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Chapter 8
Saturday, March 28, 2009 @ 12:34 AM
8. Have faith
Faith isn’t faith until it’s all you’re holding on to.“So I’ll see you?”
I bobbed my head enthusiastically as we reached my classroom. Staring at his solitary figure loping away, my cheerful state was momentarily flushed away.
Ray! Turn around. A little voice in my head willed. Miraculously, he did. Halting, he twisted back and gave me a triumphant smile. I waved back slightly as he departed.
Get a grip on yourself, I scolded.
You can get through the rest of the day without him.
Pulling myself uptight, I strode into the classroom. As usual, heads turned. I hurriedly took my seat at the back of the classroom, trying to become as invisible as possible. I skimmed my reflection in the window. My hair was a dull shade of green. I deepened it to a grayish colour. Now, I could easily pass off as part of the classroom furniture.
Shifting my bangs so that they concealed half my face, my mind wondered off as Mr Koh, the history teacher blared on and on about Hitler and his contributions.
How did mum encounter dad? I wondered dreamily.
Storm never did tell any of you, but there was once when I was around and he wasn’t careful with his thoughts, Fin’s voice boomed in my mind, startling me. I had not sensed his presence anywhere near. He had eavesdropped on me and invaded my mind! Outraged, I demanded testily.
What do you know?Mum fell in love with father during the migratory period. He was one of the cabin crew. There was a thunderstorm and the ship he was on never made it to shore.
As his voice tugged at the back of my mind, my head was suddenly filled with images-a ship being struck by lightning, chaos, shouts of terror and the taste of death. I realized then, that Fin must have saw Storm’s memories and now, he was sharing them with me.
The images flashed randomly, I saw clearly, the ship sinking into the icy depths of the merciless ocean. I held my breath as I saw a few survivors surfacing.
No! Storm’s powerful voice cried out in my head as I saw mum swimming towards one with jet black hair, and, for the very first time in my life, I got a glimpse of father.
Storm was trying to stop mum from going to the human’s aid, Fin interjected.
Storm had known all along. He knew from the start, that when mum had dashed out to assist the human, there was no remedy. As helpless as he hated it, there was nothing he could do to stop it as he watched his sister fall instantly in love with a mortal. My heart went out to him as I imagined how guilt-stricken he must have felt.
A scene of mum hauling an unconscious male to a lighthouse ignited in my head. As they reached land, I caught the look of devotion in mother’s eyes. Her hair was flaming scarlet; one I knew would appear when you touched a mermaid’s heart.
At that moment, Storm beckoned for mum to follow the tide and leave. I saw the reluctance in her eyes, the pain of separation, and the pain of parting. A sad, sorrowful tune escaped her lips, one father would always remember; even in a semiconscious state. I held my breath as I saw, through Storm’s eyes, father stirring. He sat up unsteadily, searching the vast blue around him for the source of melody. Yet, I knew, by that time, mother was miles away for his human eyes to behold.
The next few images were blurry, faded. I knew this was the part Storm tried to erase from his memory. I could discern mother seeking desperate means to go ashore. She wanted to be a human.
How?The nymphs, Fin replied quickly in my head, answering my question.
Wow, the nymphs? They were known to be a demanding species with highly supernatural powers. Living in secluded parts, I had the impression that they were sinister beings.
In exchange for her wish, they took away her voice, Fin said grimly in my head. To take away a mermaid’s voice was like robbing someone of his life. I gawked at the possibility of mum agreeing.
She did, he muttered. Images flew rapidly in my head. I saw mum turning into a human, saw her seek out father, saw their happy reunion. I sensed the flood of grief in Storm’s memories. How painful it must have been for him. It was definitely one of the worst moments in his life; a torturous period he had to endure, a regrettable event he had to witness.
The last image that flared in my mind was heartrending. I heard the cry of despair erupt from Storm, the heartache it must have caused him to see his sister evoke an unbroken curse. It was at the lighthouse again. Mother was in her mermaid form. However, something was amiss. Parts of her were disappearing, dissolving into sea foam. She was turning into bubbles and the tide was devouring her gradually when she thrust seven glassy, jelly-like blobs at me.
I heard Storm’s sharp intake of breath when I saw what the globules held. In each of them was a tiny, tadpole-like fledgling, the very origin of our clandestine existence. The water consumed her as I saw her look mutely at me. No, her pleading eyes were fixed on Storm’s at that time. Helplessly, she flailed and pointed to the bank of the lighthouse. Standing there was father, and on his hand, was the last blob.
***
I zoned out immediately when Mr Koh’s voice interrupted accusingly, “Are you more interested in the pathetic strings of weed crawling on your head or have you been in step with Hitler’s remorseless stint?”
Who the hell was Hitler? I fumbled in thought as I attempted to ward off the sudden attention I received. My hair threatened to turn a grotesque bubblegum pink when I felt my cheeks flush.
Inhaling deeply, I asked tentatively, “Pardon? I didn’t quite catch you,” trying to stall time as I listened to the buzz of thoughts around me, searching for the keyword ‘Hitler’.
“You might like to explain to the class your views on Hitler,” Mr Koh demanded.
I flustered as I picked up empty silence around me. Everyone was paying their fullest attention on the exchange and none were preoccupied with their thoughts.
The seconds ticked by. Then, to my relief, someone’s thought squeaked from far left above the deafening hush.
Hitler’s a murderer. His enemies are the Jews, and Mr Koh so happens to be one, she added thoughtfully, not knowing that I could hear her think.
“I think Hitler is an uninteresting speck of dirt. He’s a cunning, merciless, racist freak who masterminded the homicide of thousands of Jews,” I said confidently.
Mr Koh was evidently pleased with my bias answer. He shot me a quick nod and carried on with lesson. I settled down and swiveled slowly to my far left.
That ‘someone’ appeared to be friendly. She had two little plaits which bobbed happily about her head.
I could use a friend, I noted mentally.
As I examined her profile curiously, her eyes suddenly met mine and I could feel her gaze on me. Hesitating, I smiled coyly at her. Surprise flashed across her features and she immediately grinned back.
We both looked away quickly as Mr Koh cleared his throat and concluded loudly that he needed two volunteers to do a presentation on the next chapter.
“I’ll do it,” my new found ‘friend’ chirped.
I turned and saw her eye me, as if hinting me to join her. Sighing, I raised my hand as well.
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