Page 38 of Sea's Secret

I knew that human ships were made from wood and that wood often rotted under the sea. Brown, wood is brown. I walked around, picking up long, brown sticks from the ground. Once my arms were full of the wood, I made my way back to the cave. Dominick was not back yet, and I sat in the mouth of the cave, waiting and looking at my legs, which were covered in that brown sand. When he returned, he had a small smile on his face.

He held up a fish with his hand, then began to make his way to the cave. I looked at the fish’s tail as he carried it surrounded by air, so out of place, while I walked behind him. The scales reminded me of my own tail, and I wondered what he would do if he discovered that I was a mermaid. Would he want to spear me, too? No–humans wanted us alive for our magic. We ate sea life, too, although it was still a bit strange to see that fish in his hand–on land. I couldn't eat. The whole dynamic of that fish being eaten out of the water, seemed wrong. I felt sick.

“And you found–” He paused beside the pile of sticks I had collected and placed inside the cave. He frowned. I had not found the right wood, it seemed.

“Is this not good wood?” I asked.

“I am sure some of it will work,” he said as he kicked at a few pieces. It seemed that he favored the pieces that were not very wet. I tried to find the wettest wood I could. Perhaps, that was not the correct strategy.

“I have never made a fire before, but I would like to learn,” I said. He looked up from the wood pile.

“We need dry wood for a fire. I know that is probably difficult as this island is more tropical, and most everything is drenched in water. It is very humid here.”

I scrunched up my face. The island was so incredibly dry, and I had no idea what he was talking about. Wet? He thinks the island is wet? I watched him as he set the fish upon a rock and gathered up the dryest sticks and made a pile out of them in an odd shape.

“The fire needs air and wood,” he said, pointing to the sticks as if it would explain how they were arranged. I just nodded, fascinated by him. “You haven't had a fire since being stranded?”

I shook my head, no.

“Luckily, I still have this in my pocket,” he said, pulling out something black from his pocket with a wink.

My stomach did a flip, and my head felt light–as if I had just done a backflip. His eyes caught mine, and his lips tilted at their sides. I liked that look entirely too much. He looked back down at his hands, and I watched as he bent over, causing sparkles and tiny lights to spray over the wood. He leaned down and gently blew, and in a matter of moments, a yellowish, reddish-orange, rippling wave emerged from within the sticks, causing billowing clouds to rise above it. It moved and swayed, just as water did, and I had a desire to reach out and touch it. I moved closer, reaching out my hand, and the closer I got, the warmer it was. I wondered how close I could get before it burned me like the lava tubes within the ocean, but before I could see, Dominick pulled me back by my waist.

“Don’t touch it!” he said as if he were dumbfounded by my behavior.

“Beautiful,” I said with a smile still looking at the flames.

He moved his hands away from my waist.

“Did you injure your head when you were shipwrecked?” he asked as he began poking the fire with a stick.

“I believe so; things are confusing? I do not remember fire being so beautiful, and many other things; I am so sorry,” I said.

“I will help you as best I can.”

I felt my cheeks heat up as I looked at the flames, and I felt foolish. I must not have been acting very human. Perhaps, injuring my head was a good enough excuse for my strange, non-human behavior.

“Sorry,” I began again, but he looked at me, and I paused.

“Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything to me.” He brushed it off as he picked up the fish. I watched the fire grow and turn bright and yellow. It was so lovely. If only mer could have such a thing beneath the waves–that light and warmth could save my people. But, of course, that was foolish as it was impossible to bring that air-fire into the depths. Even the Marren Lights were not so beautiful. It reminded me of–

“You have captured the sun. Are you an Ancient human?” I asked, looking up at him with a playful smile.

“I am as far from an Ancient as can be,” he chuckled darkly.

“Oh–” I had no idea what to say or how to respond to him, so I was silent. He speared the fish with the stick he was holding, and set it over the fire.

“What does the fire do to the fish?” I asked in awe, watching as he turned it, and the scales glistened in the firelight. It was terrifying, yet beautiful. We used the heat from lava flows. Merpeople pressed injuries against the tubes to close their skin in order to stop the flow of blood when injured in the depths when using our healing magic was not possible.

“You truly do not remember what cooking is?” he asked, his eyebrows rising.

“No, I seem to have forgotten much,” I said, looking away from him. I hoped that I was believable.

“That is okay. The fire cooks it, heats it, so you can eat it."

“Oh, I usually just eat them as they are.”

“Raw? You are not from Walden, are you?"

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