Helen stood still, shivered as John’s face red like reef beef. She wishes to say something, but John’s words slipped like a heavy load on her thoughts, slaughtering them, lest it flows to her lips. She watched the wounds on her left hand, dyeing the white clothes she wears, with blood. And tears remained in her eyes in silence, but it seemed she can’t hold it anymore. Relinquishing the tears to her cheeks now is unusual. As bold as she was in the presence of notorious criminals, she was as weak as a small child before John, who she thought was her actual father.        John had erased her memories, hypnotized her heart with the help of Melusine. But little did she know that the one she was crying for was the one she should hate. Her tears fell helplessly to her pink lips, as the lilt of John’s voice echoed in her mind, “either you quit the job or leave my house . . . Right now . . . “ 

ARTHUR’S POV        “Wait for me, mom and dad.”        “Your sister, Jane. Oh my poor Jane,” Janet lamented.        “Go back son. Hurry and save her,” Dennis said, and they disappeared.        Arthur shouted, “No!”        I woke up as if someone dropped me on the bed. Darkness loomed around the room for some time and then someone swapped on the light. Vivian, my new partner in crime, sat beside me. I smelt her perfume but I can’t see her. Maybe because of the light that shines and strikes my eyes. Or maybe because I was not feeling fine. And, after some minutes, I see everything. Feeling pain in my chest, I forced myself to sit up and leaned my back on the wall.        “Why did you save her?” V

    Isobel POV          Coughing out of the dream, I found myself back in the prison. Amara hurried to me. And I saw gladness in her face that I woke up. And then the voice spoke in my head, “Isobel, go to the water. Go to the sea.”          “I thought you have died,” Amara said, “I’m glad you are alive.” She hugged me, washing my neck with her tears.          I wrapped my arms around her, and I feel her heart pounding up and down. She looked into my eyes. “Isobel, we have to find a way out of here. He said he would come back and sacrifice your blood to a god. Isobel, is it true? Did he sacrifice girls to a god?”          “Yes,” I said, “to a mermaid of two tails and her children.”          She gasped. “Oh, my god. We have to leave, Isobel, we have to leave right now.” Sh

    On the bed that night, I laid down beside snoring Helen, staring at the ceiling. And the voice of my power speaks to my ears, “Isobel, go to the water. Go to the sea”.          Fear danced within me as I realized I might die if I didn’t get into the sea on time. If I don’t obey the voice, and then I hate the way my power was under Melusine’s. I looked at Helen; she is nice and friendly, but doesn’t want me to go anywhere.          She taught me everything, how to hold a spoon normally, and how to drink without pouring it down on my clothes. Had given her a lot of stress during the day, and now she is snoring.          Staring at the serene ceiling, I thought of Arthur and his kiss. And his love swirled within me. I missed him and I know he would, too. My eyes filled as I remember the day I sat in the lier boat when his eyes held mine, but he didn’t

    I woke up as Vivian mentioned my nickname. She put on a black coat, slacks, shoes, with her black rifle in her hand. All she wore was black except for her grainy hair and red eyes. She had wept throughout the night. I guessed.        “Jack, we should be quick,” Vivian said. “Chris Drake walked under the CCTV cameras we trapped in Maryland.”        “When?” I asked.        “Just now.”        I glanced at the girl on the bed. She was still breathing. And I wished she should open her eyes and tell me who she was.        “Let’s move,” she said.        “Where he is?”        “Jack, you don’t want to leave