(Tristan)

Merpeople are fascinating. To humans at least, but not to me. I am one. I've lived with mermen and mermaids for my whole life. I've never so much as left the ocean, and I think it's time.

I always sneak away from my tribe to watch the pirates that pass. I used to leave the reef every day hoping to see a human. Each day I'd go further and further out.

I got close enough to touch a ship once. The feeling was magical. It was made of planks. I was so close I could hear their voices perfectly. They sound just like us with the exception of a few words that I didn't quite understand.

My tribe is too fearful. They say that humans are violent and mean, but they aren't. I watch them on their ships. Smiling and laughing as they sail. Even at night, they have lights that make the water glow as they dance around.

It's sad that my tribe can't see what I do. Once they found out where I was going every day, they wanted my father to exile me. He got them to calm down, but told me never to go near the humans again.

Obviously I didn't listen. I just have to be more careful now. I need to make sure nobody follows me or they'll do that again.

It was scary enough the first time. I don't have anywhere to go if I leave here. I'm only eighteen. I'm an arctic merman too. There's not many other tribes like mine, and it may be impossible to find one that would take in a stranger. Even so, a part of me hopes that I'll have the chance to go on land someday.

I dive back underwater and swim swiftly back to the reef we live in. Unlike humans, merpeople sink in water, making it easy for us to sleep on the soft sand on the oceans floor.

There's a coral reef surrounding where we sleep but we don't need to worry about humans being in these waters. They're far too cold and deep for any human to be here.

Once I'm past the reef all I have to do is swim down. Most everyone is asleep and the ones who aren't probably assume that I went out for a late night snack. That's the excuse I'd use if someone asked why I was out so late. When there's fish all around us it's hard not to get cravings sometimes.

I swim over to my parents who sleep on elevated ground. Usually on a taller hill of sand or a rock. My father is the leader of our tribe.

Leadership was passed to him by his father, and that's usually the way it works. I'm not so sure it'll be that way in my case. The leader is typically the strongest man in the tribe. Generally someone like my father... not me.

My dad is buff. He's strong. Powerful enough to take on a shark by himself. I'm just skinny and weird looking.

I'm pretty, but that's just how our tribe is. Arctic merpeople are said to be the most beautiful and enchanting of all races. We have blonde, almost white hair and pale skin. Our scales are a variation of white, light blue, and lilac.

Mine leans more towards the light blue tones. However, the most alluring characteristic about us is our eyes. Bright icy blue almost as if they're glowing.

I sigh and lay on the rock comfortably as I look around. I love my family. My tribe, but aren't parents supposed to raise their children to want more? Everything seems so perfect down here, but up there... it's always a new adventure.

That's why I envy them. The pirates. They sail wherever they wish and when they choose too, they can go back on land. They have so much freedom.

I don't. I'm limited to this small part of the ocean. When I ask my parents about it they always give an excuse.

In other parts of the sea we can get caught by nets or attacked by other sea creatures. It'll be too warm and we may get sick. The one time I asked about going on land, they made sure I'd never mention it again.

They told me how humans are cruel and evil. If they knew what I was, they'd lock me away and test on me until I died. They'd put me in a box and people would come just to stare at me and poke at me.

What's worse is how they told me that humans would make sure that other humans feared us. They'd make me look like a monster.

Is that what we are? We're natural meat eaters. We mostly rely on fish. Sometimes dolphins or even small sharks, but our story started a very long time ago.

There was a time when our species didn't fear humans. Instead they feared us.

We'd use our enchanting songs to lure them in and as soon as their boats started to get destroyed by the rocks, we'd attack.

Our ancestors gave humans a reason to hate us. To fear us. Now we cower away in the deepest parts of the ocean just trying not to be seen.

We're stronger than them by far, but they're smart. They don't rely on brawn like we do. Instead they set traps and create contraptions that can hold us in or keep us out.

That's what's scary. Such a weak species can gain so much control just by using their heads. We could do it too, but most tribes rely on tradition.

I don't want to be scared anymore.

***

When I wake up, it feels just like any other day. The first thing I see are the reflections that the sun makes on the sand. The way the light refracts in water is truly beautiful.

However, my thoughts don't last long once I hear people whispering around me.

I sit up and look around. Everyone is awake. Everyone but me at least. I quickly become panicked when I see their stares focused on me. They're talking about me.

Do they know what happened? How could they? I was careful. Nobody followed me, and I have a good excuse for leaving.

"Dad?" I call out, looking around for him. I relax when I see him coming towards me, but the comfort is short lived once I see the anger on his face. He has to know. Why else would he be so mad?

"What's wrong?" I swim back a bit as everyone inches forward. It's like they're all waiting to see what happens next.

We're supposed to be a family. I shouldn't have to be scared of them and they certainly shouldn't demand that I'm exiled just for disagreeing with them.

"You." The person who answers is named Vince. He's a close friend of my father, and one of the warriors of the tribe. "You snuck out last night. Again. This can't go on any longer. You have to leave. You're a danger to all of us! Leading the pirates to us. One day you'll get spotted, and then our whole tribe will be captured or murdered on sight!"

I back away from him as everyone voices their agreement. I obviously didn't realize that people were watching my every move. I know I'm not supposed to see the pirates but I can't help my curiosity.

I just want to know them. I never meant to cause harm, and I still don't think I did. The pirates won't attack us. They didn't see me.

My dad turns to me with a disappointed and angry look on his face. The way his eyes have the slightest bit of sadness in them makes me know exactly what's coming next. He warned me before. One more slip up and I was gone. "Is this true?"

I open my mouth to speak, but when no words come out, I close it and just nod slowly.

There's no bother lying to him. Even if I do, and I get to stay, I know I won't stop. I can't just stop wondering. I'll never feel satisfied until I get to see a human up close. I want to shake their hand or touch their hair. I can't keep living down here pretending that there's not a whole world to see.

He runs his fingers through his flowing white hair, and shakes his head. "Tristan. I can't let you stay anymore. I hate that you put me in this position. You're my son, but I can't risk the safety of the whole tribe to keep you around."

I look around at everyone. It seems like every single person wants me gone, but my mom is nowhere in sight. "C-Can... Can I say goodbye?"

He purses his lips and slowly shakes his head. I know why. She won't let me leave. Not alone anyways.

I nod slowly and back away from them. After a moment, I turn and swim as fast as I can. I don't know where I'm going, but I know it will be better.

I'm nervous. Anxious. Scared. I'm feeling a lot, but I can't think of this as leaving them behind. I'm not. Exile isn't permanent. In a few years I'll be able to go back if I want to.

A few years for a merman is nothing. We can live to be a couple hundred years old. I'm 18 years old, and I have a lot of life left. I don't want to spend all of it in the water.

Although the circumstances are far less than ideal, I can't focus on the negative or I'll never get anywhere. I want to go somewhere different. A place I could only dream about. That's where I can go. Land.

***

I've been traveling for days. I couldn't find any land close to the freezing waters I lived in, so I had to go further south. I only saw two tribes on the way. Both were tribes from a temperate climate. It's the middle ground between arctic and tropic.

Their hair is usually a golden blonde or light brown color. Sometimes a ginger. Their scales are yellow and orange sometimes gold too.

Both tribes seemed interested in me and why I wasn't with my tribe in my normal climate. They even offered to let me join their tribes, but after I told them about where I was headed, they quickly became more withdrawn.

It's not just about me anymore. I want to prove that merfolk and humans don't have to hate each other. I may not reveal myself to the humans, but I won't fear them either. Not like all the other merfolk do.

After I passed the tribes, I went even further. Where it's warm. Now I can see it. I can see the coast and all the people on the dry sand.

I'm not sure how they'd react to a merman washing up on shore, so I swim around until I find a quiet and empty section of the beach.

I swim closer and closer before crawling up on the sand and sighing deeply. I don't even know how to get my tail to go away.

Maybe it's a spell or something. I lay back on the sand and stare at the sky, feeling my body dry up in the sun. I've never been dry before, but once I am, my scales retract into my skin, revealing two long pale legs and another body part that I'm sure is meant to be covered up.

That's another thing that makes humans different. They need clothes, and I think I do too. I think I look like one of them. Maybe a bit more pale.

I look over my shoulder and see a man walking towards me. Luckily he's alone, but I'm sure he'll be bothered by my nudity. "Excuse me? Do you have any clothes I can borrow?" I ask kindly.

He looks at me with a disgusted face and walks right past me. "Fuck off, crack head."

Rude. I guess humans are rude.

I sigh and start humming a soft tune that makes him stop instantly. As I said, merpeople are enchanting.

As I continue my song, he turns around and walks back towards me, slowly starting to strip off his clothes. Once he's down to his underwear, I stop. "Thank you."

He looks confused and dazed as I start putting on his clothes once he's back to normal he just turns and continues to walk away from me.

Maybe I'm in over my head. I love humans. I love watching them, observing them. I love how fragile and emotional they are, and I want to be around them all the time, but I can't.

I'm not like them. I don't have money or clothes or a place to live. Maybe I should just go back in the water.

"Don't think like that." I turn around at the sound of a woman's voice. Once I see her, I realize she's hardly a woman. She's just a girl. "I'm 17 actually. Not as young as I look."

"You can read my mind?" I instantly try to clear my head of any thoughts, but she just laughs at me.

She reaches out to take my hand and shakes her head. "It's a spell, but that's not why I'm here. I know who you are, Tristan Harper. I've studied your tribe, and there's nothing more fascinating than a arctic merman. Even your skin is cold."

She let's go of my hand and crosses her arms over her chest. She's wearing long pants that are black and a small shirt that only covers her chest area.

I have a feeling that human clothes will always baffle me. Humans have such nice bodies. I wonder why they cover them all up.

Her hair is long and dark, and her eyes are blue. Not quite as pale as mine, but still blue. "You look very pretty. Nothing like the girls in my tribe."

"I know. I want to help you. I can snap and have everything you need. A place to live, clothes, money, a job. Anything you can think of. However, there's no such thing as a free lunch."

"Huh?"

"Right. Not human. It means that my offer has a price." She explains upon realizing that I have no idea what her little saying meant.

"What's the price? I won't let you take my scales." I mutter quickly.

My dad said that's something that humans want from us as well. They want our scales. They want to study them and use them for anything they may help with, but they're precious to us.

Pulling out a scale is like cutting off your own finger. It's extremely painful and it just makes you feel like you're nothing. A merman without scales is like a human without skin. I won't ever let anyone take something like that from me.

"I don't want your scales. I want your voice."

I tilt my head and look at her skeptically. That's it? My voice. I hardly talk anyways. I'm always too busy observing to pay any attention to conversations.

"Done." I agree as quick as I can, hoping that she doesn't ask for anything else.

She smirks and takes my hand again, snapping her fingers and instantly making us appear somewhere completely different.

It looks like a little shop. There jars and bottles with potions and collectibles. I grimace when I see the jar full of mermaid scales. Judging by the bright red and green color, I'd say they're from a tropical mermaid. No wonder she doesn't need mine.

She also has jars of fangs, probably from vampires and claws from wolves. I see these kind of jars in the ocean all the time.

Some things are nice to collect, but others are noticeably harmful. I can't count how many times I've eaten a fish and found plastic inside of it.

She pulls me into a small room and has me sit on a chair as she gets a few things together. She pulls out a small jar and a cork that is small enough to close it. "Are you ready?"

I nod slowly, and listen to her start chanting a spell. I go to ask what she's doing, but as soon as I open my mouth, a trail of smoky blue air comes out.

She somehow directs it to the jar and once the spell is finished, she closes it, and puts it on the shelf with her other things. "All done. How do you feel?"

"Fine." Nothing comes out. It's as if I just mouthed the word. Not a single sound was made. She smirks again, and takes my hand, snapping her fingers.

This time, we're in a small house. There's a kitchen, couch, tv and a separate room with a bed in it as well as one with a toilet. "Your wallet and phone are on the counter and your clothes are in your closet. There's a map on your fridge that shows you how to get to your job. Enjoy."

In an instant, she's gone again, and I'm alone. I came on land so that I could interact with humans and now I can't even talk to them.

This isn't quite what I planned.