Although far from full, the moon drifted lazily across the Pacific coast sky.
In and around the small town of Moon Lake, whether were or normal, the population was divided into two groups: those who were out and about for whatever reason, and those who were trying to get a good night's sleep so they could face the challenges of the next day.
However, not everyone who sought slumber this night was successful in their quest...
"Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony," began the preacher, looking at the happy couple.
All their friends and family were gathered to witness the event, so it came as a big surprise when the preacher asked "If there is anyone here who objects to this union, let them speak now or forever hold their peace," that there was an actual objection!
"NO!" a man shouted as he burst into the chapel. All eyes turned to stare at him.
It was clear that he was very upset and crying, even as he pleaded with the bride.
"Julie! How could you? I thought you loved me!" shouted Eric Anderson.
"Me? Love you?" Julie asked in return. "Whatever gave you that idea?"
"Our commitment, the dreams we've shared," answered Eric.
"You actually believed those?" Julie asked in disbelief. "For a smart kid, you're so naive and foolish."
"Well, this is all new to me because before you, I've never been in love before," said Eric, which actually got a couple of "Aaws" from the audience. "But I love you. We love each other. I became a were-merman just for you," said Eric, while holding up his hand to reveal the webbing between his fingers.
"And look at what that got me," she replied, pointing at Eric, who was a tad shorter and still had the brown hair he was born with, instead of the traditional blonde locks of a mer. "Arthur is more of a were-mer than you'll ever be," added Julie, indicating her husband to be. Eric couldn't deny Arthur was a bit taller, blonde, and had a more developed swimmer's body than he did. "After Arthur aced our oral report Friday, I knew he was the one I was destined to spend the rest of my life with."
This was the closest anyone within Eric's nightmare came to acknowledging that despite the marriage ceremony underway, the bride, the groom, and the objector were all still high school Freshmen.
"But you said I was the one you were destined to spend the rest of your life with," Eric reminded her. "Love At First Sight and True Love are supposed to be proven scientific concepts, at least for were-mers. That's why I gave you that to begin with," he added, indicating the single pearl necklace she wore. The were-mer version of an engagement ring.
"And they are. I just made a mistake and spotted you before I got it right," replied Julie, while smiling at Arthur. Then she took a step closer to her groom and gave him a passionate kiss in front of everybody.
When their lips finally parted, Arthur looked at Eric and said, "Sorry, but the better were-mer won."
Eric Anderson started screaming in denial once more as the preacher declared Julie Mrs. Curtis.
Then Eric still found himself crying as the newlyweds quickly stripped and jumped into the body of water that the town was named after. This being a nightmare, no one thought twice about how they got from the chapel to the actual Moon Lake so quickly as Julie and Arthur assumed their Stage 3 forms of full mer-tail and scales as they swam off on their honeymoon.
Eric tried to strip and chase after them, but found himself back in his bedroom.
He woke up in a cold sweat, his pajama bottoms ripped to shreds from assuming his own Stage 3 form.
Eric looked at his clock radio and saw it wasn't even 3 am yet.
Only a bad dream. It was only a bad dream... he started repeating to himself over and over, hoping to reassure himself that it was just a regular nightmare and not a prophecy dream like the one that said Julie Stovall was destined to become his Mrs. Anderson as they raised at least two wonderful mer-children together.