Chapter 5: Mermaid's Lagoon
"We're nearly there," said Hook to the others, pointing south toward the bay. The lagoon glistened by sunlight, but storm clouds gathered on the horizon, menacing and threatening.. He led them down a rocky cliff to the sea, waves crashing below them.
"I would suggest going no further.. I'll deal with these lasses on my own," said Hook.
"No way, I'm coming too," said Emma.
"Fine then, but you've been warned," replied Hook. Mary Margaret gave Emma a worried look.
"It's okay, mom, I know how to handle monsters. Plenty of practice," she said.
As the two separated from the larger group, Hook offered Emma his hand as they clambered down jagged rocks, but she dismissed it.
"I can take care of myself," she reiterated. Right after she spoke, she tripped over a thick branch and landed on the edge of a rock. Blood seeped out a scratch and she cursed, glaring at Hook.
"I think you jinxed yourself, love," he said. "Want me to clean you up with some more of my fine rum?"
"No, thanks," muttered Emma, glaring.
The sandy shore lay before them now, but no mermaids were in sight in the bay.
"Where are they?" asked Emma
As an answer, Hook waded into the water, up to his knees. He held out his hand, telling Emma to stop where she was. There was a swirling current in the water, and then the creatures appeared. Emma stared – they were beautiful.
"Oooh Hook, we haven't had the pleasure in a long time," said a blonde one that looked like a supermodel, raising herself to his level so that part of her sparkling tail shone just beneath the surface of the water.
"Ladies, ladies, one at a time," said Hook as they surrounded him. Emma scoffed from behind him on shore, and their heads turned sharply to her, looking with beady eyes.
"Who is this?" asked a brunette with violet eyes and pale skin, crawling up on shore. "Did you bring us a new girl?" Emma backed away uneasily, taking out her pistol.
"No, she is mine. I have something better for you girls," he said and took a small black case out of his pocket. Dangling it in front of them, they dove eagerly, trying to snatch it away. "You'll get your treasure as soon as I get my information."
"What do you want to know?" said the blonde, nestling up to his side, trying to unbutton his shirt. Emma looked away awkwardly, wishing she hadn't come.
"Where is Peter Pan keeping the kid?" he asked, not paying attention to their sexual advances.
"Oh that," said a redhead with bright green eyes, "that's not very interesting."
"Tell me," said Hook, and he grabbed her, bringing a knife up to the mermaid's throat. Mermaids hissed from all sides as the redhead slashed at him. Emma was about to suggest that maybe threatening them wasn't the greatest of ideas when the brunette spoke.
"Hangman's Tree," she said, looking at him with a violent intent.
"See, wasn't that easy?" he said. Letting the redhead go, he threw the mysterious case to the blonde, who caught it with one hand.
Then, before Emma could do anything, he was attacked by a couple of the mermaids. His shoulder received a nasty gash from one before he could bring his sword out of its scabbard. Without thinking, Emma shot at one of them, the bullet grazing her cheek. The mermaids shrieked at this, but disappeared before Hook could suffer any more violence. Emma rushed out into the water to help Hook, but he yelled at her to go back to shore.
"What the hell were you bloody thinking?" he yelled at her. "The Lost Boys will have heard that!"