Chapter 1: The Night Everything Change

Dem say the king of mermen swim enter trap with him own hand, just to save the one him heart dey beat for. If na you, you go risk am?

Na true love story be this, abi? But make I yarn you as e really happen—because na me open the door.

Let me carry you back to the night everything change.

One night, as I dey finish late shift, I catch that strong, sharp smell of blood near D-area waste dump as I dey waka go house.

Omo, that kain smell na warning signal. But I stubborn. My feet slow small as I approach. I hold my chest, whisper small prayer: "God abeg, cover me." Phone torch for hand, heart dey pound like Apala drum. Under that harsh yellow security bulb, everywhere just full of shadow.

I see am—one massive black figure dey lie still for bottom of dried-up gutter.

E first resemble those big black nylon bags wey dem use pack chemical drums. But as I near, I see tail—scales dey shine faintly, skin no be human. I hold breath.

For the dim light, I manage see am well.

A merman.

A merman, almost three metres long, just dey there, tangled for muddy heap of rubbish. Silver hair wey suppose shine now dey red and dirty. Eyes wey fit hypnotize person tight shut—no movement.

The gutter suppose dey run water, but na only chemical smell and dead rat dey there. Even mosquitoes no get joy for that place.

He just be like trash wey dem throway.

Wait... Seles? Wetin he dey do here?

I recognize am—na the same Seles dem capture with Theodore.

My memory flash—his eyes, that fine silver mane. You no fit forget this kain creature. My skin prick with worry.

This time, na only these two perfect, mature mermen lab catch. So how one end up dumped for gutter like this?

One of my colleagues wey dey follow me home glance the scene, him tone dey full of pity and regret.

"Omo, for last experiment, he just wake up from anaesthesia and attack some researchers. Lucas own for don finish, merman nearly tear him arm commot."

I swallow spit. The fear wey this lab dey give person fit make you pack go village.

"Lucas just throw am here, say make he die. If he die, na to dissect am use am as specimen."

I look all the wounds wey cover the merman, frown catch my face.

Some cuts long like ogiri knife, some deep reach bone. Blood never stop fully—hope still dey somewhere for this one.

Mermen heal very fast. Even with wounds like this, if you just put him back inside water, in two weeks he go dey alright.

Lucas dump am here, dey hope say e go die.

My chest tight small. Wetin man pikin go do? This kain wickedness na wahala.

I stop in my tracks.

My colleague look me. "You dey reason to save am? Abeg, no try am."

Him voice low, almost like whisper. Fear dey him eyes—nobody wan lose job for here.

"Lucas papa na our project’s main sponsor. He no be like us wey just dey here to hustle—na real big man. If you cross am, your own don finish."

That warning ring for my ear. No be every battle person fit fight.

I keep quiet. After my colleague waka, I sneak go back lab, activate trolley robot.

I check camera—everywhere clear. My heartbeat dey loud like generator. As I push robot reach gutter, I dey pray make Seles no wake up drag me enter tank.

Luckily, Seles don wound bad, still dey unconscious. I no need sedate am again.

Thank God. My hand shake, but I manage lift am—heavy pass two full-grown men. I drag trolley with all my strength, nearly twist ankle.

I find one old abandoned fish tank for lab. I fill am with water, put Seles inside.

Tank old but strong. Water dey bubble small. As I drop Seles, I see faint smile for him face—abi na my eye?

He no notice anything, just sink go bottom.

Him blood turn water pink. That silver hair float like seaweed for moonlight.

The sight choke me. I wish I fit do more. But this small rescue na all I fit do.

For next tank, Theodore dey swim restlessly, face show clear vex.

"Why him?" Him blue eyes, wey dey soft before, now dey full of wahala.

Theodore dey vex like jealous boyfriend. The way he dey beat tail for water fit drown small fish.

"Na me you get already—wetin you dey find again?"

Him voice carry small wahala. If na normal man, drama for don start.

I try calm am down. "Na only you I want, but he be your brother. How I go just watch am die?"

Abeg make he no vex pass this level. I no fit manage two merman fight.

But deep down, I always dey carry guilt for Seles.

Because my first experimental subject no even be Theodore.

That time, capture team bring two mermen make I pick.

One na Theodore.

The other na Seles.

And I pick Theodore, leave Seles behind.