Aquata Cove Ch. 21

She then took a small flashlight, and looked held it to Merrick's eyes, holding the eyelids open, "Oh my gosh..." She uttered. The blue irises had darkened, his pupils are dilated, the whites around his eyes are bloodshot, with a shade of blackness around, "I've never seen anything like this... What in the world has happened to you..."

She sat down next to him, and placed an armband around his left bicep. "Are you experiencing any nausea, tight chest, dizziness?"

"Wh... Whaa?" Merrick mumbled.

"Tell me how you're feeling right now."

"I... I..." Merrick gurgled, and started to cough. Yuri picked up the tub, and helped Merrick up.

"Go ahead, let it out..." Merrick then began to gag before vomiting a mess of blood, oil, and various other chunks.

-

Adam flinched as he heard Merrick from the other room, moaning and coughing violently. Another tear rolled down his face as he listened from the couch.

+++

Once Merrick lay back down, whimpering painfully, Yuri wiped his mouth, and sat down to her computer to type, and the band started to inflate. Merrick gasped and started to writhe, coughing as he tried to tug the band off of his arm, but to no avail

"Wh-What are you doing?!" Merrick yelped.

"It's ok! It's ok, calm down, Merrick!" Yuri said as she held him down, "It's supposed to do that, I'm just taking a look at your blood pressure." Merrick whimpered as he reluctantly stayed still as the band got tighter and tighter. It stopped, and shrunk a little. A little more. One more time. Then, it deflated, and Yuri took ripped the velcro off of around his arm, and checked the stats on the computer.

"... Not good." She said as she put the arm band away, "Your blood pressure and pulse are extremely low... If you even know what that means..." She took out a small, plastic object, a bandaid, a few cotton balls, a few thin, glass tube, and a disinfectant wipe. She rubbed Merrick's finger with the wet wipe.

"What... What're you doing??" He asked.

"I'm taking a few blood samples. I need to know what I'm dealing with here," She then put the plastic cube onto Merrick's fingertip, "This is going to hurt."

CHKT!

"Nhhh!" Merrick flinched as a very sharp point stabbed into his finger, seeing a drop of dark blood seep from his finger. Yuri held the glass tube with the drop of blood, and squeezed Merrick's finger to draw more red fluid from it. Once she collected enough blood in the very small tubes, she took a cotton swab, and wiped up Merrick's finger before wrapping it with a band-aid.

-

Jamal offered a glass of orange juice to Adam, which he shook his head to, and ran his fingers through his hair.

+++

Yuri looked under her microscope, at the blood from Merrick.

"... I really don't like the looks of this..." She muttered. She then took off one of her rubber gloves, "I need a second opinion on this..." She plucked up a sanitary wipe and another finger-prick. She wiped off her own finger, and took a sample of her blood.

Once she put it on a glass slide, she put it under the microscope in order to compare it to Merrick's blood sample.

-

It felt like hours since Yuri and Merrick have been in there. Adam paced back and forth, while Jamal sat on the couch, twiddling his thumbs and staring at the coffee table. Adam gasped as he heard Yuri's door open. He dashed up to her as she left her room, and closed the door.

"Yuri! Is he-"

"Shhhh," Yuri shushed him. "Lets talk outside." With that, Yuri, Adam, and Jamal walked out the front door.

"H-How is he Yuri?? Please tell me he's gonna be ok..." He said, fresh tears already forming in his eyes.

"He's not doing well at all," She said, "He's suffering from a very bad case of blood poisoning. That's ONLY a guess," She then took out a small, plastic bag, containing one of the small tubes with a blood sample, "Here is the plasma sample I extracted from him," Adam looked and cringed as he saw half the tube filled with red, the middle of it black, and the rest of it clear yellow.

"Adam, he has oil in his BLOOD," She said, "It's like it was injected into him!"

"Yuri..." Adam trembled head to foot.

"And now I have a question for you, Adam, and I'd appreciated it if you are completely honest with me," Yuri then looked Adam directly in the eye.

"What IS he?"

Adam stared back at her, "Yuri-"

"Don't lie to me, Adam. What IS he??" She plucked up the stethoscope around her neck, "I listened to several areas of his body, and NOTHING sounds right in there!" She crossed her arms as she looked at him, "Then there was when you brought him here from the boat, and he... Changed when the water splashed on him. Tell me, Adam," She said very sternly, "RIGHT now."

Adam sighed, and looked down. And then looked back up, "Alright... There's something about Merrick I didn't tell you guys. Something I lied about, partially for his protection, and partially because I didn't think you guys would believe me.

"Merrick is a merman."

Yuri raised her thin eyebrows, "He's... What???"

"Is true, Yuri," Jamal said as he nodded, "It's true, I saw him when Adam hauled him on the boat."

"This morning, there was a news report about an oil spill and..." Adam rubbed the back of his head, "I don't know how or why, but... I felt I had to find him... Like I KNEW he was out there."

"NOW will you tell us why he broke up wit chu?" Jamal asked. Adam sighed and nodded.

"He's... Sort of a prince among merfolk..."

"How can he be SORT of a prince?" Yuri asked.

"Well, they don't use the word 'Prince' - they say 'Adra'. See, in a pod of merfolk, they have two leaders: Triton, the 'King', and Noita, the 'Queen'. And their children are called 'Adras'. In his pod, Merrick is the Adra Triton, and he has a sister called the Adra Noita.

"See, in order for a Triton to lead a pod, they have to fall in love with a mermaid, and make her a Noita from the connection. And vice versa if a Noita happens to fall in love with a merman. Eventually, an Adra Triton has to either succeed the pod, or start a new one of his own. And... Well..."

"He can't lead a pod and be with you at the same time..." Yuri said.

"Exactly..." Adam said.

"Wut about that bit about you bein his mistake and all?" Jamal asked.

"Yeah, he DID say that. And it hurt," Adam said shortly, "A lot. And... When I think about it, he DOES have a point, but..." Adam sighed and continued, "That's why I told you he's a Nudist; merfolk don't see the point in clothing - the most they'll wear are shells, kelp, and other little things. They're perfectly comfortable walking around naked. I also told you that he has issues and Anthropophobic, because he IS afraid of humans - ALL merfolk are afraid of humans - they believe all sorts of ludicrous atrocities about them. I also asked you guys to not ask him any questions about his life because he doesn't know anything about human society."

Adam sighed, and rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm sorry I lied to you guys about this, you know I hate lying, but as I said, it was for his protection, and because I didn't think you'd believe me. And even if you did, he wouldn't be willing to come over to meet you; remember last month, you guys met by accident."

"So..." Yuri began, "Is this why you can only see him for a month after 6 months?"

"Yeah," Adam said as he nodded, "His pod migrates and travels around the ocean."

"Then... What about those pictures? Why does he look human now?"

"I took a lot more pictures than that; I only showed you the ones where he wasn't in his true form. See, most merfolk change when they dry up. They morph into human-shape when the water leaves their bodies. But any spot that gets wet with water transmutes back into scales and such.

"A-Anyway, we can talk about this later! We need to get Merrick to a hospital!" Adam said.

"Yeah! I'll go get the-" Jamal began.

"No, guys..." Yuri sighed and looked down, "That isn't going to work..."

"Wh-Why not??" Adam asked, "Yuri, please, I don't want to lose him again!"

"Adam... He doesn't have any medical records, family records, no history at all in any place," She explained, "The papers alone would take hours to compile. Even if he was taken in... There's nothing the doctors can do for him..."

"Wh-What're you talking about??" Adam said as he held her shoulders.

"Adam, there's OIL in his BLOOD. There's no cure for oil poisoning. The only thing I can think of that could help would be a transfusion, but that's no use. My scanner can't make heads or tails of his blood type. Adam..." Yuri said as she shook her head, "I don't even know if we should take him to a doctor or a vet."

"..." Adam looked in horror as he let go of her, "Yuri..." He slowly stepped away, "Anything...?" Yuri held her hand to her eyes as she suppressed a tear; she feels so useless, after all her training and schooling to save lives, there's nothing she can do to save the love of her friend's life.

Adam then turned to the wall pressed his forehead onto the wall, and held his head as he felt himself tear up.

"C'mon, gurl!" Jamal said, "They's... There's gotta be SOMETHIN we can do! We can't just let him die like this!"

"Wh-What about his family? O-O-Or, pod, couldn't THEY help?? Let's just take him to his pod."

"We can't..." Adam croaked, "We have no idea where they could be, and besides that, contact with humans is strictly forbidden. They find out he's had anything to do with me, they'll banish him..."

"T-Then let's just put him in the water, and wait for them to show up," She persisted, "If he's a prince to them, then he'd be too important to just leave behind. Do they know how to track? Maybe they've been looking for him."

"... Yeah..." Adam said as he turned around, "Tha-That shell slice on his necklace - that's how they keep track of each other, no matter where they are."

"Ok... Why don't you talk things over with him, see if he has any input on what to do."

"Alright..."

~~~

Merrick grunted as he lay there, his own body feeling filthy and heavy. He opened his eyes as he heard some soft footsteps, "Adam..." He muttered, his voice very feeble and raspy.

Adam felt his eyes water up once more as he looked at his lover, "Hi baby..." He whimpered as he pulled up a chair, "H-How are feeling?"

"I'm..." Merrick winced for a moment, "I'm dying, Adam..."

"No no no, don't talk like that, sweetie, you're gonna be fine," Adam said, "We'll get your mother here, and she can heal you, right? You said Noitas are the healers of your pod, you're going to be alright-"

"No, Adam..." Merrick said, "The black blood of the earth..." He whispered, "It's a poison, otherwise known as the Shroud of Death..." He moaned, "There is no healing me..." Merrick whimpered. He reopened his eyes, and looked at his human. Adam whimpered as he looked into those sickened eyes, "Adam... I'm so sorry..." He grunted as he lifted up his shaking hand. Adam held his weak hand, feeling a weird residue on his skin, "I am so sorry, I said those things to you... I can never forgive myself for breaking you... Shattering your heart..."

Adam sniffled as he wiped his eyes "Why, Merrick? Why did you try and break us up? Is it because you're an Adra Triton?"

"In part... But in truth, it was futile to try and leave you behind..."

"What do you mean?"

The merman took a deep breath, pausing before looking to his human, "... Adam... What is love to humans?" Merrick asked.

"Well... It's uncertain; it's confusing, it's awesome, potentially painful, and very elusive... Humans, we... We look for people to date, go out with. It doesn't always work, and we have girlfriends and boyfriends. And eventually, they can fall in love with each other, and stay together... But... It is difficult... A lot of people never find their true love..."

"Hmph," Merrick snorted, "How clueless and primitive," He blinked slowly, and took a deep breath, "For us merfolk, it is just the opposite.

"Under the night of a red moon - a Lunar Eclipse, as you humans call it - Pods of merfolk gather together, and swim in a spiraling frenzy. These small spirits, called Undines, appear as well, on these rare nights, and frolic with us, for it is they who emanate the love of Sea Mother Atargatis, and allow us to find our mate..."

"... On the night of the 3rd red moon since I became eligible for love... I have once again failed to find a mermaid to become my Noita when the time has come to succeed my pod..." He closed his eyes again as more pearly white tears seeped through, "Humiliated, I swam awa... I wanted to be alone... And then... An Undine came to me," Merrick said as he spoke lowly, "It was curious to see me... But it disappeared shortly after finding me...

"And then... I heard a voice... A very strange voice..." He opened his eyes again, "I followed it to the surface, and saw a human... A human male..." He smiled as he chuckled weakly, "He had a short patch of black baleen on his head, and he wore a bunch of sails around his body. He was moving so strangely and chanting some absurd prayer or hymn of some sort... Or, I suppose he was just singing; at the time, I still did not know any male could sing...

"I was fascinated... He did not fit any description of any horror fable of humans I've ever heard... I followed him along the reef, until he saw me... He didn't even know we had made eye contact, and then... His baleen began to shimmer, and his eyes gleamed with the beautiful aura of the Sea Mother's love, as did other parts of his body... Hheheh... He didn't even realize he was glowing, even when he saw me... I was hiding behind a rock... And then he spoke to me... He came into the water, but I was too scared... I couldn't even talk to him. That's when I realized that I was glowing as well. My body too, was reflecting the light of the red moon... A magenta light dancing upon my tail..."

Merrick turned his head at his awestruck human, "You and I are bonded, Adam... You will always be mine, and I will always be yours..." Adam sniffled, and cried as he wiped his eyes, "I am sorry... But you can never love another man, and I can never love any one else. And they cannot fall in love with us," He reopened his eyes, "No mermaid, no merman can ever become infatuated with me. As neither any man nor woman can ever be infatuated with you. It is a solemn gift of the Sea Mother's tender love."

"But then," Adam said, his voice thick with emotion, "If that's true... Why did you try to end it between us??"

"... My Mother and Father... They are beginning to suspect that I have had human contact... Mother saw the bracelet you gave me, and she can see the affection coming from it..." His fingers tightened around Adam's hand, "I didn't know if the principle of love would apply to a human..." He smiled weakly as tears continued to drip from his eyes, "Even though I wounded your heart... Even after I shattered you in the inside... You still love me..." He exhaled again, "I panicked... I feared I would be banished, and so I tried to leave you behind..." Merrick shook his head, "I could not have been more wrong..." He frowned as he looked at the ceiling, "It is only a matter of time before they discover that I cannot fall for a mermaid. I cannot become a complete Triton without a Noita..."

"Merrick..." Adam sobbed, "Why can't you live with me? Leave your pod and just be here with me?" Merrick moaned and shook his head, "Please... If you're going to get banished eventually anyway, why not stay here???"

"I cannot, Adam. I belong to the sea... I can never leave the ocean behind... And my pod is precious to me..." Merrick said, "I am the Adra Triton, I have a responsibility to my people... I am torn, between my love for you and my devotion to the pod... My family..."

"What about Belinda? She's a mermaid, and she lives among humans. She lives near the sea too, that's all she needs." Adam persisted.

"She is a Latolcus, Adam," Merrick responded in disgust, "She has capabilities that aren't normal to have. She stole most of her abilities - walking, able to live out of the ocean, and so on. I cannot do the same as her..."

The merman winced as he felt his stomach, as it gurgled violently, "And now... Enngghh... I'm dying, Adam..." He said as tears continued to flow, "I still don't know what I should've done... If saving you from that siren WAS a mistake..." Adam held Merrick's hand to his lips, "I'm glad... That I made it..." Adam shook as he cried, tightly holding his hand.

"Please, Merrick," Adam sobbed, "There has to be SOMETHING... Please," He was close to going hysterical, "Don't make me lose you again..." His voice is heavy with sadness, "I don't want to lose you again, I'm not strong enough, please don't die on me..." He pleaded, "I need you, Merrick, don't..." Adam clenched his eyes shut as he cried more, "I can't live without you..."

"..." Merrick stayed quiet for a while. Adam wept as he held Merrick's oily hand, "Sing for me?" He asked, "Please... I want to hear you..." Merrick trailed off. Adam slowly nodded, and took a minute to breath deeply, trying to steady himself, before thinking up a song to give Merrick.

"~~If I never knew you

~~If I never felt this love

~~I would have no inkling of

~~How precious life can be...

Adam held back more tears as he kept imagining all the good times he shared with Merrick. Swimming with him, exchanging questions, kissing, the wonderful bursts of passion... He tried hard to block it out to keep singing.

"~~I'm so grateful to you

~~I'd have lived my whole life through

~~Lost forever

~~If I never knew you...

Merrick smiled peacefully as he could think of everything he's done with Adam. Yanking off his swimming trunks and hiding them, being cradled in Adam's arms, going shopping in the pier... He let all these images flow into his head as he slowly faded into slumber.

"~~And if I never knew you

~~If I never knew you

~~I'd have lived my whole life through

~~Empty as the sky...

~~Never knowing why

~~Lost forever

~~If I never knew you..."

Adam stopped. He couldn't sing anymore. He looked to see Merrick's eyes closed. He put his head to the merman's chest.

...

...

... *Ba-Thump*

It's faint, but he can hear a heartbeat. He sniffled, and stood up, going into the living room, and facing his two roommates.

"... He's dying..." He said, plain and simple. Yuri covered her mouth as Jamal stared at him. "He said there is no cure for the oil... That there is no way to help him..." Jamal stepped closer to him.

"Adam... I'm so sorry..."

"... I... I need to be alone." He strode away from them, ignoring anything they'd have to say, and ran out of the house. He dashed out to the beach. Stopping at the shore, and dropped to his knees. He hunched over and dug his fingers into his hair, weeping uncontrollably.

"No... Goddammit, NOOOOO!" He yelled out, "Not him... NOT him!! Please, dammit, ANYONE but him!!" He panted and sobbed as he cried. Adam sat back as the waves washed up to his feet, "He's so full of life..." He whimpered, "... Why him? ..." He sobbed as he gasped and dried, "Why him... It's not fair, why him..."

Adam looked up at the cloudy sky, "... God... Or, Sea Mother... Whatever's up there... Please... Give me something... Anything... Don't do this to him..."

Minutes pass by, and the sun is setting. He whimpered and shuddered as he got up on his feet, before he suddenly gasped.

There, on the rock near the reef, is a young, pearly mermaid. Her body is frilled and white with a tinge of light blue, opalescent, almost, wearing a string of pearls around her neck and waist. Instead of hair, she has long tendrils of frill hanging from her head. She has frilly membranes over her chest, and on either side of her tail. She just sat there, starring at Adam with a mixture of fear and curiosity.