The Mermaid Call by Alex Cotter

Author:Alex Cotter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Published: 2022-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Stop the Mermaid Crown

I glanced around sharply until – sigh of relief – it was only the stone head of the Lake Mermaid, looming over us. My feet numb and cold, I started to lead us out of the water, preparing for more tutting. Instead, I heard a surprised:

“Vivien?”

My heart skittered at my name – almost dropping the jewel in the water – before I saw who it was.

“Eleni?”

“What on earth are you doing in the fountain?” She was staring with open-mouthed bafflement at me and Alice standing ankle-deep in water. Behind her, I could see the Mighty Protestors crowding into the grotto. All-hail-Hero in the lead flanked by her trendy friends: Khalil, lashes thick with mascara; Emma with the diamanté eye patch; Jadon and his nose stud; Skye with blue-tipped braids.

It was Thursday. I’d completely forgotten. That video Eleni had sent me; the Stop the Mermaid Crown action was starting today.

“You shouldn’t be in there, Vivien!” Eleni placed one hand on her hip, like she was Sensible Grown-up and I was a toddler caught with my hands covered in cake. Rebellious Viv deflated like a month-old balloon. I noticed she had on a new purple puffer jacket (similar to Hero’s), that same pin-badge on her chest: STOP the Mermaid Crown! (like Hero); a tiny plait in her fringe (Hero). It was like they were in some tribe together. My stomach made its own small plait, parcel tight.

“Have you been getting my messages?”

I flicked my hand to cover yes or no so I didn’t have to admit I’d been ignoring her.

“Hey, are you stealing the coins?!” One of the boys, Jadon, was pointing at us.

“We’re not,” I said falteringly, before I glimpsed Alice, her hands bunched full of coins.

Unfazed, she began dropping the coins back in the water with a slow, mutinous plop-plop sound that matched her expression. “If you must know, we’re following a trail to the Lake Mermaid!”

There was a chorus of sneers and sniggers, a few sarky whispers, before the group started to scatter. They were distributing small fliers across the grotto, on the Mermaid Throne and the stone window ledge, sticking them rolled up into the mouths of the larger shells.

I noticed Eleni had a stack clutched in her hand. Her brow was furrowing. “Really? You believe in mermaids now?” Sensible Grown-up.

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. How many times had Eleni and I belittled the mermaid stories? Mocked the snap-happy tourists eagerly taking pictures of jumping fish or a patch of scaly sunlight?

Alice was staring at me too, incredulous in a different way. Kindred spirit. I couldn’t let her down.

“I do,” I said with an alien firmness. Viv the Great Pretender – here to lure back tourists, save Enchanted Tails and bring Mum home.

Eleni blinked, like she didn’t recognise that Vivien. Well, good. I was changing. New me had a beautiful new friend and lots of “likes”; new me was getting noticed by Mum. I tightened my grip on the green jewel in my hand, its sharp edges piercing my palm, just like the key to Stella’s room.

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