Chapter 3

**12 YEARS AGO**

"Did you have fun today?" Oscar's dad, Isaiah, asked him over dinner.

"Yeah, it was really cool to see stuff under the water… Hey, Dad?"

"Yes?"

"How do you get hooks out of fish without tearing them up?"

"It really depends on the hook and the size of the tong on the end. It's easier to cut that off and then you have a smooth exit. Why?"

"Just wondering… also, why would you need a hook that's like this big?" he said, showing the size of the hook that was in Mer.

"Usually those are for large fish or octopus fishing… Why are you asking about hooks? Last time I asked if you wanted to go fishing you said you didn't want to hook worms."

"Well, yeah, I don't like hurting them. They were just worming along… Not the point, Dad. I'm asking because while I was snorkeling, I saw a merman!"

"A merman?"

"Well, I guess he's a merboy? I mean, he's about my age."

"Are you sure it wasn't just a boy that was the same age as you?"

"Well, he is but… he's a merman… I'm not making it up."

"Okay…" Isaiah said, not really believing his son but he wouldn't argue the issue.

Oscar frowned. "You don't believe me."

"Oz, you're trying to tell me that you found a mermaid on the beach."

"But I did! You said that this beach was magical… Mom wouldn't have laughed at me."

Isaiah got somber and looked away. Oscar swallowed, realizing he crossed a line.

"I- I'm sorry…" Oscar said, getting somber as well.

They were both silent for a while, both having lost their appetites. Oscar sighed, hating that he caused dissension but he was just quoting what he had heard from his parents before everything happened with the cancer. Oscar's mother was a dreamer and very artistic and had found this beach house while looking for a place to go on vacations. She wanted a place they could go to year after year without having to spend a lot of money. Where they lived didn't have a beach and so the beach house was a dream come true. When she found this particular beach house, the thing that really sold her on it was that it was at the end of the row, a little off to the side, and the beach behind it was included in the price, so it was a private beach. The other thing that made her want it was the lore around the beach. It was rumored that a lot of merfolk and sea anomalies happened around there. Beautiful songs in the night, gleaming, otherworldly scales washing up on shore, people falling off boats only to find themselves being saved by something non-human… The list went on and Oscar's mom was for it. Not having her there was heart wrenching, but not having her be a part of this fantasy was even worse…

"So… why were you asking about hooks?" Isaiah asked, finally getting composed.

"Oh… uh… he's got a big hook stuck in his fin where it attaches to the fan part. I didn't want to rip it out and I told him you may have some tools to use… so…"

"I do have a pair of cutters but it's too dangerous for you to use them on your own."

"Dad, I'm eleven. I can do it without cutting myself." Oscar said, giving his dad a look.

Isaiah smiled a little. "How about you take me to him and I'll cut the hook off?"

"Why?"

"I'd like it if you proved me wrong. Your mother chose this spot for the lore and mystical nuance, so maybe seeing something of the sort will help."

"I mean… if you want to. I don't know if Mer will be okay with you seeing him."

"Mer?"

"That's what I named him. He can't tell me his real name because it's in dolphin squeaks or something… oh and he can't talk."

"I see… What else do I need to know about Mer?"

Seeing that Isaiah truly was interested, Oscar went into the whole story from the beginning about how he found Mer and what he looked like.

******************

Oscar woke up early the next day and tiptoed down the stairs of the beach house. He opened the door and went to the shed that was in the back to look for the hook cutting tool. Even though Isaiah said he would help him, Oscar wasn't very convinced that his father was really willing to help him. He wasn't stupid; he knew that he sounded crazy talking about merfolk and such. He hardly got any sleep because he was afraid that he was crazy himself. After rummaging around in the tackle box his father had, he finally found what he was looking for. He grinned and turned to leave but gasped.

"Dad…"

"Oscar? What are you doing up so early?"

"What are you doing up so early?"

"I was going to go fishing… Is that my hook cutter?"

Oscar put it behind his back. "N-no…"

"Oz…"

"Yes…" he said, hanging his head. "I was just going to borrow it so I could get the hook out of Mer."

"I told you I would help you, son."

"I know, it's just… I kind of think you still don't believe me. If you don't believe Mer exists, then why would you help me get the hook out of him?"

"Because you believe he exists and I want to support you in any way that I can. Besides, as much of an artistic person you may be, I don't think the level of detail you told me could be made up on the spot like that. I believe you saw something but until I see for myself, I can't verify if it's a merman or not."

Oscar nodded a little, understanding as Isaiah held out his hand.

"Hand me the cutters and we'll go help him out."

Oscar handed him the cutters as they left the shed.

"Do you think mermaids know when the sun is up or the moon is out?"

"I'm not sure. Why do you ask?"

"Because I only got up this early to sneak the cutters… I'm still really tired."

"We can go back to bed." Isaiah said with a chuckle. "I came out here because I heard you get up."

"I thought you said you were going fishing?"

"I did. You were acting fishy, so I came to catch a fish."

Oscar made a face. "You're so lame, Dad…"

Isaiah smiled. "I am a dad, so I must dad joke."

Oscar rolled his eyes and then yawned, Isaiah leading him back into the house. They slept for a few more hours until it was a more reasonable time of day and headed towards the water.

*****************

"MER! Mer, where are you? I got that tool so I can get that hook out!" Oscar yelled once they got to the shoreline.

Isaiah waited patiently as his son called Mer's name up and down the beach. He still wasn't sure how much of this merman nonsense he could keep delving into when out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw something peeking from behind a large boulder. The color was bright and he looked over slowly just in case and was surprised to find a young man about Oscar's age staring at him with frighteningly blue eyes. Isaiah didn't say anything so as to not spook it just as Oscar turned around.

"I'm telling you, Dad, he was really here! I'm not making it up!"

Isaiah pointed behind him and Oscar turned.

"Mer!" He stopped staring at Isaiah and turned to Oscar. Oscar waved. "I thought you couldn't hear me or something. Do you need help coming onto shore? I brought my gear just in case?"

Mer shook his head but didn't come from behind the rock.

"What's wrong?" Mer moved his eyes to behind Oscar. He turned his head and then looked behind him, seeing his dad. "Oh, that's just my dad. He's going to help get the hook out of your fin. He said I couldn't use the tool without him… Is that okay? He won't hurt you."

Mer gave him a skeptical look but there was really nothing to be done. He needed to get the hook out of his fin before it became infected or did damage to it. He slowly let go of the rock and let the waves carry him to the shore. A large wave sent him rushing forward and he started freaking out because he thought he was going to crash into the sand. Instead, he was caught by Oscar and fell on top of him instead.

"You alright?" he asked, looking up at him. Mer nodded. "Good. You looked like you were about to face-plant into the sand."

Mer nodded again and rolled off of Oscar, scooting himself up the shoreline so that his whole body was exposed.

Isaiah couldn't believe what he was seeing. He always fancied his wife's ability to be open minded about frivolous things like mermaids or fairies, but he never thought he'd ever see something so fantastic in such close proximity. Oscar was right, you would have loved it here… he said in his mind to his wife as he knelt down beside Mer.

"Mer, this is my dad. His name is Isaiah." Oscar said, looking at Isaiah.

"Hey there, little guy." Isaiah said, unsure of exactly what to say. "Oscar tells me that you have a hook stuck in your tail. May I see it?"

Mer was still a little skeptical of Isaiah but if his new friend trusted him then he should too, right? Mer gave a small nod and Isaiah looked at the bottom of his fin, seeing the large hook immediately. He tsked at the predicament and gently lifted Mer's fin. He made sure to be very careful with it since he was already in pain and this was like the ankle of a merman. He saw the scratches where Mer had tried to get the hook out himself.

"You tried to pull it out, didn't you?" Mer nodded. "Yeah, I can see where you cut yourself even more… Well, I have a hook cutter and we'll get you right as rain."

Mer didn't say anything as Isaiah went back to get the hook cutter. He came back and gently held Mer's fin again.

"It'll feel a little funny when I pull it out but you'll be free after that, okay?" Mer nodded. "Okay."

Isaiah slid the hook cutter next to the barb that kept the hook in place. He gripped the handles and then used all his strength to cut the metal in two. Oscar could see why his father had said he needed his help because Isaiah looked like he was about to pop a blood vessel trying to force the thick metal to give. It finally snapped and Isaiah pulled the rest of the hook out.

"There you go."

Mer smiled at him and lifted his fin but winced, letting it flop back down.

"Well, it's not magically healed… unless that's how your kind operate?" he asked, genuinely curious. Mer shook his head. "I thought so… You'll need to take care of it… preferably you shouldn't swim for a few days." Mer looked up at him in horror. "Is… that a problem?"

Mer looked frightened and Oscar squatted next to his dad.

"What's up? Are you afraid of something?"

Mer tried to figure out how to explain. He drew in the sand what looked like a tic-tac-toe board and then drew some fish and a stick merperson.

"You're afraid you'll get caught in a fishing net?" Isaiah asked. Mer nodded. "I see… well, I guess that does make sense." A small rumble sounded and Mer put his hands on his stomach. "You haven't been able to eat properly, have you?" Mer shook his head.

"He said he's been on his own for two years, Dad!" Oscar added excitedly. "His dad was hit by an anchor and his mom and sibling were eaten by sharks!"

Isaiah made a face at his son's excitement, noticing that Mer looked a little uncomfortable talking about it.

"Oz, I don't think that's something to be so excited about."

Oscar looked at Mer. "Sorry, Mer. I was excited to tell him about you, not that your family was dead. I mean, humans think you're a myth so having someone to actually talk to about you is really cool."

Mer wasn't exactly okay with it but he understood the excitement humans got when they thought they saw one of his kind. It was dumb but nice.

"My point about saying that though," Oscar continued. "was because he doesn't have any family to take care of him. He's all alone for right now and I don't think he can swim back to his home… if he has one."

Mer nodded and did the symbol for home. "You do have a home?" He nodded.

"Mer, how do you know human language?" Isaiah asked, making Mer turn to him. "I wouldn't think a merperson's house would be the same as ours and yet you knew that this meant home." He said, making the same symbol. "You must have learned it from somewhere."

Mer wasn't sure if he was being interrogated or asked a question, so he hesitated. When nothing bad seemed to happen from not answering fast enough, he pointed behind them. Isaiah turned and saw he was pointing at the pier that was a couple miles away.

"You listened under the pier?" Mer gave a small nod. "I see…"

"So then your home must be way deep in the ocean, right?" Oscar asked, getting back on track." Mer nodded. "Then how can you get home if you're hurt? See, Dad, he doesn't have a place to go right now."

Mer's stomach growled again and Isaiah smiled. "How long has it been since you ate anything?" Mer thought for a moment and held up three fingers. "Three days?" He nodded. "Was that since you got the hook in your fin?" He nodded again. "Okay… So… odd question but do you get legs when you dry out on land?" Mer gave him a look that explained everything. "Right… of course…"

"Why are you asking?" Oscar asked.

"Well, I was just going to take him back to the house if that was the case but there's no place for us to store a merman. There's two bathrooms at the beach house and but I don't think the tubs are going to be big enough or deep enough for him to be in for a while. The pool isn't going to work due to the chlorine but he can't stay out here by himself or he'll starve or get eaten…"

"Or captured."

"Right. Well, what do you suppose we do, Mer?"

Mer pointed at himself in question.

"Yes, you. What would you like for us to do or is there anything you can think of?"

Mer wasn't really sure and it was kind of hard for him to think. I should have eaten that thing that crab was handing out last night… he thought. He was so hungry… He tried to act like he was thinking but his vision started to get black around the edges, the adrenaline of trying to stay alive finally seeping away. Oscar watched as Mer's eyes fluttered and he eventually leaned over onto his arm, passing out.

"He… passed out…" he said, unsure what to do.

"His adrenaline probably finally wore out now that the hook isn't causing pain anymore." Isaiah explained. "If he hasn't eaten in three days and he was scared about being captured, that's probably what did it. But at least he trusts you." He said, gesturing to Mer laying on him. "I guess we'll have to figure it out for ourselves…"

"So… what do merfolk even eat?" Oscar asked.

Isaiah looked back at his tackle box and smiled. "Fish."