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Mundane Monster

The most uninspiring of monsters
Original poster
LURKER MEMBER
FOLKLORE MEMBER
Posting Speed
  1. 1-3 posts per day
  2. One post per day
  3. 1-3 posts per week
Writing Levels
  1. Beginner
  2. Elementary
  3. Intermediate
  4. Adaptable
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Male
  2. Female
  3. Transgender
Genres
Fantasy, Modern Fantasy, Animal based, Scifi, Modern, Horror, Comedy, Slice of life.
Pain...Excruciating, mind numbing pain. Throat closing up, can't breath.

Scientist staring...HELP ME!! Making notes...They don't care, they won't help...Why?
What's going on? I can't see! Black spots, blood...blood, blood, bloo-

* * *


Anita was in her room panicking and desperately trying to get herself together. Her father had already called for her to come make an announcement at the studio, and if she didn't get down there quickly, he would know that something was up. But how in the hell could she be calm at a time like this? After everything that had just...

A sob sputtered out of Anita's throat and she collapsed onto her bed. She still couldn't believe it. Her dad...Those scientists...They had killed a little girl. A girl with hopes and dreams. A girl who was frightened and just wanted some help! Anita wondered what the kid's parents were thinking now. Did they even have an inkling of what had happened to their daughter? Were they always going to wonder where there daughter went? Did they think she just ran away?

And what was Anita to do? Her father wanted her to make a PSA about the recent events. He wanted her to say that people experiencing salt water cravings, could come to the FYM buildings if they needed help. Anita knew that if anyone showed up, they would be captured and probably suffer the same fate as the little girl, Ana.

But she couldn't not give the announcement. If she did her dad would start to wonder and he would eventually catch on. He would ask her why she was carrying so much aloe lotion lately. And why she kept a tinted bottle of water with her constantly. He'd ask what was in it, and he'd see that the water was cloudy and he'd figure it all out.

Her phone rang and Anita jolted out of her distressed stupor and grabbed it. "H-Hello?" She gasped into it and her a deep sigh on the other end.

"Anita, honey, we're waiting. Do you need help?" Her father asked, and Anita knew that he was probably smiling to whoeevr was around him and giving a 'well what can ya do?' shrug, but really, he was annoyed and exasperated.

"Yes! I mean no! I'm coming, I just--My pantyhose had a run and I couldn't come down there looking like that!" Anita laughed, hoping that the sound was too forced.

"Alright." Her father said, and just before he hung up, Anita could hear him in the background saying, "Girl problems, you know?"

Pulling on her jacket, Anita took a few moments to gather herself and then headed down to the studio.

When she arrived, the prep team assaulted her with make up and she was almost tossed in front of the camera afterwards. The cameraman gestured at a poster behind him, and when she was given her cue, Anita began to read,

"Goodmorning, citizens of The Chosen Land! This is Anita Bishop-Reid, and I am reporting to ease concerns and worries about the recent cravings that some of you have been experiencing. There are some of you out there who may be feeling the following symptoms, itchy skin, dry mouth, itchy or red eyes, and an extreme craving for salt. We here at FY..."Anita paused and swallowed. She hoped that someone was paying attention, because in all her years of being a PR, she had never once faltered, for fear of being reprimanded by her father. It wasn't a big thing, but that was all she could do to warn others. "FYM, know this, and want to help. If you're experiencing these symptoms, please call us at 204 103 8934 or come to one of our customer service buildings. Trust us, we can help."

When she finished the report, she tried to make a bee line back to her room in the building, but her father stopped her. "You feeling alright, hun? You've never messed up like that before." He was staring at her, his eyes narrowed not quite suspiciously, but on the edge of suspicion.

"I just...I bit my tongue." She blurted out, unable to think of anything better to say. Her father stared at her for awhile longer, before stepping aside to let her go.
 
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Thomas had seen it all. Ontop of that he had felt it all. Luckily for him it was passed off as him having a weak stomach and he was dimissed that day from his internship. He didn't know what to do and he felt alone. Being so close he felt it all. His muscles strained, his body ached and his entire being shuddered at the feeling. He knew that at that moment of her death that he was with her in ehr final moments. He felt her sorrow and felt her anguish. It twisted his insides in knots making him hurl right in the middle of the scientists.

Of course they all thought it saddening and dismissed him. They had no clue of what was going on. They had no clue that one of them walked among them all along. He couldn't push that fact out of his mind. It was different and he felt different. He no longer felt that he could trust them but knew that if he had any chance of cureing himself it was working with them. He had to do what he now thought was insane. He had to work with them... he just had to.

-----

Later that day he felt himself well enough to go back to her internship. There was a girl coming to bring somthing along to claim that F.Y.M was there to help those like himself. He didn't know how that was possible but he was invited to attend the meeting to learn how the upper Echelons of the growing corporation worked. He walked in just as a man said "Girl Problems, you know.". He tilted his head and stood waiting patiently as a girl walked in and immediately as if fearful... yes, perhaps fearful.. he felt something odd and for some reason he felt like she was running and afraid... maybe not even afraid but angry as well. He couldn't tell but she spoke to him without even speaking.

He calmly stood at the back and listened as she began to speak. "Good morning, citizens of The Chosen Land! This is Anita Bishop-Reid, and I am reporting to ease concerns and worries about the recent cravings that some of you have been experiencing. There are some of you out there who may be feeling the following symptoms, itchy skin, dry mouth, itchy or red eyes, and an extreme craving for salt. We here at FY..." she paused. "FYM, know this, and want to help. If you're experiencing these symptoms, please call us at 204 103 8934 or come to one of our customer service buildings. Trust us, we can help.".

After listening he couldn't really believe it. She described his symptoms but it was something that he already knew. He just wanted to hear what F.Y.M had to say on the matter regarding them. But, after what he experience he didn't believe it. He still felt after shocks of the girls anguish but pushed it aside even as he broke out in a cold sweat. He knew that he needed to figure this out. He raised a tinted bottle of water to his lips and drank from it before screwing the cap on. He waited patiently as the girl tried to leave the room fast but was stopped by a man. From what he gathered it was most likely her father.

He turned and left the room shortly after to rejoin his place at the science area in which the mess was already cleaned up. He was grateful for that but he knew it wouldn't be the end of the terrifying journey.
 
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Uriel Reed was clutching his chest, coughing violently and knocking things from their places all around his apartment. The lightbulb of a lamp he overturned broke, letting the only light become that seeping through the grey window. Anguished, bellowing cries came from him as he tried to get his breath, tearing at his shirt until he managed to get it up and over his head, falling crumpled onto the floor. Tears streamed down his tight face as he ran his fingers through his hair, tightly gripping the dark locks while his arms quivered. Slowly, his breaths started to come back, quick and short, and the man fell to his knees. He stuck two fingers from his right hand into his mouth repeatedly, convinced he himself were choking on blood, but they came back covered in just saliva each time. His hands began furiously wiping at his cheek as his sniffed up some mucous loudly, eyes opening wide as he let out a grunt under his breath, looking around at the damage he’d done to his place during his fit.

It’s not like it was completely his fault. “Sick bastards,” he whispered, the last moments of the girl’s life replaying in his mind on a loop. He shivered and stood, body still quaking a bit while he made his way to the couch and collapsed. Burying his face in his hands, Uriel was getting glimpses of other reactions, as if the others in his head had felt it too. But the moments were brief and chaotic, tumbling in his mind. He needed a drink.

The lonely man soldiered into the kitchen, opening the fridge door to what was certainly a bachelor’s fridge. Rows of bottles, a few condiments, and lunch meat for a sandwich. He grabbed one of the glasses and yanked it out of its cardboard home, twisting off the cap and placing the rim to his lips. “Gotta write it down…” he mumbled suddenly, frowning. Uriel stumbled around the cluttered floor in his sweats to his work desk, grabbing a sheet of paper. He rubbed his eyes and set the bottle down, replacing it with a pen. His wrist moved hastily across the page as Ana’s last moments appeared in writing. Tears pooled in his eyes and then dripped again, as he hoped to God this was nothing like his wife had felt in her very last breaths.
 
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Ruby’s stomach was in knots. She grimaced, sitting on the edge of her bed, clutching her middle and folding her body in half. She shivered and moaned in sadness at the flash of thought she’d just seen, but as her father quickly approached, she knew she’d have to make something else up.

“Ruby? Are you ok?” her dad came from the hall before opening the door, concern all over his features.

“Daaaaad…” the girl groaned, after all just being in her bra and panties, pained yet annoyed look coming onto her face as she glanced up at him.

“Whoops, sorry,” he frowned, moving the door closed to just a crack. “But are you ok?” he said, obviously not letting it go. “Can I get you something from the medicine cabinet? Ibuprofen?”

Ruby rolled her eyes. Her dad believed ibuprofen cured everything. Oh you have chicken pox? Here’s two ibuprofen. Ruby just swallowed hard and continued rubbing her stomach as her body ached from the other mer’s pain. “Yeah sure dad. It’s just cramps. Bad ones,” she said, a weird look on her face as she waited to see if he believed her.

“Oh, ok,” he said, buying it completely and heading down stairs to get her pills. Ruby sighed, pushing her long blonde hair from her face and looking over at her closet. She forced herself to stand and pulled out a navy blue stretchy dress, strapless, that was shorter in front and longer in the back. It was the epitome of comfort while looking like she tried, before sitting back down on the bed edge when he father’s footsteps approached. “Is it safe?” he asked in a joking way.

“Yes,” Ruby said, smirking while he opened the door and tossed her the bottle.

“Here ya go kiddo,” he said, mustache turning up with his smile as he looked at her for a few moments, then turned and left. Ruby sighed once he did, actually taking two of the rust colored tablets before grabbing a hair tie and pulling her hair up high and away from tickling her nose. She grabbed some flip flops and moved downstairs, one hand still on her stomach.

“Gonna get some fresh air, dad,” she said, dropping the sandals and slipping them on.

“Take your phone this time!” he called, and Ruby just nodded, grabbing her cell and heading outside. Within an hour she was at the beach. But it was cloudy today and few people were out. She just found what looked like a nice spot on the sand and sat, a light breeze running across her shoulders and back. Her hazel eyes gazed to the bittersweet water lapping closer and closer towards her, mind racing with how to find more answers, find others like her, and protect herself and her dad.
 
Naji was cooking when his mind was enveloped into a blanket of pain and despair. His head throbbed and he suddenly found himself unable to hold onto the pan he had in his hand. The pan clattered to the floor loudly, and behind him, his daughter released a terrified scream. His wife rushed in from other room where she had been setting the table and immediately soothed their daughter before wrapping her arms around her husband. "Naji!" She gasped, placing her hands on either side of his face, and forcing him to look at her. Tears streamed out of his eyes and Marina began to cry herself. The last time she had seen her husband like this was when he cut off all communication with his family. She had sworn then that she would never let him become that sad, and she had failed.

"Honey, sweetie, Naji, my love,"Marina murmured and from behind them, Azra wiggled out of her chair. "Daddy?" The little girl whispered, wrapping her chubby arms around his bicep.

Naji sniffled, and began composing himself. He kissed his wife and shifted into a sitting position before pulling his daughter into his lap. "It's okay, I'm alright." He murmured, but his daughter didn't seem to be convinced. She stared up at him mournfully, and it suddenly occurred to Naji that his daughter might be experiencing the same--No. No, no no. He didn't even want to think that. Because if she did, she would have been witness to...He almost started crying again when he thought about it. How could those horrible people do that to someone and a little girl even?! Naji could only imagine how her parents might feel, if they even knew. He knew that if Azra had been taken from him like that, he would lose his mind. Ah! Why even think of that? He chastised himself.

"I'm really okay guys!" Naji said brightly and stood up quickly. "Sorry I dropped all of the pancakes." He sighed, gesturing at the mess of batter and a few complete pancakes on the floor.

"It's okay!" Azra murmured, from where she had buried her face into her father's chest. Marina patted Naji on the back and gave him a questioning look. The look had been appearing a lot lately ever since Naji's new discovery about his body. He mouthed, "I'll explain later." and she nodded before beginning to clean up the mess.

Naji set Azra down and grinned at her. "Okay! Let's get this cleaned up, shall we? And then we can make pancakes together!" He said, and Azra clapped excitedly, while Marina smiled at both of them.
 
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Leona had just parked her car and began walking to the back door of her workplace. She was toting a black water bottle and a brown apron in one arm, about to grab the door handle with the other when it struck her. She knew what was going on. This was not unlike any of the other times her mind had been invaded by the emotions and sights of people she had never known before. Most of them had included a man or woman discovering that they had a tail once they couldn't resist getting into the ocean. It was always a shock or a denial or even panic. But never horror. It had was never like this.
This sight burned its way into her mind with all the force of a horrific freight train and made her gasp, only to collapse against the door instead of opening it. Leona crumpled to the cement and dropped her things, gripping the sides of her head as she whimpered alone at the back of a small coffee shop by the pier of Ocean Isle beach.


This wasn't anxiety or shock or confusion like it normally was--as if getting random visions of people with tails was normal in any way. No, this was agony. Leona felt the emotions of the young girl herself, hardly able to breathe at the sight of the needles and the sensation of blood choking her to--to death! One of her hands started clawing at her throat before her episode faded and she was left with a pounding heart that was missing a piece. She was quivering when it was over, hardly able to grasp what had just happened. The girl with the seal tail...she--she died. She's gone. And Leona isn't sure why she's mourning. Or why she could see salt water dripping onto the sidewalk from her chin. She was crying. And her cheeks were very much appreciative of the tear tracks until the stubborn girl wiped them away furiously and grunted as she stood up too quickly. She had to grip the door handle and lean against it to try and regain her balance before she could compose herself enough to actually make it in time for her shift.

Leona groaned took a swig from her black bottle, mostly filled with salt water. She hadn't been able to resist on her way here. And now that she'd made it, she just wanted to get away. Her house isn't as close to the water as her workplace. It was called Seafoam Coffee for a reason. She could walk a block and a half and reach the sand. The temptation was almost unbearable. Swimming was becoming more important to her than running had ever been. She was really starting to feel natural in her scales now and she could hear the ocean calling...
No!


Leona shook her head, reminded herself how much she needed this job in order to keep her mind (and her landlord's) away from insanity. She picked up her apron and tied it too tightly around her waist--her hips complained because they wanted to grow gills--before stomping inside Seafoam Coffee. She had to get a grip. Now is not the time to freak out over the need to find the owners of these intense memories or fantasize about swimming far away never to return.
Her hand itched. She scratched the back of it, wishing she could use it instead to get the visions out of her head and onto a page in her sketch pad. But she clocked in with it instead and set her water bottle by the front desk. her co-worker Natalie was there. (She thinks Leona is a crazy freak) so she didn't give the girl a greeting. She just headed to the other end of the counter to make sure all the coffeepots were in place for the morning rush. All the machines were on and all the pair had to do was set the chairs down on the floor and turn on the TVs before opening up. And Leona did just that. She turned both the TV's on, one in each corner, and started pulling chairs off the tables to set them on the ground. She could hardly notice now how much easier the task was ever since she'd seen her striped lionfish tail. The chairs were so much lighter to her, as if her biceps had doubled in size and strength when that was obviously impossible. The news rattled on behind her as she continued her task, blowing a stray strand of hair out of her face and rolling her eyes at her own thoughts. If her strength increase was 'obviously impossible', what could she say about her tail and gills and apparent hallucinations? And what about her symptoms away from the water that included...


"...itchy skin, dry mouth, , itchy or red eyes, and an extreme craving for salt."

Leona's eyes widened as she snapped toward the TV screen nearest to her, staring up at it with her lower lip trapped harshly between her teeth. She had experienced all of those, but her eyes were still red from when she had been crying over the helpless girl in her head, writhing in pain before an audience of scientists in white coats. Leona's bleeding heart started trying to jump out of her chest.

"we here at FY..." The dark-skinned woman on the screen seemed nervous for a moment, stumbling over her words before starting back up again.
"FYM, know this, and want to help. If you're experiencing these symptoms, please call us at 204-103-8934 or come to one of our customer service buildings. Trust us, we can help."

With that, the PSA was over and the news reappeared on the screens. But Leona was still staring at the left one thinking: Trust scientists?! After what I just saw?! After--
Leona's hands gripped the wood on the top of the chair so hard that it starting cracking in her grip as she trembled, imagining the needles coming for her from all around, the blood pooling in her mouth so she couldn't breathe and--

"LEANA!" whispered a harsh voice belonging to the blonde coworker of a shivering mermaid in denial.
Though her name was said wrong, she still snapped back into reality with a startled expression, meeting Natalie's blue eyes briefly before she thought of the sea. She needed to get out of here. Now.

So without paying attention to the blonde girl's protests or threats about the boss or getting fired, Leona dashed out the front door of the shop, sprinting toward the comforting embrace of the ocean only a block and a half away.
 
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For three hours already, Maria has been following the hustle and bustle of the school day, carrying her metal water bottle in the side of her backpack, filled with salt water, and constantly pulling her sweater further over her try, irritated hands, hoping that no one would notice. It was lunch call, and she was now sitting in the fast food restaurant that her brother worked in, as the school she attended had an open campus policy, allowing for her to go and visit her brother for lunch and make sure everything was alright. It was the middle of a quiet spell, and so Lucas' manager told him to take his break, he heading out to the lobby area to sit with his sister, parched and sore.
"How've your classes gone?" he asked warily, resting his elbows on the table and his head in his hands, shutting his eyes and rubbing his temples. Maria sighed and pulled her bottle from her bag, grabbing a water cup from the counter and pouring some of it for him, Lucas drinking the heavily salted water gratefully.
"I've been alright today, just a few bumps in the road with getting through science class, as always. History wants a current events paper to finish out the quarter, which is going to be the most torturous thing since electrical bonds, and-" it was just then that she was cut off by a horrendous vision, one that she and her brother shared, as well as many others all over the chosen land, a vision of a group of scientists, they taking notes, looking on with uncaring eyes, yearning only for knowledge. Fear and horror ran empathetically through the brother and sister that sat in the dining room of the restaurant, they feeling, to a much lesser extent, her fears and pains. By the end of it, Maria was thoroughly frightened and sickened, Lucas just feeling mildly sick to his stomach, but more so enraged that someone would do such a thing in the mere name of science, as if humans were their personal guinea pigs.

Deaths were tragic enough when you didnt have to add in the fact that this was murder, a murder in cold blood for the sake of learning something. Lucas didnt even notice that his hands were trembling as he clenched them into fists, the cheap plastic cup in his hand crumpling and creaking in protest. Maria quickly got up and ran to the bathroom, puking in the confines of one of the restroom stalls and flushing it away before washing her face and mouth in the faucet, trying to wash away the invisible blood that lingered in her mouth, on her face, on her hands. Due to how slow business was at the moment, thankfully, no one saw the episode that the duo went through, but if he stayed in such a state for too long, Lucas feared he would be sent home for being sick. He sighed and took out his cell phone to look up the news and help his sister with the current event report, anything to get his mind off of what had just happened, only to be assaulted with an announcement that the FYM was looking to 'help' those who exhibeted out of the ordinary symptoms such as cravings for salt water, dry skin and eyes, and other such abnormalities, ones that he knew both he and his sister shared. It was even more likely that the girl was one who had much the same symptoms as well. He closed out of the news, restraining himself from throwing his phone out the window, and pocketed it, his sister coming back just that moment. Lucas got up and hugged Maria tightly, trying to help her cope with soothing words, but witnessing a murder in the first person, as if it were you yourself being killed, was traumatic even for him, despite having had nightmares about it before.

Maria could do little more than cry, whimpering as she pressed her face against her brother's chest, sniveling like a young child who had a nightmare. In a sense, something like this would be any person's nightmare; to have to live past it like nothing happened, hiding the fact that you saw any of it from the world, that was surely a burden that no 15 year old should have to be forced to go through. Things were hard enough for Lucas and Maria as they were, but this even complicated things to a whole new level. Gently setting his sister back in the booth, convincing her to let him go for even just a moment, and walking back up to the counter, Lucas asked for the rest of the day off to care for his sister, convincing them that she was sick and needed to be watched after. His manager begrudgingly agreed, as he was a diligent worker, and he lead Maria out of the shop, walking her home. On the way, he called the school, telling them that she wouldnt be coming back for the second half of the day due to being sick.
 
As much as she had wanted to, Anita couldn't stay in her temporary room for the rest of the day. Even thought she feigned a migraine and crippling menstrual cramps, her father demanded that she remain downstairs in the building's welcome center.

"It would be bad for publicity if FYM's own PR wasn't present to greet our new guests." He had stated when she'd try to back out of her responsibilities. The 'guests' that he had referred to were a small group of people who had contacted them and informed them that they had been experiencing the salt crave symptoms. Anita had wanted to scream for them to run for their lives when they called, but of course, she couldn't. So now, two young parents and their ten year old son were on their way.

At first, to gain their trust, the three were to be given a grand tour of the labs and surrounding buildings. Then they would be shown to their new suite that they would probably only see once. And finally they were going to be presented with a glorious dinner with foods they probably didn't know existed.

Of course, Anita's father would be present during all of this as he wanted to keep an eye on the three. Anita didn't have to attend though, because the family was very skittish and they only trusted Dr. Reid. Anita almost scoffed at that. Of all people to trust...And they chose the worst one.

And although she felt bad for them, because she knew their fate, Anita knew that with her dad occupied with the tour and the dinner, this would be the only chance that Anita had to escape. All day she had been feeling something...Wanting...As if her soul was reaching out towards something or somebody. All she knew was that she felt extremely needy whenever she passed by some of the scientist wings, and even though the last thing she wanted was to be near those...monsters. She had to check it out.

She needed to know...And so right after she greeted the young family and stared after them as they walked off with her father, Anita ran off to the east science wing. She would check there first, under the guise that she just wanted to see how everyone was doing. And if she didn't feel that weird pull, she would check the west science wing.
 
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Ruby stared at the water for a long time. Her thoughts kept jumping around like salmon upstream, and she was the bear who couldn’t catch one. Thought about how what happened to that little girl could happen to her. About how to protect her dad from something like that, how to protect herself. Thoughts she’d had a hundred times about how she couldn’t be the only one like this, and she had to find others. It was all just so frustrating because she had no answers. At least if she met someone like her, she could know the truth about some things. And at least if she got away, she could protect her dad. But where could she go?

“Uuuuuuh,” she groaned, forehead coming into contact with her propped up knees. She would just have to print off a fake university letter or something. Tell him she was going to be gone for a while. It would have to be far away or he’d try and come visit. She shook her head, feeling sad and sighing. Her hazel eyes lifted, flickering one way and the next, and seeing some large rocks. She looked around again before rising and wandering over to them, finding a rounded spot in their formation that left her hidden in case anyone looked her way. She was very near the edge of the beach anyway, where the coast became tall rocks and cliffs, and most everyone was towards the middle of the beach. She bit her lip and kicked off her shoes, pulling the stretchy dress up and over her head. Once she was undressed, she wrapped her clothes around her cell and kicked some sand over the top of them before peeking out. No one she could see even close, much less looking, so she sprinted several feet before diving in and swimming as fast as she could (though that wasn’t very fast). Her tail and wings instantly started to appear, and she knew the iridescent wings were above the surface, catching the little light there was today. She just kept going until she was fully under water, every inch and then lazily swam towards the cliffs, getting away from the regular beachgoers.

Ruby stayed as close to the surface as she could get however. And at one point, she thought she felt a fish rub her finger, and she screamed, swimming quicker than normal to get away. She shook her head and sighed as she reached a long stretch where no one was likely to see her, where she had practiced before, and took a deep breath of water, the gills on her cheek flapping up and down. Determination was set in her eyes, and she pulled her hair tie from her head, letting her long hair come down and cover her breasts. After that, she swam straight but up towards the surface, flicking her tail and breaking out into the air, her wings lifting her just enough so the ends of her blonde locks dragged the water, but the rest of her was free to glide. She smiled, loving this part. She enjoyed it much more than being in the water. But it only lasted about ten seconds, though she could get pretty far in that short time. She immediately did it again, her mind still having trouble wrapping it’s mind around her current state and abilities.
 
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Uriel laid on the couch. He was sprawled out on his stomach, still shirtless with one hand hanging off and his head on the arm rest. His eyes were half open and the dangling hand held a new bottle, the tv now a light companion to his window as it flickered into the dark apartment. He had managed to get down everything, every emotion he’d felt from Ana’s death. It was all there on paper, even the looks on the scientists’ faces. Cold. Unfeeling. Calculating. Inhuman. Inhumane. He sighed, mentally and emotionally exhausted and trying to shut up his head and make all his thoughts go away with mind numbing television.

That’s when the news brought up an announcement made not too long ago by FYM. Itchy skin, dry mouth, itchy or red eyes, salt craving. The news people were joking that it sounded like someone just needed lotion. Uriel snarled softly but the words replayed in his mind as the number flashed on the screen. Meh. He could look up FYM’s info online later. Right now he had to wonder… was someone looking for other mer’s to experiment on and then kill? He knew there were several, if all the ones in his head were real. And he couldn’t allow them to be hurt like Ana did. If not for them, then because his mind would literally break in two if he had to endure that again. He groaned and turned his face, burying it into the dull brown microfiber. He was trying to will himself to get up and do something, to help. But instead, he passed out. His body relaxed, and the bottle with barely anything left in it hit the rug on the floor.
 
After the whole vision ordeal, Naji almost threw himself into the pool. He needed...He just needed the comfort of being in his own skin, as odd as that sounded. But as soon as he entered the water and his tail appeared, Naji was at peace. Well, somewhat. He could still see what he'd seen before if he made himself remember it. Plus he had promised to tell Marina about everything.

"So?" His wife asked, as she situated a chair next to the above ground pool and leaned over the side of it. Her hand traced lazy circles in the water and Naji immediately swam over, so he could be closer to her.

"I-It was like a vision of sorts."Naji murmured. "I saw these men in lab coats, staring at...Well it wasn't me, I could tell that much, although things were a bit hazy. But there was a girl and she was like me, she had a tail and all of this," He gestured to himself. "and...These people, they hurt her. Marina, she was in immense pain and her thoughts were so powerful! She was scared, and her voice...Marina, she was a little girl. Just a child and they--"He broke off then, unable to say anymore. He glanced over the side of the pool to where Azra was making sandcastles in the sandpit they had had built to fit with the whole ocean pool theme, if anyone ever inquired. He wouldn't be able to bear it...

"Oh my sweet,"Marina murmured and even though she herself hated the feel of salt water on her skin, got our of her chair and stepped over the side and into the pool. She wrapped her arms around Naji, being careful not to cover the blowhole between his shoulder blades, and let him weep in the crook of her neck.

Finally they pulled back and Marina looked at her husband, her brow furrowed and her eyes glistening with oncoming tears. "My dear, what do you want to do?" She asked, and Naji glanced down.

"Those men, they could come for me. They could come after you and Azra. I don't know what I would do if that happened. I don't want to do this, but...I think I should leave. You can say we got a divorce, because I was acting oddly. We can tell Azra that I'm going on a trip and that I'll be back." Marina gripped her husbands shoulders fiercely, she was beginning to cry and shake her head. "No, no listen! Marina, there are more like me out there, I feel it, sometimes, I lie in bed and I can feel these two tugs, calling me to join them. If there are more of us, we have a better chance of finding a safe haven for us. Please, my dear." Naji insisted.

Marina wiped her tears and gripped at the hem of her shirt. She didn't want to say anything, but she knew that he was right. Azra and her would be in danger and if there were more mermaids and mermen...But there was no guarantee! But Marina knew better than anyone, that it was better to try then be a sitting duck.

"O..kay."

- -

Anita entered the east science wing with a look of determination which was odd for her. Usually when she was doing PR business, she kept an airy and happy look on her face to maintain the belief that she was just Jackson Reid's silly little daughter who enjoyed the simple things in life. And if she wasn't doing PR business, she was doing her best to avoid anyone and anything.

But now was different. This was her only chance to be away from her father and locate the pull, and she was going to succeed! Well...She hoped she would.

Upon entering the building, it only occurred to Anita after she had entered the elevator, that she had never really explored any of these buildings. She tended to avoid the scientists because they all acted like every little thing in life needed to be strapped down and dissected. They were really creepy to be honest.

"Uhh...."Anita groaned as she stared at the numerous level buttons in the elevator. Really! Who needed twelve floors of science labs? Then again FYM was basically a horde of scientists, so it made sense.

"Going up?" Anita jumped and turned to see an eager looking young man with dark brown almost black eyes staring at her expectantly. It was probably because she hadn't pressed a button and was standing in the elevator like a potato. "Ha..." She laughed nervously and determinedly pressed a random button.

"Break rooms, huh? You got a boyfriend to visit?" The guy asked, and Anita nodded stiffly. Just her luck to be in an elevator with the one guy in the entire organization who didn't know who she was.

"Well, hope you have fun!" He said cheerfully as he got off on the fourth floor. The doors closed and Anita began her ride all the way up to the tenth floor, which had break rooms on it apparently.
 
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Running used to be a stress-reliever. It used to be that she could run from her problems and let the physical exertion calm her down, distract her, and let all her emotions out at once. But ever since the symptoms of whatever disease gave her a tail showed up, her hobby turned into a bothersome necessity used only when she's late for something.
Or in this case, to get to the ocean's embrace as swiftly as she could, in order to escape her fears and uncomfortable state on land. So she stomped across concrete with red eyes and itchiness all over her, but she didn't stop. She must have looked insane sprinting across a crosswalk right before the light turned green, eyes wide and breaths heavy. She couldn't get enough air! She needed water to breathe right!


She almost knocked over a business woman with a hot tea that spilled onto the sidewalk. A bit of the drink splashed onto her arm and felt like it was burning her dry flesh as the woman complained behind her. Leona didn't even apologize. she just had to get Home!

Though she didn't even realize that's what she considered it now, she had never used that term to describe the sea until her mad dash toward the pier. Her sneakers slapped hard against the wood as the morning sun highlighted the red in her hair, blown back by the breeze. There were only a very few people who were out on the pier this early and they were mostly looking out from the sides. Leona had no idea if anyone glanced at her, she couldn't pay attention she just had to--
Leap!


She had jumped off the railing without hesitation, flying through the air for a few seconds because of how much strength she'd inadvertently used to push off of the railing. A smile reached her lips as she approached the water's surface, fully clothed and highly anticipating the blue that was about to swallow her up. She dived in and felt instant relief from itchiness or dryness anywhere. The water bubbled across her skin and soothed it like nothing else could as she glided effortlessly, eyes closed and lips smiling.

When she next opened her eyes, they were completely black and her smile was made of sharp teeth equipped to tear apart anyone that came near. Her pants, socks and underwear were ripped in shreds, sinking down along with her sneakers. In their place was a long, striped tail that instantly began propelling her away from the pier and into deeper waters. At her hips, two sets of gills breathed in and out happily, thought it wasn't that obvious under her dangerous fin-spines, which also grew out of her forearms. Leona was back in paradise, submersed in salt water and letting go of her fears one by one.

There was tons to worry about--getting fired from her job and then evicted from her shabby apartment, the other memories in her head and where she could find their owners, anyone who might have seen or videotaped her leap off the pier..--and the list was seemingly endless. But Leona enjoyed bliss for a bit with the water flowing through her mane and fins and scales through her whole body, still wearing her bra and polo shirt from work as she swam farther and farther from land and her troubles of reality.
 
By the time Lucas and Maria had made it halfway home, Maria had soaked the ends of her long sleeve shirt in tears from each time the memory would resurface. Lucas had long since given up on speaking to her, as every time he even tried to say that it was alright, she would cry more fiercely, claiming that he sympathised with them. It was a horrid and very wrong assumption, the girl staying on the other side of the sidewalk from him for a while, before coming back to be in the comfort of her brother's arms, knowing that there was no way she could bear this alone. As the pair passed by a wooden crafted bench, they sat down, giving Lucas the chance to organise his thoughts and try to get himself sorted out so that he could be stronger for his sister, be able to be a pillar for her so she doesnt crumble. Even so, he had to hold in how horrible he felt, how dizzy, disoriented, and frankly pained he was from the vision experience. But even amongst all of that, he felt a dull sort of longing, something akin to instinct, but somewhat stronger, like.... like he was being pulled somewhere on a leash, called out to from the distance. He had felt this before when he was any sort of distance away from his sister, but he normally brushed it off as his being overly protective of her and generally worried. But she was right next to him, leaning against his side as she curled up and tried to normalize her breathing. This pull was coming....

There was another tug on the 'leash' causing him to look down the sidewalk again and try to get his sister up. It was in the general direction of their own home, making things a bit easier on himself. Perhaps he would be able to leave Maria at home to recover while he went on to investigate... Maria protested in the worm of a slight sort of whine to having to get up and walk again, she already too overwhelmed with the situation as is, and thus, Lucas let her climb up on his back for him to carry her home, the progress now much faster as the male wasnt bound by her speed, though he still moved slowly so as not to strain his aching body or loosen his sister's grip. It wasnt long before he had returned home, made Maria a cup of hot cocoa, and turned on the their small radio to a classical station, tucking her into bed.
"I'm just going to go out and buy us a few things, maybe go for a quick run while I'm at it, get my mind off of everything..... You stay here and rest..... dont worry about me, okay....?" Even as he said the words, Maria's eyes welled up with tears, she sitting up abruptly and wrapping her arms tightly around her brother.
"Dont leave me, please..! They'll come and take me, and then they'll find you..! Dont go..!" Maria's words were choked out harshly, followed by a slight sob, Lucas sighing and sitting down on the bed with her, lightly stroking her back and laying her back down.
"I promise.... they wont take you.... I'll even stay here for you so that none of the men can come in and get to you....." he said softly, using everything he could to try and get his sister to sleep. It took quite a while, and even then, he felt bad about leaving her alone, against his word, but the pulling, the urging was just too much for him to ignore anymore, especially with what all had been happening. If he had that sort of connection with his sister, then maybe that meant that the pull was from another person who was 'special' like they were. Maybe he could find some answers, something to help protect his sister. As soon as he felt that his sister was safe enough on her own, sleeping peacefully, he headed out of the house, grabbing a set of keys and locking the door.

Lucas felt like an utter idiot wandering around his own neighborhood, but as he made more rounds and expanded his search, he began to find a general area that had a stronger instinctual feeling to it. After a few more searches, he came across a house, one that he sincerely hoped was the right one. He wouldnt want to ask what he was about to to the wrong people and get himself into more trouble than he probably already was. Hand lightly shaking, Lucas took a deep breath, steeled his nerves, and knocked on the door.
 
Ever since leaving the conference room Thomas had been feeling an odd sensation that had been driving him mad ever since. He couldn't put his finger on it at all. It was as if someone was calling out to him from somewhere in the facility. Although feeling like this he continued to push forward with his internship studies with the scientists. It was then that somthing made itself known to him. A scientist came over to him "Be ready to see some new subjects. We have new ones coming in. Now that we know what kills them we can keep it from happening so... quickly." He said to Thomas before turning around and continuing forward.

It was then that the scientists all looked to him. "You can go take a break for abit." The lead scientist said to him before pointing to the break room. Thomas nodded slowly before turning and picking up his bottle of salt water. He walked into the break room and sat down in one of the comfy chairs. He put his legs up before opening the bottle of water and drinking from it. He finished the bottle and went over to fill it up with more water just to tide him over for the next hour. He looked over at the elevator as it began to blink. He put his feet down and waited to see who would come out of it.
 

He was running after her. She was jumping from a pier and crashing into the water. “Wait!” he tried to yell, but it was too late. She wasn’t resurfacing. Taking off his shirt, he dove after her. Water came closer and closer until it was waving over him. Drowning, I’m going to drown! He thought, coughing and coughing until he jerked himself awake gasping for air. Uriel’s grey eyes went wide in panic, and then his face looked pained. With a sigh he pushed himself up on the couch to a sitting position, putting his face in his hands and rubbing. His rough stubble tore at his dry hands, but it almost felt good. It caused him to move his hands to start scratching the opposite arm. Harder and harder…

“Damn it,” he cursed, drawing blood and pulling his hands away from his arms to look at the damage. It had been awhile. Awhile since he had gone to the ocean. Obviously his dreams were telling him to go. But then it also seemed like they were warning him. Maybe he was reading too much into it.

The man cleared his throat and stood, realizing he was still in the pants he’d slept in last night… and the night before. Snarling slightly, he pulled them off, walking to his closet in the buff and finding some khaki cargo shorts and a white button up shirt. He slipped into them rolling up the sleeves on the shirt and putting some sandals on as well. He moved towards the bathroom but stopped, deciding he really didn’t want to see himself. Instead he downcast his eyes, running his fingers through his mass of hair. Uriel grabbed his wallet and keys before slamming shut the door to his cave and jogging out of his building.

Uriel pulled up to Myrtle Beach in his car, getting out and letting his orbs travel the expanse of sand. There were always people here, but it was nice, seeing the families. Some building castles, some taking pictures. He smiled a bit, in a lonely way before throwing his shoes in the car and stuffing his keys and wallet into a pocket. With a deep breath, muscles tensing, he began his jog. He would just keep moving until his thoughts cleared or he found a spot to jump in the water where no one was. Whichever came first.
 
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Ruby swam, easing her skin condition and stretching her fins and wings until she began to worry about the time. She dipped under the water and swam back towards the beach she had come from, popping her head out just to under her eyeballs to see if anyone would notice her emerging from the water. With her gills being on her cheeks, she couldn’t exactly lift her whole face out of the water anyway- if someone were nearby.

She seemed to be in the clear, so she speedily split the water and reached sand. Her toes formed and dug in, as the naked blonde dug quickly to find her cell and dress. She slipped the navy cloth over her head, adjusting herself back into it but getting it damp with her still moist (for now) skin. She used the bottom hem to dry her hands before lifting up her phone and pushing stringy blonde strands from her vision.

1 new message

Ruby frowned, sliding it open and touching the bubble sent by her dad.

Saw on tv 2 call 4 dry skin, red eyes, etc. FYM. Called & they said 2g2 1 of their buildings 4 testing. What do u think?

Ruby froze. She felt a chill up her spine and shivered as she held the device, licking her lips and trying to decide what to do. This… this gave her a really bad feeling.

R they coming 2 the house? She texted back, quickly trying to make her way home. Unlike the sad trip she’d taken to the water, her trip back was one of fear. Her eyes darted around her, tucking her drying hair behind her ears and looking incredibly nervous. She almost tripped on simply air a few times before her dad texted back ‘no…’ and she breathed a small sigh of relief. How did she know FYM, these tv ad people, weren’t the ones who hurt that girl? The scientists? And her dad was leading them right to her. She bit her bottom lip and ran a hair through her tangled locks, knowing now was the time to leave. She had to protect herself and those she cared about and just get out of town.
 
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Leona lost track of how long she'd been swimming. It seemed that the further she glided through the water, the less her responsibilities mattered. who cares if she can't pay her rent in full again? Who cares if she gets fired from another job? Who cares if she doesn't have friends or a social life? The ocean is all she needs. The fish can be her friends and the reefs her home. Where else could she go anyway?

The striped mermaid eventually abandoned her shirt with the rest of her clothes, leaving her in a plain black bra that still felt unnatural in the soothing water's embrace. The only reason she kept it on was for protection. It was her only sort of protection for the only things she felt were fragile about her in this form. After so long dealing with the annoying symptoms of staying on land too long, could she call this lionfish extension her true form?
Oh she wasn't sure. She didn't want to overthink. Not now. She had come to the waves for escape and that's just what she'd do. Even if she got lost in the process.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened. Swimming leisurely through open water and reefs alike, Leona had been unknowingly following a certain tug, like an internal GPS southward. Though she had no clue where she was, she knew she was farther from Ocean Isle than she had intended to swim. She was very close to Myrtle Beach now (though she wasn't aware of the name), almost involuntarily swimming closer to the shore than she should venture. There was this irresistible pull, as if an invisible rope had tied itself around her soul and it was dragging her along toward something extremely important. But what? Leona forced herself to get it together and stop swimming altogether. She took a few deep breaths through her gills and focused. Had she really been so carefree all this time? Allowing herself to swim off into some sort of stupid happily ever after into the horizon? what was she thinking?! Oh right. She wasn't. Leona grit her sharp teeth and shook her head. She was such an idiot! She wasn't sure how to get back to her apartment from here --wherever she was-- and to make matters worse, she had to stay conscious of her tail or it would start propelling her towards the shore. Whatever it was that her insane new instincts were telling her, they were very insistent upon her surfacing. And she was very unsure of what to do about it.
 
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When the doors of the elevator finally opened, Anita felt as if she had been riding the damned thing for an eternity. And when she rushed out of it, she got her arm stuck in the door and had a brief moment of panic as she struggled and yanked the appendage out of harm's way. But finally she was on the break room floor and even if she didn't find whatever or whoever she was looking for, she was definitely going to take the stairs next time--

A sudden pulse reverberated through her and Anita found herself leaning against the wall for support. It was like her entire body was reaching out as if it were going to split in two, except everything seemed to be heading in one direction. Anita glanced around quickly and suddenly her gaze alighted on a blonde haired man. The young woman didn't know why but she suddenly found herself walking towards the man with confidence until she stood directly in front of him. She stared down at him for a time, thinking about what she should say exactly before deciding on a simple, "Hi."


- -


Naji was napping when he felt a fierce tug on his chest, and he awoke immediately, jerking his head up from where he had it rested on the side of the pool. He inwardly berated himself for even falling asleep in the structure because he knew from experience that staying underwater for too long was a huge mistake. Thankfully though, he had dozed off with his upper body above the surface.

"Daddy."

Naji realized that Azra was staring at him from over the rim of the pool, her eyes bright with something her father couldn't quite put his finger on, but his little girl always had some kind of glow about her. It wasn't quite happiness, because he had seen her at her happiest and it had looked nothing like this. No...It was more like...Intelligence, perhaps? But of course she was intelligent, she was his. But what--

"Daddy." Azra whined, pursing her lips into a little pout as she stuck her chubby fingers into the water and watched it ripple, her irritation already gone.

"Yes, my sweet? What is it?" Naji asked, giving her his full attention.

Azra pointed at the back of the house. "Door."

"What?"

"Knock knock! Someone's at the door! Mommy jumped, and then she went to the door." Fear coursed through Naji and he began hauling himself onto the edge of the pool. Azra stared at him for a time before scurrying backwards and standing a ways a way. She bounced on her feet and clapped her hands over her face and turned around. Marina and Naji had already schooled her on what to do when Naji began to revert back to complete human form.

As soon as his bottom half was no longer immersed in water, Naji tail split in two and he was soon as man once more. He grabbed one of the many pairs of pants that Marina left by the pool, and shimmied into them. Then he grabbed Azra and rushed into the house to see who was at the door.

Meanwhile, Marina had already steeled herself and yanked the light blue door open. Before her stood a young man who she had never seen before and the woman felt a little bad for opening the door with such an angry look on her face. She gave the boy a little smile.

"May I help you?"
 
Lucas wasnt entirely sure what he was expecting to be behind the door, but an angry looking housewife was definitely not on the list. And on top of that, he felt that she wasnt the person he was here for. He tried to take a breath and speak, say anything to worm his way out of this situation, but it was as if all the air had been stolen from him. He shuddered slightly, looking away.
"I-I'm s-sorry, ma'am.... I... I must have the wrong household.... I b-believe I was looking for a friend of mine." The words he spoke were true to an extent. He knew that if he was being drawn to someone like he was to his own sister, then he had to be able to trust that person, but he wasnt so sure that he was right to say that it was the wrong house. The feeling was so strong here and even past that, just faintly, a sort of sweet spell passed him. The scent of salt water. Perhaps he wasnt wrong. Maybe there was more than just this woman here at the house? Looking back up, Lucas forced himself to continue.
"But maybe you can help me? I'm looking for someone who is.... special? I guess that's a kind word to use. I mean, for the pure sake of it, I'm sure you have seen the news lately, with all the talk of the science facilities looking for people who actually drink salt-water and all. I.... well I um.... I dont really think that there is anything good that could come out of a call for people like that. It sounded almost too put on. Like something was being hidden. N-Now please dont think I'm crazy, I just-" Lucas cut himself off, feeling himself getting desperate and looked away, scolding himself silently before he would speak again.
"I-I'm sorry for bothering you, I should probably just leave you and your family be."
@Polystical
 
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Uriel just started jogging. He smiled and nodded to the families he passed, continuing on as sand moved between his toes and splashed up behind him. The spray of the ocean hit him and he closed his eyes, fresh air moving through his hair and rushing by his face. He breathed in the scent that called to him, lured him in. But as he was moving along at a slow but steady pace, he suddenly felt a feeling grow in his chest. It was heavy, like a magnet had been placed under his skin and was pulling him towards another. He opened his eyes, frowning a bit, but with his grey eyes sparkling. Something. There was something.

His feet began to sprint, and suddenly his breaths were coming hot and heavy, beads of sweat dripping from his body and the toxins sliding down his pores with them. He suddenly stopped as the pulling did, and his face turned towards the water. He looked all around him, and realized he was alone. He turned a few times, still breathing hard, before putting his hands around his mouth.

“Hello?” he called, feeling confused. He wiped his face with his palms, then rubbed his eyes, slowly starting to recapture his racing heart. It was when oxygen began flowing back to his brain and not just his lungs that he felt the soft tug towards the ocean. “But…” he mumbled to himself, hesitant. He knew how amazing the water had felt last time he’d entered. But if he became a merman again…

Sighing, Uriel undressed, tossing his things feet away from the water into the sand and dove in. The man’s legs moved together, stitching and wrapping around until they became a silvery, striped tail with almost clear fins. His hair looked as if he’d bleached it bright white, and his grey eyes became black as night. He still retained his olive skin, but even his beard stubble became like dots of snow. He couldn’t see this however. All he was focused on was the shadow that was far too large for a regular fish.

‘Hello?’ his mind called to the form, almost fearful of getting too close and lingering close to shore.
 
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