It had been just yesterday that I arrived at the cramped, artificial pool that I now called home, but I was already wanting to rip off my own two flukes. In vain, I had asked a human, one of our infamous enemies, to assist me in my escape. They had walked away before I could even say another word.

Betrayal hurt, but not as bad as the pain of boredom and loneliness, or the pain from the broken bones in my hand which occurred from my desperate attempt to escape. I had fallen asleep early last night in order to avoid the throbbing from my injuries and the thundering roar of the crowd at the glass of the tank.

Early this morning, I awoke to the sound of construction as hydraulic whirs echoed throughout the pool and the shouting of middle-aged men pierced the peaceful atmosphere of dawn. Flicking my tail strongly, I swam to the surface of the odd-smelling water my tank was filled with and looked around. A short distance away from the edge of the exhibit I was in, I noticed there was the foundation of a large circular structure being built.

I couldn't help but fantasize that the building being constructed was a facility to prepare me for release, or even house another Merperson to say the least as I stared at the beginnings of the creation. Sinking back down into the water after I lost interest in the working humans, I swam circles around the perimeter of the pool for a bit before I heard a couple of large splashes sound throughout the tank.

Two humans dressed in shiny white, blue and black outfits now swam around on the surface of the water, chatting excitedly to each other all the while. Before I even knew what I was doing, I found my body hidden by the large artificial kelp fronds decorating the pool. Apparently I wasn't used to being around humans quite yet, and instincts took over.

 I heard the incessant chattering quiet slightly as I inched closer to the pair of humans. I could tell they were female from their build, and the tone of their voices was higher than that of a male.

"Are you sure we're supposed to be doing this? No one's ever swum with her before. Remember what happened to Dawn?"

"Brenna, it's okay. Why would Dan tell us to work with her if he didn't think it was safe?"

"Fine, Alexis," one of the voices said with a tone of surrender. The two humans continued to tread water until I heard the women named Alexis speak again.

"Okay, Brenna. I'm going to do it," I heard her say before a feminine face suddenly appeared in the water. The woman dove beneath the small waves and swam up to me. I could only watch in pure confusion as the young woman fumbled with an object in her hands and pointed it at me. The barrel of a thin harpoon gun rested inside her palms, her finger on the trigger as she supported the weapon with her opposite hand.

With a determined look, she pulled the trigger. I flicked my tail quickly to get away as I heard a clicking sound resound through the water. I felt a sharp pain, much like a pinprick, in my shoulder as I attempted to flee the area. I whipped around, searching for the harpoon which should have been protruding from my skin, but instead, only a small wisp of blue blood dissolved into the water in its place.

Vibrations moved through the water as Alexis retreated to the surface, her mission complete. Taking another glance over at my shoulder, I noticed a small flashing light appearing beneath the skin of the small wound.

Out of surprise, I tried to scratch away the skin to remove the device, but instead of retrieving it, I only succeeded in increasing the rate of blood flow from the cut.

It's connected to an artery. Don't pull on it. It will kill you, a voice in my head told me. It was my instinct, a form of consciousness that resided in my mind. Each merperson's mind housed an additional consciousness which guided them through their decisions based upon the best outcome. I had named mine Morgan, after the Oceanic God of wisdom we believed in, when I was very young.

Morgan has always had protected me from danger in my early years, but after I aged and began to understand what she was, we became able to speak to one another telepathically.
Morgan also shared my memories, which allowed her to guide me through decisions

Morgan! Are you alright? I haven't spoken to you since we've gotten captured! I asked the consciousness in my mind.

Mhmm​... Right... After WE got captured. If I remember correctly, it was YOU who wanted to take that nap in the middle of the day, she responded. And not only that, you also decided to fall asleep in a freshwater bay! 

 Look, I said to her. I don't want to be in here either, but the only way we can escape is if you help me. Deal?

Morgan eventually agreed. Fine, but if we get captured again, I blame you.

Whatever. I'll let you know if I need help. For now, I can solve these problems on my own. I said to the being as I wrapped a large kelp leaf around my bleeding hand. I'll take that out later, I thought to myself as the device embedded in my palm blinked again.

Tearing my eyes away from my bleeding appendage, I looked up towards the surface and noticed now that both women were still treading water above me, this time wearing scuba gear.

They dove underwater and turned on the flashlights and they were carrying. Alexis and Brenna began to swim slowly towards me, shining their bright lights on my body as they advanced.

Remembering that they were the ones who had tortured me from the start in the horrid place I now called home, I lowered the fins behind my ears menacingly, and bared my fangs. I felt my eyes begin to glow as my anger intensified.

 The two women in front of me slowed to a stop as the stench of fear spread throughout the water. I hissed loudly and watched with pleasure as the pair retreated back to the surface.

Once the women climbed out of the pool, I curled up on my makeshift bed of kelp and closed my eyes. Since it was still early, I could get some rest before the park opened and the chaos began. Sighing as I lay on the artificial leaves, I was welcomed by the peaceful oblivion of sleep.

When I awoke, I was greeted by the roar of humans crowded around my tank. Groaning, I unwrapped the leaf from the wound and inspected my shoulder. It's still in there, Morgan told me as I ran my finger over the small scab. But it's moving, and from the looks of it, towards your external carotid artery.

What does that mean? I asked her, wrapping the makeshift bandage back around my healing shoulder.

It means the device is moving towards the side of your neck, right here, she said. I felt a tingling sensation below the gills which ran in rows down my neck. I figured Morgan must have sent a nerve impulse to the area.

Great, I sighed. How can we get it out?

The consciousness made a sighing noise. I don't know. It won't be easy, but I think we have to wait until it assumes its final position. Right now the device seems to be near your shoulder, she replied.

Alright. Thanks, Morgan, I said quietly before blocking the consciousness from my focus. I began to swim around the pool as my stomach rumbled. I hadn't eaten in two days, and my body was beginning to consume what little was left of its fat reserves. Deciding the humans were my only chance at getting a decent meal, I swam to the surface of the pool. The sound hit me instantly as my ears rose above the water, making me cringe. How could humans possibly be so loud?

 I watched as one of the women from early this morning stepped out onto a flat cement platform that was built to look like a rock. She tapped a small device attached to her cheek and began to speak to the crowd.

"Good morning aquarium visitors! My name is Alexis and I will be working with this amazing creature today," The woman told the guests. She set down the steel bucket she was holding and grabbed a fish from inside it. She threw it into the water, obviously waiting for me to eat it.

My sheer hunger drove me to grab the fish and consume it, though it was so repulsive. "This is Alexandria. She is a seventeen-year-old mermaid that was found off the coast of the Thousand Islands. When we first saw her, she appeared to be sick and unconscious on a rock, so the rescue team decided it would be beneficial to bring her here!"

Even though my mouth was full, I snorted, laughing from the fraudulence of the story Alexis was telling the crowd. I decided to get back at her for telling lies, and sat on the bottom of the pool, refusing to interact with her as she threw more fish into the water.

My lack of attention seemed to make the human chuckle though, despite my intentions of humiliating her. "It seems she isn't hungry anymore," she continued, looking out at the crowd. "This just goes to show that you can't force an animal to perform. They choose to, and we need to respect their decisions."

The crowd applauded at the end of the session and I watched as the trainer left, I grabbed the three fish that Alexis had thrown into the water, and sat on the sand. The word 'animal' rang in my mind as I ate the gross fish. Was I really the same thing that Alexis had described me as? A near-brainless creature that only performed when it wanted to?

What is she talking about? Morgan exclaimed angrily. We're not animals! We're just as human as she is!

But we have tails, I mentioned. And we don't look like the mermaids in fairytails. We have odd looking skin... fangs... gold eyes... claws... venomous fins... I could go on and on. We're ugly creatures.

It's an advantage, Morgan continued. Have you ever seen a human try to swim? They look like flailing seabirds! Or what about fighting? Humans cannot fight off sharks like we can!

I guess they can't, I replied, chuckling. Somehow, Morgan always knew how to cheer me up, whether it was with her bad jokes or her funny analogies.

My tail began to move about as I boredly swam around the pool, the humans screaming and banging on the glass walls as I passed by the underwater windows. Surprisingly, my mind somehow found a way to block out the noise of the crowds as I swam in circles mindlessly.

 A few hours later, my constant circling of the pool was interrupted by the sound of the metal door to my exhibit shutting loudly, the sound of the lock slipping back into place making me cringe as it squeaked. Surfacing, I looked around and found the source of the noise.

The same human from before -- whose name I recalled to be Alexis -- stepped out onto the stone platform she was using during the previous demonstration. She was carrying the same steel bucket filled with fish, and wearing her usual shiny black outfit.

Alexis smiled at me as she set her bucket down onto the stone ledge, grinning at me. "It looks like you're finally hungry," she said excitedly, her eyes shining with light. I groaned and dove underwater, swimming away from the human.

I heard a slapping sound echo throughout the water as the human desperately tried to catch my attention by patting the water with her palm. She continued doing this for nearly thirty minutes before I finally gave into my annoyances and surfaced.

 With a grin, the woman withdrew her hand and dried it on her pants. "So," the human said, as she sat down on the platform and put her feet in the water, "let's get to know each other. My name is Alexis. We named you Alexandria, since that's the name of the bay from which you were rescued, but if you have a different name we can change it."

I narrowed my eyes and refused to speak to the woman as she stared at me intently. Upon realizing that I wasn't going to speak, or that I couldn't understand her, she gave up. "I guess your name is Alexandria then," she sighed.

Why are humans so annoying? I mentally groaned.

They're your captors, Morgan replied. They have to be annoying. It's how they eventually get you to spill the oysters and tell them where the other Merfolk live.

I think that's a little extreme, I retorted, crossing my arms. I mean, it wouldn't hurt if I spoke to her, right? It might even get her to leave me alone...

I know it's tempting, but you can't show her that you can talk! Morgan exclaimed.

But why? I complained. We could go back home and--

No, Morgan interjected. They'll lock you up in some laboratory and experiment on you. They'll interrogate us and try to find the rest of our species.

I sulked, knowing the consciousness in my mind was right. I shouldn't expose my intelligence to the humans. I remained silent as Alexis began to talk to me again, looking down at the small flashes of light the sun created on the waves.

"It's pretty obvious that you seem human, despite the fact you look nothing like the mermaids we normally hear of in stories." Alexis pressed, leaning closer to me. "That is why I believe you can speak. My colleagues feel the same way. Rob, one of the killer whale trainers, walked by the tank once and claimed he saw you speaking. That's where my interest peaked."

Well... Mistake number one, Morgan chirped.

Oh shut up! Remember we're the same person! I told her as my blood went cold. Alexis knew the truth, and wasn't going to back down until her claim had been proven. I looked up at her for a brief moment, noticing that she had been staring at me the entire time.

I stared at her blankly and she sighed in frustration. The human sat up straighter before moving her feet around in the water slightly. I swam backwards a bit in order to avoid getting bumped by her appendages.

After a few minutes of silence, Alexis stood up and clapped her hands together. "Okay Alexandria. If you're not going to speak, then I am. I'm going to teach you how to do some skills."

I watched curiously as she opened up a small bag that hung around her waist and pulled out a shiny object attached to a string. "This is the whistle," Alexis told me as she placed the string around her neck. She picked up the lustrous object and placed it at her lips. A tweeting sound emerged from the pipe as she blew through it. "When you do something correct, I blow this. The tweeting sound is a form of praise."

She dropped the whistle and allowed it to fall to her bosom. "So what I'm going to do is give you a hand signal, and you're going to do a specific behavior." The woman walked over to the door of my enclosure and opened it, disappearing inside the small room as the door shut behind her. A few moments later, she reappeared, carrying a small blue and white buoy on a pole.

"This is a target," Alexis continued a matter-of-factly as she arranged the buoy so that it hung over the pool. "You touch the fins on your forehead to it when I give you this signal," the trainer stated, as she flicked her wrist. I saw the signal, but ignored the command.

I looked around, raising a scaly eyebrow as she drew the signal once, then twice, and finally three times before realizing her technique wasn't going to work. After seeing that I had been refusing to perform, Alexis blew the whistle that hung around her neck and tried to get me to do the trick. Eventually, an hour worth of attempts passed. I could tell the human had given up as she sat back down on the stone platform.

"How am I supposed to do this?" Alexis said to herself as she rested her head in her hands. An idea suddenly came to her and she sat up straighter. "Maybe a little food will work," the human muttered.

After reaching down into the bucket and pulling out a floppy herring. She looked at me with an apologetic look on her face and placed her hands in her lap, the fish still inside her hold. "I'm sorry, we don't know what mermaids eat," Alexis said softly. "We figured that since you live in the same regions as many of our dolphins, we should feed you the same fish as them."

I grimaced slightly, my fanged mouth curling with disgust as the woman lifted a floppy, gutted herring from a metal bucket. She tossed it at me and i darted backwards to avoid from being smacked across the face with its scaly body.

Raising my gaze to meet hers, I noticed her intent stare and I shuddered. Something about the way that she was so focused on controlling me was terrifying. 

Despite the fact that merfolk befriended sea creatures and ate a strictly vegetarian diet, Alexis' expression seemed to coerce me to reluctantly swallow the disgusting corpse. Gagging slightly as the body slid down my throat, I somehow managed to eat the herring. 

As if pleased with herself, Alexis smiled and took the handle of the bucket in her hand. Without even taking a second glance at it, I could tell the aluminum pail was filled with more slimey fish. I didn't think it was possible for my stomach to curl at the degree it did upon realizing this. My lip curled in disgust and I reflexively swam backwards.

The woman in front of me grinned slightly as she quickly reached into the bucket and drew a small transparent cube from beneath the layers of seemingly-putrid fish. There was no way I was eating whatever the hell the small object was, no matter how algae-like it appeared to be.

Alexis chuckled when she saw my grimace, as if my disgust was amusing to her. "Never mind that," she began, dropping the cube back into the pail. "How about we try those skills again, hmm?"

I glared at her, but nonetheless, I agreed. The last thing I wanted to do was upset the very people who put me here. Poseidon knows what they'd do to me then. 

Alexis squared her shoulders and flicked her wrist as she held the target above me. Recognizing the command, I reluctantly obeyed and gently tapped my finned forehead to the buoy before sinking back into the water.

Upon surfacing, I heard the tweet of Alexis' whistle and the sound of clapping. The human was smiling and praising me for completing the skills. I frowned, my face becoming bluer with embarrassment as I watched the woman before me leap with joy at her success.

I heard Morgan mutter a few profanities inside my head as she reacted to Alexis' behaviors. Like me, the consciousness inside my head also felt embarrassment for submitting to the human's ridiculous commands.

I was forced out of my thoughts when I felt a pressure on the fins atop my head. Whipping around, I noticed Alexis had squatted down toward me and was petting me. I snarled loudly, baring my teeth, holding back the slew of curses that wished to escape from my lips. 

"Okay then," Alexis sighed, withdrawing her hand from my fins. She tried handing me another herring, but I wasn't going to be forced into eating it again. With a scoff, I backed away and swam upright, my eyes forming a pinched, furious glare as I watched the woman in front of me.

"Yeesh, sorry!" Alexis exclaimed after a few moments. She soon gave up and laid the fish into the water, where it floated over to me. I grabbed it and tore it to pieces with my fangs, shredding the creature and spitting it into the water, blood dripping down my face as I glowered at the human.

 "I guess that is something we need to work on then," Alexis sighed, as she sat back down on the ledge and shook the water off of her hands. She patted the surface of the water in front of her. "In order for interactions to start, you need to be used to human contact. A shy creature  won't make for a good show now, will she?"

 I stared at her in confusion as I wiped the remains of the herring from my face. These plans that she had circulating around her head seemed to become a never-ending stream of ideas when she came around me. Keep your distance, Morgan warned. I don't trust her and neither should you.

I scoffed a bit. As if I'd even want to get close.

Upon looking up from my mental conversation, I noticed the trainer in front of me was watching my contorted expressions. She knew something was going on. She might have even figured out that I was intelligent, something that absolutely could not happen. The last thing I wanted was to be locked up in some laboratory being experimented on, and if people discovered that I was as human as them, that nightmare could most certainly become a reality.

Appearing to forget about what had just happened, Alexis reached into the bucket and pulled out a handful of the clear cubes from before. She tossed them lightly so they fell into the water. One of them floated over to me, and I cautiously picked it up, inspecting it with a webbed hand.

What is it? Morgan asked.

I don't know, I thought. It looks like seal blubber.

As if to answer my question, Alexis spoke up. "It's gelatin. You're supposed to eat it."

Noticing the same intense stare the woman had on her face as before, I reluctantly popped the cube into my mouth. It tasted awful, like swamp water after a saltwater crocodile had done its business in it. I spit it out quickly, the cube careening into the shallow water covering the stone platform.

 "It's how you get your water," Alexis explained. "You need to stay hydrated, or else you'll be sick and lethargic and that wouldn't be good for us-- uh... you."

 How kind, I thought sarcastically to myself. They care about the income from my presence more than they do about my physical condition.

I turned away from the woman and began to swim away. The pool was small, but large enough that I could get some privacy from the humans if I wanted to.

No sooner than I began to swim away, I heard the sharp trill of Alexis's whistle echoing throughout my pool of water. I turned and shot another glare back at her to say that I wasn't interested, but a thought suddenly came to me.

 What would happen if I refused to behave, and acted like some snarky, spoiled human? Would I be punished? Maybe I'll be released---

 The humans won't put you back in the sea, Morgan interjected. They'd rather sell you out to some lab for a pretty pearl than release you. You need to find some way to keep under the radar while still maintaining some distance. 

I rolled my eyes and decided it would be best to listen to Morgan, despite the anger welled up inside of me. I needed to somehow find a suitable medium between becoming a trained seal and pissing off my captors.

I began to swim around in small circles as I waited for Alexis to ask me to do something. As I watched, the human took another fish from the bucket and tossed it into the water. Curling my lip, I knew that I would have to eat eventually unless I wanted to starve. 

Might as well get used to it now, Morgan stated bluntly, the tone of her voice becoming somewhat weak, as if she were giving in to some invisible taming force. Pinching the herring's tail between my webbed fingers, I slid the corpse into my mouth and swallowed, retching slightly as I felt it hit my stomach.

Satisfied with my compliance, Alexis began to speak to me. "Okay Alexandria," she exclaimed as she set down the aluminum bucket. I noticed the human pat the shallow water covering the stone platform. "Let's get you up here."  

Hell no, I thought. I felt the nagging presence of Morgan within my mind and I knew that despite my reluctance, I must obey her. I waited a few moments for the human to give the command once more before I finally moved my tail, slowly pushing myself closer to her.

Taking a deep breath of water, I leapt from the water, aiming my body at the stone platform before splashing down in the shallow water covering it. My stomach slid across the stone until I stopped at Alexis' feet. I cringed when I finally noticed how close I had gotten to her.

"Good girl Alexandria!" Shouted Alexis, who was standing above me clapping. I grimaced, looking away from the human.

 Stop feeling that way, Morgan snapped. We have to get out of here, and soon. The only way we're going to do that is if you swallow your pride, stop acting like a prissy seacow and follow her orders.

I was pulled from my thoughts when I noticed a hand reaching toward me. I snarled, but remembered what Morgan had instructed me to do. Biting my lip, I allowed Alexis to stroke my tail.

"Wow Alexandria! You have the smoothest scales. It feels even softer than dolphin skin!" Alexis exclaimed as she stroked the scales covering my hips. I felt my eyes roll before I even knew I was rolling them.

I knew that if anyone from back home discovered what had happened here, my life would be worse off than my life at the aquarium. We had a specific set of laws regarding contact with humans, and the penalty for disregarding them was harsh. The violator would be sent into Shipwreck Cove, a nasty sliver of the sea littered with rotten wood and debris from sunken ships, and the unimaginable stench of human pollution.

I watched as Alexis stood up from her crouched position and grabbed a handful of gelatin from the bucket. I took the opportunity to evade further contact with the trainer and slid back into the deeper water of the pool. I heard the woman beginning to call my name as I swam to the far corner of the pool, trying to coax me to cooperate with her.

"Alexandria? Alexandria... Please! Come back! I'm sorry if it was something I said! Come on!" The human shouted, throwing her hands in the air.

Ignoring her, I stopped listening and submerged my head beneath the surface. The only thing I could hear now was the rhythmic hum of the filters in my tank, and the distant sound of dolphins squeaking from the pipes that connected our pools. It brought me peace to float in the quiet, and allowed me to calm my racing mind.

After a few moments, I allowed my body to sink tail-first to the bottom of the pool. I felt my ears pop once I reached the sandy bottom as I rested in a sitting position, the fins on my hips folding down to the sides of my body to avoid getting squished. I looked at the surface of the water and realized that I could still see the stone platform Alexis stood on, despite the fact that it was so far away.

I felt my energy quickly fading as time passed, and I succumbed to my exhaustion as I laid down on the sand and closed my eyes. The hum of the filters lulled me to sleep as I was cradled by the peaceful liquid around me.

 I awoke to the feeling of a slight shift in the water--- a ripple almost. My eyes shot open and I poised my body for defense against the attacker. No need to worry, I thought to myself. I'm in captivity. There aren't sharks or killer whales in captivity.

 I relaxed my muscles and calmed down. Looking up towards the surface of the water, I looked for the...thing... that caused the small current to appear. I noticed a human hand poking through the dimly-lit waves.

It must be dusk, I speculated as I glided through the pool. I surfaced and glanced towards the person whose hand protruded the waves. Alexis was kneeling on the stone platform with her hand in the pool. She stared intently at the water, almost as if she was waiting for me to surface right below her awaiting palm.

 I noticed there was another person standing behind Alexis. The human was male, and wore blue scrubs with a white lab coat. His feet were covered by tall black rubber boots to keep water out of his clothing.

The male had what looked like a serpent wrapped around his neck, but it was thinner and had two curved heads. He clutched a small clipboard to his chest, his fingers madly tapping the wood backing as he looked around nervously, almost as if he wasn't supposed to be here. After I watched the pair for a few moments, Alexis stood up and began to speak with the man, trying to persuade him to do something, although I didn't know what.

"There's just something about her," Alexis said, a determined tone in her voice. "When I look at her, there's someone behind her eyes. She's not just a brainless creature like everyone else believes!"

"We shouldn't be here," the vet replied, his voice shaking slightly. "Ms. Frasier... Please. Let's go."

 Knowing Alexis would insist on testing, I swam back to the far area of the tank I was in before, and sunk my body back down to the bottom of the pool. Panic rising in my chest, I listened in on Alexis's conversation with the doctor, praying that they disagreed and left.

"Well it's quite alright to stay here," Alexis replied. She stood up and turned towards him, wiping her hand on the fabric covering her thigh. "After all, we are just conducting tests... Right?"

"We have other ways of handling these kinds of situations," the vet replied. "We know the whales are intelligent. They have to be in order to perform. She's no different," he said, pointing to the water where he assumed me to be. 

Alexis sighed and furrowed her brow. "You don't get it, do you? You think she's just like the whales, but she's not! She's a human, except with a tail..."

With a sudden outburst, the vet put his hands up as if to protect himself from an oncoming attack. "I told you already that we shouldn't be here. The park is closed, and the guards have left. The fact that you're insisting on crazy things isn't helping your case. If someone sees you, you'll be fired on the spot for trespassing."

The trainer clenched her fists at her sides, her knuckles turning white as she became filled with rage. "Fine. I'll leave, Mister Moorey, but on one condition," Alexis replied, a hint of unease in her voice.

"Very well then. Continue," the vet, Mr. Moorey said, crossing his arms.

 "I'll leave if you run some tests on the mermaid," the trainer replied. Alexis gave a smirk and placed her hands on her hips, her brown ponytail swishing side to side with her sudden movement.

Out of fear my instincts suddenly told me to hide myself, and I did so, darting into the thick cloth kelp fronds that were anchored to the bottom of the pool. I used my surroundings to my advantage as I scrunched down as deep as I could on the sand-covered concrete floor. I could still see the stone platform Alexis and the vet stood on from my current position, and watched as the two negotiated.

 For some reason, I could still hear the conversation even though I was under thirty feet of water.

"I will do no such thing!" The vet exclaimed. "The animal rights activists are on our backs already for the orcas, and the last thing we need is another protest... for a mermaid."

I watched as Alexis stormed off and breathed a sigh of relief, bubbles quickly rising from my body and escaping towards the surface as I laid on the ground. Though the vet only denied her request to keep public relations above the 'water' so to speak, I felt Mister Moorey was somehow on my side. ♆