"I don't know, go to the store and find out how to reverse the effects of the ointment?" Sarah said.
"Sarah, this is serious", Alyssa said, "I'm going to call you an ambulance, I don't want to waste any time if there's a way to change you back".
"No!" Sarah yelled, she wasn't ready to be shown to the world, not like this.
The truth is, Sarah knew that calling an ambulance was the best idea, she was just afraid. She was afraid the doctor would confirm the feeling deep down inside her, the feeling that this change was permanent and that she would have to figure out how to live with a fish tail.
Sarah jumped out of the tub trying to stop her best friend, but she didn't get very far. In her current state she wasn't getting anywhere oh land. Defeated, she climbed back into the tub. When Alyssa got off the phone, she tried to comfort her friend, saying it was going to be all right, but Sarah knew better. She couldn't even get two feet away from the tub with her new body. Overnight, she had turned into a creature that was made for water. What would people think when they saw her?
When the EMT's rolled into the apartment they had a look of astonishment as they were greeted by a teary eyed mermaid and her friend kneeling down to her level. They wheeled her into the hospital where she was put into a makeshift tank while the doctor took tests on her for two days.
Finally, she was let out of the tank to hear the conclusive results of the tests. The way the doctor's face looked when he had to tell her the news is something she would never forget. Her DNA had changed. the way his lips moved when he said "Permanent" brought tears to the shocked mermaid. This was it. No more work, no more life. She was going to be stuck with a fish tail for the rest of her life.
Later that day, Alyssa picked Sarah uh from the hospital. From now until something could be arranged, sarah had bought a 3 foot pool for Sarah to live in. Sarah didn't say a word the whole car ride. She couldn't believe the turn her life had taken. She didn't want to be a freak, and now she was going to be living in a 3x12 pool because there was no better alternative.
Alyssa dropped Sarah into the pool and took a look at her friend as she swam to the edge. "Thank you...for everything", Sarah choked as she began to cry. Sarah began to tear up as well, and gave the mermaid a tight hug from the edge of the pool. "I'm sorry this happened to you Sarah", she choked, "You'll always be my best friend and I'll be there for you no matter what".
Sarah looked up at the sky that night, wondering why this had happened to her.