” Got you! ”
Mia swam behind it and tackled it without notice.
The weird little squirms were what Mia thought were his giggles.
” How have you been? I have missed you! ”
Mia squeezed him hard. He too held Mia’s hand back.
” My son is born you know. You and Anjana will no longer need to live in fear. The queen too loves him so much. I had not anticipated he would have had that kind of an effect on them. ”
Mia could not help but share the news of hope with the little one. But the mention of the queen immediately made him reel. Reel back in fear.
” Don’t be scared. Little one. Don’t be scared. Trust me. I saw her take care of my son with with my own eyes. I understand how desperation might have driven them. But now they too can see past the gloomy situation. ”
Mia tried to cheer the poor thing up a little. But it seemed way too scared just by the mere mention of the queens name.
” Never mind. Never mind. I have something important to ask of you. Do you remember the place you took me to the last time? ”
It nodded. Then held Mia’s hands.
She distinctly saw herself in the Land of the Lakes. Her Lin. Running at her at full speed. It filled her eyes. Never had she guessed the direction her life would take from that time. It was not very long ago, but it already seemed like distant dream.
Mia opened her eyes.
” No.
No. Not that place. The other place we went from there. The Tree of knowledge. The place where it is. I mean the spot you left me at. ”
The mer-boy nodded.
” Alright. Let’s go then. ”
Mia extended her hand.
The last time Mia was not able to take in much of her underwater travel experience. This time around, it felt much more natural. Like walking and running.
She could distinctly see and feel the different currents. Their colour gradients. Changing temperature and textures. Mia could also catch glimpse of the different water plants and creatures. It felt unreal. She ahd been in the water many, many times. But it seemed like living in the mer-world had awakened some dormant instincts and reflexes. The navigation became easier. So did her observations.
The mer-world boy pulled her faster. Suddenly it left her hand after sometimes.
Mia’s thought had shifted to the fact that this was the last time she was seeing all these. She would not be able to even talk about this with her Lin or her child.
The creature must have sensed that.
Mia became cautious.
” Nothing. It’s nothing. It’s just sadness because I left my newborn behind. ”
Mia pulled her hand away from him. He was looking at her suspiciously as she tried masking her heartbreak with a smile.
” Come on. Let’s keep moving. You lead the way. I think I will be able to follow you this time. ”
Mia didn’t want to risk the little guy know that she was leaving. Probably forever. He was cleaver. If he knew he might never take her there.
The boy lead the way as Mia swam hard to keep her pace. They covered myriad waters.
Of different colours and hues. They fostered different lives and also each had a different taste and smell.
They swam like what seemed like hours before finally the mer-boy popped his head out and showed Mia the way.
It was the same place he had left her at before.
Mia sighed. She was finally there.
The place had not changed even a speck
Mia turned towards the mer-boy and gave him a little goodbye hug.
He immediately read through Mia’s mind.
He tried pulling Mia back into the water. Mia moved swiftly past.
It looked at Mia with pleading eyes. As of it wanted to tell her something.
Mia watched him struggle, trying to get out.
” Stop.
You don’t have to do that. I have to go. I really have to. This is my only chance to stop the effect of the curse. Once and for all. So that everyone can live freely after that. My boy, my families. You too. You are my family as well. I can’t keep letting you die in the merciless cycle of fate. If the grudge of my uncle Jin can be suppressed, my boy can live. If my boy gets to live, it’s hope for all my mer-people. They can keep loving without having to kill their own kind. Go back. Go back to the streams now.
And when things settle, please go visit my boy. He would like to have someone like you to play along by his side. You will go. Wouldn’t you? “.
Mia asked him, still standing far apart.
The boy seemed like he was very, very distraught. He looked desperate to grab her and pull her back. He seemed like he was blaming himself for helping her get there.
He didn’t answer Mia’s question but kept pleading with his puppy eyes.
” I am sorry. I can’t go back. ”
Mia spared one last look at the poor thing, before darting off towards her destination.
Mia thought she heard a little rumbling noise from the behind.
She involuntarily looked back.
The boy was holding his neck and grappling himself.
Mia knew he could not talk.
But his struggle was making him emit weird sounds. Articulating noises. Mia stopped. Then watched in wonder.
Her jaws dropped open. She was touched by his sheer determination.
” Stop. I said stop. You don’t need to do that. I won’t be coming back. ”
She tried once last time before stepping inside the realm of the Tree of Knowledge.
Just then the mer-boy spew a few sounds. When put together it was something on the line –
Q–ee–n , k–i–ll , b–o–y.
But Mia was already gone inside the other realm by the time her ears heard what he was trying so hard to say.