“If there are humans around, I will blow two quick blasts on the shell and we will immediately submerge,” Mrs. Karp added. No one needed to be told about the dangers of humans seeing merkids.

Echo’s tail fluttered. “Let’s hope there are humans and we can get a quick peek,” she whispered to her friends.

Shelly nodded. “Grandpa told me humans like to watch humpbacks because they breach so often.”

Shelly held out one hand to Echo, the other to Kiki. Kiki held on to Shelly, her shell purse swinging back and forth on her wrist. Kiki closed her eyes and wished to herself, Please let me be brave.

To the Top

REMEMBER, YOU MAY EXPERIENCE some discomfort on the way to the surface,” Mrs. Karp told the class.

“Discomfort?” Kiki said, popping her eyes open and growing paler. “That doesn’t sound good.”

“It’s all right,” Shelly told her. “If your stomach feels worse, just tell us.”

“Pay close attention to the whales,” Mrs. Karp continued. “When we get back to school, you will write an essay on your experiences.”

Rocky couldn’t believe his ears. “An essay?” he groaned. “I knew this was too good to be true.”

Kiki’s throat got tighter and tighter. She felt as if she was going to pass out. She had seen whales from far away, and that had scared her. Now she was going to be close. Too close.

“When I count to three, you may swim to the surface,” Mrs. Karp instructed. “One, two…”

“I think I’m going to throw up,” Kiki whimpered to herself.

“Three!” Mrs. Karp said.

Several mergirls squealed. Some of the merboys cheered. But they all began rising in the water.

Merfolk live in the deep parts of the ocean, for protection from sharks and humans, and their eyes are used to the darkness. Even so, Kiki accidentally bumped an old merwoman, who shook her finger at the entire class. “You should be in school instead of knocking decent merfolk about.”

“S-sorry,” Kiki stammered.

“I’ve seen that lady near the Manta Ray Station,” Shelly whispered.

Pearl and Wanda swam by. “What a grouch,” Pearl said.

Wanda chimed in, “She should meet Mr. Fangtooth.” Both mergirls laughed as they passed Kiki and her friends.

As the class got closer to the top, the water became clearer and quite bright.

“I’m feeling so strange,” Echo spluttered.

“It’s just your merbody adjusting to the different pressure in the water,” Kiki said, remembering Dr. Mousteau’s talk. She tried not to think about the whales up above. I could still turn around and swim back to school, she thought, but at that moment Shelly gripped Kiki’s hand even more tightly.

“Close your eyes when you get to the top, so the sun won’t blind you,” Shelly said, reminding her friends of Mrs. Karp’s surface instructions. “Open them carefully when you feel the sun’s heat.” The girls quickly closed their eyes.