Our mom paid the fee without hesitation and even bought us new clothes just for the field trip.
When the day came, she packed enough food for us to feed the whole class with and gave us an entire bank vault of money.
The bus drove through many beautiful places; mountains, forests, rivers and even the picturesque Adomi bridge.
The whole class was enchanted by the sights, but I wasn't interested.
I was listening to an audiobook of a famous German physicist's teachings. Well, it wasn't that I wasn't interested- not interested, but that I was more interested in learning what the scientist had to say.
We arrived at the dam and got out of the air conditioned bus in pairs and I was paired with a girl named Anneliese.
I was scared and wanted to be paired with my brother but the teacher wanted me to ' socialize with other people '.
The tour guide proudly led us up the dam and told us about its history and how the water level was higher than normal because of the line squall that had been falling in the area recently.
The tour guide led the class across the dam but I stayed behind since I realized Anneliese was missing.
I looked back and saw the bully... complicated child harassing her.
I didn't know where it came from but I had this boiling rage suddenly within me.
I just charged at him and punched him in the chin then asked her if she was alright when he had flown out of the scene.
She nodded then yelled for me to look out.
When I turned, I was pushed by the bully over the edge into the lake below...
***
I screamed at the top of my lungs and saw everyone rush to where I fell off.
I splashed, hard into the lake and struggled for my breath as I couldn't swim.
Even if I could, the current pulling me to the turbines was too strong to overpower possibly even by a salmon, sailfish, shark or you get the idea...
I couldn't stay up as the current pulled me below the surface.
My lungs felt like they were going to explode and I was terrified.
' Is this the end? ' I thought to myself.
My nostrils and head burned when I took in a breath full of water.
My brain was throbbing painfully till... I died.
Or at least, that was what my brain thought, which was why it took action.
The chromatin structure in the cell nuclei of my lungs and throat started to change as a gene was spontaneously switched on.
Suddenly, three symmetrical slits formed on each side of my neck.
Just then I gasped for breath and looked around...
' Is this a dream? ' I thought to myself.
"What is happening?"I asked myself.
I also realized I could hear myself and see clearly.
Before I could digest the strange prospects occuring, reality kicked in and the current pulled me dangerously close to the turbine.
I paddled as hard as I could but it was futile, I couldn't but go with the flow.
I straightened myself and closed my eyes for a short prayer and when I opened them, the turbine was behind me.
I swam to the bank the moment the swirling current was behind me and yelled for help.
Everyone came to my aid and asked how I fell.
I looked at the bully, who seemed really guilty and scared and knowing that was a good enough punishment on its own, I answered,"I tripped and fell."
They immediately called off the field trip and took us back to the bus.
I looked at the window on the way back, for the first time in like...ever and saw three long zigzagged cuts on my neck, spanning diagonally from my ear to the vein right next to my trachea and there were more on the other side...
' Did the turbine cut me? ' I thought to myself.
' No, I don't feel any pain and they're too symmetrical. ' I thought again.
I didn't want anyone to realize so I folded up my collar, nothing to see here, everything's absolutely normal.
When we got home, our mom hugged me and told me of how worried she got when she heard the news.
I was given dry clothes and taken to the hospital for a check up, immediately after.
I tried my best to hide the lines and the doctor didn't seem to notice. She left the room and talked to my mom.
But I had this strange feeling, it was a picture in my mind, it was blurry, like two royal blue blobs in a light blue background which churned and was unstable.
Some parts of the background were slightly deeper blue than others especially from near the tops of the blobs and the bottom seemed solid and rigid, with light blue dots all around it.
I could also hear what they were saying, in my mind and with my ears, but it was faint, like a whisper.
The doctor said,"I've run all the tests you requested on him and found out, his eyes are having an extra layer of hollow tissue with storage spaces of dense fluid beneath his eyelids, which is over his cornea like a third eyelid which can act as those of a reptile, not only that, but he also has tympanum membranes in his ears, which are good for hearing under water, has developed extremely advanced kidneys and a liver, and is developing a swim bladder like sack beneath his liver and last but not least, he has gills!"
' Gills?! That's what they are?! ' I shouted in my head.
I could feel the tension building up in my mother through her dead silence, she finally said,"Thank you, we'll take our leave now."
"What?"The doctor asked,"You can't, there are still tests to be run, medications to be given, treatment for him to undergo and..."
Before the doctor finished, my mom had entered into the room, despite the doctor telling her visiting hours were over.
She came to me then I asked,"Mommy, am I in trouble?"
"Oh, no, no, no, sweetie..."She said, in a kind, but frail voice,"...in fact, we're going back home, to our real home."
"Wait, you mean...Keta?!"
She smiled at me then I squealed as she helped me off the bed only to meet the doctor and some security officers blocking the way.
She frowned deeply then said,"Let us pass."
"Madam..."The doctor said,"... you're only putting your son in danger."
My mom sighed then returned me to the bed and kissed my forehead then said,"I'll be back..."
She left the room and the security officers escorted her down the hall, and the doctor said I should go to bed, and that was all I could think of at the moment, I was exhausted.
I lay down as she switched off the light, then closed my eyes, trying to think over all the crazy things that happened that week.
The doctor briskly walked down the hall and into a locked room, and frantically searched for a number on her phone.
She selected it and it showed a strange symbol, like a silver coloured circle with a chord drawn at the bottom minor segment, about two thirds the distance lower than the diameter, with several symmetrical angles subtended towards the circumference at different points, making a flower or star like shape.
A rough voice came from the other end,"What do you want?"
"We...we..."She stuttered.
"I have much more important things to deal with right now, hurry up."
"We found her..."
His lips tore into a menacing grin as he said,"Good..."