‘What’s your name?’ Mrs. Jones asked. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t ask earlier. I wanted you to get inside first.’
‘P-Pearl—’ Her tongue stuck on the last part.
‘I haven’t seen you around these parts before, Pearl,’ Mrs. Jones said, cutting her off.
The shortened version of her name sounded both pleasant and strange. Pearl. Pearl lifted the muffin from the plate, not meeting the human’s eyes. Mrs. Jones had cut it in half, and there was a yellow sheen to the cut side.
Her new name gave her a temporary life on land.
‘I’m visiting,’ Pearl said before stuffing her mouth with the muffin.
‘With who?’ Mrs. Jones asked.
Pearl’s eyes flashed.
‘Reason I ask is that The Burrow is a small town. Most of us know each other. Visitors don’t come into town much during the off-season without us noticing.’
Pearl didn’t like the way Mrs. Jones’s gaze raked over her face as if memorizing each detail. She looked down at the hard, circular dish in front of her and took another bite of the muffin. It soured against her tongue.
Mrs. Jones stared at Pearl as if she were waiting for more of an explanation. It was hard enough for Pearl to communicate with her mouth instead of her mind. This human had given her food and clothing. She owed her something in trade. Answers, false truths, would be enough.
‘I’m traveling alone,’ Pearl said.
‘How did you end up naked in the water?’ Mrs. Jones asked.
Pearl remembered the boats and the sunken ones throughout her travels under water.
‘My boat broke.’
‘Your boat sunk?’
Pearl nodded. ‘I don’t have anything left.’
Mrs. Jones leaned forward, touching Pearl’s arm. The older female’s eyes swam with liquid. ‘Honey, that’s terrible.’
‘I’m a good swimmer,’ Pearl said.
‘It’s great to have a positive outlook in the wake of such a tragedy.’
Pearl wasn’t sure where the change of attitude from the human came from, but a swell of lightness moved through her. Mrs. Jones seemed satisfied with Pearl’s story. Pearl pinched a crumb from the plate and popped it in her mouth. Usually, she ate many fish at a time during her meals, sometimes close to a dozen. Eventually, she would need more food but didn’t want to stay too long with Mrs. Jones. Pearl had no desire to take this human after she’d offered such kindness. There were plenty of humans in town. She’d choose one of them.
‘Did you graduate school? You look to be around my daughter’s age.’
Pearl nodded, having no idea why Mrs. Jones knew anything about schools of fish. Maybe it was her proximity to the ocean.
‘What are your plans for the future?’ Mrs. Jones asked.
Drown a human. Return home. She couldn’t say those things. Instead, Pearl shrugged.
‘Are you working?’
Pearl shook her head. ‘Those from my home value family above everything else.’
‘You’re close with your family?’
‘My sister,’ Pearl said.
‘I think you all are too young to decide big life choices at this age. There’s an entire world of possibilities out there, and this time is perfect for exploring and finding yourself. School wasn’t a possibility for me, but I did find this place and am happy to call it home. I met the love of my life here. God rest his soul. I’ve never looked back. Family is important, but sometimes you need to find it for yourself.’
Pearl sensed Mrs. Jones would continue to ask questions she had no clue how to answer. A crawling sensation, like coral brushing against her, snaked down her arms. ‘I should go.’
‘Not yet,’ Mrs. Jones said, standing. ‘Let me give you a few things. It’s the least I can do for allowing an old woman to take up your time.’
Pearl followed the human into a different room, farthest from the entrance. A bright color, unlike anything she’d ever seen, covered the walls. Mrs. Jones moved around, digging her hands into compartments, pulling out more items of clothing. ‘This should last you a few days.’ She hid them inside a bag and handed it over to Pearl. The two straps looked complicated, so she held one of them and allowed the bag to bump against her leg.
‘Let me get you some food and water. You probably need some money too.’
‘Money,’ Pearl said, sounding out the word. It was what humans used to trade for things. She’d heard about it from the females in previous ceremonies, who said it would get Pearl whatever she wanted but that it was hard to come by. How fortunate for her that this human wanted to help.
‘I can give you a little to get you by until you contact your family. I’m afraid I don’t have much to spare. I’m trying to help Monique with her bills when I can.’
Pearl followed the human back into the room where she’d eaten. Mrs. Jones pressed the crinkly green items against Pearl’s hand. She stuffed the money into the bag.
‘Don’t worry about the clothes,’ Mrs. Jones said. ‘Bring them by when you get situated.’
Her suspicions of humans seemed unreasonable in the presence of Mrs. Jones. The human wanted to help her succeed, at least while she thought Pearl was the same species. ‘I appreciate this.’
‘It’s the neighborly thing to do,’ Mrs. Jones said, handing her the same outer layer as when she came out of the water. ‘You can take the coat too. Do you need a ride somewhere? I don’t drive, but I can call someone.’
As much as Pearl wanted to meet a possible victim, she had to be discreet. Mrs. Jones would know it was Pearl if her friend disappeared soon after. ‘I can walk.’
‘Enjoy your time here,’ Mrs. Jones said.
Pearl left the room, tracing her steps out of the house. She burst through the door, grateful for the fresh ocean air filling her. A biting chill made Pearl wrap her arms over her chest. She needed to find shelter before the sky light dipped over the horizon. The darkness brought cooler air, and she already had more than enough experience with it.
Distancing herself from the water added weight to her feet. The pull toward her home was much stronger than she realized, but she grabbed whatever strength she had to push through. There were too many humans near the docks, so there wasn’t a way to avoid detection if she took someone under. Then, a plan started to form in her mind. She’d acclimate herself with the town and then tomorrow she’d hunt.
A
