Their Story

(Prologue)

Summer 2016

Abby opened her eyes – water flooded them, but she didn't care. This felt like a dream, well it didn't feel real that was for sure. Her lungs started to strain for air and she knew that she should return to the surface for oxygen. She loved water – any chance she had she was in water; swimming, showers, baths, the rain. It didn't matter, as long as she could feel the wetness against her skin that was all that mattered.

She wanted to be a mermaid – beautiful, elegant and able to swim deep and see beautiful sights. God, she thought, why can't I hold my breath for longer than 1 damn minute!?!? Abby was stubborn and the idea of oxygen restricting the only place she was comfortable – in water – was irritating. Alas she returned to the surface, the combination of the sun and its light bouncing off the water surface blinded her for a few seconds, she drew a tanned hand above her eyes while they adjusted. As her sight returned to took in her surroundings – she momentarily forgot where she was, then she saw her mother – her beautiful dark hair gently blew around her shoulders and her dad, grinning at her. She mirrored his smile, their blue eyes met and him, only he could read her thoughts – he could feel her happiness and final content.

This was it, she had felt so uncomfortable in her own skin for 16 years like she was meant to do something else, she spent her childhood quietly by herself while her brother was loud and witty. In her early teens she begrudged her brother's popularity and even though she was a straight A student and was considered a 'nice girl' she could never and would never understand why Stephen was so popular. An average C student, always skipping school and when the girl teasing turned into girl chasing at the young age of 14 she begrudged him anymore, boys never asked Abby out.

Abby went to school everyday, every evening she did her homework, she spent time with her family and on weekends she would go swimming. Nobody knew, but when she swam she wasn't Abigail – she was a beautiful mermaid called Hope, and she was the Princess of the mermaid kingdom, her name was given because before her birth the mermaid kingdom was under attack by the Great White Sharks of the Atlantic but after Hope was born they mysteriously backed away – leaving the mermaids and mermen in peace. So, she was named Hope – she gave hope to the mermaid kingdom. Her life was perfect, she was intelligent and beautiful. Popular and kind-hearted. She was the only mermaid that swam with wild dolphins and whales, they unconsciously trusted her. She had a psychic link with the mammals of the sea.

Now was moment when that illusion could be shattered or made true – the beautiful animal was swimming around her, she drew her hand out and touched its skin. She drew her hand back shocked – she didn't expect dolphins to feel like that, they were so soft, like rubber but not so harsh, silk but not too fragile. The dolphin, which was called Hamlet, lifted his head out the water and squeaked at her. Tears screamed down her face – she knew, she knew what she was meant to do in life.

The dolphin had told her.

She had the power.

She was no longer uncomfortable in her own skin.

She was going to follow a family tradition.

She was going to write…