𖦹 ───────────── ꗃ prologue.
❛ an angelic disaster   /   moon pool. ❜
( ©-LOSTGARDENS,            2023 )

The record store was always Kai's favorite place to go. Betsy Dawson, a local, owned it. She was known as the town's looney case, but Kai had always found her sweet. Plus, it helped that Betsy's granddaughter, Jovie, worked there every day.

Kai, ever since she was little, had gone into Betsy's Blues, picking up records for her grandmother. It was one of the only places that her grandmother had actually allowed her to go—and even then, it was for her own personal reasons.

Betsy's never really got that much business, besides Kai buying records for her grandmother's collection (and occasionally herself), but—despite being not-so-nicely talked about throughout the town—Betsy was a local and a favorite, so her business stayed, just as it had been for the past fifty years.

The familiar chime of the bell rang as Kai pushed the door open. The smell of old records caught her nose as well as the sight of them. Jovie sat on an old wooden stool behind the counter, flipping through a magazine—she didn't seem to be reading it, just scanning it so she had something to do.

Kai studied them—from the backwards hat she wore to the loose flannel and black tank top that covered her top. Jovie didn't look up, despite being well aware that Kai was there; she just continued studying each thin page of the magazine.

The only thing that was heard besides the low hum of 70s jazz that played from the vintage record player was the sound of their soothing voice. "Why are you studying me, Kai?" Jovie plopped the magazine in her lap and looked up at her friend with a knowing look. "It's not like we've known each other since we were kids or anything."

Kai softly smiled. "I don't know," she shrugged, walking over to the counter.

She watched as Jovie hopped off the stool, their converse-covered feet hitting the ground. The girl that she admired—and somewhat envied—tossed the magazine onto where she was just sitting, then turned to face Kai with an almost-smirking smile.

"What can I do for ya?" Jovie asked, resting her elbows on the counter. Her chin fell into her hands, and her eyes looked up at the hazel-eyed girl.

"Uh, I'm here to pick up some records for my grandmother," Kai told her, her eyes scanning the shelves that stood behind the counter.

"Ah, so the usual then?" Jovie nodded, straightening her spine. "Okay, uh, let's see..." she trailed off as she searched under the counter. "Alright, here it is." They pulled out a bag that most likely had about four records in it. "Yeah, she called earlier to let my grandma know—you know, the usual routine."

Kai hummed in response, grabbing the bag from Jovie. Once she made sure all of the records were there—which she knew they would be, but it never hurts to check, right?—she pulled out her wallet and grabbed the money her grandmother had given her specifically for the records.

Kai handed the money to Jovie, who then counted it and put it in the register. "Pleasure doing business with ya!" Jovie joked as she looked up at the girl in front of her and smiled. "Will that be all, or are you looking for something for yourself by chance?"

"Uh..." the Strand-Seaver girl muttered, beginning to look through her wallet for a little extra money. But when she didn't find anything, she let out a sigh and shook her head. Her eyes met Jovie's, and she saw a hint of pity in them, which she hated. "Uh, no, not today; maybe some other time."

Before Jovie could even open her mouth to reply, the sound of the bell cut her off. Both girls turned their heads to the door, surprised that someone besides Kai was entering.

In walked a blonde girl who looked around the other two's age. She wore a black leather jacket with a matching shirt, pants, and combat boots. Her hair was long and straight, flowing behind her back. Her eyes were dangerous as they loomed around the store.

Jovie's brows furrowed as she looked at the girl she didn't recognize up and down—no doubt checking her out. Kai was doing the same as her friend, though she was a little more discreet about it.

The blonde's blazing-blue eyes caught the two staring at her, and a small smirk came across her face. "Hi," the unknown girl said, snapping the two out of their trances with the lightness of her drawing voice.

"Uh, hi," Jovie replied, a small smile taking over their faces as well. "What can I do for ya?" She moved closer to the blonde, still standing behind the counter, as the girl did the same.

"I'm new to town, so I'm just checking out everything I come across," the blonde explained. Her eyes were still dangerously dark as she glanced over to Kai, causing her to look away.

"Uh, I've got to go; I'll see you later, Jo," Kai interrupted, scratching the back of her neck as she moved away from the counter and towards the door. But before she could get too far, an all-too-familiar voice caused her to root her feet.

"Kailani Strand-Seaver," the old voice rang in her ears. "Now, I hope you didn't think you could run off without saying hi first." Betsy came walking out of the backroom, her wrinkled hands on her hips. 

Kai squeezed her eyes shut, taking a deep breath just before she turned around. "No, ma'am, I didn't." A small, trying-not-to-worry smile appeared on her face as she looked at the woman. She really needed to get home.

"I see Jovie's already got your grandmother's records for you," Betsy added, taking a glance at her granddaughter as she walked towards Kai, who stood just in front of the door.

"Yes, she did," Kai replied, holding up the bag.

"Good," Betsy said, pulling the girl in for a hug. Her arms wrapped around Kai's neck, pulling her slightly down due to the slight height difference. The hug was tight, almost suffocating, but then again, that was how it had always been.

As the older lady pulled away, that's when she noticed the newcomer that stood just a few feet away from her. Her eyes took in the blonde and her almost dark aura, and then she let a soft smile take over her face just as it did when she saw Kai.

Except, this smile hadn't been like the one she had given the girl that she'd known since her birth—this smile had something hidden behind it. Something that Betsy tried so hard to hide. If one looked very closely, they would see something almost like fear behind the wrinkled-with-time expression.

"Oh, hi!" Betsy gleamed, her voice ever-so-slightly timid. "I don't think we've met—I'm Betsy Dawson, the owner of this shop." The woman stuck her hand out for the girl to take, which she did. "But you can just call me Miss Betsy or just Betsy; everyone does."

"Hi, Betsy, I'm Avril Sterling," the blonde replied, shaking the older woman's hand.

"Nice to meet you, Avril." Betsy removed her hand from the girl's—Avril's—hand, the small, timid smile still planted on her face.

"I hate to interrupt; I really do, but I must be going now," Kai said. "My grandmother doesn't like to be kept waiting, as you know," she added, glancing at the woman she oh-so-dearly wished was her grandmother.

"Alright, dear, see you later." Betsy watched as Kai's hand reached for the handle.

"See you later, Bets." Kai smiled, glancing between the woman and her granddaughter. "See you later, Jov," she added, sending a smile to the girl behind the counter. Jovie hummed with a small nod in response as she leaned her front against the counter. Kai's eyes quickly looked at the girl she now knew as Avril, then back to the door.

Kai could feel the blue-eyed girl's eyes on her as she opened the door without saying another word, causing the bell to ring, and then walked out.

She clutched onto the records with all of her might, but not enough to harm them, as she stepped onto the sidewalk, letting out a ridgid breath. Just before the door shut once more, causing the bell to ring again, Kai could hear Jovie and Betsy begin to speak to Beacon Hills' newest resident.

"What can we do for ya?" Betsy asked as the door closed.

Kai could feel eyes still on her, and when she glanced back inside the store, Avril stood next to Betsy still, but her eyes were trained on the brunette standing outside.

As their eyes met, Kai felt something—something she couldn't quite place. But two cars honking their horns just down the road snapped her out of the trance just as quickly as it came, and the whooshing sound of a few passing cars and the beating heat of the sun came back into focus.

She faced away from the store and placed her wallet back in her purse with one hand while the other held onto the records. Then she began walking down the street, the odd feeling still lingering in her being.

She didn't know what it was, but something was off about the new girl. Something about her soul felt unfamiliar—it was like something Kai had never felt before. She didn't know why she was feeling it; she and Avril hadn't even spoken to one another.

Whatever it was, she knew that she didn't like it.

The thoughts pegged in her mind all the way home, and as she stepped onto the old and creaky porch, she took a deep breath, putting the rest of the lingering ones in the back of her mind. She knew that once she entered the house, she couldn't have any distractions, especially not ones about a girl.

Once she was satisfied with her state of mind, she pulled out her keys from her purse and unlocked the door. And when she stepped into her house, another wave of that weird feeling washed over her.

Her house was quiet, almost too quiet. Usually her grandmother would have some type of music playing on vinyl, whether it was old jazz, classical, or... no, that was basically it. Old jazz and classical music were Amatheia Strand's go-tos. But there was nothing. It was almost eerie.

Kai took her key out of the lock and closed the door behind her. "Grandma," she called out, walking into the house some more. Worry began to take over her body—worry from the fact that her grandmother didn't respond and also the fact that if she was indeed home still, Kai was most definitely going to get a lecture about using an outside voice while inside.

She walked through the foyer, going toward the kitchen. Maybe Amatheia was cooking dinner early? But when she walked into the kitchen, she saw nothing—no one was in there, and nothing looked out of place. The only thing out of the ordinary was a small piece of paper that was on the breakfast table.

Letting out an interested hum, Kai walked over to it, her eyes occasionally glancing around. She had the weird feeling of someone watching her, which she cracked up to be her usual paranoia. When she concluded that indeed no one was watching her, she set her purse and keys down on the table beside the note, along with the records.

Picking up the piece of paper, her grandmother's familiar—almost perfect—handwriting caught her eye. The cursive letters would usually be hard for someone of Kai's age to read, but luckily for Kai, her grandmother made her practice writing and reading cursive because "every proper lady should," which Kai found incredibly annoying but did anyway.

Dear Kailani,

          I've had to go out of town for the night for some personal reasons. I should be home no later than three o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Place my records on my shelves in their correct places, and there are leftovers in the fridge.

         And I expect you to be on your best behavior.

        Oh, and clean the house, will you? It's a complete mess.

your grandmother,
Amatheia

Kai set the note—which was more of a letter than anything—down once she was done reading it and took a long glance around the kitchen. Still, not a thing is out of place. It's a complete mess, indeed, Amatheia. She scoffed, running her finger along the table. Not a single piece of dust was in sight on her finger.

She didn't know what her grandmother meant by "personal reasons," but she frankly did not care—she was glad to have the house that she was supposed to call home to herself for the night.

She picked up the records and began her journey to her grandmother's study, which was just off the sitting room. Opening the door, the smell of recently burned incense washed over her senses and she took a deep breath to let it in. Juniper was all she could smell, and she loved it.

Juniper was one of her personal favorites in the incense category. Its stress-relieving and positivity-boosting elements were always something both Kai and her grandmother needed—both had a tendency to overthink and overanalyze. As well as its healing and spiritual power, it was something that helped the two lonely souls.

The strong and spicy cedar—almost gin-like—scent was even stronger as Kai stepped more into the study. She made her way over to her grandmother's shelves, which, on one side, had an enormous collection of books, while on the other sat her almost-as-large collection of vinyl records.

Kai set the brown bag on her grandmother's antique desk and began pulling out the records one by one.

First off was a very good-conditioned copy of the Greatest Hits album of Louis Armstrong, which Kai placed in its rightful spot on the third shelf, which was for the jazz vinyls, next to all of the other Louis Armstrong vinyls Amatheia had.

Second was Beethoven's Choral Symphony (Symphony No. 9 in D minor), also very well kept. That went on the second shelf next to other masterpieces of Beethoven's that her grandmother owned a copy of.

The third was Kind of Blue, which was that of Miles Davis, and that went on the third shelf just like the first with the other pieces of his.

Kai was impressed with the records that Amatheia was able to get her hands on—she had always been. The collection that she had was excellent, to say the least. Amatheia even had some first editions—vinyls and books.

Turning back to face the desk once more, Kai pulled the last vinyl from the bag. And as she studied it, her eyes went wide. Benjamin Adriatic was the name so graciously printed in bold letters on the vinyl sleeve, alongside a picture of a man Kai had only recognized from pictures.

Benjamin Adraitic was her great-great-grandfather on her mom's side—her grandmother's grandfather. Kai had a vague idea of who he was, but to see his picture on a vinyl sleeve next to the words "Greatest Hits" was something very shocking to her.

Flipping over the sleeve, she studied the back of it. And from the list of names, she gathered that he—her great-great-grandfather—was a classical composer. And to have a Greatest Hits vinyl album, he must've been a good one.

She had an itch to walk over to her grandmother's beloved record player, set this record on it, and play it. But she knew she shouldn't, and if she did, someway, somehow, her grandmother would find out and there would be consequences.

Before her eager mind got the better of her, she searched the shelves to find where she should put this very wonderful vinyl. Her grandmother had each shelf organized in alphabetical order and by genre, so Kai searched the second shelf for the Bs, which wasn't hard. And lo and behold, she found his name—in all of her years of putting vinyls on this shelf, she hadn't ever seen his name.

She couldn't believe that her great-great-grandfather was a composer and that her grandmother had his vinyls, which she never noticed. And that Betsy, a record store owner for fifty-odd years, had never thought to mention it to her. This new information had made her wonder if that was why her grandmother had such a love for classical music and why she had made her grow up listening to it.

She wanted to search through each vinyl and listen to all of them, but she knew she couldn't and shouldn't. So she placed the vinyl carefully on the shelf and let it be.

Grabbing the brown bag off the desk, she made her way back to the door. She took one last glance at the shelf and then left the room, closing the door behind her. Her head rested on the wood for a moment as she took a deep breath. Checking her watch, she saw that it was only three o'clock, which meant she still had plenty of time to clean and still had the night to relax.

Hurrying back to the kitchen, Kai threw away the brown paper bag and then began collecting the supplies she was going to need.

She started with dusting everything—which was quite unnecessary if you'd asked her—then she cleaned up the kitchen, then the sitting room, didn't touch her grandmother's study because Amatheia didn't like it when she did that, then cleaned the bathroom. Once that was all done, she swept and mopped the floors. And when she was done putting everything back in its place, she took a deep breath, which she hadn't done since she started.

Glancing at her watch, she noted that it was only 4:30. "New record, yes!" she whispered to herself with a bright grin on her face. She put all of the cleaning supplies up and grabbed her keys and purse off the table.

Making her way down the hallway, she went to her room. Once she was inside, she closed the door behind her, took her shoes off, placed them on the shoe rack that sat next to her door, and then made her way to her bed. She tossed her keys into the little tray that sat on her nightstand, then plopped herself onto her bed with her purse still in hand.

She dug through her purse in search of her phone—which she only had because her grandmother wanted to be able to get in touch with her at all times—and she pulled up her text messages.

Dior Kendrick was the name that appeared at the top of the screen. Dior was one of Kai's only friends, besides Nerissa Fontaine and Jovie, of course. She was much like Kai in the sense that she wanted to keep a low profile at school and in general (both of them had very good reasons).

Dior was probably the sweetest girl you could ever meet. She might seem a little weird and awkward at first—and that doesn't change—but you get used to it and learn how to love it.

Kailani
Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out with me. I'm free right now, if that works. I feel like we haven't really talked that much during the break!

It took a moment for Dior to answer, which Kai didn't mind. Neither one of them was good with the whole texting thing, mostly because they preferred calling and didn't know how to keep a conversation going over text.

Dior
Is your grandmother home?

One thing about Dior—and actually all of Kai's three friends—is that she hated Kai's grandmother, which was understandable. The girl sometimes hated her grandmother too, but she was also the only person she had left in her family, so she was kind of stuck with her. And after a while, Kai got used to her rude, nasty, and downright cruel behavior.

Kailani
Nope, she's gone until tomorrow afternoon!

Dior
Sure, I'll come over.
I'm at the library right now, but I was just about to leave anyway, so I'll head over there soon.
I can't stay long, though. Tonight is a full moon, after all.

Kailani
Okay, see you soon!

Kai was excited to have Dior over. Not only was she happy to see and spend time with her friend, but she also wouldn't be alone for the night.

Her phone's chiming cut off her thoughts. At first, she assumed it was Dior replying, but when Nerissa popped up on her screen, her brows raised.

Unlike Dior, Nerissa—or Ris, as most called her—had hung out with Kai many times over winter's break. Ris and Kai had a lot in common in a certain, unknown to most sense.

Nerissa
Hi, babe! Want to go for a swim later? We have a lot to catch up on, even though we saw each other the other day.

Kailani
Of course! My grandmother is out of town, so I don't have to sneak out again x
I'm going to hang out with Dior for a bit, so does 8 sound good to you?

Nerissa
8 is perfect! Have fun with Dior! I wish she would be able to come along, but tonight is a full moon

Kailani
Yeah, me too. See you later, Ris!

Nerissa
See you later x

Sometimes Kai felt like she and her friends texted like a middle-aged woman who merged with a teenage girl. And she loved it deep down.

Kai set her phone down on her bed and sighed. It was only a little after 4:30, and she had done everything she needed to do, so she just laid in bed. Her eyes squeezed shut, and she placed her arms on her forehead, trying to relax.

But after a moment, she got bored, so she grabbed her phone and began playing a puzzle game.

After about ten minutes, she heard footsteps coming from the front porch, which was located right next to her room. She assumed that meant Dior was at her house.

That was quick, even for Dior.

Usually the girl just walks in and comes straight to Kai's room, and this time was no different. Kai heard footsteps coming down the hall, but she didn't look up from her phone. The footsteps stopped in front of her door, and she could hear the sound of Dior wiping her feet.

And as soon as the door opened, Kai was finishing the last level in her game. She looks up, and her and Dior's eyes meet. And that's when Kai realized that Dior didn't look like her usual perfectly neat self. No, she looked like a mess.

Her hair was ever-so-slightly disheveled, her clothes were dirty, and she had a rip in her jeans that Kai knew for a fact wasn't there before—Dior hated ripped jeans because they made her feel off. The look on the dirty blonde's face was a bit concerning to Kai.

"What happened to you?" Kai asked as she set her phone down and moved to the end of her bed.

She watched as her friend set her books and bag neatly on the desk opposite the bed, then turned and sat down next to her. "Some idiot almost hit me on my way here," Dior finally explained, letting out a deep breath. Her expression was serious, almost emotionless, as if she were still trying to process what happened.

Kai's eyes go wide as her brows raise in surprise. "Oh, my God, are you okay?" she gasped, moving closer to Dior. "Who was it?"

"I'm fine, I think," Dior muttered, her eyes not meeting Kai's as she stared at the rip in her jeans. Her hand immediately made its way to it. There was still-drying blood but no wound—one of the better things about being a werewolf. Her finger ran along her now-red skin. "I—uh, it was some guy in a blue Jeep. A powder blue Jeep. I don't know who exactly he is, though," she continued.

"A powder blue Jeep?" Kai repeated her friend's words. Dior nodded in response, her fingers still rubbing against her knee. "Yeah, that was most likely this guy named Stiles. We go to school with him; he's the sheriff's son," she explained, taking a glance at what the girl was so focused on.

For a moment, Kai watched as Dior picked at the drying blood as if she were trying to get it off her skin. And without hesitation, Kai stood up and made her way to her bathroom, which was connected to her room.

She pulled open the cabinet door and grabbed a washcloth and a glove. Turning the nozzle, the water turned on, and she put the glove on, then began to wet the cloth. After it was fully wet, she ringed it out a bit—with her glove-covered hand—and turned off the water.

Going back into her room, she saw Dior still staring at her knee. She crouched down in front of the dirty blonde and removed her hand. Dior's eyes met Kai's, and she watched the girl send her a small smile.

Kai began running the cloth over the bloody knee, trying to get every last bit off.

"Thank you," she heard Dior mutter.

"What are friends for?" Kai replied, glancing up at the girl with the same smile.

After all of the blood was cleaned, the two girls began to hang out and catch up. Dior didn't have much to say, seeing as though she did the same thing every day—routines kept her happy—and Kai really didn't either, but having the company of one another was enough for the girls.

The time that Dior had to spend at Kai's passed by quickly, and she realized that she needed to get home. "See you later, Kai." Dior smiled as she stepped onto the creaky porch.

"See you later, Dior." Kai returned the smile as her hand rested on the door. "Get home safely," she added.

"I will," Dior replied, stepping off the porch and onto the leaf-covered ground.

And with that, Kai watched as Dior began her journey home. She was glad that Dior didn't live too far away, seeing as though the full moon was likely to be showing its face in the sky soon.

It was 7:30, and Kai needed to hurry to meet Ris. Once Dior was out of her sight, she made her way back inside and went back to her room. And as she entered her room, she made her way to her closet to grab a bathing suit.

It wasn't like she necessarily needed one—well, she didn't need one. But if she and Ris were to be seen and asked what they were doing out so late—she assumed they would be out late—she wanted to be able to tell the truth—they were out for a swim—and a bathing suit was proof of that.

She quickly changed into the dark purple two-piece and then threw on a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and a pair of tennis shoes. She wasn't going to need her bag or her phone, so she left them sitting on her bed as she raced out of her room.

She left her house without any thought and made her way to her and Ris' meeting spot. It was a little area towards the edge of the woods—no one ever went out there besides the two teens, so it was perfect.

Rushing through the woods, the sound of crunching leaves and snapping sticks sounded under her feet. She ran down the all-too-familiar path, and when she came out to the clearing, she took a deep breath.

The sand was oh-so pretty under the setting sun's light and as the water washed up on the shore. Her eyes took it all in, even though she'd been there probably a million times before. Her lungs expanded as she took in deep breaths—due to the fact that she quite literally ran there just to feel the fresh air in her system.

"Heya, stranger!" Ris's voice sounded behind her, causing her to turn around quickly.

Her eyes caught onto the smiling blonde and her piercing, electric-blue eyes. "Oh, Ris, you scared me." Kai laughed softly as she put her hand over her racing heart.

"Sorry," Nerissa muttered, making her way over to the girl. Her eyes looked out at the water, taking in the beauty of the sight. "Ready to go?" she asked, a soft smile on her face.

Kai simply nodded in response. Despite how many times she and Nerissa had stripped down into just their bathing suits and made their way to the calming water, she would never get over the relief she felt as her feet dug in the sand with each step and how the cold water felt against her legs.

The all-too-familiar feeling of the water changing her was something she would never forget. The feeling of her legs going from smooth skin to iridescent purple-blue scales; her two legs joining into one tail; and how her bikini top turned into scales as well, covering her whole torso

She looked truly mythical—something that you'd hear about in a fairytale or the story of a child. Her now slightly purple eyes caught Ris's pink ones. She looked like Kai—the scales coating her body, the heavy, beautiful tail in place of where her legs used to be, her siren-like eyes, the slicked-back, almost manicured-looking hair, the three slits in her throat to help her breathe—it was all the same. Well, almost all the same—Ris' was covered in a beautiful soft pink to match her eyes instead of dark purple like Kai's.

The two girls stared at each other with amazement—the shock of what they were and how wondrous they looked never got old. They smiled at one another, then ducked under the water. The rush of salty coldness rushed against their beings as they swam through the water at an unnatural speed.

And once they reached their destination, both of them came above the surface once more. Kai ran her sharp-nailed and webbed hands over her hair, making sure that it was still slicked back and out of her face.

Her eyes scanned the area around her—the "moon pool," as merpeople for centuries had called it. It had been used for many sacred ceremonies and rituals throughout Merpeople history, but now only Kai and Ris used it—not even Amatheia went for swims, let alone used the moon pool, anymore.

The moon pool was something magical, almost out of a fairytale. It was mostly rock surrounding them, and there were vines lining the walls like the veins coursing through the girls' bodies. The water was beautiful and clear, despite how far into the ocean it was.

This place was forever going to be Kai's favorite. She would never get over the glisten on the walls from the water dancing around like a classical ballet, how the magic in the water rushed along her finger tips, and how the pool brought out her true self. How it all brought her back to life.

A few beats of comfortable silence passed between the girls as they swam up to the side of the pool, resting their arms on the rock and sand. Kai's gaze found its way towards the top of the all-familiar cove.

The now-setting sun cast a palette of beautiful colors among the sky—the blue, purple, orange, and pink hues making Kai's heart warm. There were more vines hanging from the ceiling, paired with more and more rocks. It was truly something out of a mythology book—the drawings of someone's imagination.

But it wasn't from someone's imagination; it was real, and it was all theirs.

"So, what's been going on with you?" Ris asked, catching Kai's attention.

━━━━━

Gossip had been exchanged between the two girls for about thirty minutes, which was impressive seeing as though they had only seen each other a couple of days prior. Still, they were teenage girls from a small town—there was always a lot to talk about.

"Dior almost got hit today," Kai informed her blonde companion.

Ris's brows shot up to her forehead. "What?" she gaped, her eyes wide with shock.

"Yeah, it was on her way to my house," the brunette continued. "By none other than Stiles Stilinski—did you know that she didn't even know who he was?" She chuckled. It wasn't too surprising that Dior hadn't known who Stilinski was—he wasn't all that popular, and Dior didn't pay much attention to the ones around her anyway.

"Makes sense that it was him," the blue-eyed girl nodded. "I've seen him speeding out of the school parking lot like a madman on many occasions," she laughed. "Someone really needs to take that Jeep away from him before he truly hurts someone."

Kai didn't even get a chance to respond because the sound of a high-pitched scream and a loud splash interrupted her. The girls' eyes met, both sets wide with confusion, then they turned around, facing where the splash had come from.

There was nothing there but a ring of disturbed water and bubbles. The two girls quickly dipped into the salty water, looking around for anything. It didn't take long to see a girl sinking in the water, and Kai sent a knowing glance to Ris, then swam down to the girl.

Pulling the girl above water was certainly a task—she wasn't heavy, but the pull of the water plus the weight of Kai's tail was not helping. Luckily, Nerissa saw her friend struggling and began to help her. Ris grabbed the girl's ankles while Kai held her upper half.

And once the three were successfully above water, the two mermaids began guiding the unconscious girl to the edge of the pool.

Nerissa pulled herself up to the edge, sitting down on the sand, trying to get the flatest surface possible. Her tail was hanging down into the water, where Kai stayed but pushed herself up with her elbows so that she could hover over the girl.

As her elbows dug into the hard rock, she studied the blonde with wide eyes. "What should we do?" she asked, looking up at Nerissa.

Nerissa furrowed her brows as if the answer was written on the wall. "We need to administer CPR," she explained, moving closer to the unconscious girl.

"Well, I don't know how to do that," Kai rushed, the stress of the moment taking over her body.

With a sigh, Nerissa waved her back. "Watch out." The blonde moved so that she was hovering over the girl, her tail turning uncomfortable. She ignored the slight pain and rested her hands on the girl's chest, one hand over the other with her fingers interlaced, trying not to scratch her with her sharp nails. But before she pushed down, she glanced up at Kai and said, "Check her pulse."

Kai did just that, lifting two slightly shaking fingers to the girl's next. Pushing down, she felt a slight beat against her skin. "It's there, but faint."

"Okay, lift her chin, open her mouth, so her airway will be open, and check her breathing," Ris instructed, nodding to the girl.

Kai did just that. "Her breathing is faint, like her pulse."

Nerissa nodded in response and started the chest compression, pushing up and down on the girl's chest in a controlled motion. Thirty compressions, followed by two breaths into the girl's mouth. Nerissa continued this until the girl started coughing. She moved her onto her side, letting out a sigh of relief as the girl coughed up water.

Kai ran a hand along the girl's back as she continued to cough. Sending a glance at Nerissa, she sent her a knowing look—they were still in their mermaid forms, and they had a human in the moon pool. Tails, siren eyes, slightly sharp teeth, webbed hands, and sharp nails—it was designed to freak anyone out.

But the girl hadn't noticed yet.

"I guess those CPR classes actually paid off," Nerissa mused, a bright smile on her face, showing off her teeth.

The girl lying on the sand looked up quickly, her eyes scanning all over her. Then she looked over at Kai, who sent her a small wave. Her eyes went wide, and she looked as if she'd seen a ghost. Her breathing became rapid and shaky.

"No, no, no, don't do that. You've got to breathe normally. You almost drowned," Nerissa explained, waving a calming hand.

"What...?" The scared girl breathed, her eyes shooting between each girl. She scrabbled to her feet, looking terrified. "What—What are you two?" she muttered, running a stressed hand through her wet hair.

The two mermaids glanced at each other, wondering if they should tell her. It was pretty obvious, but they weren't sure they should confirm it.

With a sigh, Kai squeezed her eyes shut. "We are...mermaids." Her voice was faint, barely able to be heard, but the girl heard it loud and clear.

The unknown girl let out a breath, her face twisting in confusion mixed with fear. She ran her hands through her hair, pulling at the roots, not watching as Ris began to dry her tail—the heat coming from her hands. "I must've hit my head. I'm going crazy," she mumbled to herself, backing further away from the girls.

"No—well, I don't think you hit your head," Nerissa replied, standing up. Legs took the place of her tail. Her eyes were back to normal, as were her teeth and hands. There were no more scales littering her body. And her hair and body were completely dry.

When the girl's eyes snapped back to her, they went even wider, and she pulled at her roots even harder. "Oh, my god," she whined, the shock of the moment hitting her even harder. "There's no way—No, don't come near." She suffled back against the stone wall, pointing a demanding finger as Nerissa moved further.

Nerissa stopped in her tracks, lifting up her hands in defense. "Just let me explain..."

The girl took off, running down a pathway that led to the land entrance.

Dropping her hands, Nerissa cursed under her breath and went to follow the girl.

"Ris!" Kai called out, causing the girl to turn around and give her a curious look. "I need you to help me out and dry off my tail," she elaborated, throwing her hands on the rock her elbows were rested on.

"Right." Ris nodded, moving back to the moon pool. She grabbed Kai's arms and began to pull her out of the water.

Her tail scraped across the edge of the pool as Ris pulled her to the sand, and she winced. "I think I might've lost a few scales," she sighed as the blonde began to dry her tail.

Once Kai's legs had returned, the two of them headed out of the cove, going in the same direction the girl had run off to. They didn't even care that they were still in just bathing suits, and it was the beginning of a cold January.

When they came to a stop in the woods, they noted that the sun had set, the moon was at its peak in the sky, and the air was chilly—not good for a girl who was running around soaking wet from her deep dive into the pool.

They ran through the trees, trying to find her. They couldn't possibly let some random girl go running around with their secret. Generations of merpeople had been living in Beacons Hills in secret for years; they couldn't ruin that, even if there were only a select few still left in the town.

Kai felt like a fool for telling her, but the answer had been sort of out in the open already.

The sound of snapping branches alerted them, and they glanced at each other before running in the direction of the noise. But before they could reach the commontion, a loud scream was heard, one that sent the birds flying from trees and a shiver to run down Kai's spine.

They ran towards where the scream had come from.

Finally, they found the girl, but not how they wanted to.

"Dior!" Kai called out, clasping her hand over her mouth. Her face furrowed in shock and horror as she watched the girl she grew up with attack the girl they were searching for. "Dior, get off of her!" she shouted, and then moved closer. Ris put her arm in front of her, causing her to stop.

Nerissa gave her a knowing look.

Dior snapped her attention away from the now-bleeding girl on the ground and to the two girls she had known forever. Her eyes were glowing a golden yellow, and the mermaids took a step back. They didn't know what was running through the girl's mind, but they knew that it wasn't anything logical with the blood-thirsty look she was sending their way.

The two girls cautiously moved together, not knowing what Dior was going to do.

More snapping branches. They looked over to the left side of the woods, not seeing anyone or anything. Another chill ran down Kai's spine, and then the loud growls of wolves—no, werewolves—caught her attention.

Two bodies came flying at Dior, tackling her to the ground as she struggled with loud growls. Her claws slashed against the two, pinning her down.

Kai immediately recognized them as Dior's parents—Amelia and James. She let out a sigh of relief. Dior was safe and secure, and she was not being attacked by two crazed werewolves.

"Dior, calm down, sweetie," the girl's mother said, running her hand over her daughter's hair. "Shh, it's okay. Calm down," she continued, as Kai and Nerissa watched with worry.

That was when they seemed to remember the bleeding human girl—the one that wouldn't heal quickly like them or Dior. Kai made her way over to her quickly, her knees dropping to the muddy ground. Nerissa joined her, and they examined the girl.

She was covered in scratches and blood but still seemed to be conscious. She let out a groan in pain as Kai lifted her hand to the girl's arm, studying the deep wound. It was bad. Like, really bad. She didn't know what to do, and she was sure Nerissa didn't know either.

How could they explain to the girl that she had been attacked by a girl with claws, fangs, and glowing yellow eyes? Worse, how were they supposed to explain to the girl's parents and police if they showed up at the scene?

Dior growled lowly as her parents pulled her up from the ground. She fought against them, but their strong grip didn't budge.

"You girls okay?" Amelia asked, her mouth still full of sharp fangs.

Nerissa and Kai glanced at each other. Then they looked at the older woman and sent her a small nod. They were as good as they could be. They couldn't say the same about the girl they still didn't know the name of.

"Okay, we're going to get her home and try to calm her down better," Amelia added, sending a worried look to the girl lying on the ground. "Do you need me to stay? Help out with her?" she asked, her tone a bit shaky. She knew that her daughter was capable of that; all werewolves were, but to actually see it was something entirely different.

A branch cracked in the distance. All of their eyes turned to the noise, and they saw the faint whisper of flashlights through the thin cloud of fog.

Kai met Amelia's eyes, watching as Dior struggled against their grip, low huffs leaving her lips with heavy breaths. "No," she shook her head rapidly, "Take her home and get her calm." She let out an exasperated breath, the stress of the night creeping up her neck.

The noise of breaking branches and the glow of flashlights got closer, and Ameila and James rushed away, still holding on tightly to Dior's fighting arms.

"Kai, what are we going to do?" asked Nerissa, running a hand through her blonde hair.

Kailani opened her mouth to speak but quickly shut it when a hollering voice caught their attention.

"Hey! What are you girls doing out here?"

They faced the voice with a bright light shining in their eyes. Kai raised her hand to block the light from hitting her eyes. She squinted, trying to make out the figure in front of her, and then she heard the bark of a dog, and she knew it was a police officer. Just great!

"Uhm..." she began, glancing back at Ris. And that was when the idea hit. "We... We were just walking in the woods when we stumbled across this girl. It looks like she was attacked. She's all bloody and has scratches all over her body," Kai explained.

It wasn't a complete lie. They had stumbled upon the unknown girl, and she was covered in scratches and blood. There was no need to tell the officer that they were looking for her.

"Oh my!" he gasped, stepping forward. His eyes were cast over the wounded girl. He grabbed his radio, pressing the side button. "I have an injured girl on the south side of the woods. She seems to have been attacked by an animal." He let off the button and waited for a response.

The radio screeched, and then another voice spoke. "Alright, we'll be done there momentarily. Stay where you're at," the other voice ordered.

"Copy that," the officer standing in front of Kai and Ris responded, pressing the side button on his radio. It was silent as he dropped his arm from the radio and studied the two girls staring at him. He sucked in a breath, his brows furrowing—though the girls couldn't see it since it was dark—and he lifted up his flashlight to shine it in their eyes again. "Why exactly were you two walking in the middle of the woods this late at night?" he glanced down at their attire, "in bathing suits, at the beginning of January?"

"Uh..." Nerissa drew out, breathing out a soft smile.

━━━━━

ella's speaking.
it took me SO LONG to finish this godforsaken prologue—like months... MONTHS

      n e ways, i really hope you enjoyed it !!

      this honestly could've been chapter one, but since it's when kai first meets avril, i felt it was appropriate for a prologue

if this doesn't flow nicely, i'm sorry—i wasn't exaggerating about me writing this for months

kisses.

𖦹 ───────── ꗃ the archer.
( ©-LOSTGARDENS,    2023 )

word count.   7935     written.   9.8.23     published.   9.8.23