Narrative Basics Project: Revealing secrets and plans

“Tell me what you see in there,” he whispered. “In the shadows at the back of the tank.”

“A mermaid,” whispered Roberta. She took a step closer to the glass. She felt her knees buckle slightly.

“Yes,” said Dr Vine. “A siren of the sea. I’ve had her for two years.”

“Seriously?” said Roberta. “You’ve kept her in here the whole time?”

“I couldn’t let her go,” said Dr Vine. “I had her in a different tank before, one with a seawater connection. She tried to escape through a pipe. We caught her. Transferred her here. Cut her off completely.” The air conditioner came on; Dr Vine reached out and lightly tapped a switch on the wall, restoring the lab to complete silence.

“What are you going to do with her?” 

“Oh, so many things, Roberta. The to-do list is long. I would very much like to be able to communicate with her, talk to her. But don’t let the human appearance fool you, she does not speak like a human.”

Suddenly the mermaid swooped forward and smashed something against the glass. A rock. She was glaring at Dr Vine, eyes full of rage. She smashed rock against the glass again. It didn’t even make a scratch. Dr Vine smiled. He put his fingertips to the glass in front of the mermaid’s lips.

“Or we could clone her,” he said, “and start fresh with a new specimen.”

“Come over here,” my grandfather said, crooking a finger. “I want you to meet some friends of mine.”

“Friends?” I asked. My forehead wrinkled. I could see that he was holding several offcuts of meat.

“That’s right,” he said. “They have been coming here for many generations.”

I stepped closer. “Why are you giving them rotten meat?” I asked.

“It’s not rotten. But you’re right - we don’t need it. So I give it to my friends. Our family’s friends. They bring luck, they do, and in return we provide for them.”

I saw movement in the darkness outside our back door. Grandfather threw the meat out into the yard, and I heard a scuffle, punctuated by yips and howls.

“Grandfather, what will they do when you move?”

“Keep coming, week after week. To nothing. I doubt the new owners will entertain a pack of hyenas.”

I saw the lamplight glint off teeth as the hyenas tore into the bits of carcass. Grandfather leaned forwards and fixed me with narrowed eyes. “But you could come back here. Feed the hyenas. Keep the luck in our family.”