Water was all around me. I couldn't breath. I was a mermaid though...so I wouldn't have to worry about sufacating or drowing for about an hour. Hopefully that would be long enough for my friends to find me. I held my breath and tried to reach the top of the tank. Unfortuantly the sailors had sealed off the top with a tank lid. I was trapped, and I couldnt' get out of this mess. How long could I last before I needed air? Or worse. How long could I last before I changed into a mermaid? Anastasia had been able to help me get my true form back. My problem being is that Ursula had put a spell on it to where I couldn't change back when I wanted. So how long would it be before I changed back, could swim, and breath? I could only hope Anastasia or someone would find me before then. I tried to clime up the sides of the tank to the top for air. But with the tank lid on I couldn't even get air. I had to make it seem I was human, and did need air after a few moments. It was a good thing I could still have a bit of my mermaid powers and abilites as a human. I could still hear better then humans could. So I heard the fisherman walking away. However I could hear something else too. It sounded like a girl and a boy talking, and running at the same time. The voices sounded familer. It took me a minute before I realized that the voices belonged to Anastasia, and my other friend Mat. Mat the Swordsmaster! He was a boy though! And I wasn't feeling to trustive of boys right now. Not after what Jordan did. But Mat wasn't like Jordan. At least well in the romantic sense he wasn't. I hoped.
I looked up to the banesters and saw both of them up there. They jumped down and in front of the tank. "Melissa!" Anastasia exclaimed. "Hey keep it quite. We don't want to blow our cover!" Mat exclaimed in a whisper. "Oh sorry." Anastasia said. "Don't worry, Melissa." Mat said. "Well get you out of there." I put my hand to my throut, and my other hand on the tank as I sat on the floor of it. I needed air. And NOW! "I think she needs air." Anastasia said. "She may be a mermaid but she can only breath for so long as she's human...though she can breath longer then humans." Mat said.
"Let's get the lid to the tank open." Mat said. "But how will she get out. She can't swim as a human." Anastasia said. "I'll get in and help her out." Mat said. "Of course" Anastasia said. "Where was my head?" "Let's go." Mat said. They climed up the ladder to the lid. "Ok on the count of three push" Mat said. "One....two...three." The pushed it enough for them to get in and out. Suddenly I saw the sailors coming and banged on the glass to get there attention. "Anastasia think you can take care of them....or do you need to get Melissa." He asked.
"I'll take care of them." Anastasia said. "You get Melissa." She jumped down from the ladder and prepared what fighting magic she had. Mat dived in the water and came like a torpedo right to the bottom of the tank. I felt a sharp pain in my legs. I was starting to change into a mermaid. I pointed to my legs. He understood. He took my hand and zoomed at the speed of light to the top of the tank. He climed out of the tank and then reached in for me. He pulled me out of the water. He used some kind of spell to dry me preventing me from turning into a mermaid. I was coughing up water though. "You ok." He asked. "I think so." I said. "Now lets help Anastasia." He said jumping down from the latter. I looked up at the banisters as I caught my breath. And saw a figure. With a white half mask coving his right half of his face. A cape on his back. A tuxedo. I knew this figure. He was just like my idol: the Phantom of the Opera. He was...watching over me. Like....a guardian angel. Or was it all in my head.
To be continued in Chapter 21.....
