Chasing Tide (A Merman's Tale And The Human Who Desired Him)

HIS MERMAN.

Chapter: 35.
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"Why are you helping him?" One asked.

"None of your business." He fired back.

"Your funeral, man!" Another hissed.

"Where are your parents?!" He demanded but they ran away before he looked up. Seething he hissed and went back to dragging the man out. "Dumb kids..." He grunted under his breath. Finally pulling the man out and now in open view, Alexander gawked, with bulging eyes, he paused and stumbled backward at the sight that greeted him.

There was no way this was a man in costume, he just didn't know how to place it but what costume could be so perfectly etched into the body like a second skin? He had openings on both sides of his ribs and his neck. Fins lined nearly half of both his slender arms and another stretched along his back. His fingers were long with claw-like nails and they seemed to be merged by fins of some sort. He could see the gills on both sides of his neck expand and close with each rough breath it let out.

Like a fish out of water and dying?!

Quickly, he yanked the strange creature forward after looking around to be certain he was all alone and the only one seeing this. Pulling the creature towards the waves. He laid him down and watched the water brush over the creature and it seemed to flap its tail at first brush. Alexander jumped back in shock as he realized just how huge that tail was. It could do some great damage if he were to be hit by it.

Stepping back a little he watched the creature intently, hoping it would roll over and swim away but none of that happened.

Maybe it was just a man in a costume after all but that was impossible, he could feel it. This was no costume.

The creature lay still, as still as a dead fish. It worried him but he was certain he was still alive.

Maybe hurt.

Did he break his tail?

If he learned anything from the many fairy tales he read to his daughter is that Mermaids hate deep-sea fishing nets but most especially anchors as they seem to always trap them and break their tails and then they wouldn't be able to swim so maybe this one met with an anchor. His eyes scanned the long tail to the tip. He saw bruises but they looked like struggling bite marks from other sea creatures, it has to be bite marks for certain but they didn't look so severe that he couldn't swim.

The tail rolled over and then made a big splash as it connected with the next wave and this time Alexander fell on his butt into the wet sands.

Perfect!

He rolled his eyes, now his shorts are soaking wet. He waited to see if he would swim away that time but it didn't and so he got up and began to study the creature closely for the second time. Taking in the outline of his tail and impossibly long hair. He couldn't leave him here. No way. If those kids came back and saw now what they had thought was a drunk man truly is, they could kill the creature. Looking around once again, he began to pull his shirt off, a good thing it was oversized, he wore the material around the creature's neck concealing most of the evidence to show he might not just be a man in costumes, and then proceeded to lift him. It was not an easy task.

Suddenly feeling glad he brought his truck even though he felt it was useless since his apartment was just a stone's throw away from the beach. He felt it had been parked for a long time and he needed to drive it around a bit but now it will be helping a lot.

While he walked down the beach with the creature in his hand's bridal style, people ogled at them, some whistled as he walked by while others wanted a closer look but he would challenge them with a glare so none dared get close to touch or ask questions knowing they would all think the same as the dumb kids from earlier.

Just two men cosplaying.

One man dared yell out... "Nice costume, man!"

Soon he began to drip from sweating profusely while panting breathlessly. It wasn't exactly an easy walk as the creature was heavy, with an excessively long tail dragging behind and hair as long as the tail, Alexander had to put extra caution to make sure he didn't step on the wayward hair. Getting to his truck he opened and laid the creature comfortably in his back seat. The tail wouldn't go in and each time he shoved it in, it would fall back out before he could shut the door and his truck suddenly looked so small for the giant creature.

Just how long is this thing?!

His hands were getting weaker from lifting and shoving the tail. "Please, fold your tail in..." he muttered under his breath and as if the creature heard, once he had tucked the tail in again it stayed folded and he was able to shut the door.

About to jump into the driver's seat he paused. "I wonder if the bathwater at home would do..." he stood with his back pressed against his door. "It's not the same as seawater..." he thought with a shake of his head. "Alex, you stupid man, you are about taking something that could be dangerous into your home and all you're worried about is the water at home?!" He shook his head and chuckled at his own scolding. "Well...he's already in the truck and could be dying from staying out of water too long so might as well..." peeking into the windows he saw the still-sleeping creature. He was gorgeous. "Is this even real?" He whispered. "A real-life Merman, in my fucking truck!" He smiled. "Allison would go nuts!" She loves Mermaid stories, she had even made him dress up as one once. He's got to get this thing home. Remembering he had something that could carry water in the back of his truck, he made a quick turn to the back of the truck to grab the water cans then proceeded down the beach.

Whatever reason drove his motives he couldn't tell.

Did he even remember he was supposed to be at work?

That was a big no.

All that mattered to him was getting that creature home and soaking in his bathtub.

The rest comes after.

Easton would kill him!

That is if the creature didn't eat him when he woke up!

Then Easton would have a piece left to re-kill when he comes.

One way or the other, Alexander was certain he was going to die.

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