I was running on the sand again. I still marveled at how it seemed to shimmer under my feet, but I realized that something was different. I was strangely impatient, even in a dream. I was waiting for the point when I would dive into the water. It seemed to take forever to reach the edge of the waves, but that was because I knew what was going to happen. It did not appear to be an impulse anymore.

Finally, I got far enough along the shore where I could throw myself into the watery depths. The water felt strangely warm, a fact I had never noticed before. I passed it off as another oddity of this dream.

As I swam deeper into the water, reveling in its silkiness, some part of my sleeping mind recognized that I should have woken up by now. And then, I heard a sound that caused me to jerk to a stop in the dream ocean.

The singing. It was back, and now in my dreams! I heard it even more clearly than when I looked at the necklace, and I sensed that I would find the person who seemed so sad if I just swam far enough.

I followed the melancholy sound, wondering at what could make the woman- I had decided that it was a woman singing, it didn't sound right for a man- sound so hopelessly sad. It seemed to pierce right through to my heart, and I felt tears prick my eyes. I swam even harder, kicking my legs and paddling with my arms as fast and as hard as I could. The sound swirled around me, growing louder, pounding my eardrums until I was sure I was where the woman was.

I was facing a large coral reef, which had many large openings in its side. I swam backwards a bit, and I realized that the openings formed a sort of doorway and a window. This dream was amazing me.

I swam very slowly up to the window-opening. I peeked inside, just a little bit. What I saw shocked me.

A beautiful mermaid floated (maybe it's stood) next to a small bed that looked to be made out of a clam shell. She was hugging something to her chest, and on closer inspection, it looked like a small child's dress, made out of seaweed. Tears, which were a bit lighter blue than the water around her, streamed from her eyes and tangled in her black hair as she sang the horribly sad song that had been haunting me. I sucked in a breath-my dream body did not seem to discern between water and air. The mermaid's singing broke off abruptly, and she gasped, looking up. Her eyes, the most brilliant green I had ever seen, met mine.

I jerked bolt upright in bed, nearly tumbling to the floor. My breathing started turning into sobs, and tears coursed down my cheeks. My common sense, which seemed to have hidden somewhere in the corners of my mind, suddenly decided to speak up. Why was I crying?!? There was absolutely no reason to cry, but I suddenly felt as if I were that woman… that mermaid, grief tearing through my body.

My loud sobs woke Father and Anne, of course. Father was at my side in an instant, rubbing my back reassuringly. I sobbed into his shoulder, soaking his nightshirt. Anne hovered by my side, patting my hand awkwardly but sweetly, murmuring, "What's the matter, Mari? What is wrong?"

And right then and there, I decided to tell them. Tell them everything. I couldn't keep this bottled up forever, and I really needed help. I sat up, trying to stifle my sobs. Once I was back in control, somewhat, I wiped the tears from my cheeks and took a shaky breath.

"Um, Father? Anne? Can I… tell you something?" They nodded. "All right… I should start at the beginning, I suppose. Do you remember, Father, the day you showed us that necklace? Remember how odd I had been acting?"

He spoke up. "Yes. You were looking at it, and then you started swaying back and forth and it looked as if you were going to faint."

"Yes, well, I found that, oddly, looking at the necklace for too long made me feel dizzy, and then…. Then I heard the singing. It seemed to come from nowhere. It was so beautiful, but it was sad at the same time. It scared me, but I kept it to myself."

I glanced up at them, scared at what I would see in their faces. Father looked slightly thunderstruck, but Anne did not look very shocked.

"I knew there was something wrong. You were acting odd all day, and then that night, when you asked me to look at that necklace, that confirmed it. I just didn't say anything but I don't know why… I'm sorry, Mari.'

"It's okay, Anne. I didn't tell you anything, so we're kind of even."

"Wait. What in the world does this have to do with why you were crying?" Father asked me, confusion etched into his face.

"Well, I've been having this dream. The same dream, every night. I'm running on the beach, and then I dive into the ocean. That is about the time that I wake up, but tonight I didn't. I just kept swimming, and then I heard the singing again, like I do when I look at the necklace. I followed it, and then I found this home, dug into a coral reef. I knew it was trespassing, but I looked into the window. There was a woman, a… a mermaid. She was singing, and tears were falling off of her cheeks and into the water. She was holding a dress made of seaweed, which looked as if it was made for a small child." I broke off.

Father whispered, "What did this woman look like?"

"She was beautiful. She had brilliant green eyes and black… hair…" I trailed off, my eyes widening as a new thought hit me. "I've seen her before," I stated, suddenly remembering. "I don't know where, or why, but she is familiar to me." And then I suddenly remembered my resolve to find out who I was, really. I knew why I was so different. I looked to Father. "I'm not your daughter, am I?"

His eyes met mine. He seemed to be warring with himself, deciding something. And then he whispered,

"No."


Sorry it took so long to get this up, I feel really bad. We had a virus on our computer, and we had to do this huge research report for English, and blah blah blah….

I know I don't really have an excuse, so just please try to refrain from pelting me with rotted fruit. :D

Oooooohhh look at the pretty green button! I want to click it! Clickety click!