The Truth Buried Under More Lies

        Merrick watched as the lithe and graceful Aurora beat the serial killer to a pulp. She socked him in the jaw while kicking him in the shins. He went down easily, and she cracked her knuckles, ready for more if need be.

        Aurora wasn't in her usual white dress that he’d seen the two days that he’d known her. Instead, she was wearing black skinny jeans, a white t-shirt, and a black jacket to go over it. She looked ferocious and ready to kill. Seeing that the man wasn't getting back up from the small sparring session with her, she found someone’s abandoned shirt and used that to tie him to the fire escape rail.

        Merrick watched, mesmerized as she took out a cell phone and spoke about the killer. Once she hung up, she turned... and saw Merrick. They were at a stand off, no one making a move.

        “You lied.” he whispered.

        Something hardened in her sea colored eyes. “I wasn't.”

        He started to back away. “You can obviously see. What? Was it some joke with your friends? To see who you could fool?”

        Sirens wailed in the distance, and she glanced around uneasily. “No, Merrick, that’s not it. Now if you just give me time to explain...”

        “I’m waiting.” Merrick said, crossing his arms.

        She shot him a look. “Not here.”

        He turned around and started walking away, disgusted that he even gave her a chance.

        The police were coming closer, and Merrick didn't want to get more involved in whatever that crazy girl was doing.

        When he was far enough away, he made the mistake of looking back, and she was still there, her pink lips thinned and her eyes worried... for what? Her black and blue hair swirled around her, and then the lights were starting to get closer. Blue and red got closer, and suddenly, she was running the other way like Satan was on her trail.

        Merrick shook his head and turned away. She doesn't concern you, she never did, he thought. When he got back home, he opened the door to see a pout Miranda, and he almost groaned out loud. Why did this have to happen to him?

        “Where were you? You didn't reply to my texts.” she stated.

        “I was surfing.” was his only defense.

        “And you couldn't text me back when you were walking? I know you can multi-task.”

“God, Miranda, give me a break!” he snapped. “I just got out of the hospital and almost dying.”

“Then you shouldn't have been surfing! That’s the reason you were almost killed, you know!” she yelled. “Greg had to comfort me all night because of how worried I was!”

        Merrick bet that that wasn't the only thing that Greg was doing. He pursed his lips. “Miranda, I think it’s best that we don’t see each other anymore.”

        She had been raging about how worried she was and pacing the floor, but at his words, she stopped. “ You've got to be kidding me. Has the sea gotten to your brain?”

        “I’m completely serious.”

“You can’t be doing this. You can’t. We've been together for three freaking years!” she screamed. “What did I do wrong, Merrick? How could you want to break up for no reason?”

        “I don’t need a reason.” Merrick said, coldly. “Now, I want you to leave, right now. I’ll send you back your stuff tomorrow.”

        “No... no, no, no!”

“Yes, we’re over, Miranda. Now leave.” He moved towards her, about to shove her out if she wouldn't move.

But she lurched out of the way, and stood straighter. “Don’t touch me!” she hissed. Then, she walked out, her heels clacking on her way, followed by the slam of the door.

        Merrick went to his bedroom, exhausted. The phone by his bedside blinked with a message. He hit play and listened to his father’s voice.

 

        Merrick, I heard that you were in a surfing accident. I’m sorry that I couldn't be there to ensure your health, but I-

        The message was cut off as he pressed the delete button. Merrick ran a hand through his hair. So now the old man thought about him? He had to almost die to get his attention, apparently, and even that wasn't enough for him to come and visit.

        James Demmington was never the fatherly type, always running around his own corporation and busy with work to pay attention to his son. Merrick had grown up alone and preferred it that way. Now with Miranda gone, there was, finally, no strings attached to his life.

        He pressed his face against the pillows, and sank into a grateful sleep.

 

 

        When he woke up, the weather was gray and stormy and he scratched his head, yawning. The beach was lapping ferociously against the shore, and no one was on the beach because the red flag was up, telling people that no one could go in the water. The random weather changes never ceased to amaze Merrick, as he pulled on clean clothes. His phone vibrated on the nightstand, and he groaned out loud. 23 Messages from Miranda.

        Without looking where it landed, he tossed the cellular device over his shoulder and headed out. Looking around, he almost expected Aurora sitting on the side of his house, waiting for him, but then remembered last night’s previous events and a scowl made it’s way to his face. Merrick shouldn't even be thinking about that girl; she was annoying, a pest -a pest that played him around her little finger.

        As he walked down, he saw a single person down at the pier, the wind whipping the figure’s hair around. Merrick walked closer and he saw that the person was on the phone, arguing -more like yelling.

“I told you I’d be there! But I have to straighten out something, first!... Don’t you tell me what to do, Reina! Just because-... No! It’s not that! Just tell Father that I’ll be there!”

It was Aurora, back in a dress, but it was black. Instead of looking like she was going to a wedding, she looked like she came from a funeral. The dress had see-through lace up and down her arms and neck, her finger nails painted to match. She had on flat shoes, and a hat to top it all off.

She was frustrated.

When she hung up, she groaned and rubbed her temples, leaning on the rail and looking out at the restless sea. Her eyes looked gray right now, restless, dark bruises were under her eyes from lack of sleep. She wasn't the innocent -and slightly stalker-ish blind girl that Merrick had met a couple days ago. She looked years older and tired.

        Aurora bit her bottom lip in deep thought, as she toyed with the necklace on her neck. It was a simple stone, and not even those smooth kinds you get at the gift shops. It was just a flat, oval shaped rock.

        “How long are you going to stand there?” she asked, finally.

It surprised Merrick that he didn't say anything and he still stood where he was before, not moving.

        Aurora looked down at the swirling waters. “So I heard you broke up with Miranda.”

        He snapped his head. She was definitely a stalker. “How did you know.”

        “The bar that she works at. She took out her anger at a beer bottle.”

        Merrick laughed humorlessly at that.

        “That’s not funny.” she said, frowning. “That beer bottle had hopes and dreams.”

        “Sure, sure.” he said, finally moving to lean on the railing next to her.

“I was there to see a friend of mine there, not trying to get information about you.” she said, quietly.

        He went still and he remembered the picture of Aurora and that guy at the mall, talking a sipping their smoothies, the picture where it clearly showed that she wasn't blind at all. Anger or jealousy -he wasn't sure which- coursed through him.

        “You’re boyfriend at the mall? Laughing at my humiliation for falling for your blind act?” Merrick snapped.

        Aurora went stiff. “How would you know? What if he was my boyfriend? And I wasn't laughing at you. I hardly planned for this to happen after my operation!”

        “Huh?” he said, confused.

“Forget it.” she snapped, and pulled away, already moving down the pier. “I don’t need to explain anything to someone who puts labels on people without listening to their story.”

        Merrick watched her walk away, and a protest started to leave his throat when he thought, It’s not worth it. She never meant anything to you. Instead of going after her like he wanted to, he took her place on the railing and stared down at the waves, just as she did.

        He found it mesmerizing, the crazy slap of the water against the structure of the pier and somehow, a strange thing happened. As the black water swirled, he saw a pair of sea blue cat eyes staring back at him. That was all he was able to see, but just that made him back away unsteadily. He tripped on an uneven board and fell. Merrick scrambled back to the pavement, shaken.

Those eyes... they looked really familiar.

He searched his pocket for his phone but remembered that he threw it somewhere in his room. Groaning, he went to the only place that he could think that his friend, Sean, would be. The Auto-Shop.

Merrick walked quickly, questions swirling around his head. Not that Sean would know what or who Aurora was, but he needed to talk to someone about the unfolding drama in his life. He wasn't in the mood to talk to Greg, and he didn't have any friends that were as close as Sean, so...

        When he walked into the familiar, rusty garage, Sean’s head bobbed over the engine of a RAV4, his arms smudged with grease, his glasses always placed on his head. He was completely focused on his job and Merrick felt a little bad on interrupting his job. He placed a hand on Sean’s shoulder with an oil-stained towel on it.

        “I need to talk to you.” he said.

        Sean glanced at him, and grinned. “Sure, man. Just give me five minutes to finish this, and we can. Gave you a shocker about that Aurora chick?”

        Merrick leaned over the car engine to help inspect the problem, and Sean handed him a screwdriver.

        “Get that screw in their tight.” he instructed.

        “Yeah. How’d you get that picture anyway?” he said, doing as he said.

        “I was at the mall of course. She was wandering around for a while, then sat down. It was weird, Merrick, she wasn't looking at the stores, she just had a distant look on her face, like she was only half seeing.” Sean said. “Honestly, I didn't know that she could see until the dude came up to her.”

Merrick tensed up. “Who was he?”

He shrugged. “Beats me, but they don’t look like they’re close. They got into an argument about something. Yelling at each other and everything.”

        “What did he look like?”

“I didn't get a good look at him, he was facing away from me. I could only get a picture of her. So what do you think she’s playing?”

        “I don’t know.” Merrick said, truthfully. “I saw her on the pier today, too. She was arguing on the phone. But when we talked, she yelled at me that I wouldn't listen to her side of the story.”

        “Did you?”

        “No.” he admitted. “I was too hung up on the Miranda drama.”

        They both stood up as the engine rumbled to life, in perfect condition again. Sean nodded. “I heard about that. Sorry man.”

        He shook his head. “I don’t care. She just made a scene when she left.”

        “Did anything get smashed and/or broken?” Sean asked.

        “No.”

He chuckled. “Then it wasn't a scene. I figured when you broke up, someone would've gotten hurt.”

        Merrick nodded, absent minded.

        “You’re still thinking about that girl, aren't you.”

        “Yeah. I think I’m going to go find her to straighten things out.” he said.

“Well, knowing you, you’ll definitely find her if you really want to.” Sean said, wiping his grease stained hands on the towel.

He started towards the entrance of the shop, but turned around. “Thanks.”

        Sean looked a bit surprised but returned that easy, sly smile. “You’re welcome, my friend.”

        When Merrick got home, he fished for his phone which somehow, landed on the pile of clothes that needed to be watched. He called Ardy, his dad’s secretary and a good friend of his.

        “Hello?” he answered.

        “Ardy, I need a favor.” Merrick said. “Can you find someone?”

        “Easily. Just tell me their name’s and I’ll find them.” Ardy said, always at his ready.

        “Aurora.”

        He seemed to be waiting for Merrick to say more. “... And her last name?”

        Merrick let out a frustrated breath. “I don’t know her last name. But I have a picture of her, I’ll send it to you.”

        “Alright.”

        He sent Ardy the picture that Sean had sent him. It held a clear view of her. “I just need her address, Ardy, that’s all.”

        “Oh, she’s the blind girl that bought the Victorian house near the bay. Aurora Itsaso. I think she just got her operation lately.” Ardy said, the typing of the computer in the background.

        The breath suddenly left Merrick. “What?”

        “Yeah. She bought the house a few weeks ago, and I think she got her eye operation a little after that. She should be able to see now, from what I hear.” he said, nonchalantly. “Here’s the address.”

        He gave him the address, and hung up, stunned. So she really was blind to begin with, and Merrick had accused her like the real jerk that he was.

        Jogging quickly, Merrick reached the homely house that he’d walked past so many times before on his way to the surfboard shop where he usually hung out. He knocked on the door, and no one answered.

        He knocked again, more urgently. The curtains in the window fluttered in the wind.

        “She’s not here.” a voice said behind him.

        Merrick turned to see a young high school girl walking by.

        “You know her?” he asked, breathless.

        “Yeah. I was her social worker that helped her before she got her sight back.” she said, stopping. “Last I heard, she had some family party that she had to go to and won’t be back until tomorrow.”

        He couldn't believe it. So she was telling the truth.

        Man, he was really screwed.

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        Aurora swam up to her father and Fin who were waiting for her at the entrance of the Arctic Cove, what we Sea Serpents called it. She lowered her head in greeting to them both.

        “Father, Fin, it’s really good to see you again.” she says, smiling.

        Fin grins at her, and her father, Michal Itsaso, engulfs her in a hug.

“Aurora, you hardly visit. I've missed you.” he said, his deep voice created big bubbles come out of his mouth.

“I've missed you, too, father. Where’s Meri and Otto? I want to congratulate them.” she said.

Meri was the female serpent that her half-brother, Otto has chosen for his mate, and the ceremony was to host the bonding between them.

“Reina kept on screaming at me to not be late.” she said, rolling her dark, cat-like eyes. Aurora’s Reef’s swayed in the gentle current, making the strands coming from her serpents tail to swish back and forth, also.

Fin frowned, disapprovingly. “Meri’s having... what’s the mortal’s word? A nervous breakdown.”

Aurora laughed at that. “Looks like I’ll have to talk to her.”

        “Really? I know she was expecting you.” Michal said, relieved.

        “Of course,” she said, flippantly. “I’ll go there right now... once you tell me where she is.”

        They both laughed, and Fin motioned a servant over. “Take Filia Prima Aurora to Ms. Meri’s chambers, will you?” First Daughter.

        She was thrown off by the title, for it’d been ages since she’s been addressed as so, but quickly shook off the shock. She was a princess now, and had to control herself. Back into the prison.

        The servant swam away, guiding Aurora into the underwater caves that made up the Sea Serpents home. “Welcome home, Filia Prima.”

        Aurora nodded, her head held high and proud; like any princess of the Sea Serpents clan should be. The water’s temperature was well below zero in the arctic but she hardly noticed. What she did notice was that everyone she passed, they bowed from the waste, their long tails flipping up in respect. She nodded, politely.

        She was always known as the Fair Child, because all of her half-siblings always had a short temper. So did she, but she was just better at controlling it than others. The royal family was always the hot tempered kind. But she was admired, and many preferred her than the rest, which concluded that they made sure that she was always well protected, despite the battle training that Aurora had done.

Suddenly, they stopped swimming, and they came in front of a large room, covered by seaweed for privacy. Something crashed around inside, which was a big surprise to Aurora. It took a lot of force to break something in the water.

She parted the curtains and her soon-to-be sister-in-law was pacing -swimming- the room, raging that nothing was going right.

The servant announced her, making Mari stop in her tracks. “Announcing, Filia Prima Aurora.”

        Everyone, including the Puellae, maids, to bow.

Mari’s thick red hair bobbed up from her bow, the angry melting off her face and being replaced by happiness. Her orange Reefs bobbed up and down, her fiery red tail glinting in the water. “Aurora, thank Poseidon that you’re here. Nothing’s gone right, these idiotic servants can’t tell the difference between a frond or a rock.”

Aurora’s smile plastered on her face at the talk of the servants. “Mari, I ask that you refer to me as my title until the actual bonding takes place, and that you respect the help you are receiving from them.” she said, firmly.

“But-!” she said, in disbelief.

She held up a hand. “ I've had a long journey, and I’m not in the mood for arguing. You will not disrespect the Puellae that assist you, and this ceremony will go without a hitch. Everything is taken care of, I promise. Now, I must go help Otto with his troubles. Don’t misuse the power and strength he’s giving you.” Aurora said, the threat evident in her voice.

        Mari gritted her teeth but nodded.

She swam out, seeing the grateful looks of the serpents around her. Mari was a spoiled brat in her opinion, but Otto’s choice was Otto’s choice and only a madman would try to persuade him out of it. Otto is the Secunda Son, as the second eldest son of Michal, it was a surprise that he hadn't gotten a mate sooner.

        Now, Fin was a different problem all together. Since he was the Primogenitum, the First Son, he was the heir to father, and would take a mate when he was passed the title of Seniori from Michal, he wouldn't get one until he was king.

        “Aurora!"

        A torpedo seemed to shoot towards her in a fit of happiness and delight, as Reina Itsaso rammed into her. Aurora laughed and pulled her younger sister in an embrace. Reina was her real sister, not some half-sibling like everyone else, and was like a mini replica of when she was younger.

        “Reina, I've missed you! How have you been? What about mother?” she asked.

“I’m so happy that you’re here! I can’t wait for the bonding ceremony to take place! It’s the first time that I’m allowed to go. And mother’s doing great! She’ll be happy to see you!” Reina said, smiling. “I’m glad I didn't have to yell at you, you make my voice go hoarse.”

She laughed at her pouted expression. “Well, maybe if you didn't yell at me, your voice wouldn't be so sore.”

“Only because you give me reason to yell.” she grumbled.

“I have to go greet Otto, so I’ll see you at the ceremony, alright?” Aurora asked, ruffling her floating hair.

        Reina happily agreed and sped elsewhere.

Aurora seemed to have miscalculated about how much time she had, because servants were rushing to find her and bring her to the ice burg where the ceremony would take place. As the Filia Prima, she was to represent the females as Fin was to represent the males in the bonding.

        They were going to take our full forms.

        The thought excited Aurora, for it had been ages since she last changed completely, and her body ached for that transformation. Once there, she crawled onto the small island, while everyone was already gathered in the waters.

Michal was already in his human form, standing, while Fin sat next to him, still in serpent form. His black hair glistening from the water and his black Reefs hung by his face, drooping.

        She crawled towards them, her long tail trailing behind her and took her place on the other side of her father. All the members of the Sea Serpents clan was gathered today and few hundreds filled the ocean right now in the Arctic Ocean.

        Aurora looked at Michal, sensing that Mari and Otto were close. He nodded and she and Fin slithered back into the water, and she closed her eyes.

        A burning sensation rippled through her spine, but not the burning that she always feared, the kind that comforted her. Her body grew longer, thicker; scales sprouting everywhere, the cat’s pupil narrowing even further. Aurora and Fin’s bodies rose to the surface once more and looked down at the small clan and their king.

        Glancing over at Fin, she saw him looking down at them also. His sleek black body shimmered in the arctic light. Aurora lowered her snout as Meri and Otto came out of the water, hands clasped. Meri’s body shimmered as she got her land legs, and her brother Otto did the same.

        Her half-brother, Otto was just like the rest of the family. Dark hair and blue eyes, it all ran in the family.

        They both made their way up and Aurora snorted, making mist spray out, at Otto’s worried expression. He had sweat on his brow -not ocean water-, and he was visibly pale. Mari’s eyes widened at the massive sight of the two eldest siblings, side-by-side. It was probably the first time that she ever got a glimpse of the rumored warriors of the sea in the real forms.

        She probably doesn't even know that this could be her, Aurora thought. Mari was still young and didn't know much about the serpent’s, but she’d have to learn sooner or later.

        “Otto Itsaso, vis accípere Mari Mary, hic præséntem in tuam legítimam uxórem iuxta ritum sanctaæ matris Ecclésiæ?” Michal’s voice rang out through the hundreds of clans people gathered.

        Otto Itsaso, do you take Mari Mary, here present for your legal wife according to the rite of our holy mother, the Church?

        “Volo.” Otto returns, solemnly. I do.

        “Mari Mary, vis accípere Otto Itsaso, hic præséntern in tuum legítimum marítum iuxta ritum sanctæ matris Ecclésiæ?”

        “Volo.” she says.

        And that was it.

Cheers erupted and Fin and Aurora reared up to their full height in synchronization. Their heads going up, jumping into the air, and diving back under. They stayed in their forms as Aurora circled her family.

        Reina was summer-saulting in the water, and her other half-siblings going up to congratulate Otto, whose face was as red as Mari’s hair. They were both smiling idiotically, in that lovey-dovey way that newly-weds always do.

        Aurora gazed at them, lovingly -even Mari- happy to be back with family again.

        That’s when they came.

She and Fin heard them before everyone else, and whipped their snouts towards the intruders and baring her fangs in a feral snarl. Everyone disappeared in a second, only leaving Fin, Michal, and Aurora. They were under strict orders, that were meant to protect them.

        The enemy came in large numbers, but not large enough to overwhelm them -despite the three. Her father transformed in a burst of light. Instead of black like the rest of the family and his other appearances, he was white, almost transparent.

        The mermaids had always had a long grudge against us and hunted us to the ends of the earth. Yes, they did exist, but were very, very different than the Sea Serpents. Their tails were shorter, they didn't have Reefs, and they didn't have cat eyes like the serpents.

        The three lunged at the enemy as they drew their spears and weapons to us in challenge. Aurora didn't hesitate in ripping through them, lashing out at any mermaid in sight. The serpents hated them as much as they hated the serpents. They've taken away their home, their friends and family over the generations. She couldn't forgive that.

        Hence, the battle begins.