The Awakening

Amelia stood in the bathroom, her hands trembling as warm water trickled down her skin. Her twin sister, Libhongo, pounded impatiently on the door.

"Amelia , are you still not done bathing?"

"Almost! Just a minute, Emma!" she called back, her voice shaking more than she’d hoped.

Emma groaned from the other side. "We’re going to be late. I still need to bathe too. Hurry up!"

But Amelia couldn’t hurry. Something was wrong. Something inside her felt... strange. Her heart thudded in her chest like a drumbeat out of rhythm. She had been feeling off for weeks—dizzy spells, weird dreams about oceans she’d never seen, a pull toward water that she couldn’t explain.

Now, staring down at herself, she felt fear coil tightly in her stomach. The bottom half of her body shimmered faintly, and for a few terrifying seconds, her skin seemed to reflect light like fish scales.

Was she imagining it? Was she cursed? Bewitched? These things only happened in stories, in fantasy TV shows—didn’t they?

Tears welled up in her eyes. How could she tell her mother? Her father? Would they believe her or send her away?

A knock came again, louder.

"Amelia , are you going to take the whole morning in there?"

Panicked, Amelia tried to move. She slipped and tumbled with the washbasin, water spilling everywhere. Crawling on the wet floor, she felt her legs return to normal. The shimmer was gone.

Breathing heavily, she grabbed a towel and wiped herself down in a frenzy. Her heart was racing. What had just happened?

She ran out before Emma could see, bumping into her in the hallway.

"Yho! Why are you running like that? And what happened to the basin?" Emma snapped.

"I... I don’t know, Emma. Something weird happened. I’m scared," Amelia stammered.

"Hayi suka, Amelia . I had to clean up after you. Now we’re almost late because of your drama."

Mivuyo opened her mouth to speak, to explain, but stopped. What could she say? That she thought she was turning into a mermaid?

"You won’t believe me anyway," she muttered.

"You always have some strange excuse. Just get dressed. The bus is coming." Emma said.

Amelia dressed quickly, skipping the rest of her routine. She didn’t even finish bathing. Her mind was spinning. She kept looking at her legs as if the shimmer would return.

The bus arrived. They boarded silently.

She sat at the window, staring at the sky, trying to understand what was happening to her.

Her name was Amelia Isla Nota. Twin sister to Emma Mia Nota. Daughter of Evelyn and Mateo Nota

Amelia Isla Nota's POV

We had just arrived at school, but I couldn't focus on anything. I sat alone, lost in my thoughts, the morning's incident replaying over and over in my head.

"People are being killed... by mermaids. No one wants them. Could it be? Could I really be one too?"

The thought gripped me with a quiet terror.

"No, it can’t be. That kind of thing doesn't just happen. Does it?"

My father is a fisherman. What would he do if he found out?

Would he hurt me? Kill me?

Surely not—but still, fear clung to me like seaweed.

At least my mother wouldn’t let that happen. She’d protect me.

But why me and not Emma? We’re twins. Things like this should happen to both of us—or neither.

Unless... it’s a twin secret. A curse meant for only one?

Mxm... I wish I understood.

While I sat there in that spiral of confusion, a classmate’s voice pulled me back.

“Amelia ,” Ava whispered urgently. “Break ended ages ago. Mrs. Luvalo’s asking for you.”

Panic hit me like a wave.

"Really, Ava?" I asked, blinking and looking around. The yard was empty. No students in sight.

“Yes, girl! " I followed her back to class. I was so embarrassed. How would I explain sitting out here, not hearing the bell?

My stomach tightened. How could I not have heard it either?

We walked back together. As we entered the classroom, a heavy silence fell. All eyes were on me.

Mrs. Luvalo's voice cut through the tension.

"What’s going on, young lady? Why were you outside?"

I stared at the floor, unable to answer.

She folded her arms.

"Stubborn, huh? Get out. Go solve whatever nonsense is on your mind outside. You won’t distract my class."

"Sorry, Mrs... I didn’t hear the bell," I finally said.

"Of course you didn’t," she snapped. "Probably daydreaming about boys and silly things that will ruin your future!"

The class burst into laughter.

"Out, little madam!"

I tried to explain, but—

"Don’t try me. OUT!"

Swallowing my embarrassment, I walked out and sat alone near the side of the school building. The sting of shame lingered like a bruise.

As I sat there, Mr. September , the principal, appeared.

My heart thudded in my chest. Please don’t ask questions... please...

He stopped in front of me.

"My child, what are you doing out here?"

"I’m in trouble, Sir," I admitted softly.

"What did you do?"

"I didn’t hear the bell. When I got to class, Mrs. Luvalo was already teaching."

"And why didn’t you hear it? You’ve been at this school long enough to know how it works."

"I don’t know, Sir," I said, barely above a whisper.

"Come with me."

We walked into the classroom together. All eyes snapped back to us.

"Oh, Mrs. Luvalo," Mr. September said calmly, "you sent this learner out of class? Please let her back in. No child should be sitting outside while we teach. Even if she misbehaved, don’t send her out."

Mrs. Luvalo gave me a look that could curdle milk.

"She may come in," she said flatly.

I didn’t waste a second. I went straight to my desk and sank into my chair, wishing I could disappear beneath it.

But even as I sat down, a deeper truth echoed inside me.

The bell I hadn’t heard...

The voice I heard under water this morning...

The strange dreams I’d been having lately...

Something was changing.

And no one could protect me from it—not even my mother.

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