A SIREN IN SPRING

Not that the map was of much help but I knew now what to expect. The Hedaker abode was surrounded by walls, and the part which was not, housed a jetty where the yacht was moored. Even before all the rigmarole that would come with scaling the fence, there was a security post some few feet before the main gate. That dashed any hopes of surveying the front. I would have to go a good way around, jump the walls and find a good hiding spot to regain my composure. I had pointed out that good hiding spot on the map. It was an outhouse, probably used as a store. I could keep close to the walls and away from sight. The only problem now was making the cross to the jetty. There was a small gate leading outside to the jetty but in order to reach that gate, I had to pass by the pool. It was already unbelievable that the Hedakers owned a pool given that they lived beside a whole ocean. The pool area wasn't small either, therefore even at my briskest, the run across would fully expose me. Also if that gate was locked, all the clambering might cause a ruckus. However, that was a risk I was willing to take. That was my best bet.

Now, I could just find a secure coast, dive into the ocean and swim till I reached Hedaker's yacht. I was entirely capable of that. I was a siren. But what I wasn't yet willing to do was grow those claws like Carle had done to rip out chunks from the yacht in an effort to sink it. Apart from my not being ready to bring out my claws, merely sinking the yacht would make so much noise and stir up trouble. I wanted to be as quiet as possible. Slip in, use my siren on the security guard watching the boat,—yes, I felt prepared to use to my voice—unmoor the yacht from the dock, and swim away. The following morning, when the Hedakers should come out for their fishing spree, the currents would have carried their yacht far into the ocean and past the skyline. No trouble to be had, just a humanly error by the security guard on watch.

I smiled myself to sleep; I believed my plan to be sound.

Summer was encroaching and I was beginning to feel ill. I had about five days to rest before my effecting. I went out less. Mr Silvan even sometimes brought food to my room.

"I am sorry I can't help you as much," I apologised to him.

"Don't say that now. Just tuck in and rest. You deserve it," Mr Silvan would say.

I hoped Carle's trick for the summertime would avail me. He had said that clothing heavily would work. So, when Mr Silvan was out I scoured his wardrobe, as was becoming my custom, donned eight of his checkered shirts and a host of jean pants. Then I waddled back to mine wore two cardigans on top of the shirts and really struggled to put on my boots. The finishing touches were a pair of heart-shaped sunglasses, Mr Silvan's long brown hooded coat and a silk scarf secured in a knot beneath my chin.

I sat down at the dining room and wrote:

Just taking comfort by the sea. Expect me back before ten. Took some clothes to cover well.

Love,

Yara.

I tried scribbling as finely as Carle but somehow this one came out worse. Lastly, I fetched a bundle of ropes from the backyard and hid it inside my coat.

It was time. I stood on our corridor and breathed in the night air. One last chance to change my mind, I told myself. I was instead excited; and though better from the intense clothing I still felt a sense of faltering as I took the steps away from the house and towards the Hedaker's estate. It was a very very long walk and the tiredness in my limbs elicited my stopping to take quick breaks. I dressed strangely and of course caught a few stares. Then again, it was night, and the road wasn't so packed; not many would see me much less remember me.

The houses at the sides soon turned to fields which in turn became trees of magnificent height. The Hedakers estate was near and from here on out it was mostly a walk straight. Before long, I saw the checkpoint by the roadside. The inside of it was lit up, and farther beyond, the estate was also illuminated. There was a man inside the booth reading a paper and a barrier that he would lift if visitors arrived. I ventured into the woods; walking through humps and ridges in uncomfortable clothes was a great task. I saw the grey walls of the estate—not even high as I had imagined. I sauntered a good distance away from the main gate and only then realized that I had no way of knowing where the outbuilding close to the swimming pool was. It was west of the mansion, I knew as much, but I never bothered with the scale written on the map. I chose any spot and looped my rope around a pillar. Then, I planted my feet on the wall and climbed. As I said it wasn't so high so in just three paces I could see over the wall. I spied the left of the compound for outhouses and saw two. Only one clearly led to a swimming pool. I marked it, jumped down and tied my rope onto another pillar. This time, my legs shook while climbing the walls. I eventually scaled the wall to the other side and took some time to catch my breath before loosening the rope. I had made so much noise huffing and coughing that I wondered why someone was yet to catch me. I crawled along the walls, hiding behind outhouses and checking constantly for any guards.

I was close to the pool at last. I sneaked up behind a wall and could hear some light talk. I craned my head to see. It was a family gathering by the pool! No way I was reaching the gate to the jetty or the yacht. Men were seated with beers and laughing away, ladies were bundled together catching up and children were divided up according to ages in the pool. The Hedakers. Also the map did not indicate anything of a bar as there was one at the side where servers moved in and out of. It was a party by the true meaning of the word.

The plan was aborted there and then. I'd tell Carle that I made an effort and even show him proof that I tried. I hurried back to the wall, cast the rope and jumped over the fence. As I recovered and dusted my coat off, a voice sounded in my ears, "Who are you?"

I raised both arms up and turned around slowly. The person shone a torch on my face and though I wore sunglasses I still shielded my face. I could hardly see the person behind the torch. I tried saying something but couldn't think up any excuses so I just blurted out rubbish. It was more the guilt than the fear that left me so dumbfounded.

"You are a girl," the person all too surprised.

I nodded and smiled awkwardly. "Yes... yes I am."

It was the voice of a boy around Dylan's and my age. He didn't look much older than us even. He kept staring at me in bewilderment but was not however frightened. There was a a ball in his other hand.

I put my hands down and asked since he didn't want to, "What are you doing here?"

"Me?"

"Mm-hmm"

"My ball flew over the fence and I came to get it," he said. Looking closely now his feet were bare and muddied. "What of you?"

"I am... a neighbour," I said. "I like taking walks in these woods... especially at night."

"So cool."

I almost laughed. "Are you alright?"

"I saw you jumping out of my house. I thought that was cool."

"Yeah. I will be on my way then." I began walking away. The Hedaker boy only pointed his torch at my back and made the whole altercation even more cringeworthy.

Wait! Hold on! He hadn't believed my lie. I told him I was on a night stroll and he admitted to seeing me jump. I halted immediately and without turning back I asked, "What is your na—"

"Raymond," he answered even before I finished the question.

I waddled back to him, removed my sunglasses and looked him squarely in the eyes.

"Raymond." I could hear my own voice resounding. "You'll forget our little chat. You'll forget seeing me jump over the fence. You'll only know that you came to collect you ball and returned safely inside. Do you hear?"

He tore his eyes away from mine and looked in the distance. His expression changed from one of awe of me to a kind of helpless daze. It had worked, my siren.

"Do you hear?" I asked once more.

He bobbed his head slowly and moved toward his home in obedience.

I did not need his name nor did I need to look him in the eye. It was sufficient that he heard my voice. Nevertheless, I wanted to be sure. It was the first instance of me sirening since I had come to be with the land-dwellers. Also, it was summer; my gimmicks were supposed to be worse off during summers so being careful couldn't hurt.

I bent over, panting like I had just completed an arduous task. My summer illness hit me like a rock but I managed to find my way home.

I think I had slept the whole day because my grand failure occurred on a Friday night but when I woke up it was a Sunday morning. I was very hungry. I strolled out of my room got myself something to eat from the deep freezer and slouched on a couch. Mr Silvan entered then holding up a bucket and sweating profusely.

"You are awake? You slept throughout yesterday, I didn't want to disturb you. Are you feeling better?"

"I am."

"Ah ah. That's no food. Should I get you something more to eat?"

I nodded. He dozed off and on the whole time he was in the kitchen and when he was done I ate to my fill.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention. Here." He handed me a feature phone. "I will be by the boat. If you need anything, don't come over. Just call me, I'll come."

"I will."

After he left, I went to the mirror to see my skin. I was not as blue as I was during my first summer, perhaps the blue skin had become more subtle. I heard the click of the door. Had Mr Silvan forgotten something? I heard footsteps approaching my room and when I turned back I saw Carle staring at me.

"Carle? What are you doing here?" The curtains were already closed if not I would have rushed over to shut them.

"I see you are not doing too well."

"Mr Silvan can be back at any time. I thought i said we shouldn't meet here."

"I know you did it?"

"Did what?" I knew too well what he meant.

"You don't know how happy that makes me. Just the fact that you tried makes me so proud of you Yara," he continued.

I relaxed. "You know then that I failed."

"You did more than enough."

"Did the Hedakers go on their fishing spree?"

"You don't need to worry about that," Carle said slyly. "I handled that part of it."

"I didn't do it for you. I didn't go over that wall for you. I did it for myself," I declared unprovoked.

"That's even better."

"You are being... somehow."

"How?"

"Like you set me up and are glad I passed your test."

"I am sorry if it seems that way. It's just the way I show happiness."

I offered him a second look, and per usual he had his shirt open and did not seem to be at all affected by the summer.

"You are not clothed heavily?" I observed.

"Well, I am adapting."

I sat on my bed, light-headed and exhausted. "I used my siren yesterday."

"On who?"

"A Hedaker boy I think. Raymond was his name."

Carle's smile broadened.

"What?" I asked.

"What did you make him do?"

"I made him forget me." I sighed.

Carle laughed. "That's not possible."

"What!"

"You can't just make someone forget you. You have to tell them to forget meeting you or forget something that you did."

"I did just that. I told him to forget me jumping over his fence."

"That's fine then. Even I can't make someone forget me. They'll always have at the back of their mind that they met us. They will forget we ever spoke with them but they'll remember us like dreams."

"That's good to know." I reclined fully on my bed and covered myself with the sheets.

Carle made for the door but before he left, he said, "Stop covering up too much so that you can build a tolerance for the summer."

I listened.