I watched as they all came back, none of them finding a ship or human that was within a three hundred mile radius. Good.
"My people," I said, "Let your other half take control. The sun is setting. Our humans are beginning to get weak. Set your soul free; relax, as I will do the same."
Finally. I took over Amanda's body, watching as my peoples' eyes turned from their human color, to a sea green, mixed with blue and a little bit of tan.
Everyone around me, all of my slaves, were now taken over by their inner self. If they were mean, then they turned into an awful demon, if they were nice, they turned horribly mean, and if they were saints, then they just turned mean. Mermaids were not nice creatures.
"My people," I said through Amanda, "The time nears for us to turn. For those who are weak, this night will not be a good memory. For those who are strong, then this will be your weakest moment. Nothing is worse than the change, I warn you, but most of us here have done it before, and we know what is to come, and you know that it is not pleasant. I will continue to pray for those who have not done this before, just be ready for the worst. We know how this works, the mermaids will turn first, then the mermen, and after everyone has turned, we will be together and hunt. Gather as many fish you can carry." I turned to the men and said, "This month, you will take the children, next month, the women will take them, understood?"
"Yes Luna." The men said.
"Good." I waited and waited until the sun finally sat. Finally! We all jumped off of the boat and let the water wrap around us.
Then we phased.
I will save all of the gruesome details for another time. We were all in pain, except for one person.
A little girl that hadn't jumped. There was nothing I could do now, I had no legs, and if I left the water, we would all die.
"Little girl!" I said, "Jump now or you will die from not turning!"
She shook her head, but I could see that she was in pain, "Mommy said not to jump!"
"Well she will never know! Now jump!"
We were all trying to get her to jump. "No! I can't swim!"
I just stared at her, we all did. "What do you mean you can't swim? Who is your mother?" I yelled
Out of nowhere, someone jumped from the water and grabbed the girl, taking her into the water, holding her up so she wouldn't drown and we turned away as she changed. It was the boy that had spoken.
The girl was crying, but she could swim. Once you turn, you have to swim weather you want to or not.
I swam to him and slapped his face. "That was foolish! She could've died! Our species is not a large one, and pulling stunts like that is not wise! Amanda shouldn't have let you live. What kind of goal were you trying to accomplish?"
"I was trying to save her life." He said in a calm voice, "She would've been dead by now if I wouldn't have grabbed her. What would you have done?"
"I would've made sure that it was ok with my Luna first! We would have helped you if you would have just asked!"
"It would've been too late!" he yelled.
"Forget it! It is obvious to me now that you will be trouble. If you EVER do that again, I will kill you without a second thought, understand?" I yelled in his face.
"Yes Luna." He said reluctantly.
I turned back to everyone else and said, "Let us hunt."
Three hours later, I saw a shark swimming and started to follow it. I was starving, and these little fish wouldn't do, but a shark would be more than enough.
He didn't even notice me as I swam up to him and dug y teeth into his back. He struggled for a while, but eventually my venom paralyzed him and he could not move. I tore my teeth into him, taking bits and pieces of his skin off until I reached his insides. Jack-pot.
It was delicious, but then someone had to ruin it.
The boy.
He came beside me and started to share the shark. Hell no. I did not share with anyone. He just wanted to die.
I took my finger nails and dug them into his arm, shocking him as I started to swim to the surface with him in my hands.
When we reached the top, he turned to me, but I didn't let go. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I asked.
"I was hunting," he said, trying to get out of my grasp, but I still did not let go.
"No! You were taking my food! What is your name?" I yelled at him.
"Keith, Keith Hodge!"
"Who do you think you are? Embarrassing me in front of my people? Disobeying me? Risking lives? Taking what is mine? What kind of foolish merman are you?"
"I am sorry Luna! Please, forgive me."
"Forgive you!" I sunk my nails deeper into his skin and he screamed in pain. "You do not deserve to be forgiven! I should have kept that shark alive so it could devour you! What do you have to say for yourself? Huh!"
"Please let go, my Luna, I will not do it again, I promise!"
"No! you will not do it again because you are to move to my land so I can discipline you. You have no choice, understand?"
He looked at me in astonishment, but said, "Yes Luna."
I let go, but he did not move. "When our humans take over again, you are to pack your things and leave wherever you were, do you understand!"
"Yes Luna." He said, looking down.
"If you do not turn up in three days' time, then I will find you, understand?"
"Yes Luna."
"Good, NOW GO!"
He swam away quickly and I went back under to finish my shark. That boy had no idea what he was getting himself into.