Ocean's Edge Aquarium

The metal door groaned as it opened. My Master entered the room behind the thick glass that separated us. I swam towards him and pressed my hand parallel against his. My usual platter of fresh meat dropped into the water from above. Luckily the food was no longer a fight; since my brothers and sisters had been relocated. I swam gracefully toward a chunk of flesh and sank my teeth into it. This batch tasted different. It left a strong metallic taste in my mouth. A smile grew across my Master's narrow face as he peered down at his clipboard, checking off a list and jotting down some notes. Master told me it was almost time for me to be reunited with my siblings and that they were waiting for me. He said to me through his study that I would change the world. I soon finished my meal, and Master gave me his routine nod before leaving.

The following day arrived, and I was more tired than usual. I peered at the clock on the stark white wall outside the tank; Master hadn't made his regular rounds. No wonder I was exhausted; I hadn't eaten yet. I circled my empty environment, my stomach growling. No Master. No food. Something wasn't right. I swam to my reflection, gazed at my pale, transparent skin, and ran my fingers through my auburn hair that flowed elegantly through the water.

Suddenly the door slammed open, and a giant net lowered into my tank. A bunch of men charged into Master's room as they yelled to the men above with a massive net; to capture me. I tried to avoid being caught, but there was no escape. I wrestled against the mesh, but the men were too strong. Who were these people, and where was my Master?

My body thumped against the cold floor as I flicked my tail fin viciously. I gasped for air as I fought to get back into the water. The men tried to restrain me, but I broke free from the net.

I dragged myself along the tiles towards another tank nearby and plunged into it. I thrashed violently before being pulled out of the acidic water. A wave of regret instantly overcame me; the water stung my eyes and burnt my skin. I was now wounded and stuck with strangers trying to kill me.

I screamed out, "Master! Help me!" as the room went quiet, one of the men exclaimed, "She can talk! Mermaids can talk!" I felt disorientated, and suddenly, everything went black.

I gasped in fresh, salt water as I noticed I was floating in a new tank. This one was larger than my old one. This one had plants and decorative ornaments everywhere. The view outside the glass was different too. People of all ages gathered around me, pointing at me, their faces full of surprise and excitement. Could this have been what Master had planned for me? Was this my new home? Where were my siblings? My mind jumped through all the possibilities. A voice then answered my questions from over the intercom.

"And here we have one of the last real-life Mermaids. She was recently rescued from a Mermaid culling corporation. The man in charge of the business has been arrested, and the company has been shut down. It was found that the corporation was responsible for torturing over a dozen precious mermaids. So here at Ocean's Edge Aquarium, we believe in preserving our gorgeous mythical sea creatures."

My heart sank as reality set it. I realized I wasn't anything other than an experiment. My stomach tied itself in knots as I faced the harsh reality that I wouldn't be reunited with my siblings after all. I felt utterly alone. I peered around my new domain, which was beautiful, but my reality had become a nightmare. A beautifully decorated nightmare.