Jane walked out of the water, the saltwater dripping from her body after her swim. She lay down on her beach towel intent on working on her tan, maybe even taking a little nap. As she lay there her legs began to feel funny. Maybe just a cramp? Jane sat up and stretched her legs, but it didn't seem to help. It was almost like her legs were falling asleep for some reason. She tried rubbing her legs to improve the circulation, but that didn't help either. Concerned about the increasing numbness, Jane tried to stand up and found her legs were stuck together. She tried to force her legs apart with her hands, but it was no use. She tried to unsuccessfully to push her hand between her thighs.
That was when the first muscle spasm hit and it knocked her onto her back. Several more followed. Jane lay on the towel trying to catch her breath. She could feel her feet moving of their own accord and a strange stretching sensation. Then came the sound of fabric tearing. When she was able to sit up again Jane was shocked to see her legs appeared fused into a single appendage and her feet had flattened out like a tailfin. The transformation had torn off her bikini bottom. She was a mermaid!
Thinking of the few mermaid movies she had seen, Jane was surprised that her new tail was still the same color as her normal skin even though mermaids were always showing as having colorful fishscale-covered tails. Maybe that part of the change hadn't set in yet? Of course, up until a few minutes ago Jane didn't believe mermaids could really exist so maybe the stories were wrong in many ways.
But why had this happened to her? Nothing strange occurred while she was swimming. Then she heard a scream and looked to see another woman nearby who also had a tail. It wasn't just her? What was going on? Was it a virus in the ocean or the air or something else? Jane had no idea, but she would soon find out.