The Invasion

29 | Hope

Rey and I were in the same grade, but only shared one class together last year—Physics. I remember exchanging brief words with him a few times. Because he was often teased for being a science geek, he was always slinking off to the back of the room, or taking his lunch somewhere else to find his own space. He's someone who is super quiet and never gets attention.

Now that people are shooting him questions, he's out of his shell and the focus of attention.

Maddie explains to us that Rey's father is working in the military. He, along with another teacher, had gone to his home to retrieve a radio telephone which has a signal that travels over long distances. He had received it on one of his birthdays and never used it often, until now.

Apparently, it works.

They have contacted his father, who works in the military and assures us that help is on the way. The glimmer of hope spurs us on to prepare us for the nights ahead. Everybody hits the gym showers or runs home, hoping to use the remaining daylight hours to find their families. However, they are told to travel in pairs and regroup back in school before the sun sets. If not, they should stay locked indoors when night falls.

Three days. Three teachers. Seventeen students. All we've to do now is to survive for three days on our own. At least we've a merfolk on our side.

In the art studio, I carry one of the school's old banners that I've found in the cabinet and spread it across the table. Flipping it onto the white, unprinted side, I dip a paintbrush in red and draw across it.

S. O. S.

I feel the urge to move and make myself useful. To fight for my survival. To find a way out of this madness.

As for Zarius, he's always following me around. He stares at my work and I don't miss the way his nose sniffs once in the air.

"What are you doing? Is that...blood?" He grabs my wrists and draws me towards him, checking for visible wounds. "But it does not smell like your scent. It is rather foul-smelling."

"It's not mine. It's just paint." I show him by holding up the midsection of the banner and blowing on it to dry the paint. "I thought that if a rescue party is coming, we ought to make a sign for them to locate us. Something that's easily seen. If this can also inform other survivors out there that we're all alive here, they might join us. It's killing two birds with a stone."

He nods in agreement. "Good plan. But where are you putting this?"

"Back on the wall on the highest floor of this building. I'll need your help."

"And I'll gladly offer it."

He sounds so sincere, so accommodating, that I can't help but feel indebted to him for many things that he has done for me. "Zarius. Aren't I holding you back from your...search?"

He steps closer to me and lifts my chin, quickening my heart pulse. "Look at me," he tells me, and I do. His bright aquamarine eyes capture mine, and I can't look away. "You're most definitely not. I'm here because I want to. I'm not leaving without you."

He wants to take me and Mom back to the merfolk society. Away from the humans.

I swallow hard. "What if–"

What if I don't want to leave? What if I want to stay with the humans? With Maddie?

I drop the subject. Looking away, I gather the biggest white papers I can find and scribble words on it with a red marker. For these, I'm intending to stick them up at the storefronts or lamp poles the next time we head out to the streets.

For the entire time, I can feel Zarius's confused gaze glue to my face, clearly wondering what is wrong with me. I continue working just to avoid his gaze, and thankfully, he doesn't question me either.