The Story She Became

d. Silence. A

r clung to my skin like claws, sharp and cold. I g

me down. First came the dull ache-then a tingling f

l

d feel

d move

p

hope, of

t swim. I nev

ears and mouth, muffling my screams into gurgled b

water, legs kicking furiously. My

ing to d

runk, horny

dro

h

nd

ng me out of the wa

t draped over my shoulders. I looked up, blinking throu

. he was n

-covered forest, melting into early spring. People gathered around me,

ng. My legs tremb

he

p

uld

uld

e. No

whispered, backing

med p

borate

stone pedestal. Long, wet black hair. Amber eyes. A

wasn'

, younger. The spide

nd her!" a girl

e, hugging me tight. She sm

, inspecting me. "Stop gaping an

nd, she dragged me t

state," s

gain, frowning. "Hav

are you?

L

d at her in shock. Her f

nished with that man," she whispered, knee

said, her voice cracking.

th

nger danger screamed in my head. Wom

riage. Let me

up." She wrapped a shawl around me, bar

th you," I snapped, coughi

I'm your mother-Iris!" s

I know human traffickers when I see th

riage s

t the door-

e wa

calling out for

was

My knees gave out.

tain-two figures: a merman holdin

r. Too

uldn'

n only exist

e plaq

us a

ached. Graying h

ris, are y

arles Quartmir

he answered, eye

th

ess a