Jen looked around at all the mermaids in the water as numerous firetrucks began to pull up. It seemed that out of the 100-or so people on the beach, she and 6 others had inexplicably turned into mermaids. It was pretty clear from the crying 16 year old and the mother hugging her child in the water and telling him it was going to be OK that no one was enjoying it.
The medics rolled up with tubs to wheel the mermaids into the ambulances, and were wheeled off one by one.
The doctors then proceeded to do tests on Jen but couldn't conclusively find what caused the transformation, besides the fact that her DNA had changed. This was the most unsettling detail to Jen. She knew the doctors wouldn't say it out loud, but she had turned into a mermaid for good, and would probably need to live in water for the rest of her life. For now, the 7 mermaids were put into an aquarium tank. Jen was one of the first ones in but soon the others followed.
A week passed and no progress came on the test results. It was clear that everyone had lost all hope of ever returning to their old life. It was especially heartbreaking to watch that mother talk to her child every day from inside the tank and assure him that everything was going to be okay, especially since when he left she was constantly worried about how she would never be able to take care of him.
Jen's friends visited her daily as well, sometimes just talking story with her, trying to beat around the issue. She knew they didn't want to make her more aware of her situation. However, one day Jen was surprised to see her mother visit.
"Oh god..." Jen's mother gasped, "I heard all about it but seeing this in person is just...honey, are you alright?"
This was the last thing on earth Jen wanted to hear. Of course she wasn't alright, she had been swimming at the beach one minute and now she was a mermaid who needed to live inside of this tank just to live. She had no idea how she would live when she got out or what she could even do with her life. The fact that people looked at her as some sort of creature didn't help at all, because she knew that's what she had become; a creature.
"I think...I don't know..." Jen replied, "It's looking like I'm going to be a mermaid forever and I just don't know what to do..."
"Honey, remember that no matter what happens, you're still my daughter and I still love you"
"Thanks mom" Jen smiled, "I'm sorry you had to see me like this...Not exactly what I had planned after not seeing you for 3 years", Jen said.
"Don't be sorry" Her mother smiled back.