Buried

This story can be read as a standalone. The story is its own idea. It is connected to “Hidden” but both books are still standalones. Think of them as...twins.

~

The worst feeling isn’t being lonely. It’s being forgotten by someone you could never forget.

- Unknown

~

Silence. I had no air connection. Not even the slightest. Darkness. I felt the tightness of my chest, water entering my lungs. Everything faded in and out but I had no collection of the world around me. It all seemed to slow down. A bright light appeared before me, blinding my burning eyes. Time slowed even further. Within seconds, my senses shut down. No sight. No sound. No feeling. It was all ripped away from me.

My eyes landed on the coffee shop to my left as I passed by. I’d never heard back after my interview and I knew that meant they didn’t like me. Finding a job was becoming harder and hard with every rejection.

Sitting on the side of the building, I looked up at the people passing by.

Nobody gave me a glance. If they did, it was one filled with disgust. People in this town judged you no matter what. Your story was always an assumption and they would put you in a box, literally and figuratively speaking.

It was not easy to get a job in this town when everyone was already full. They said they needed you and then all of a sudden the position was taken and you were left on your own.

You could imagine my surprise when a guy leaned down to drop a couple of dollars near my leg. “It’s okay, I don’t need this.”

He chuckled. “You should get yourself a lunch. I know food is important to stay alive. Trust me, I don’t need it.” He left before I could say no. I grabbed the money and counted four dollars, enough to get me a fry or something. I’d learned by now to never judge. He gave me barely enough for a large fry and maybe there was a reason. He gave me all he had left.

He disappeared around the corner after I caught sight of something in his hand. I couldn’t see what it was but I could guess he was barely making it on his own. That only made his gesture much more thoughtful. He gave me his lunch money.

I took the money with me to get myself as much food as I could for four dollars. Savoring my food was a good idea but I was too hungry to care. I scarfed the food down as fast as my mouth could chew.

I threw the paper in the trash and walked away from the town. My feet left the pavement and stepped across the soft dirt as I made my way through the forest. The town around here was small, and most of it was surrounded by a lot of forest and nature. It was wonderful for someone like me.

I stopped as I came to a small lake or whatever you could call this, sitting down and soaking my feet. After a few minutes, the water took effect and fish skin covered what used to be legs.

Being dead made it harder. I had two identities to protect. This was why I had a harder time finding a job. I could never tell the truth and I needed someone to just believe I was not here for trouble. According to them, I was a homeless girl and nobody wanted to give me a chance. Why would they do that for me?

The sun began to set and I wondered what my parents could be up to. Did they have another child? Were they divorced? It could have gone either way and I had no clue what their lives looked like now.

Continuing to wave my tail through the water, I noticed someone walking in the woods. Fear took over my body and I slipped into the lake, going down to the bottom. Nobody could see me. A small town like this would use me for my DNA.

The water was warm during this time of year. No matter what season it was, my mutated cells could handle temperatures that a normal human could not.

Homelessness was getting harder by the day. Fewer people cared as if they assumed I wasn’t trying to get myself back on my feet. They judged the outside rather than getting to know the inside.

Getting food was scarce. Some days I would have to search through restaurant dumpsters when my stomachaches got so bad. I never had a place to sleep. I wish it would get easier but I wasn’t sure if it ever would.

~

“Excuse me, he stole my purse!” a lady yelled as a man ran down the street with a bag.

I watched him, remembering this lady all too well. She had never made eye contact with me and I knew it was on purpose. If I had just been able to get a job and get my life together, I might have had enough strength and endurance to chase a thief down. Unfortunately for her, I was just a homeless girl who didn’t have much meat on my body.

I sipped the water from my old water bottle and almost choked when this lady gave me a look. It was bold of her to finally give me her attention.

As I turned my gaze towards another direction, I lifted my sleeves in a careful manner. Once she saw the circumference of my forearm, she knew she couldn’t expect a small girl to take down a tough guy.

I started walking down the street to go check out some shops. It was no surprise when employees watched my every move. I wouldn’t steal anything. I was in here for the warmth to be honest. Today came off as a chilly spring day.

A little girl watched me and I smiled at her, waving. My heart swelled when she smiled and waved back. Kids were so innocent and loving. They didn’t see a poor woman. They saw a friendly face and wanted to interact.

When her mother turned to check on her, I spun away so she couldn’t tell me to leave her daughter alone, or tell her daughter that I was a disease. I wasn’t. I was just trying to make it on my own but people made it hard. They wouldn’t hire me. With no prior job experience, nobody trusted me.

I left the shop after saying goodbye to the little girl.

I heard a whimper echo from between two buildings and I hurried to see what it was. “Oh, you poor baby!” I kneeled down and examined the little puppy that got caught in some kind of net.

After removing the net, he nuzzled in my lap and licked my hand. This gesture of his made me want to cry. I saved him and he gave me affection. It was the sweetest thing ever.

I stood and carried the puppy with me. “I have nothing but you can stick with me for now. I’ll make sure to find you good food.” I scratched behind his ear and chuckled as he barked.

His golden fur was dirtied by the garbage he has been snooping around in. I knew just what he needed. Taking him to the small lake just outside of town, I used my hand to scoop up water and pat it onto his body. I gave him a good wash before I let him shake off the excess water. “What should I name you?” I asked him. His brown eyes looked up at me and he smiled. It was the cutest puppy smile I’d ever witnessed.

“Hm... How about Happy? You are always happy and you make me happy. It suits you.” I kissed his head.

He barked and jumped into my lap, kissing my arm. I picked him back up and his kisses continued on my face. “Happy. You are exactly what I needed in my life. We can keep each other company on this journey and I will continue to find a way to get us a decent living.”

With a new companion, it was about more than just me. Happy needed a home, too. I had to provide that for him. Somehow, I was going to provide a home.

I hummed a gentle melody and watched as Happy snuggled in my lap. He must have worn himself out all day from trying to get himself free from that net. I didn’t blame him.

A rush of a cold breeze came from nowhere and I looked back into the trees. I sunk down as glowing golden eyes observed my movements. If mermaids were real, I couldn’t doubt the existence of other creatures. Anything was possible.

I laid back on the ground and kept Happy close to my body. I had a duty to protect this little guy.

With my view now upside down, the golden eyes had retreated back into the forest and I could rest in peace. That thing couldn’t possibly try to hurt me, right? I was innocent. I wasn’t a threat.

Whatever it was, was gone. “It’s alright now, Happy. Have good dreams. I won’t let anything ever hurt you,” I whispered.

My eyes closed and I fell into a deep sleep. Nothing in my dream world was safe anymore.

I swayed in the water and peered into a mirror, noticing the odd way this reflection moved. She didn’t mimic my actions. She had her own.

A growl sounded throughout the trees and I turned around to face whatever was coming to kill me. A large, red wolf with glowing eyes stood before me. His head was lowered and his teeth were bared.

Another one emerged from the forest and stopped beside the red one. He kept his posture straight and head high. His black fur blended in with the night but his blue eyes popped. This had to be my strangest dream to date but it was the same one I’d been having for a few weeks now.

I awoke to a howl in the night and I had to wonder if it was the same golden eyes I had seen earlier. Did it know I had a dream of it? I’d never seen this creature, or wolf, up close and I had no clue if the red fur belonged to him but the golden eyes were on point. The shade was exactly as it needed to be.

Happy was sound asleep without a care in the world and I wanted to keep it that way. This world was cruel, too cruel for a dog to be tainted by it. I would make sure his name stayed true to who was.

The moon was above me tonight, full and bright. It made sense as to why wolves would be up and calling to other pack members during this hour. It was a tradition.

I began to wonder how many other mermaids were out there, living in the wild. How many more existed? Was I meant to be with them instead of here, on my own?

Wolves stayed with their packs and I didn’t know if mermaids did the same thing. I guess I would never know as I had no plans to leave this town anytime soon. It was a safe place for me, even if I couldn’t get a job as quickly. When that job came, I would work extra hard to keep it.

I closed my eyes for just a moment before opening them again. I screamed and sat up, looking back at the golden eyes that once hovered above me. It was dark but not too dark to notice that this wolf had the red fur I’d seen in my dream. He must have known somehow. Did animals not have a sixth sense?

My options were screaming, running, or staying put. I chose that third one. It was a game of ifs as I questioned his motives and why he was here. I could be lunch or dinner or even a skin coat. I never knew in this world. Anything was possible.

His intense gaze was beginning to scare me. I wanted to cower in fear but I couldn’t move. I was frozen in my spot. Happy was awake and running around the wolf’s legs as if he were an interesting new friend. I wasn’t too sure about that.

Happy came back to me, wagging his tail and asking me to play with them. I pulled him into my chest and gave the wolf the calmest expression I could. I couldn’t show him fear.

He closed the gap between us before sitting on his hind legs and peering out onto the water. Did he know my secret?