Ocean's Gift by Carlton Demelza

Author:Carlton, Demelza
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, contemporary, chocolate, fishing, paranormal fantasy, ice cream, shipwreck, finfolk, beer and boobs, cursed islands australia, mermaids real, sexy siren, water song
Publisher: Demelza Carlton

41. Belinda

I entered Vanessa’s house to wash the soiled clothing with her washing machine. She paid little attention to my presence, her eyes on the small computer screen. The coloured light from it shimmered like sunlight on shell.

I started a washing cycle for the clothing and returned to the kitchen, where Vanessa did not appear to have moved. I looked at her clam-like computer with distaste. “You spend too much time with that machine. It has been more than a week and you have not left the house, not even to accompany us fishing. I have seen the young human fisherman knock at your door, only to receive no answer. Are you well?”

Vanessa did not move and continued staring intently at the screen. I noticed two small wires running from the side of the computer into her hair. I pulled on the wires and two small, round end pieces dropped into her lap. Now she noticed my presence.

“I am sorry. There is so much information here, but a great deal of it is useless. I am trying to make sense of it, to find what is valuable.” She rubbed her eyes, looking weary.

I shook my head. “You must also sleep.”

She smiled, but she did not look happy. “I am almost finished. I have reviewed thousands of journal articles, newspapers and reports. Very few have noticed the changes we have seen to the ocean’s floor. One sees the warmer water temperatures, flowing down this coast, but not the cause. One sees disasters in earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunami, but the focus is on the effect on humans. Several look at changing fish populations and species of birds that eat fish, describing decreasing numbers, but not the reason why. The humans lack perspective.”

I asked the burning question. “We approach our fishing quota. Do you feel that we have all the information we can yet obtain from the humans?”

She gave a very human sigh. “No, I think I must speak to some of the researchers from Fisheries when they are here. I have questions which they may be able to answer. Alternatively, they may need to return to their homes to provide further information. I think we can plan to return to the deeps in less than two weeks. It will be good to swim again. How long have I been working? When will the Fisheries researchers be here?”

I frowned. Was this a sign of her advanced age? “You have been working for a solid week, so the researchers will speak tomorrow, but I have told you this already. What are these, and why did you not hear me when I came in?” I held the wire up, the round end pieces dangling before her face.

“They are earphones, for music. I developed a taste for it when I studied amongst humans. I have found a new human musical group that did not exist when I was on land before. It is called something about a Machine. Here. Does this not sound like drifting beneath

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