Mermaid of the Oasis

Flashing lights danced within the aircraft cabin. The signs of danger swirled with the air as it conveyed certain death to its passengers. A siren sang in harmony with the screams of those beside Ammon. His best friend yelled into his ear like a muted television. He grabbed his hand and held it tight when he felt his stomach leap as the plane plummeted. 

He read the lips of his friend, “Ammon, I just wanted to tell you —” as fire protruded from behind his head. The fire swallowed every inch of his face; his green eyes were the last to be seen among the flames.

Gasping for air, Ammon awoke from his nightmare. The others stared directly at him and soon returned to their own devices. The man beside him leaned over, “Another nightmare, Ammon?”

“Yes. It’s haunted me many a night, David. It’s been twenty years since I’ve returned,” he grabbed the bridge of his nose.

“Wow, that is a long time,” wiping his glasses against his shirt.

“Some things I just didn’t want to relive.”

Prepare for landing, please fasten your seatbelts. The current time is oh six hundred. 

“I hate the landings,” he grasped the belt against his chest with a python's grip. The plane began to violently shake and Ammon was turning paler by the second. A loud thud was heard as the wheels touched the desert sand. The captain opened the aircraft side door and ushered everyone out. Ammon stood at its exit staring into the vast dune sea trembling. 

“I never thought I’d come back to this place. I don’t think I can go through with this,” he turned away grabbing his backpack. David appeared beside him and placed his hand on his shoulder.

“Is that what Mallory would have wanted?”

“Don’t you dare tell me what he would have wanted. You weren’t there. You didn’t see what I saw. What’s out there can’t be explained and you want me to just go back into the lion's den and for what? A silly promise given to me by some… thing?” shoving David’s hand off his shoulder. He looked at his bag with Mallory’s name etched into it. Releasing a huge sigh he turned to the exit and stepped into the desert plain, “For your family.”

The harsh desert wasted no time bearing its ruthless teeth on these travelers. Within minutes two members already returned to the aircraft with heatstroke. As the days passed not much comradery was formed as their chances of survival were at an all-time low and the desert constantly pushed them to their limits. They shared a tent at night to stay warm as the temperature dropped to freezing conditions and when they woke one morning they found that another person didn’t make it. David was the first to say something, “Damnit, a fucking nother one. What is with this desert? It’s like it's purposely trying to keep us from getting to this treasure, Ammon.”

Ammon zipped his shrinking bag closed, “I told you all that this is no ordinary trip. Things happen here that aren’t natural. If you want me to be honest I think Lucca got it easy, in his sleep and quiet. The others weren’t so lucky last time. I can still hear them screaming.”

“Yeah, I remember the stories. We better find this meeting place soon or there won’t be any more of us left to meet this so-called mermaid.”

“Hey! Don’t believe me if you want. I don’t know what else to call it. Her. Whatever it, she is,” strapping on his backpack, leaving with one final glare at David.

The day went on as they followed Ammon through the vast nothingness of the desert. Murmurs of disbelief that there were treasures to be found or even a mermaid circulated the group. Ammon ignored them as he had for the past twenty years. No one ever believed him so why would they start now? David was the only one who actually listened and put this band of misfits together for Ammon, and he never questioned why each person was willing to risk their life for this story. 

“Look, Ammon, I know we set out on this journey to help Mallory’s family, to help his granddaughter. The others are starting to talk and I just wanted you to know that I have your back,” smiling towards Ammon showing his pearly white teeth. His glasses slipped off his crooked nose and fell beside his feet. Reaching into the sand he pulled his hand out quickly and placed his finger in his mouth. “Oww! Shit, that hurt.”

Ammon stared at David’s feet and the others gathered around to see what had happened. “Of course! The sand would have buried the wreckage. This is where I survived the plane crash. We’re getting closer,” he checked his compass, and without hesitation went further into the desert.

Setting up camp at nightfall they all gathered around the campfire exchanging stories of their lives and what they would like to buy when they found this treasure. Ammon never chimed in, he just stared into the flames for hours. David looked to Ammon, furrowed his brow sitting beside him, “You okay Ammon?”

Moments passed in silence and David began to leave. “It was a night like this when it happened. Over in a flash and there I was, laying in this desert with blood-soaked clothes. I could still hear their screams as their burning bodies illuminated the night. I could barely move at this point. I searched for Mallory but just couldn’t find him,” reaching into his pocket he pulled out a butterfly pin. David studied the pin and returned his gaze to Ammon as he put it away.

“I couldn’t believe it, he was gone. We were just two kids looking for an adventure in the jungles of Africa. Explore the unknown and find treasures and relics never before seen. What a grand dream we held and it came crashing down as soon as we touched this sea of nightmares,” he took out a flask and took a hard gulp.

“I found him a few days later, though I didn’t recognize him at first. If it wasn’t for his bag,” his gaze shifted from the fire to the bag then searched for Davids’s eyes, “he lay there in agony David.” His eyes swelled with tears, “My best friend in the whole world who was there for me when my father beat my mother to death in a drunken rage. Do you know what that's like?” David shook his head. Ammon took another hard gulp of the flask, “he asked if help was on the way. Of course, I had no idea and was praying that someone knew what happened. The captain had sent a distress signal, though being able to pinpoint our location was difficult as I found out later in my rescue. David, this desert isn’t normal. Things are here that shouldn’t be. Maybe, it’s us that shouldn’t be here. This pin was in his bag.”

“So why do you have it now? Wouldn’t you have given it to his daughter?” 

“She gave it back to me as a reminder of the promise I gave to Mallory. I can’t fail this time. I can’t fail Mallory again. I will find this promised treasure and pay to save his granddaughters life. They have suffered too much in this life,” he took the final gulp from the flask. Staring hard at David he took in a giant breath holding it for a moment. David backed away quickly ready to reach for his sweat rag anticipating drunken puke. As Ammon heaved out his breath violently he slouched over and fell asleep instantaneously. David stared bug-eyed, shook his head, and retired to the tent with the others.

“GYAH!” Maurice was found pointing and shouting that something was in the sand. The others gathered beside him scanning the desert. “I guess we are all a little spooked?” David said as he patted Maurice’s shoulder and went back into the tent.

“I know what I saw!” the others just nodded whispering their disbelief and soon their memory of the event eroded. They gathered around Ammon, who was wrapped in a cocoon of blankets from head to toe, ready to depart.

“I can’t believe he just slept through all of that.”

“Has he always slept this heavy before?”

“No, but he is having a challenging time guys,” David began to prod Ammon to life. Ammon's eyes searched the surroundings, squinting at those near to him. His eyes widened raising his hands to his face massaging it the same way you'd take a napkin and squish a bug beneath it. Clambering to his feet he gathered his things without a word. He stared at the compass waved to the crew and drudged onward into the dune sea once more.

“What is that Ammon?” David was pointing into the distance. Putting his hands above his brow he noticed that there was a black dot flashing every few seconds. 

“Hmm, it’s random so I don’t think it's morse code,” David was writing in his small journal.

Ammon gave him a look of confusion, “What? Stories for my kids one day.” Ammon quickly squeezed his eyes and relaxed them as he turned back towards the black dot in the sand. “I suggest we take caution, like I said we aren’t the only things here and that could very well be the thing that took Mallory’s life.” 

The closer they got the wilder the dot seemed to move. As a tadpole grows its legs so did this dot. The dot now had arms and was splashing in and out of the sand like a dolphin. Their pace increased and they were whispering among one another trying to guess what it could be. Ammon was staring intently and didn’t take notice of any question that was being asked of him.

“Ammon! What is that thing?” David grabbed Ammon’s arm. Jerking his arm back keeping his gaze among the creature, “David, I’m sure this is the monster that killed Mallory before I was saved by that mermaid.” David’s eyes darted back and forth towards the creature, “Whoa! Are you sure?”

“No!” reaching his arm out towards the group they all stopped.

The dot had stopped and a slender silhouette of a female-like figure stared directly at the group. It dove into the sand. The group took a step back searching the area.

“Remain calm and stay alert,” drawing his hunter's knife Ammon lowered his stance.

It burst from the sand showering golden stars on the group. They covered their eyes and some let out wails of terror. “Ha ha ha, humans are so easy to scare,” the creature said showing their sharp teeth. With only half of its body exposed from the sand, it was female-like in form only. Its skin was covered in scales that shimmered like gold and many of its joints had spike-like shapes that flexed as if it was breathing. The face was missing a nose and the navy blue hair was as slimy as it was shiny. Its black eyes with red pupils bounced around to see each person.

“Ansa, is that you?” Ammon walked towards the mermaid. 

“So you have finally returned as promised?”

“I did, though I didn’t want to. I’m only doing this for Mallory and to collect only enough to save his family.”

“Such a noble human, and since you did save my life I will lead you to our Oasis.”

“Lead the way, and stop staring, fellas,” the group quickly picked up their jaws from the floor pretending to be looking at things in their bags. Ansa took a dive and their legs were seen with giant flippers where their feet should be and rainbow-colored fins that followed down the sides of its legs. The sand bulged as Ansa swam through the desert occasionally, playfully telling the group just how slow they were. David stayed very close to Ammon, “Can we trust this thing?”

“We can, they saved me when I was on the verge of death, David. I had no one else to help me with Mallory and then it came along.”

“Okay, if you say so. I can’t believe something like this even exists. I can understand why no one would believe this. It’s not something you can describe in believable words,” pushing his eyebrows together and upward he let a soft smile reach Ammon.

Night arrived eerily fast this day, and worried looks were exchanged as the crew noticed gathering around the campfire once more. Ansa had already made a nest of deep clay, dry plants, and sticks.

“So, Ansa was it? How did Ammon save you?” David moved to sit closer to them.

“Ah, yes, I forget you humans are so tightly knit for companionship. Not something our kind tends to do. We only work together for food.”

Blurting quickly and loud Ammon spoke aggressively, “Nothing really to tell! I saved Ansa from some other creature and she took me to the oasis before I was rescued. There... Story over. Get some rest everyone.” Ammon took a violent swig of his flask. David turned to face the mermaid, “So is that all that happened?”

With an unsettling smile, “In short, yes that is what happened. I found your friend Ammon there with a companion who was in terrible shape. We were resting just like we are now when it attacked us.”

“What attacked you?” the crew leaned in closer.

“Pistrisvir. Very aggressive and lone hunters. Twice the size of my kind and took the companion very quickly before anything could be done. I was attacked and Ammon stabbed the creature in the head. It vanished and we never saw it again.”

“Wow, how very lucky,” the crew were praising and tapping Ammon on his arm and legs.

“Yes, how so very lucky that you all did not have to watch someone you love die before you,” silence filled the air. Their heads dropped in unison. “I suggest we sleep and rest up.”

“That would be a wise idea,” Ansa curled into their nest as they slowly closed their eyes.

David put his journal into his bag and walked beside Ammon placing his hand on his shoulder as tears fell. Ammon didn’t look back at him, only drinking from the flask. David choked the words sorry before going to the tent.

In the early morning light, Ansa took the lead once more and the crew followed suit. The silence from the night before accompanied the group until Ansa raised their arm. “This is it! You all made it! How delightful.”

“What do you mean we made it Ansa, there is nothing here?” Ammon stomped ahead of Ansa gesturing around them.

“Do you think this is a place that humans could find on their own? Otherwise, would you hunt us down and take all of our treasure for yourselves? For eons you humans have always done what you wanted and showed time and time again just how greedy you truly are.”

“Truer words have never been spoken, Ansa.” David shifted from foot to foot. “But we are here to help a fellow human friend. I was saved by Ammon who taught me that I wasn’t alone after having my parents taken away so quickly due to a drunk driver.”

“David.” Ammon had only heard him speak of this once in his life.

“It’s okay Ammon, I just want Ansa to know that we are doing this for good.”

“What a nice human you are and quite handsome. Your type has always been my favorite.”

Blushing, David rushed the words, “Thank you!”

“So how do we get into this oasis?” said Ammon checking his compass.

“Ah, yes, sorry I was caught up in something,” she disappeared among the sand. A burst of sand flew towards the crew, and with increasing speed, Ansa could be seen swimming in a circle shape. The sky turned purplish grey and the field of view in front of them began to melt away revealing an oasis. The water was crystal clear and gold could be seen at the bottom of its lake. The crew walked to the water's edge.

“Go ahead and have a drink,” Ansa dived into the pool.

David and the others followed directions and began taking handfuls of water wastefully spilling and drinking to their heart's content. They collapsed sporadically.

“What's going on!” shouted Ammon as he ran to their aid. Before he could reach David the sand exploded and before him stood a man-like creature with grey scales. Their face also had no nose and their giant teeth couldn’t be contained. Beady black eyes stared into Ammon’s. In a flash, the creature grabbed Ammon by the neck and held him into the air. His eyes filled with anger, “Ansa, you promised me!”

“I did, didn’t I? But I also said that our kind only work together for food and the desert is a harsh place.”

When she spoke he realized that the creature holding him had a giant scar on his face, “You!” The creature smiled, slowly unhinging their jaw until their mouth was larger than Ammon’s head. His eyes widened and let out a scream before violently being interrupted. His head was severed in a single bite, “let’s hope it’s not another twenty years before we eat again, shall we, Ansa?”

Ansa wiped the blood off her mouth and grinned.