Because a couple of reviewers asked, I put a little Zikki in this story to.
This story may be confussing, so if you have any questions, just ask, I'm all ears
loads of fun reading
**
Lewis is once again reading up about demons. He wants to know as much about them as is possible, to be able to help the girls more. He is so caught up in the chapter about ghosts, that he startles when his phone rings. The boat comes dangerously close to falling over, but he manages to stay straight.
"Hello … Yeah, just a second. It's for you." He holds the cell phone above the water.
Emma comes up.
**
Cleo is on the other side.
"So have you decided what time for the party tonight? … Emma this is a tradition we're talking about."
**
"I know, but I just don't see how I can have the party this year. Not with the recent developments. … Your new job? … The dolphin tank at the marine park."
"The what?" Lewis can't help himself to eavesdrop.
**
"Yes of course the tank is full of water Emma. They're aquatic mammals ... Yes I do remember what water does to me, but I'm not gonna let that run my life."
Cleo bosses walks in.
"Look Emma, I really want to make this work."
"Cleo" Her boss warns her.
"I got to go. Say hay to Lewis."
Cleo puts a hairnet on. Her boss stops and looks at her strangely. "Cleo, are you alright?"
"Yep, ready when you are."
**
Back at the boat, Emma gives Lewis his mobile back.
"She can be so stubborn sometimes. So do you really think that will tell us something useful." Pointing at the book.
"It already told me about those hellhounds. Look." He goes back a few chapters and shows it to her.
"Yep, that is one of them."
"Lucky for you guys, that there are a couple of books about it, so you know what they are. Hey, maybe that's an idea. I can make a book about all demons and stuff you guy's face, so that is much easier to find when you have to face them again."
"What, you think there are a lot more of those creatures running around?"
"Yes, I actually think they are a lot of evil things out there, otherwise there wouldn't be so many books about it, right? But the big question is why you became mermaids."
"There is only one place where we'll find answers to that." And she looks at Mako. "There is where it happened, there is where the answers are."
"Well I just go with my boat and …"
"No, not you Lewis. I will go on my own."
"Are you really sure that's a good idea?"
But Emma is already gone.
**
Cleo is getting more and more worried if this new job was really good for her as she has to feed the dolphins. But like Lewis said, she had to be courageous, so here she goes. Suddenly she feels terribly sad. She starts to cry like her life depends on it. And even suddenly as it came, it disappeared again.
**
In the meantime, Emma is looking for the underwater entrance to the volcano. She meats a couple of dolphins that help her finding it by showing the way. At the bottom of the pool, there lies something shinny. When Emma comes closer, she sees it's a locket, a beautiful locket.
**
At the Marine Park, a dolphin show is going on and Cleo has to help with the feeding. In the crowd sits an elderly woman, that notices something out of the ordinary with Cleo. When Cleo is back backstage, she drops some water on herself. But the towel is already wet. The woman throws her a dry towel. "Try this. Timed well, wouldn't you say?"
"Yeah thanks, nearly got saltwater in my eye. It would have stung."
"It does stings, doesn't it? But not when you're actually under water. Why is that I wonder."
"I don't know."
"Lots of things are a mystery, still you've got time to learn. Stay dry, always keep one eye open and don't tell anyone your biggest secret. That are the big ones. Oh yeah one last thing, beware of the past."
Just then, Cleo's boss enters.
"Cleo" Making a sign, that she has to come.
When Cleo looks back at where the woman stood, she was gone.
**
Lewis is looking at the locket. "Looks like a normal necklace to me." He hands it back to Emma.
"Whatever was in it is long gone. But I found it at the bottom of the Moon pool. It's got to be important."
"Maybe there are some earrings that suppose to match with it." Rikki comments.
"I'm trying to find answers here."
"Settle ladies. Emma, it still doesn't explain why you guys are mermaids."
"See."
"However, I think I just found out which liquids will and won't turn you into a fish." He looks thoughtful and suddenly sprays some on Rikki.
"Lewis, what are you … Do you think you're funny? Uhh, what is that stuff?"
Lewis not paying attention to Rikki, starts to count down. "4,3,2,1."
And Rikki doesn't change.
"Mostly vegetable oil, no change, interesting."
Emma gets a phone call, Rikki starts painting her nails and Lewis continues investigating the liquids.
**
A couple of minutes later, Emma hangs up.
"Is that the party again?" Lewis asks.
"A party?" Rikki immediately responses.
"Every year my mum throws this party for me, only this year it's not happening. Can't have heaps of people and drink spilling and tails appearing …"
"When is this party supposed to be?"
"Tonight."
"Tonight, I hope I would be invited."
"It's not really your scene."
'Party. Me. We grew up together. … Oh you don't want me there, is that it?"
"Of course I do."
"So, the party is on?"
"No, it's not."
"Pity, would have been great. Boys, dancing, boys."
"It's not really that type of party, Rikki."
"What do you mean?"
Because Emma wouldn't answer Lewis does. "It's a sleepover."
Due to the diversion he just set up, he gets the chance to spray them again.
"Lewis" And Emma uses a towel to dry it off.
"So a sleepover. Wow, that is so neat. Wish I didn't have paint my nails, we could have painted it together. And then we could have a pillow fight and play with each others …" She changes in to a mermaid. "… hair."
"That one had a 32% water content."
"You're ok?"
"Fine, thanks Lewis."
**
Cleo just told the others about the mystery woman. Rikki is the first to ask questions.
"She knows something, like what?"
"I don't know, but she knew it was dangerous for me to get water on myself."
"You got water on yourself. I knew it."
"One drop. I whipped it straight of. Nothing happened. I took precautions. I can do this job."
"And I told you we should have discussed this further."
"What would that prove? You're just scarred."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are. Scarred for me and you're scarred to have your own party. Well I'm not living like that anymore, Emma. I'm not going to be scarred of every drop of water I see."
"As crazy as its sounds, I agree with Cleo, just this once."
Cleo notices Emma's necklace. "Wow, where did you get that?"
"The moon pool at Mako Island."
"It's beautiful."
Emma gets her phone and starts calling.
"Hay mum. I need you to start texting the invitations. Yeah all the girls from the list plus Rikki."
"Cleo's right, if I don't put up this party, it's like I'm not even putting on a fight."
Zane suddenly delivers three drinks.
"Three frozen cola's."
"What about them?" Rikki comments.
"You looked thirsty. Enjoy."
Cleo drinks it, but spits it back out immediately.
"Prune juice?" Emma asks. Cleo nods.
"Mature Zane, real mature." Rikki shouts to Zane who's sitting with Tiffany and Miriam.
"Anything to get your attention, Rikki."
Suddenly all the girls' phones in the café start peeping.
"Emma's sleepover is on."
"Hey, party at Emma's, did you get one?"
The only girl in the café not getting a message is Miriam.
"Party then?" Zane says to Miriam.
"Like I would go to that stupid party anyway."
"Why don't we go? You and me."
"Euhm, I don't think we're invited, surprise."
"Oh come on, who needs an invitation?"
**
That afternoon at Emma's, Rikki and Cleo are helping putting things up.
"Cleo, you don't look so well, is there something?"
"Yeah, you do look a little pale."
"I don't know, I do have it a little cold."
"Come on, that can't be. It's hot in here."
"I don't know, I just."
And then suddenly she faints.
**
"Lewis, do something, she's not waking up and Rikki can't heat her up forever."
"Cleo, Cleo, can you hear me?"
Then she wakes up, with the cold all gone.
"What happened?"
"You fainted and got freezing cold, Rikki had to warm you up, to make sure you didn't under cool."
"I got this weird dream, I was in the twenties at a funeral, and suddenly someone called her, but when she looked back, she got attacked and froze up. But I woke up before I could see how attacked her. It was so sad, I think that funeral was about someone very close to her because I really felt the pain and the sadness of losing someone you love."
"Cleo were you this person, or were you looking at the party from the outside?"
"I was the person, but I couldn't control anything she said or did, I just looked trough her eyes and felt everything she felt. She was called Cloey, I think."
"And did you ever have a dream like this before?"
"No, but at the Marine Park I suddenly got really sad and as quick as it came it was also gone. It was the same pain that I felt in the dream."
"Yes it all fits. I've read about this in the ghost chapter. It seems to me that your past life is trying to tell you something."
"My past life, I've got a past life?"
"Yeah, we all do apparently."
"But what is it trying to tell me, it looks like it is trying to kill me."
"I don't know, I guess you could fall asleep again, maybe you will dream again about it."
"Oh no, I don't want to go back there Lewis, I won't."
"It's alright, than you won't."
He gives her a soft kiss, to calm her down.
"I'll be fine, just let's get this party going."
**
Soon the house is packed with girls. After an hour the doorbell rings and Zane with a lot of food and Miriam enter.
"I don't know which one of my numbers you sent the invitation to, but it managed to get lost."
"So how about ignoring it?"
"Glad you could make it." Emma says before the fight between Miriam and Rikki could get out of hand.
**
"Well this is boring, everyone is just talking to Zane."
"He is up to something."
"He's taking over my party. Zane I need to speak with you. Now."
"Sorry Emma, can't, the girls need me."
"Zane."
"Emma, really. I would be letting them down."
"They'll cope."
"Excuse me ladies, Emma and I need a moment in private."
**
At Emma's room, Zane is looking at the pictures.
"Check this. Our old primary school photo."
"Whatever you're trying to pull Zane, forget it."
"Hey, I'm just here with Miriam."
"Oh really and what does your girlfriend think about you flirting with everyone else?"
"Girlfriend, I don't think so. Miriam is the girl I like to fool around whenever it suits me."
"You're such a user."
"Me! I bought her a new outfit for tonight, she got a good deal. Ahh Rikki, as beautiful as ever."
Emma leaves, thinking that if Rikki could handle a demon, she could definitely handle Zane.
"Pastry Zane?"
"I really shouldn't dare. A gift for you and your guests."
"Ohh, but you are a guest Zane. Go on. Go ahead!"
He takes one.
"Hmm, how about that one?"
"Alright because you ask it so friendly." He takes it and bites in it seductively.
"Mmm, delicious. Perhaps I'll eat them all myself. What you didn't think I would be so immature to put prunes in them or something?"
"Oh please, like you wouldn't, you would give anything to ruin this party. You even keep all the girls occupied with all you're flirting"
"What, jealous? I can give you the same treatment if you want, Rikki and even more."
"Yeah, you wish."
"No, you wish, but you don't dare to say it out loud. But don't worry, you'll get used to the idea after a while and then you will come running in to my arms. Mark my words."
He gives her a quick kiss on the lips and leaves before she can do anything back.
She just stares at where he stood and touches her lips gently.
When Emma runs in, a few seconds later, Rikki is still just standing there.
"Rikki, we need your help, it's Cleo."
**
They run of to the bathroom where Cleo is laying on the floor soaking in sweat. Lewis is sitting next to her holding her hand.
"Cleo, can you hear me? You need to fall back asleep, so you can see what is causing this, so we can stop this. Alright? Emma try to cool her down a bit and you Rikki, try to keep the people out."
Cleo is not even hearing Lewis anymore, she is already sleeping and dreaming.
**
It's the roaring twenties and Cloey is making her way over to a coffee table. When she enters she looks in the mirror right in front of her and sees her own reflection only in a twenties outfit and a little bit older then she is right now. She also sees that she is wearing a necklace that looks a lot like Emma's. Suddenly she feels a cold shill on her back. A girl, who looked a lot like Emma, just tried to freeze her, unlucky for the girl.
"To bad Amelia, you don't get to freeze me again like you tried at the funeral. I got something to protect me from both you and Erica, the amulet protect me against mermaid magic. Why the trouble anyway? Everyone is going to know soon enough about mermaids, because I'm done with all these secrecy. It did enough damage."
"Look Cloey, I know that you're hurt."
"You know nothing about hurt. You are still together with Jacob and Erica is also living in a perfect paradise with her Zayne because they know about all the evil, Zayne even belongs with the evil. But Louis didn't know anything, he was innocent, he didn't deserve to … "
"I know, that's why I'm keeping the coffee table at my house. But I think it's better you go home, before you do something you will regret. Because you can't think straight now."
"Yes I can. I wanted to tell him all along, but you and Erica wouldn't let me. Well you two can't stop me anymore."
"Ooh, but that's where you're wrong."
A girl who looks like Rikki comes around the corner, she must be Erica. "See the thing is that the amulet will keep you safe from mermaid magic, but stays the amulet also on when you're a mermaid?"
"What are you guys doing?"
"We can't let you tell the world our secret Cloey. The chosen three are a secret for ages and you are not going to spoil it for us or the next generations."
"We just can't let you do it, so here is your last chance. Go home and we'll forget all about this."
"No, you guys can't stop me."
"Too bad."
Amelia throws a bucket of water at Cloey, but Cloey changes herself into water and the water from the bucket goes straight trough.
"You know you would miss, why try?"
"Of course we knew." Cloey turns around to see Erica blowing hot air above her, when she turns back around Amelia starts blowing ice above Cloey and the ice melts as soon it hits the hot air, making Cloey all wet and she turns into a mermaid. With the change, the amulet is gone to.
"Now." Erica yells. And while Erica blows hot air towards Cloey, Amelia starts chanting." The mermaid in my sight, that wanted to bring our secret to daylight. We other two along with the heat, will make a merit, that no other with your spirit or yourself will cheat."
When Amelia was done with her incantation, Erica stopped blowing the heat and Cloey started to burn up from the inside out.
**
Cleo woke back up, moving away from Rikki and Emma.
"What happened?"
"I was killed."
"How?"
"By you two?"
"Cleo, that's insane we will never kill you, you know that."
"Cleo, they are right."
"Then why did they kill me in my past life?"
"That was them as hard as you where your past life. It doesn't mean that if they tried to kill you then, they want to do it again."
"No, we won't."
"We want to help you."
"But you got to tell us how."
"The locket, in my dream, they told that mermaid magic couldn't hurt me when I wore the locket."
"Alright, Emma, give her the … Where is your locket?"
"I gave it to the girls, they wanted to see it."
"Don't worry, you'll stay here trying to keep her from burning up, I will get the locket."
**
Rikki just saw Miriam taking the necklace.
"Give it back."
"Give what back?"
"You know what I'm talking about."
"Get out of my way."
But Rikki took her arm, the necklace dropped.
"I've got better things to do with my time. Ciao."
"Thief."
"Get over it. It's your word against mine and no one is gonna believe you. Hey, some people might think you took it. See ya."
**
Rikki put the locket around Cleo. The heat disappeared and she turned back to normal.
"Thank god, it worked."
Lewis gave Cleo a big hug. "Don't you ever scare me like that again, alright?"
"Do you guys mind if I go to bed, I'm really tired."
"Sure, we'll talk in the morning."
**
The next morning when all the girls are gone, the guys go up to Emma's bedroom, to see if Cleo's up. Just when they open the door she wakes up.
"Hey sleepy head."
"Hey guys."
"Do you wanna talk about last night?"
"Yeah actually I do have a couple of questions for you Lewis."
"Me?"
"Yeah, you read about all about past lives, right?"
"Yeah sure."
"Why did the persons in my past life look so much like Emma and Rikki?"
"Well, they probably looked the same to you because your soul recognized their souls...We all tend to travel in the same circle of family, friends, even enemies throughout our various lives. And that's why our souls recognize each other. So we can keep finding each other. That's what soul mates mean."
"Can I ever take this necklace off or will I burn if I do?"
"Of course you can take it of, the magic is gone, and it won't come back."
"Alright, so I guess you'll want this back." She takes it of and gives it to Emma.
"No way, anyone who can hide the reliving off her past life's death on a party is definitely worth it. Besides you like it more than I do anyway."
"Thanks Em. Hey, I've also discovered some things in my dreams about why we became mermaids. Apparently we are the chosen three and there were many generations of mermaids before us and there will also be after us. That's probably why the locket was in the moon pool. There are also more powers than we have. Emma you could blow ice, Rikki you could blow hot air and I could turn into water for a short time."
"Lewis, I think it is maybe a good idea to make a book about everything we face, then at least we can give something to the next generations, so they don't start like we did, barely surviving.
**
The next day Cleo saw the mystery woman again at the Marine Park. She walked towards her and the woman stared at the locket.
"You found it. In the pool, didn't you? On Mako Island. That's were Gracie lost it. Fifty years ago."
"So you mean you're …"
"I'm 65 years old, yes. But I don't look any older then 68, right?"
"That's not what I meant."
"I know what you mean. Even if you don't. What's your name again?"
"Cleo."
"Originates from Cloey I presume. Well you've got spirit Cleo, enjoy it. Enjoy it as long as you can. You and your friends. Maybe you will be alright."
"Wait don't go, what do you mean?"