Beyond the Coral Seas

Chapter 10 Coral Sea Adventure

Lewis steered his boat northward, followed by Max's fishing boat. It was quite a ways to go, but all were excited. The skies for boating were very clear and calm and it was expected to be that way all week. They'd wanted it this way so Max could leave at any time since he was an avid fisherman. Soon a bungalow was sighted on an island. "There it is!"Lewis pointed out, edging the boat into shallow waters. There were cays, reefs, islets with pools of ocean nestled within. Clarina saw the flying dolphins. "Look everybody! He's a big one!" Cleo steadied her eager daughter and held her firmly. " Careful, Clarina, don't lean too far!"

"I can catch some fish with this," Justin indicated a long fishing pole. It had an antique quality to it. He'd received it from Grandpa Sertori, Cleo's dad.

"Over here!" called Max as he brought his boat close to landing. Lewis and Max anchored their boats with Cleo and the kids slowly unpacked the boat's contents.

"Oh Lewis, isn't this beautiful!" exclaimed Cleo as she gazed at the swaying palms and the change of scenery

She marveled at the islets she'd observed and she knew her kids were anxious to go on a sea shell hunt once they got situated. Max fished helping Lewis find storage places for various poles, hooks, clothing, and food.

"I think I'm going to take a nap." Max stated as he departed for his room.

"Let's take a walk, everyone, "Cleo and Lewis held hands, encouraging Clarina and Justin to take theirs.

"Look at this conch shell! This has to be one of the biggest I've seen, that I haven't seen in a museum!" Cleo examined the shell closely.

"Look at this creature wiggling! He looks like a snake!" Justin always liked looking for sea animals that were in the ocean waters.

"Can we keep it Mommy?" Clari wanted to hold the tiny creature with six legs. Justin carefully gave it to her.

"Well we can give him a temporary home while we're here."Cleo gave him a plastic container.

"This is amazing Cleo, look at all the crabs on this beach!" Lewis cried and Cleo became curious and excited like their children.

They walked along the sandy beach, absorbed in the tide pools as they rushed to and fro on the beach.

"Babe, this beach is amazing! Quiet too." Cleo observed as she looked around.

"I noticed that too, hey keep an eye on the kids, I want to see what this narrow pathway leads."

So he ventured closer to the water, examining the sea shells beneath his feet. Shades of blue, black grey and pink. Never seen shells like these, he thought as he kicked wet sand close to the breakers. At that

Time, he looked up and away and noticed three figures walking back to their bungalow. Then he peered closer and hit his foot on something hard. What the…? He knelt down and picked up a turquoise colored shell in the water, and it appeared it had gold shiny streaks in it. The water appeared to glitter. As he held the shell, it was cold and slippery in his hand. All of a sudden, he remembered his conversation with Max about this dreamy landscape. Yes, he'd been right about the shells and what he' seen about the creatures. He thought about being a merman, what an impossibility that seemed.

Suddenly without warning, Lewis felt an electric shock pervade his body and holding the shell, he fell onto the sand. What looked like blind white sparkles illuminated where his legs were. Where were they? He felt an odd sensation rip though him. It took effort to move. Now getting apprehensive, tried to call out, but his voice was muffled. What is happening to me?? He started to worry. Then he closed his eyes, and when he looked up, he couldn't believe what he saw!

He'd grown a TAIL.

He flopped his tail back and forth, noticing its color and quality. It was a shimmery green like his son's, a little heavier than Cleo's. Maybe that's because I'm a guy?

A million thoughts must have bombarded his mind all at once.

Max had been coming up on the beach, looking for Lewis at Cleo's insistence. "Lewis? LEWIS WHAT THE." The old man was speechless.

"Max! " was all he could say.

"Max, these isles must be magical!" he breathed.

"Yes, I think so, too from what I've seen."

"Please push me in the water, I want to swim!" he urged his friend.

Max obeyed. "Cleo will not believe this; then again I guess anything is possible here! I can only guess these other islands are similar. I knew I felt strange when we came here After all this time, I really can identify with being a merman, and I guess that's what I am. Now I can feel closer to Cleo and my kids now in their mermaidness. And now I can dive….."

"Don't lose your head, young Lewis. I don't know how it happened except this is a paranormal place somehow. You became a merman without being in the full moon, and during the day. Not typical at all, as if I know what that is anymore! It must be magic!"

Cleo stepped out and noticed the creamy orange clouds in the sky whispering good bye to the daylight hours. "Lewis LEWIS?" She called out, her eyes filtering the horizon for either Max or Lewis. "Max?"

Before long, the tired fisherman was strolling slowly towards her.

"Max!" Cleo ran towards him. "Where is Lewis?"

He rubbed his face and his eyes twinkled, "He'll be along, Cleo. He's got something to show you. I'm turning in now so I can head back in the morning. Good night, Cleo and give her kids a big hug for me I'll see you all back in Queensland."

"Thanks Max for everything" Cleo hugged him.

"Cleo, CLEO!" was the familiar voice of Lewis.

Cleo kept an eye on the bungalow, while she dashed to the beach and quickly stopped.

"Lewis? Are you OK? Lewis you're…a…merman." Her voice dropped to a whisper.

Grinning wildly, he acknowledged her. "Cleo I am what you are."

Coming closer to him, she gingerly touched his tail. It was harder and more rubbery than her orange tail.

"Cleo, now I really know what you feel, how you feel..." He began saying before she put a finger on his lips."

"You are a merman," Cleo was digesting this information. "My merman". She said happily.

By the time they could go swimming, all four McCartney's went swiftly into the seawater and quickly changed into mermaid/merman form. He adored this time diving and searching the ocean water for its depths.

"I'm so happy daddy has a tail now". Clarina's hair was braided much like Cleo's had been when they were both younger. She climbed into his lap.

"Does it hurt you? It hurt me when I got my tail"

"Yeah me too," said Justin.

"My tail is soft like Mommy's said Clarina, dusting off sand from her swimsuit.

Lewis now knew that all the experiments he'd ever done now had a much more personal touch.

"This is going to be weird, now that I have a vested interest in my experiments." He watched Cleo as they came out of the water, as their tails moved closer to the water surface."

"I love it," he murmured his contentment to no one in particular. They all shared a group hug.

It has been a wonderful week in the islands and they were more ready to face their next adventure, outside the coves back in Queensland.