The River Maiden

I could feel the moonlight growing stronger as I swam towards the surface of the wide, deep, green river. My home. My long hair plumed in the current as I headed down stream to my favorite spot. I could already feel my thick, shimmering tail starting the transformation. One that was very painful at first, but after a few years, it began to feel like a refreshing change. Something different to look forward to every month.

I always loved the full moon. It was the time when my people got to enter the world of man for a few days. It was time to walk around.

As I neared the secluded dock, I stopped in the water, sinking into the silty soil a few feet underwater. It was absolutely necessary to stop and feel for danger, or people. From the time my people are born, they are taught to use their heightened intuition to sense for humans. Animals were much less of a threat, even the large bears and moose up near the mountain lakes me and my friends would swim up to occasionally.

Clutching the grass-woven skirt I brought tightly next to me, I take one more second to feel. Feel the bank. Feel the trees. Feel for footsteps. Feel for emotions and thoughts other than mine.

Most of my people only came on land to make love, to give birth, or to leave the river. I come alone as I always have, even though it’s a little dangerous going on shore. I’m not very close to my parents, but they do worry about their eighteen year old going alone.

The light of the full moon fades our soft scales into skin, and our bones fuse together and separate in the way humans’ legs are. I can feel this is only a temporary thing. After three days, your legs will permanently solidify and your lungs will dry up, only taking in air from then on. Your nocturnal vision will also fade, I’ve heard. Not many people want to leave the river, but a small group is planning to all go sometime soon. It would cause a lot of discord among the communities, and even surrounding communities of Water People if they left, since it’s quite frowned upon.

The coast is clear, literally. I adjust my grass bra and slowly start to pull myself up toward the dock with my skirt over my arm. Sliding up the sharp, concrete ridges isn’t the most pleasant experience, which is why no one else comes to this spot. And the water doesn’t move much here, so it and the plants stink a bit.

I stay completely submerged under a few inches of water for my legs to fully form. The dull ache and pull only lasts about ten minutes. If you don’t have enough nutrients, your new legs will cramp and seize up for a while, so I make sure to eat the healthiest trout and the freshest greens I can find the week before.

It's safest to stay back in the water as far as possible for the change and crawl or walk up onto the bank in case there are people around. Then it’s easier to pretend you were just a human out for a swim. But I just can’t wait. I felt pulled tonight.

I lift my head in anticipation and close my eyes as I breathe in the raw, dry oxygen, not having to feel my lungs filter out dirt or other small bits that are always in water, especially river water. I feel the full moon almost lifting me up with its lovely white light by itself as I plant one foot and then the other, slightly holding my arms out for balance. It’s such a weird feeling being so heavy and having to propel yourself forward by walking.

The first thing I do is head straight for the little shower that somehow works, puttering out a little sanitizing chlorine water from the small town a few miles away. I’ve never seen anyone here- even during winter, so the shower must’ve been installed years ago.

I slap my grass skirt over the metal bar right next to the shower and start washing off all the little pieces of grass and slime that I acquired from coming in. I don’t love the chemical water, but it does a great job removing the stink of the river.

Basking in the cleanliness and the moon, there’s something in the air I hadn’t noticed before. Something… Something I can’t put my finger on… It smells enticing and so good…

I freeze with my fingers still in my hair. My eyes start scanning everything I can see without moving my head. Something is here.

I’ve never smelled anything as good as this, but there was something in my midst that held extreme energy that I’ve never felt before. Wild, untamed, almost sexual energy tearing through the air like a crazed stallion. Taking a deep breath, I tried to remember to stay calm. Whatever it was carried a force with it.

My first instinct was to look into the trees on my left. Maybe someone was on their way, but everything was completely still on this hot summer night. Where was this energy coming from? Panic was thrumming through my veins. I needed to leave immediately. Swiping my skirt, I whipped around… and found exactly where it was all coming from.

A young man about my age was perched on a boulder a few yards away, down next to the water. He was so still, he looked like a statue, paused with a beer bottle halfway to his mouth. Eyes wide like a fish. And his mouth slightly agape like one too.

“Wow,” he whispered.

I sucked in a breath and quickly wrapped and tied my skirt on. He couldn’t have seen much with my hair covering almost everything. He was between me and the water. I would have to walk by him to get in! How did I not see him? How did I not feel him before I got out?

Fear kept me frozen in place for only a few moments. He was big. Very broad shoulders and probably tall. There was no way I could escape unless I could get to the water, where my tail would form again if I “pushed” hard enough. My legs worked, but I certainly wasn’t ready to take off sprinting anywhere, although I could see way better in the dark than him.

I took one step forward as if I was going to creep around him.

He set his beer down with a soft clink on the rock. I felt myself start to tremble as I froze again. This wasn’t going to work. I sent a mental cry for help to my best friend, Talia, hoping it wasn’t too far for her to feel.

I started as fast as my legs would allow down the steep slope of the dock. In one swift motion, he leapt up and intercepted me in only a few paces. My foot caught on itself, and I slammed into his chest as he quickly wrapped an arm around my waist and one behind my back, taking a step to keep his balance.

“Whoa, there! Whoa!” He kept his voice low. I could hear a smile in it as I tried shoving against him. He stood at least five inches above me.

“Let me go!” I yelled, feeling my voice scratch after not using it in a month.

“Shhh! It’s-”

“Hey Ryder! Got someone with ya?” Another guy’s voice called out from the trees.

“Yeah, get outta here!” he loudly growled back, making her jump.

“Sorry!” The voice was leaving.

I was shaking uncontrollably now, like I was freezing. This was the worst possible thing that could’ve happened. I couldn’t speak.

“Hey, hey, stop. It’s okay,” he whispered now, holding tighter to stop me squirming. “I won’t tell anyone.”

“Let me go!” I whisper-screamed. The last thing I wanted was to draw more people in.

“I won’t tell anyone! Hold on!” I heard him smile again. He fumbled around to move me back as I flailed.

I stopped again. This time because I could see his smile. He was very handsome with the moonlight brightening his strong features. His eyes weren’t just bright because of the moon. He seemed entranced, staring down at me.

“Hello.” He grinned even more. “Stay a few minutes?”

I shook my head. “No. I have to leave. I hadn’t seen you sitting there.” I still struggled.

“I know,” he chuckled a little.

“Don’t hurt me. I need to leave. Now.”

“Hurt you?” He loosened his grip and took a half step backward with a small frown. “I’d never. Did you just swim up?”

“You can’t tell anyone.” I was free. I started toward the water as fast and carefully as I could.

“I won’t.” He caught my hand gently. “My name’s Ryder, and I want you to stay.”

“I…” Looking around, the water was as calm as it was before. Talia obviously hadn’t gotten my message. He didn’t seem overly dangerous. Not like the stories I’d heard of some humans. “I… guess I could for a little bit. But you have to stay over there! And I’ll sit here.” I pointed to his boulder and then a rock half submerged in the water for myself.

Ryder laughed. “I won’t be able to hear anything you say at that distance. I’ll sit here, how about?” He moved past me to settle on a rock right next to the one I picked for myself. I waited, trying to think. He smelled so good.

“Umm… okay.” I gingerly took a step off the concrete, trying to keep my footing on the rocky bank. He jumped up and grabbed my hand and my forearm, helping me over.

“Don’t walk around too often, I imagine.”

“No.” I didn’t know how much to tell him about me. For some reason I wanted to tell him a lot, though. “I do once in a while.”

“What’s your name?” he asked, sitting back on his rock.

“I don’t think I should tell you… but it’s Ilean.”

“Ilean.” He almost sang it back to me. “Well you’re very beautiful, Ilean.” It was the first time his eyes skittered over the rest of me. A small wave of that energy swept the air again, sending a pleasant shiver down my spine.

“So are you.” I brightened up at his attention. There certainly weren't any of my people like him. At least not that I knew of. There were a few boys that liked me, but they were either vile or just not my type. “Why are you here?” I asked. “There’s usually no one around for miles.”

“Graduation party.” His face dulled. “A stupid one. I came to sit here for some quiet.”

Our attention on each other was interrupted by a splash, like a fish jump, about half way into the river. Talia had heard my call for help. She couldn’t know I was talking to Ryder and enjoying it.

“I’m sorry, I need to go now.” I stood.

“Why? What did that splash mean?” His voice was frantic at me leaving.

“I called my friend for help a minute ago, and that was her.” I stepped into the mushy green mass of saturated plants. “It was actually very nice to meet you, Ryder.”

“If I come back here tomorrow at the same time, will you meet me here?” The urgency of his demeanor was captivating. I wanted to stay with him now.

“I won’t be able to get out of the water.”

“That’s okay, I’ll be here.”

“Me too,” I confirmed with a smile. The look he gave me put little fireworks in my stomach as I grudgingly entered the water.

As I sank below the surface, I felt a stirring that there would be a lot to overcome if I got too involved, starting with lying to my best friend, let alone the consequences of any of my people or his people finding out. But those were going to be battles for another day. I was going to see him tomorrow, and that’s all I was going to think about for now.