Between the Land and the Sea - By Derrolyn Anderson Page 0,29

sooner.

“Wait! ” I screeched, “I need to breathe more often!!! ”

“Oh, ” she said, and then held me above the surface as we sped along. With each powerful stroke of her fin we were propelled at least twenty feet. I was so frozen with cold I couldn’t protest. Finally we reached a buoy, floating far, far from shore.

I grabbed onto the buoy as she hovered next to it, treading water with her powerful fin.

There was an odd collection of objects draped and tied onto it. I recognized scissors, golf balls and an old hairless baby doll. The binoculars I had given Lorelei were dangling there, along with my soggy leather jacket.

The buoy looked like a piece of modern art I saw at a museum once. My vision doubled as I began to have trouble focusing.

“Let’s talk, ” she said, giddily.

My body was involuntarily shuddering and my teeth were chattering uncontrollably but I managed to get out, “L-L-Lorelei, I’m t-too cold. M-must g-go back. ”

“But the wave riders stay in the water a long time...” she pouted, disappointed.

“T-they have w-wet suits to k-keep them warm, ” I said through gritted teeth. She looked puzzled. “T-the black s-suits–”

“Oh, ” she said crestfallen, and I could see she understood.

“P-P-please take me back... now.”

She looked disappointed, and taking me by the waist again, started to swim back to shore. I couldn’t feel my legs anymore and a pleasant warmth crept through my body. I stopped shivering.

“Lorelei...”

“Yes, ” she said, swimming without the slightest evidence of exertion.

“Why did you call me sisthter? ” I asked, slurring my words. My vision was starting to blacken at the edges.

She paused for a moment, and then said “You were born of one like us, ” she smiled, “And so you are a sister. ” The blackness descended upon me totally.

I was happily swimming in a turquoise ocean, surrounded by dolphins that were leaping and twirling all around me in the water. I skimmed across the ocean floor, past the broken columns of an ancient civilization. I surfaced, and the warm rays of the sun washed over me...

I woke up alone in a hospital room. I sucked in a deep breath, blinked and craned my neck to look around. I had a splitting headache, and my whole body felt weak and tired. I raised my left arm and saw that there were tubes taped on the back of my hand leading to a bag of fluid on a metal stand. I felt nauseous. A sudden wave of clarity swept over me. The water, the buoy, and Lorelei’s face flashed through my mind as I started to come to my senses. My last memory was of... Oh... My... God! I froze for a moment, trying to remember to breathe, fighting back the sickness.

The door opened and Abby walked in. She looked tired and distressed. When she saw my eyes were open she rushed over to my side.

“Oh Marina, are you awake?” she asked with a quavering voice.

“Yes, I’m fine,” I lied. I forced a weak smile, wanting to make her feel better. She perched on the edge of the bed and studied my face.

“Tell me what happened,” she said somberly, her eyes full of pain. I thought fast, and came up with an excuse.

“I was leaning over the side of the ship… to look at some sea lions. I must have gone too far...” She wasn’t buying it. “I’m not a swimmer,” I added.

“Marina,” she took a deep breath, “Are you unhappy here?” She looked like she was going to cry.

“Oh, Abby, you know I love it here!” I said, sitting up in bed and hugging her. She smiled tremulously, and I could tell she knew I was being truthful. Just then Cruz came through the door, followed by Megan.

“Hi guys,” I waved my right hand, afraid to even look at the tubes coming out of the other one.

“I’ll be right back– I need to go see the doctor,” Abby kissed my cheek and left.

“What the hell happened?” asked Cruz.

“Did she do this?” asked Megan, her eyes blazing fiercely. They sat on either side of me and I told them everything I remembered, except the last little bit. I wasn’t ready to share it.

“You know, they drown sailors on purpose,” Megan said, her voice tight with indignation.

Her cynical nature made her suspect the worst and she was angry. I was touched that she cared so much.

“No, no,” I protested, patting her hand, “It was like she forgot, or she simply