toe. She held onto Thalia, feeling the mysterious woman's heart-rate keeping pace with her own. If she could have cried underwater she would have. Instead, Zoe looked at Thalia's face and thought, you're real, aren't you?

Thalia met her gaze with that same happy, reassuring smile. Yes I am, she said with her eyes. And I'll see you again soon.

Zoe didn't know what she meant by that, but discovered without warning or fanfare, that they were now hundreds of feet above the coral reef. Had they been floating up the whole time they'd been kissing? Or had they just appeared here instantaneously?

Thalia's grip on her was relaxing. Zoe tried to hold on, but Thalia's movements were too controlled, too well-versed in the ocean depths. She was able to break away without much effort, leaving Zoe feeling utterly alone from the lack of contact. Zoe reached out but Thalia grinned and shook her head. It was time for Zoe to go. Zoe was going higher and higher, and Thalia was sinking further and further down,

"Please don't go!" Zoe tried to scream, but her voice was muffled by the hundreds of bubbles rising up around her. Please don't go...but it was too late...she was surfacing...her head was above the water...the oceans were dark again and Thalia was gone.

Her eyes fluttering open, Zoe couldn't help noticing a gross taste in her mouth. She sputtered it out, realising that it was sand and saltwater. Blergh, gross. Adjusting to the light, she registered the morning sun and gentle waves crashing over her body. She was lying down, splayed out on the beach, still naked, her body caked in sand and dirt. She groaned. That hadn't all just been a dream, had it? Pushing herself up to slowly avoid the lulling waves, she considered what had just happened, or what hadn't happened?

So...I'm naked...so I must have walked into the sea...but then I saw Thalia, and she was...and we went... and then we...? Zoe couldn't process it. It had all been so real. She thought about the electrifying orgasm she'd experienced. That had to be real! Right?

Looking around, she saw with some relief that her pyjamas and shoes were close by. They somehow hadn't been pulled in by the tide? That was odd. They were sodden with saltwater, but she'd rather walk back in wet clothes than face the humiliation of being found nude. God, how was she going to explain this? The mermaid stuff was off the table, she'd sound insane! But the whole, walking into the ocean to follow the moonlight stuff didn't sound much better.

Pulling on the wet clothes, Zoe grimaced at the cold crinkling of the fabric still coated in saltwater. How had her clothes remained there? How had she got back here? She'd obviously been out in the water, her body was soaked but...she'd been underwater, swimming through a coral reef. She shook her head. She so wanted it to have been real, but it just didn't stand up to scrutiny. Her clothes clinging grossly to her body, she began to trudge back across the beach to the house. It was a nice morning at least. The sky was bright and the sounds of seagulls and sea-spray echoed across the horizon. Just before she got to the house, Zoe turned and gazed out across the ocean. What had happened last night?

Hesitating before she knocked on the front door, Zoe steeled herself for the worst. Time for some well-deserved reprimanding, she sighed.

The door was flung open almost immediately. Diane was standing at the entrance. She'd been crying. Seeing Zoe, she couldn't contain her joy,

"Zoe!?"

"Mom?" Zoe could barely get a word out before her mother grabbed hold of her in a swift, loving embrace,

"Jesus Zoe, you're soaked through! What happened? Are you okay? Were you swimming? Where did you go? We couldn't find you anywhere!" the questions were a mile a minute,

"I'm okay Mom," Zoe gasped, "really I'm fine!"

"But you were in the water?" Diane asked, concerned, terrified, elated,

"I..." Zoe stammered, "I guess so? But I'm here, it's okay..."

"We were so worried!" Diane cried, tears flowing again as she hurriedly brushed her hands through Zoe's salty hair, "I stayed here in case you came back, but your Dad and Maddie have been up all night looking for you!"

Zoe was surprised, "Maddie was out..?"

"Of course Zoe! Of course..." Diane held her daughter tightly, terrified that this was all a dream and that she would lose her again,

"Maddie told us what happened...about your laptop...oh baby I understand you were upset but you had us worried to death!"

"I'm sorry Mom...I...I'm sorry..." Zoe whispered, tears springing to her own eyes. She didn't know what to say. What could she say?

"I'll call Joe and let him know you're home safe." Diane forced herself to pull away from her daughter, but she never once let her out of her sight as she tapped away at her cell phone, "Oh it was horrible...we called the police but they were useless. They said to call the coastguard but we couldn't even tell them if you were in the water or not! You could have been anywhere!"

"I was in the water..." Zoe breathed quietly, lowering her eyes. She felt so ashamed. She'd never seen her Mom like this before,

"And don't worry sweetheart. Joe examined the laptop...there's still a chance we can save the hard drive!"

Zoe looked up at that, "You really think so?"

Diane smiled at her precious, beautiful daughter, "Yes, Sweetie, I do..." she fought back the tears as she reached Joe over the line.

Zoe had a soothing, hot shower and put on a change of clothes just before Joe and Maddie returned. Joe gave his daughter a big hug, but Maddie was less enthusiastic, muttering something about how she'd known all along the drama queen was just hiding out sulking somewhere. She did a bad job faking it; Zoe could tell she was happy to see her back. Up all night looking for me, huh?

Diane tried to quiz Zoe on where she'd been that night, but only received non-committal answers in response. Stuff about walking along the beach, then taking a midnight dip in the ocean, but nothing real, nothing explaining where she could have been all night! That seawater she'd been soaked in head to toe had been recent. So what, she'd gone for a swim during the night and another in the morning? If that was the case why were her pyjamas soaked? It didn't add up, but she couldn't press her too hard. The whole night had been a wakeup call to their daughter's feelings. If Zoe didn't want to open up yet, then they'd just have to accept it. The important thing was that she was back, alive and in one piece.

Joe and Maddie were exhausted and went for a late morning nap, but Zoe felt energised. Real or not, she'd just had the best night of her life and she hated the thought of sitting cooped up in the house,

"Hey Mom, can I go out?"

"Oh no, if you're going out I'm going with you!"

"Mom, really, you should get some rest. I'll be fine!"

"After last night you're not leaving my sight again anytime soon!"

Zoe gave it some thought, then said, "Wanna check out the local stores?"

Diane was surprised at Zoe's newfound communicativeness. The sullen teenager seemed transformed, enthusiastic even. What had she been doing last night to put her in such a good mood now? They got into the car (Zoe asked if she could drive, but Diane insisted, trying not to mention her still-lingering fears about the night before) and sped down towards the little coastal town. They travelled in silence but just as they were parking Diane said,