A/N: Chapter seven only? Gosh am I that slow? And only 18 reviews? Why? Well… I know that's still enough…but I'm the kind of person who wants a lot of reviews! And don't we all? So please please please please! Can I get past 22 by this chapter?

7

I stared at the phone on the night table thinking about what Sara had said. My best friend, the one I could rely on about anything doesn't believe me! If Sara doesn't believe me, no one will. But then I thought about Mina, how she stared at those mermaids, maybe she would believe me. Although she had a mind that was too young to understand, I still probably could talk to her about it.

I sighed and sat at the foot of the bed pondering. What if tonight I would have the same dream as before? I shivered; I didn't want to remember it! I could still feel the water around me as it pushed me down. Why did that dream feel so real? Of all my life, none of my dreams ever felt as real as this one.

Did it mean something? Surely it would be strange if you had the same dream twice. Maybe these dream had something to do with my father. Was he trying to tell me something? Perhaps it had to do with the mystery of how he died.

I chewed on my nails nervously. It was a habit I had when I was really nervous.

I still couldn't believe that my father died from the truck accident. My mother could've lied, but why would she? What was the reason? Did she have something to do with my father's death?

I cried out in frustration, so many questions! But none I could answer.

I stood up and started to pace, I thought about confronting my mother and asking if she had lied about my father's death. But I decided now wasn't the time. Maybe if I found little things of my own, then I could ask mom about it.

My mind felt jammed up right now, there were so many things I had to do, and I didn't know where to start! Maybe Mina's problem was easier, I could just ask her about that picture of those mermaids and she would answer me truthfully.

I opened my bedroom door and walked out heading to the backyard. I searched for Mina but all I found was the doll mom had just bought for her hanging upside down on a tree. It was tied to a piece of rope from its legs. Why would Mina do that to her new doll?

I went back in and searched the whole house; there was no Mina. How come every time I look for Mina I can't find her? I pondered.

I went out the front door to see mom watering the sidewalk. I stared open mouth at her, she was a mess! Her hair was twisted in all sorts of places, she didn't even comb it! Which was a BIG surprise since she cared about her hair so much.

Her face had more wrinkles, forgot to even wear make-up. She wore a robe, that's all! And why was she watering the sidewalk for crying out loud! Had she lost her mind?

"Mom…mom what are you doing?" I asked puzzled. She didn't move from her spot, didn't blink an eye, just stood there like a statue watering the sidewalk. I watched as the water was spread across the lawn moving over to the neighbors yard.

Mom didn't wear any shoes, her feet were already wet and I saw the veins in her legs so clearly.

"Mom what are you doing?" I repeated.

I saw her blink at last, she seemed dazed for a while. "What? Huh? What was that?" She turned around to look at me and dropped the hose making the water spread across the grass this time.

"Mom…it's just…." I couldn't help it, she was so pale and frail looking, I had never seen her like this before.

She slowly went to turn off the hose and came walking towards me.

"Honey I don't know what's wrong with me, I'm just a little tired that's all." I was about to reply but she turned and headed back to the house.

I saw her eyes though, they were so red, too red actually. And her voice sounded so far away it was as if she didn't know whom she was talking too.

I went back in and saw her lying face down on the sofa snoring loudly. I couldn't believe how fast she fell asleep, but then I noticed the photo she was holding. The picture of my father with my mom smiling. She had the photo clutched tightly against her chest as if she never wanted to let go.

I felt sorry for her right at that moment, she misses dad so much. I looked at her face one more time, she seemed stressed and I wondered if she needed a therapist.

I looked at the photo she held one more time and fought back tears. I remembered that snap shot so clearly. It was just a few months ago when dad took mom to a fancy restaurant celebrating their seventeenth anniversary.

I thought it was best just to leave mom alone for now so she could rest. I headed out the door once more when suddenly the doorbell rang. I wondered who it could be.

I glanced at mom and saw she hadn't moved at all, still in her deep sleep.

I shrugged and walked toward the door and opened it. I couldn't hold back my gasp, Matt stood in the doorway holding a single red rose. My eyebrows furrowed and I glared at him.

"Uh… is your mom home?" He asked. I tried my best not to make a disgusted face; he smelled beer all over.

"She's sleeping so leave her alone." I snapped.

He took a step back and put his hands up as if to surrender. "Well gee sorry, didn't know I'd get that attitude."

"Well? What are you waiting for? Go!" I ordered impatiently.

"Hey I ain't leaving until I see your mother."

"Well too bad! You can't! So just go!" I shut the door and locked it before he could reply.

I walked toward the window to see if he was gone. I saw him stand there for a moment then just shrug and leave. I sighed in relief; thank goodness he was gone!

I looked to see mom stir in her sleep, but she remained with her eyes closed. I smiled, at least she hadn't woken up.

I thought about making myself some ice tea when the doorbell rang again. I cried out in exasperation. What did that moron want now?

I strode angrily to the door and flew it open. "All right bud I told you—" but then I stopped when I looked down at my sister and gasped. She was soaked all over from top to bottom, she had a small cut on her chin which wasn't bleeding too badly.

"What the? Mina? What happened to you?" I asked.

She stared down at the ground shyly and hesitated before answering. "I was going for a swim at the beach."

"What? Alone? Are you crazy?" I replied shrilly. How could she? What if she drowned like last time?

"I saw something in the water." She said.

My eyes lit up when I heard this, "Really? Was it a fish?"

"Not really." She muttered.

I suddenly had a feeling of what she was about to say. I pulled her inside and gestured her to our room. I pushed her as quickly as I could toward our room eager to know what she was about to say.

As we entered, I shut the door behind me. I knew no one would hear us since mom was asleep, but I still felt better if I closed the door.

I turned to look at Mina. "Okay, okay, what about that scar?" I asked. I wondered if she got hurt by someone—or something.

"Oh it's nothing," she shrugged, "I slipped on some rocks and cut my chin, my fault."

I sighed and made a annoyed look on my face, typical Mina. "Okay go change in to some dry clothes before we talk." I ordered, Mina quickly looked through her drawer and pulled out a pink dress with sunflowers decorated on it. She sped off out the door, probably going to the bathroom and in less than a minute she was back wearing her dry clothes.

"All right, what did you see?" I asked it almost shrilly.

She bit at the end of her thumb, one of her nervous habits. "Some guy in the ocean."

"A guy? In the ocean? So?" I probably knew what she meant.

"Well not some guy, he had a tail—of fish tail! But he got no legs! And I think he's some sea king! Like that merman king from that one movie! But he got some scary looking—"

"You saw what?" I couldn't believe it! So I wasn't imagining it after all!

"He-he talked to me Coral! He talked to me! Can you believe it? He actually—"

"What did he say?" I interrupted. Someone dangerous as him, who knows what he could've done to my sister.

"He talked in my head! Isn't that cool!" Mina replied excitedly.

"What did he say?" I repeated sternly.

"He asked about you." She replied.

What? He asked about me? I thought, Why?

"He asked what was your name."

"And? You told him?"

"Well yeah, so?"

"What! How could you?"

"It wasn't a big deal! Besides, that's all he asked for." She said.

I stared open mouthed at her, "That's it? But why would he ask my name?"

"Beats me." She shrugged.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing! Why would he ask my name?

"Hey! How do I know if you're lying?" I asked.

My sister stared at me seriously, "Why would I lie? I know you believe me! I know you saw him before!"

I stared at her in disbelief, how did she know? Mina stared back at me as if reading my expressions, "He told me."

I stood frozen and couldn't find any words to say. "But-you-how? I mean-what?"

"He told me." She repeated slowly.

"But-but I thought you said he didn't say anything else."

"No! I mean yeah but…"

"What else did he say? What else did he say!" I asked shrilly.

Mina looked up at me and smiled gleefully, "Hey let's play tea party! You be the guest and I'll be the host!"

"No Mina wait—"

"Then we'll play Barbies, and we'll paint, and sing a song!" She replied brightly.

What? How could she forget our topic so fast? I was about to reply back at her but she stood up and pulled out a box filled with her Barbies and placed it onto the floor. She smiled gleefully again and started to set up the dolls.

"Mina please what else did he say?" I asked gently.

"You'll be Stacy," She said without paying much attention to what I said. She handed me a doll with brown hair wearing a blue jacket and a red skirt with no shoes.

I looked at the doll in disappointment and placed it back into the box. Mina looked at me puzzled, "What's wrong? I thought you wanted to play?"

"No I didn't, I wanted you to answer my question first!" I yelled.

Mina's lower lip started to tremble and soon enough she escaped into loud sobs.

I groaned, why does she have to be like this? She didn't stop sobbing until I came up with an idea to shut her up.

"Hey Mina! We'll play chess! How's that? I'll teach you." I replied. She stopped crying and stared at me for a moment then smiled, like nothing happened at all.

"Okay," she replied.

> > > > > > > > > > > > >

"No the queen moves wherever it wants." I said. I had been teaching Mina chess for the last hour, and she still had trouble understanding.

"As many steps as it wants?" She asked for the last fifteen times.

"Yes."

"What about that one?" She pointed at the Bishop.

I sighed wearily, "I thought I told you that already."

"I forgot."

"It moves diagonally!" I cried out.

She chewed at the end of her thumb nervously and looked at the chessboard intently. "What about that?"

"That's a Night." I answered.

"Really? It looks like a horse."

"Then it's a Horse! Who cares?"

"Okay… I think I get it!"

"Good, I can't stand going over the same pieces fifty more times." I replied sarcastically.

"Let's play! I wanna play!" She screamed hysterically.

I rolled my eyes and made my first move with my Pawn. She excitedly moved hers, the Pawn right in front of the Night. I moved out my Night making an L shape and she mover her Bishop.

We played for about seven minutes when Mina called out 'Check.' I only had a Pawn and Night left. Mina only had lost five pieces. Most of them were Pawns.

I shook my head in disbelief, Mina's first game and she was beating me!

I moved my King over and she mover her queen and called out 'Check' again. I nervously moved it back and she took away my pawn with her Queen. I moved my King again and she moved over her Bishop.

She grinned, "Check Mate."

"What? No way!" I checked my King to see if I could move anywhere else, there was none.

"Awwww poor Coral." Mina cooed.

I only shrugged and congratulated her when I noticed something odd. Sticking out of the bottom mattress was a picture. A picture with a girl with blue hair, blue eyes, a blue fin, and her hair sparkled. A picture of a mermaid with eyes the color of the sea. That picture looked so familiar…

I gasped when I suddenly remembered. I had that reflection in the water before! And she looked so much like me.

"Mina…where'd you get this?" I stood up and grabbed the photo sticking out of the mattress.

Mina stood up and looked to see what I was looking at. She peered closer and her eyes shot wide open. She grabbed the picture from my hands before I could do anything and clutched it tightly across her chest.

"Mina what are you doing?"

"It's mine." She said coldly.

"Let me look at it, please Mina—"

"He gave it to me!"

"What? Who?"

"Miruko!"

"Who?"

"The merman!" She shrieked.

Astonished by her reply, I was about to ask how did she know his name when she turned around and sped off with the picture. "Hey!" I yelled and ran after her. She ran out the front door and ran down the street heading to the ocean. I screamed after her to slow down but she was pretty fast. After chasing her for what felt like an hour, she stopped right in front of the beach.

She turned to look at me and I stopped running and came to a sudden stop. Mina stared back at me with the most strangest expression, looking at me quietly.

"He said he wanted to meet you." She said barely above a whisper.

"Mina, please tell me what's going on. And please tell me why you have that picture." I asked gently.

"I told you! He gave it to me!" She screamed.

"But why can't I have a look at it?" I asked.

Mina was about to reply but stopped. I thought she wasn't going to answer until she spoke quietly, "I see you as her."

"What?"

"I see you in my dreams with him."

"Mina, what are you saying?"

"You're always drowning." She said. "And I saw how daddy died."

I was too shocked to speak. Nothing made sense, what was Mina trying to tell me? Did she really know how dad died? I didn't understand anything at all! Suddenly I felt a presence coming from the ocean; I turned around to look. And I saw the cold pair of black eyes staring at me.

I can't update this story for a week because I will be doing some things. Action will be coming up soon too! But please review if you want to know what happens!