Drawn to the Sea

Chapter 2: Tanked

⬆️what I think Nate looks like (with more tattoos and piercings, but I couldn't find any pictures that I liked more than this one)⬆️

Nathaniel

I was skating to work, trying not to be late. I'd never been late to the job, and I didn't plan on breaking that record. I worked at my uncles marine research center, near a cove on the island. I helped feed the fish, clean tanks, and I assisted my uncle with his many, many science projects. Most of the time I took notes or got things for him when he was around. Even if I hated my uncle's work tactics with a passion, I liked marine life, so I stuck with it. I was saving up to go to college, so working in the lab would have to do for now.

Today I was wearing some ripped jeans, a band T-shirt, and my combat boots. Uncle forbade me from wearing my leather jacket to work because 'it scares the fish and if they're stressed they don't give valid results.' Bullshit if you ask me. He already scares the wildlife with all his tests.

I stuffed my skateboard in my backpack and opened the back door of the building. As I walked through the public aquariums, I toyed with my lip piercing. I got a call from my uncle. He said he had an undiscovered species of fish he'd caught the night before. He must've been with the creature while he was on the phone with me because I could hear banging and the rattling of a tank. I never liked that he kept the animals in such small tanks, especially since they didn't want to be there.

I used my keycard to unlock the staff door, then shuffled into the main lab. It was where the tanks were kept, and tables were lined in rows between each set of tanks. Science equipment was neatly lined on the tables and various selves.

I, however, was needed in the second lab. That was where my uncle did his own research, and you had to have a special pass to get in. The guard let me through the door, and I dropped my bag on the table where I kept my belongings. It was a simple desk with a fish tank and a small bookshelf. I set my laptop on it, then re-stacked the papers my uncle had laid out for me to organize.

When I turned around, my jaw dropped. There was a medium-size tank sitting in the middle of the room, extending from the wall. The tank was far too small to hold the creature inside. It was only tall enough to go to about my chest, and maybe two of my height long.

The creature my uncle had captured was a fucking mermaid. I was in awe. The mermaid had a lava patterned tail and scales all over its body. Its back was turned to me, so I couldn't see its face.

My phone slipped out of my hand. The mermaid whirled, its eyes glowing with fiery anger, casting light onto its dark skin. It reared back and slammed against the glass. It didn't show an ounce of pain despite just hitting a thick pane at full force.

I rushed forward and put my hands on the glass, trying to calm it down. It obviously didn't belong in a tank. It belonged in the wild.

It hissed and moved as far away from me as possible. I realized I probably looked pretty freaky to it. Hell, I was freaky to humans. I wore piercings and all black, and I didn't talk much. Pretty much the definition of a scary dude. I was pretty muscular as well, adding to my already large size.

I sighed and withdrew my hands and held them up. I sat on the floor, making myself as small as possible. It looked at me curiously, tilting its head slightly. I moved closer to the glass. The mermaid was the only thing in the tank. I bet that if it stretched its tail out along the length of the tank, it would be able to touch both ends easily. There wasn't much swimming room.

I pursed my lips and stood back up, hen leaned over the edge of the tank. "I won't hurt you. I just want to talk."

It eyed me warily but swam closer to me. Seeing it up close, I could tell that it was a male. And a pretty hot one, too. Even though he was technically part fish, I was kinda attracted to him.

I smiled. "I'll even keep my hands at my sides and step away if it makes you more comfortable."

He nodded. I took two steps back and dangled my hands at my side. His tail brushed against the floor, and he hissed and tried to swim up higher. I noticed his tail was covered in rope burns, each going a different direction and around the diameter of it. He also had some on its arm and wrists.

I rushed to the medical supply cabinet and pulled out a first aid kit, then some waterproof bandages. Then I went to the other side of the tank, where a long table stood. He pressed himself against the opposite wall.

"What are you doing?" He snarled at me as I began to unpack the medical kit.

"I'm going to clean and bandage those rope burns." I laid out a towel on the table. "I just need you to get on the table."

"How am I supposed to do that? The table is much lower than the edge of this tank."

Looking at it now, I noticed it was only waist height. "I'll help you. Come here." He narrowed his eyes at me, but swam to the edge of the tank. "Alright, on the count of three, jump up and over the glass."

He nodded and jumped when I go to three. Water splashed and I caught his waist. He made a surprised sound but quieted as I set him on the table in a sitting position.

"This is going to sting." I put some alcohol on a cotton pad and started cleaning his burns.

He hissed and gripped the edge of the table as I clean all the burns on his tail. His hands bent the metal, but I chose to ignore that little detail. When I finished that, I put some ointment and wrapped them with the bandages.

"Alright, done with your tail. Now for your arms." He lifted one arm and I carefully started to clean the wounds. "I'm Nate, by the way."

"Douglass."

"So, what exactly are you? A mermaid?"

"I'm not a mermaid," he snapped. "I'm a siren."

I nodded. "I didn't mean to offend. I've just never come across a siren before. Didn't know they even existed."

"There's a lot you humans don't know about the ocean. And I'm not sharing any of it." His scales were sorta puffed up, making him look bigger.

"Why are your scales like that? They were flat a second ago."

"They do that when I'm scared or angry sometimes. Kinda like a puffer dish puffs up to make themselves look bigger and scarier." He explained.

I nodded, wrapping the last bandage on his arm. "Well, I'm done. Sorry I could t do anything else, I'm not very good at addressing wounds."

He examined the bandages. "Well, seaweed would be ideal for bandages, but these will work for now."

"Let's get you back in the tank."

He scoffed. "How long am I going to be here?"

"Probably until my uncle gets bored," I growled. For some reason, I felt extremely protective of Douglass.

He hugged himself. "I'm going to die if I don't get back to the ocean in a couple of days. I can only stay on land for long in my siren form and I can't shift when my tail is injured."

I sat next to him on the table and rubbed his back reassuringly. "How about this: I'll help you escape once you're all healed up. My uncle doesn't usually start any experiments or tests until he's studied the animal or thing for a few days."

"The burns would heal faster if I had electric eel saliva."

I snapped my fingers. "We have some eels in the public aquarium. I could get some samples from there tomorrow when the building is closed."

He perked up. "Okay. Do you know if your uncle is coming back soon? He's the guy who brought me here, right?"

I sighed. "Yes. I'm sorry he got you. He shouldn't be back until tomorrow evening though."

He relaxed. "Thank you."

"No problem. Well, I should be going. I've got to drive my cousin home from school. She's such a brat if I'm late."

"Alright. Help me get in the tank, I guess."

He turned himself to the tank and hauled himself up. I pushed his tail up and into the water. When he was fully in, he looked at me gratefully. "See you tomorrow."

"Bye, Douglass."

I promised I was going to get him out, so I needed a plan. And I was going to make one.