A Picture's worth a thousand words

Rikki's Point of View

I came up with this like five minutes after I started thinking about this story and what it meant.

I woke up again but this time I wasn't on a hospital bed. I was chained to an examination table. I kept thinking to myself what the heck did I do this time. I wanted to get out of the restraints so badly. I tried as best I could. Then I realized that I was in mermaid form and couldn't move my tail. My hair was wet and I guessed that the water was what woke me up.

I heard the door that was behind me open. I saw Newman come toward me carrying something in his hands.

"Hello again Rikki. I've come to do two things. Don't worry neither involve hurting you. The first is to take a picture of you as a mermaid. The second is to ask you a few questions." I ignore him. I know he's going to ask me questions but I don't' care. I won't answer him unless I feel like it or if the questions involve any of my friends, especially Cleo, Emma, Bella, or my boy friend Zane.

"Don't think I'll answer them. Now I have some questions for you. The most important on is where am I?" I asked in my annoyed tone. To be honest I was faking and I hoped he didn't realize that. I am very strong and spiritual on the outside but inside I'm a bit cautious.

"Oh, I think you'll answer them once I tell you what could happen if you don't. I'll do you this. You're still in Australia. I moved you from the hospital where you were being treated for burns that you got when you decided to burn down a club. You and your friend Bella are now here. She's still unconscious and unless you answer the questions I have for you I'll hurt her and you'll never see her again." I looked up at him. This was turning out to be a horrible day. I had no idea what he was talking about with Bella and what happened at the club. I guessed that I probably went there after Zane's and someone must have gotten me mad enough to burn it to the ground. The only one that would probably know anything about the truth would probably be Bella and unless I answered Newman's questions I probably wouldn't see her again. I knew what scientists were capable of thanks to Denman so I didn't refuse or agitate him anymore.

It took him a while to say anything. I finally noticed what he was doing. He set up a camera to take pictures of me.

"Smile pretty for the camera now." Newman said. I was really getting annoyed at him. I smiled anyway because I just felt like it. After he got the picture he quickly put away the camera and gave it to his assistant that was staring at me. His assistant handed Newman a letter and then left and I waited for Newman to start rambling off questions about how I became a mermaid and such. I waited for five minutes and he still didn't say anything.

"Aren't you going to ask me about how I became a mermaid?" I asked because the silence annoyed me. He didn't ask me any questions for five more minutes. He just sat there. Then I noticed that he was reading the letter. I asked again not really caring that he was reading. He frowned. I could see he was angry but I didn't care about why. Finally he put the letter back in the envelope and placed it in his pocket. Then the questions began.

"Now I will ask you various questions and you better answer me." He warned. I knew that I would stretch the truth as much as I could so he didn't find out that Bella and the others were mermaids. "Okay, so are you the only mermaid?" I halfway nodded. I considered what I could say to stretch the

"There were others. My friends Emma and Cleo used to be mermaids. The three of us got stuck in a cave at Mako island and then the next day we became mermaids. As you can saw I can boil water, cause fire, if I want to, and create lightning. The three of us were found out by another scientist named Denman. She caught us and we gave up our powers. For some reason I didn't lose mine but I know for certain the other two did. So yeah, I'm the only one right now." I say I noticed that Newman cringed at the mention of Denman. I have to admit I was a bit curious to see why.

"I'm sorry did you say Denman was the one that discovered you?" HE asked me. I tried to nod but I half nodded.

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't." I wanted to play with him and see why Denman was so important to him.

"It's imperative that you tell me. I need to know. I need to know if she knows about this. It would tell me a lot. Now please." I looked at him. He was freaking out. Part of me wanted to be nice but I knew I had to keep some things to myself. I finally decided what I knew was right, and what might keep Bella and myself away from harm.

"Yes, Denman captured my friends and me two years ago. We escaped thankfully. Now, I don't see what the point in me telling you that." I say but he silences me. I hope that he'll tell me what his relationship to Denman is. Boy do I wish Emma or Cleo was here. That'd be nice because Emma always had a plan, that was one of the reasons I'm glad she's my friend.

"Okay then. That might be a problem. So, did you say your friends Cleo and Emma were also mermaids? I think I'd better go see what they know on the subject at hand." He said. Immediately I tried to get out of my restraints. I really needed to get out of here and find Cleo and Emma, plus get Bella as well.

"They don't know I'm a mermaid anymore. Just leave them alone. Besides I have no idea where Emma is anymore and Cleo already hates me." I partially lied. I guessed where Emma lived and Cleo did sort of hated me.

"well they will soon. You're picture along with an article are going to be posted in one of Australia's news papers. You'll be famous, too bad you'll be locked up here." He smiles and walks away.

"Wait, can you please let me talk to Bella. So she doesn't find out anyway else. I need to talk to her. If you do this for me I'll do whatever you want me to. Please." I pleaded. I just wanted to talk to her. I had to tell her that our secret or technically my secret was out.

"All right. Get some rest and when you both are awake then you can talk to her." I was surprised he agreed to my demand. I guess that he just felt bad. I knew I shouldn't listen to him but I really did feel exhausted. I slowly drifted to sleep.