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I awoke that bright summer morning with a wide grin. Today we're going to the beach I happily thought to myself. I jumped out of bed and threw on my pink and white polka dot bikini. I pulled my shorts on over my bathing suit and skipped down the stairs into the living room. The horn of my dad's car greeted me as I arrived and I ran into the car, excited and full of glee.

"Did you get your towel?" My dad asked.

"Yup." I replied quickly, eager to get going.

"Sunscreen?"

"Yup."

"Bathing suit?"

"Yes dad! I have everything! Can we please hurry?" I was impatient and could not wait any more.

"Ok, ok! It's not like the beach is going to disappear..." he mumbled quietly to himself. He pulled out of the drive way and we cruised down the road towards the beach. I rolled down my window and could smell the sea salt and dried seaweed already. After a 15 minute drive, we arrived. I grabbed all my stuff and jumped out of the car, running toward open sand.

"Fran! Fran, come back here! We still need to get the rest of the stuff!" my dad's voice was distant, all I could hear was the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks. I laid my towel on the soft white sand and put my shorts ontop. I sprinted towards the cold water, too excited to care about the rest of my stuff. Far off shore a Marine Biologist Research boat rocked hazardly on the waves.

"Sherman! Sherman! Hurry and get on the lifeboat!" yelled a tall bearded man in a yellow jump suit.

"But Captain, what about the specimen?" Sherman yelled back across the sound of the waves.

"I'll take car of it! Just go!"

"But Captain!"

"I said GO!"

The Captain shoved Sherman into the lifeboat and pulled the ropes, casting Sherman to sea. The waves carried Sherman far from the boat before he could save the Captain. As the lifeboat drifted farther and farther away, a bright green flash appeared where the ship had just been a few seconds ago. Sherman's eyes widened and he whispered softly, "Captain..."

Suddenly something yellow green jumped out of the water, only 20 feet away from the lifeboat.

"The specimen!" Sherman screeched, "I can't let it get to shore!"

Sherman attempted to use his hands as a paddle to try to get close to the specimen, but the waves were too strong, and his hands were too weak. The specimen appeared again, this time 50 feet from the life boat and quickly fading towards the shore.

"NOOOOOO!" yelled Sherman hopelessly.

Back at the shoreline, I splashed and gleefully swam through the water. Front stroke, back stroke, breast stroke, butterflies, I could do them all! I stood up and waved happily to my father, who was miserably putting the umbrella up by himself. I giggled lightly and continued to swim. Suddenly some one screamed to my left. An older woman was screaming and screeching frantically while pointing to the water. Her eyes became huge when she turned and ran for it. I became scared. I couldn't see what was under the water. What if it was a shark? Or a jelly fish?

"No, it couldn't be.." I said to myself, "It's too cold for sharks, and the jelly fish don't come around until spring.."

I shook my head and continued to swim. When suddenly something smooth and scaly brushed up against my leg. I screamed and looked into the water. All I saw was my reflection.

"It couldn't have been... No it can't be. It was probably just some seaweed. Yeah, just seaweed."

I continued to swim, but more cautiously this time. Then I felt it again, but it was harder and rougher. I fell backwards from the force of the thing. It grabbed my arm and pulled me out towards the current. I couldn't scream, I couldn't breathe! I was choking on water. The thing sank it's sharp teeth into my arm. I tried to scream but more water entered my mouth. I could taste my blood in the water. I felt nauseous. Finally the thing let go and swam away. I could hear people screaming and I floated towards the top of the water.

I awoke to the sound of beeping and whispers. A bright light was shining over my face. I could see the outlines of people I didn't recognize, moving and shifting from either side of me. Examining me like some weird specimen.

"She's awake doctor." said a young man to my left.

"Yes, I realized that. Give her some more doses, that will put her back to sleep." he replied monotonously. At that I felt a needle slide into my right arm. I tried to lift my head, but I couldn't move. My eyes hazed and I fell back asleep.

I woke up again, this time surrounded by my family and a few nurses. Their eyes were wet and looked like they had been sobbing for hours.

"Mom..? Dad..? What...What am I doing here..?" I heard gasps and a few sighs as I finally spoke.

"Oh my love, you're ok!" She rushed over to hug me but before she did a disgusted look came over her face and she didn't touch me.

"What's wrong mom?" My voice shook as I spoke. I was afraid of what might have happened. Was my arm cut off after that bite? What was wrong with me? I lost my train of thought as a doctor came in. He was tall and dark and looked very suspicious. I stared at him cautiously as he came closer to me. He took out a stethoscope and felt my heart beat. The stethoscope felt warm against my skin. How odd... I thought to myself. Then he raised my arm to feel my temperature. I screamed and pulled it away from him. I looked closer at it, just to make sure my eyes didn't deceive me. No, they were correct...My arm was covered in SCALES.

"What-What's wrong with me...?! Why do I have scales?!" I looked frantically across the room, my dad was holding my sobbing mother, and my sister was afraid to look at me.

"Why didn't you say anything when I woke up? What happened to me? My life is RUINED!" I screeched. I tried to get out of the bed but the nurses quickly rushed towards me and held me down. I screamed and howled for them to let go. The doctor pulled out a long needle full of green liquid. A nurse held my arm still while I kicked and screamed. He stuck it into my arm and I almost instantly fell asleep. Before my eyes completely closed, I saw my mother sobbing more. My eyes shed a tear as I dozed into a deep trance.

It began with me spiraling downward into a black abyss. I crash landed at the beach, it was bright and sunny. I started running into the water. Before I touched the ocean, it turned black and grew in size. It had sharp white teeth and bright yellow eyes. It devoured me whole. I was floating inside the belly of the beast. It felt like I was weightless, like I was swimming again. I was fast and agile. The void suddenly began to change colors. It's blackness quickly fading into a marine blue. I was under the water! I swam through the clear blue water like scissors cutting paper. Smooth and elegantly. At that I woke up from the dream. I looked around the room. It was dark, the lights in the hallway were dim. I pulled the covers off me, and began to walk towards the door. I have to get out of here, I thought to myself, I have to test my powers.. I checked if the coast was clear. It was empty, and eerily silent. I walked cautiously, speeding up when I heard voices. I turned left and right, searching for the exit. I bright green light shone, pointing forward, toward the sliding glass doors. I looked all around me, the hallways were still empty. With a sudden burst of energy, I ran for the door.

"STOP!" screamed a nurse that had just noticed the blur of scales pass before her, "You can't leave yet! COME BACK HERE!" she screamed for help and ran after me, but I was too fast. I reached the street long before she even had time to exit the building. I stopped for a few seconds and smelled the air. The scent sea salt is not far.. I thought to myself, I just need to stay on the right scent, then I'll be home at last... I sprinted towards the smell of the ocean. The scent grew stronger and stronger when I finally reached the shoreline. I could her the ambulance and police cars sirens wailing in the night, searching desperately for their patient. Without hesitation I dove into the water. I swam quickly farther out to sea. I want to know what bit me... Is it still out there? How did it change me? The questions clouded my mind from what I was really searching for, what I could do with my powers.

"I wish I could call someone for help," I thought aloud, "Wait.. I can speak underwater..? And if I can speak.. That means... I CAN BREATHE!" I quickly drew in a fresh breathe of ocean water. "You know, maybe this power isn't so bad.." I smiled happily and continued to swim. After 10 minutes of swimming in open water, I approached a sunken ship. I was quite intrigued, so I decided to investigate.

"Maybe that monster is in here.." I said curiously. I swam though the doorway, and was followed by an unpleasant surprise. A shark appeared from the darkness. It's black beady eyes stared at me. It gave me a devious smile, it's rows of teeth seemed to grow bigger as the shark drifted closer to me. I started to slowly back myself out of the ship, but the shark had noticed. He instinctively dove after me, blood thirsty. I screamed and swam as fast as I could away from the shark. The shark swam fast towards me.

"What do I do?! What do I do?! Some one! HEEEEELLLLLLPPP!!" I screeched through the water but I knew no one could hear me. The shark was closing in on me, and fast. I needed to get it caught or captured in something before I became shark bait. My arms and legs were starting to tire from swimming so fast. I turned around only to be greeted by the sharks open mouth. I screamed again and tried my hardest to swim faster. I saw I small reef with a few holes just big enough for me to fit in. I quickly swam towards there, but the shark was closing in on me. I had almost no time left. I screamed as his rows of teeth began to come down on my foot, blood began to float effortlessly in the water. But it wasn't my blood, I hadn't been hurt yet. I turned around to see what had happened. An army of dolphins had come to my rescue! They head butted and tail slapped the shark until he couldn't take any more and swam away. I stared in wide eyed shock of it all. How did they know I was in danger? I was so amazed I was speechless. I bowed my head and said,

"Thank you so much, for saving my life." The dolphins squeaked and clicked and swam away. One bowed it's head before it left.

"Wow.. This is great! Wait til I tell Mom and Dad!" I said excitingly. Then my face turned grim. I could never see Mom and Dad again. They belonged on land, and I.. Well, I belonged underwater. I swam slowly up to the surface, looking towards the bright city lights. I longed to go back, but I loved being in the sea.

"Plus, I could never go back. Not like this.." I said mournfully. I would never be accepted on land, so it was better off for me at sea. I ducked my head back under water and swam toward the open ocean. It was time to start a new life.