The mermaid cooed softly, her pale blue eyes widening as she stared at him adoringly, and Sam almost cooed himself from her endearing beauty. Even the girls, despite their shock at seeing a mermaid, seemed taken by her.

"Aww," muttered Janessa.

"Who is she?" demanded Selena.

"I think I know," said Sam, running his hand down her wet golden curls. "She's a mermaid my dad met once. He saved her, and she saved him."

"What?" Selena shrieked. "Your dad met a mermaid?"

"During one of his ocean travels," explained Alyssa. "She saved him first, and then his uncle captured her. But they ended up letting her free into the ocean."

"Why would they do that?" Janessa demanded. "It's an incredible discovery!"

"My dad thought her freedom was more important," said Sam, staring at her. Her eyes were closed, rubbing her head against his gentle touch. "To be honest, I wasn't sure whether I believed she was real. I guess now I'm kind of glad to see she is real, and not something he made up."

"Why would your dad make it up?" asked Selena, still gawking at the mermaid. "He's an undersea explorer, right? He has to have seen all sorts of things."

"I don't know if I can believe half the stories he tells me," said Sam.

"I believe them," added Alyssa. "They're so cool."

Janessa tentatively reached out her hand and touched the mermaid's blonde locks. She cooed happily. "Oh, she's so beautiful. I can't believe I'm really seeing her." Even Alyssa, who usually turned her nose up at cute things, seemed entranced by her. She reached out her hand and pet her curls.

"Did your dad meet any more mythical creatures?" asked Selena, looking at Sam eagerly.

"Oh, he said he did," said Sam. "But my aunt said most of the stories were made up or exaggerated. My dad has a great imagination."

"Wow," said Janessa. "That's so cool. He met magical undersea creatures? Why didn't he tell anyone?"

"I think he wanted them to be free," said Sam. "He doesn't want scientists hounding after them. Uh..." He looked at the sisters nervously. "You won't tell anyone, will you?"

"We won't," Janessa promised solemnly.

Selena hesitated. "I don't know," she said, staring in awe at the mermaid. "A real mermaid! That's incredible. In this very park, right in front of us. And you just want to keep it a secret? She'd be the main attraction if everyone found out!"

"She was last time," said Sam. "My dad didn't want her to be. That's why he set her free."

"Don't you dare tell anyone," insisted Alyssa. "Look how beautiful and happy she is."

"Come on, Selena," urged Janessa. "Let's respect Dr. Deep's wishes. It can be our little secret. Right?" Sam smiled at her.

Suddenly, the mermaid gracefully disappeared under the water with a soft splash. "Well, she's gone," said Sam, disappointed.

Then she emerged again, staring at them curiously. She disappeared and reappeared several times, as if they were the zoo exhibits for her to examine.

"She's so cute," said Janessa, smiling as she petted her golden hair.

"I know," agreed Alyssa, to Sam's surprise. Even Alyssa thought she was cute.

"Are we seriously just looking at a mermaid and not telling anyone about it?" Selena demanded. "We're really just going to keep this a secret?"

"It's what my dad would want," said Sam as she disappeared under the water again, as if hearing Selena's words.

Suddenly, they heard footsteps as someone else came to Loch Ness Lake. Sam was grateful the mermaid had hidden herself. Then he turned around and gasped.

He saw a boy with the most hideous, terrifying face he'd ever seen. It was sickly green, twisted and evil, grinning maliciously at him. It sent a chill down his spine. It had the same effect on the girls, who gasped and jumped. Janessa squealed and grabbed her sister's arm.

There was a boy and girl with him. "Kiran, please stop," the boy pleaded, trying to grab his arm. He shook it off violently, letting out a growl that made Sam's blood freeze.

"How do we stop him?" the girl moaned, brushing back her thick black hair.

Sam cast a glance sideways at his cousin, and was surprised to see that, while she was staring at them with equal shock, she wasn't looking at the hideous face. Instead, she was staring at the girl next to him. Her eyes were wide and starry, and her mouth was slightly open.

Oh, great. She's got a crush, Sam thought.

"Don't panic," the girl instructed them. "He's a normal kid. He just put on a mask."

"Oh... it's just a mask?" asked Selena, relieved.

"Well, actually, it seemed to start making him act crazy," the boy said. "Well, even crazier than usual. Sometimes my brother's normal, and sometimes he starts randomly attacking people."

"It's taking him over!" the girl cried, pressing her hands against her cheeks. "The same thing happened to my mom."

"What are you talking about?" Sam demanded.

Before they could answer, there was a soft splash behind them, followed by a curious cooing noise. Sam turned around and his heart sank as he saw the mermaid. She didn't seem afraid, though. She was staring at the hideous mask with the same curiosity she stared at him with.

"Who... who's that?" the girl gasped.

"That isn't important," said Sam, hoping they wouldn't pay attention to her. "What happened to him?"

"My brother put on the mask, and couldn't take it off," the boy said. "Rosemary says it's started possessing him."

"Because it has!" Rosemary insisted, wringing her dark hair. "My mom put on the same mask, and it started making her do terrible things. The mask is evil!"

"Are you serious?" Sam asked nervously. "It's not a joke?"

Suddenly, the boy in the mask narrowed his eyes at him, as if taking offense to the question. Sam jumped out of his skin as he heard a low, vicious growl, and he started charging towards him.

"No! Kiran, stop!" his brother cried.

At the last moment, Sam jumped out of the way, and then felt bad about it as he ended up in front of the mermaid instead, staring her down with his furious stare. She didn't even flinch, though. She kept staring at him with her wide, innocent blue eyes, not seeming the least bit afraid. She reached out a pale, slender hand and placed it on his bumpy cheek. Instead of slapping it away, his expression softened, and he stared into her eyes.

"Ooh, Kiran's got a girlfriend," his brother muttered.

"Wh... what?" Kiran turned around, looking as terrifying as ever, but the ferocious glint in his eyes no longer there. "What happened to me? Did I go crazy again?"

"You tried to attack me!" Sam cried.

Kiran gasped. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I don't know what's gotten into me."

"I do!" Rosemary cried. "I kept trying to tell Ray."

"I know, I know," Kiran interrupted. "The mask's taking me over. I wish I had never put it on!"

"So do I," Ray muttered, touching a large bruise on his neck. "You're even more unbearable than you are normally."

"Don't you know how to take it off?" Alyssa asked Rosemary, still staring at her with awe.

"My mom managed to take it off," said Rosemary. "But... I can't remember. I can't remember how she took it off!"

"Are you serious?" Kiran cried. "Well, thanks a lot! You're a great help."

"I'm so sorry," apologized Rosemary, looking on the verge of tears. "I really am. But I can't remember."

"Well, think harder," Ray snapped, giving her shove. "I don't want him to be like this forever!"

"I'm trying!" snapped Rosemary, glaring at him. "Don't yell at me." Then her eyes lit up. "Oh, I know!"

"You figured out how to take it off?" Kiran asked hopefully.

"No," said Rosemary. "But we need to get back to the hotel, Stagger Inn. My mom is there with my brother. She can help us."

"That's where we've been trying to go all along!" snapped Ray. "What a brilliant idea. It would be easier if Demonic Possessed here stopped running around everywhere!"

"Don't be so mean," said Alyssa. "She's just trying to help."

"I'll try to stop," Kiran promised. "I want to get this off as much as you."

"I know!" Sam exclaimed suddenly. "I'll get my dad!"

"If he's even there," said Ray. "I think he scared everyone at the water park into running away."

"Not my dad," Sam insisted. "He's brave and fearless. He swam with a shark, and the shark was afraid of him!"

"It's true," added Janessa. "He's William Deep, the famous undersea explorer."

"I heard about him," said Rosemary. "He's really your dad?"

"Who cares?" Kiran cried. "Let's just see if he's there."

They quickly hurried through the water park. Sure enough, Billy was still there, with Sheena and Sari.

"Dad!" Sam cried. "We have a problem."

"I figured," Billy said, staring at Kiran's face with surprise. Sheena gasped and even Sari grimaced. "Cool mask, kid. It scared everyone here."

"It wasn't just the mask, but the fact that he attacked everyone here," Sheena quipped.

"I didn't mean to," said Kiran. "I can't control myself right now. The mask is taking me over!"

"Really?" asked Billy in shock. Sheena and Sari stared at him.

"It's true!" Sam insisted. "He said he put it on, and couldn't take it off. Dad, you have to help."

"I don't want my brother to be like this forever!" cried Ray. "Please help him."

"My mom put on a mask like that, and the same thing happened to her," added Rosemary.

"Okay, okay," said Billy, alarmed. "I've had stranger things happen to me in the ocean." He stared at Kiran. "Uh... how do I take it off?"

"I... I don't know," Rosemary admitted. "Don't bother trying to pull it. It'll just make him angry and attack you."

"We're trying to get to Stagger Inn to ask Rosemary's mom," said Ray. "Maybe you could go there, and ask her."

"Uh... what room is she in?" asked Sheena.

Rosemary told them, frantically wringing her hands, her face flushed. Sam noticed Alyssa was still staring at her, and rolled his eyes.

"Okay, I'm off," said Billy, starting to race through the park with Sari and Sheena.

"Wait!" Rosemary called. "I'll come with you."

"So will I," Kiran called.

"You'll just attack someone else," Ray pointed out.

"It'll take too long for Rosemary's mom to reach us," Kiran insisted.

"It'll take too long for you to control yourself!" Ray cried.

"Come with me," Billy suggested. "I just wrestled with a hungry shark. I can handle you."

"Yeah," Sam spoke up. "My dad can handle anything."

Kiran followed him, too relieved to argue. Ray went with them as well.

"I can keep him in line as well," he said, grinning. "He's my brother, after all." Kiran glared at him, looking tempted to attack him again.

"I'll come, Bill," Sari offered, following them.

"I'll come too," offered Alyssa, still staring at Rosemary. Sam thought she desperately needed to sort out her priorities.

"Maybe you shouldn't," Rosemary suggested. "He might attack you."

"I'm pretty brave," said Alyssa. "I can handle him. People say I'm fearless." Sam rolled his eyes, thinking he knew the real reason she wanted to follow them.

"They say the same about me," said Rosemary. "Alright, alright, there's no time to argue."

As they left, there was an awkward silence. "So, uh... are they really brothers?" asked Sam. "They don't look alike at all."

"Neither do my twin sister and me," Selena pointed out. "Or you and your cousin."

"Good point," Sam admitted. "Wait, she's your twin sister?"

"Yeah. Hard to believe, right?" Janessa twirled a dark curl in her hair. "Fraternal, of course."

"I hope Billy and Sari will be alright," said Sheena nervously. "They've survived worse, of course."

Janessa and Selena stared at Sam, as if imploring him to say something. He was confused, before realizing. They wanted to know if they could ask about the mermaid.

"Sure, go ahead," he said. "My aunt already knows, anyway."

"Know what?" asked Sheena, half listening.

"We... uh..." Selena started. "We kind of... saw the mermaid."

"What?" Sheena shrieked, staring at them. "Where?"

"Just now," said Janessa. "In the lake. She's under the water—"

Suddenly, the mermaid emerged, staring at Sheena curiously. She floated gracefully over to her. Sheena's gaze softened as she held out her hand.

"Oh my God... is it really her?" she whispered breathlessly, running her hand down her golden locks. "Could it really be the mermaid?"

"She keeps swimming in the lake," explained Sam. "Don't worry, we haven't told anyone else about her."

"But how did she get here?" Sheena demanded.

"Hey, Miss Deep? Why don't you tell us about how you and your brother found the mermaid?" suggested Selena. "It'd pass the time."

"I guess so," said Sheena, still staring transfixed at the mermaid. Sam had already heard this story multiple times, and it was starting to get old, but he still enjoyed hearing it, especially watching the awed expressions on the twins' faces. "It all started when we were in the Cassandra..."

Biracial kids, autism, and girls having crushes on each other. Goosebumps would never do this lol.