Missing Mermaid

I went up to the top of the water. I swam around and took lots of pictures with my camera. I then put my camera back in my bag. I looked at the nearby island and wondered if I ever could go there. With the beautiful palm trees and grainy sand, it looked so beautiful! If only-

"Irene! Irene, come here!" shouted my VERY overprotective brother.

"Ben, stop nagging me!" I shouted back.

"Dad's expecting us, come on!" he said then swam away.

Ugh. Dad. Always nagging me to come to traditional mermaid traditions. Ben always nagging and nagging to look good to dad. I'm sick of it! I'd rather do ANYTHING else! I could hang out with my friends, but no, because there is always something I need to do with him. It's so annoying! But I don't want to let dad down, so I do it. You know?

I started to swim away when a huge wave came over. A code blue! I blew my shell(which was used for emergencies only) and started to swim away. I was only 12. This wave was like a tsunami! I swam as fast as I could, but the tsunami was only getting worse. When I stopped for breath(huge mistake) The wave grabbed my tail and pulled me in.

"Oh, my head."

This was the first thing I said when I woke up. I collected myself and looked around. I was at the bottom of the ocean. That was fine. But where was I? I continued to look around, but I couldn't see anything I'd recognize. But to be fair, there was nothing. Sand and sand for what looked like miles! With a little bit of seaweed. I tried to get up and swim, but my tail was in pain. I could barely move it!

As I sat there, I tried to remember what had happened. The tsunami came and grabbed me in. What next? I tried as hard as I could to remember, but I couldn't. I must have got knocked out as soon as I went in. Or my head got hit really bad.

I rested for a bit and grabbed some nearby seaweed to wrap my tail in. There was a little bit of blood, but nothing I couldn't handle. I sat there and thought. Did anyone hear the shell call? Was anyone searching?

I thought of Dad and Ben. What were they doing? Knowing them, they'd probably sent out a whole search team. I chuckled at my own thought. But did they know that a tsunami hit me? Did they know how far away I was from home? I didn't even know that myself! If I didn't know where I was, how would they know?

My thoughts stopped when I immediately remembered something. My bag! I still had it! I looked inside and dumped everything out. The tsunami must have passed because the sea was calm. I had seaberries, my camera, and a pencil. Estimating how many seaberries I had and how long I can go without food, I had enough seaberries for 3 days. My tail was feeling better and I could probably swim.

I swam around for a bit. I occasionally stopped to wrap new seaweed on my tail. After a little while of swimming and stopping to rest, I came to a building. Small and abandoned. I looked in the windows. No one was there. I swam inside and sat there. My tail was really slowing me down. I ate some seaberries, just two. I started to think again.

It's almost sundown and I can't sleep in the open sea. It's too dangerous. I could sleep here. Yeah, I'll sleep here. It's good shelter and I probably won't find anything better in time for nightfall.

I was so tired! I could barely keep my eyes open. But before I went to sleep, I had an idea! I called my shell. If they heard it, they could follow the noise to find me! Now, I really need to sleep. I swam to the corner of the house and fell asleep.

When I woke up, It was very dark outside. What time is it? I swam outside and looked around. I didn't see and tail tracks in the sand except for mine. There was nothing to show that anyone was here. I called my shell again. For the third time. Then, I heard something. It swam behind me. I quickly turned around. Nothing was there. Then I saw it!

"OMG IT'S A DOLPHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I screamed as loud as I possibly could!

This was great! I won't be alone! I could have someone to talk to and swim with. The dolphin slightly nudged me. I rubbed its nose and decided on a name.

"What do you think of... Camryn? It's unique" I asked.

Camryn squealed. I guess he(or she) liked it! I was well-rested, but it was still dark. I swam back into the house and grabbed my bag. I quickly ate three seaberries and swam back outside. Camryn nudged me and I sat on top of him(or her). It's hard without a dolphin saddle, but I think I can manage. Camryn swam to the top of the ocean and did a jump. I got really scared! After a little while, I was laying on Camryn's back while he(or she) swam slowly. I was tired, but before I went back to my temporary shelter, I had to do something. I looked at the stars. Mom always said if you look at stars hard enough, a shooting star will come. I looked as hard as I could. Then a shooting star came by. I made my wish.

"I wish I will be found. I wish I was back home." I said, knowing it might not come true.

"In fact," I started. "I'd be fine if Dad and Ben kept nagging me to do traditional stuff."

The stars were very beautiful. I gazed up at them and prayed my wish would come true.