Chapter 2: First Choice, Lasting Guilt

Dem dey always catch mermen for hot season nights.

E fit be July, August, when rain no dey too fall, everywhere dey hot, and even spirits dey find breeze. The kind night wey people dey sleep outside because NEPA don carry light.

Na that time their heat period dey start and their resistance dey lowest.

I still remember how Theodore and Seles look the day dem bring them come meet me.

Both cover in injury, tangled for giant net—one get red eyes and silver hair, the other blue eyes and golden hair.

The way dem struggle—omo, I never see animal fight reach like that. Even the men wey catch dem dey sweat like fowl for market.

Funny enough, even though I pick Theodore, na Seles leave deepest mark for my mind that day.

That beautiful creature, like God’s favourite, get eyes wey dey burn. Even with wounds, he carry this aura, dey keep everybody arm’s length—face fierce, always struggle, try claw anybody near, no dey beg even with gun for head.

King level pride. No beg, no tears—just fire. Even net no fit hold am, dem tie am chain join.

He weak pass Theodore, but the fire for him eyes na king own.

Theodore different.

He no struggle, just dey lie quietly, dey look me with deep, sad blue eyes.

E be like say the whole world pain dey inside him eyes. E fit make person heart soft.

One capture team guy chop Seles claw—bulletproof vest tear like suya. Guy jump back, quickly inject Seles with anaesthetic.

Blood dey pour from him arm, the guy dey curse but fear grip am.

The kind tranquilizer wey fit knock cow only make Seles drop arms. Wild look for him eyes never fade—he just refuse collapse.

Pride dey keep am awake, even as body dey fail.

"Dr. Amaka," the team member point Theodore, "I advise you pick this one—he calm well well."

Him voice dey shake. Even gun no dey make dem sure for this kind creature.

"That other one..." He look Seles, still dey shake. "Three teams catch am. If you go near, he go tear you apart."

Lucas sneer from side, kick Theodore’s tail with foot.

Lucas and wahala na five and six. That him sneer dey always give person bad belle.

"Dr. Amaka, I go pick this one too. See, he perfect for you."

He dey act like helper, but na lie. Lucas no dey ever get good plan.

I hesitate.

To be honest, for this lab, I dey top for biological research.

Nobody dey argue that. Even ogas respect my work, but this kain choice fit make person fail God.

Na why dem bring these two rare mermen make I pick first.

If na ordinary fish or frog, nobody go care. But these mermen get special gene, na jackpot.

The other one, if nothing spoil, go Lucas hand.

I dey fear for the one wey go Lucas hand. E no get joy at all.

Lucas no get sense, but if na only that one, e for no too bad. The main wahala na say, e be real sadist with wicked ideas.

The way e dey talk sometimes dey make my skin crawl. No be science again, na wickedness.

I no fit count how many subjects e don spoil already.

Any merman wey reach his hand—I fit already imagine wetin go happen.

I dey imagine Seles for him table, my stomach just turn.

My eyes dey shift between the two. To be honest, I want the silver-haired, red-eyed one more.

That pride, that fire—na rare thing. I feel somehow drawn, as if something dey call me.

I know he dangerous, but those burning eyes dey pull my mind.

Even as I dey reason, sweat dey my palm. My brain dey calculate risk.

Just as I wan talk, something brush my foot.

I freeze. My shoe nearly fall as I look down.

The blue-eyed merman don manage reach hand to me.

Him skin cold, fingers long and webbed. The touch soft, but I shock.

He don chop anaesthetic, barely fit move, but still force himself look up.

E be like say whole ocean and sky dey inside those blue eyes. He stubbornly touch me, lips move, dey talk words I no fit hear.

Him mouth dey move, but na like harmattan breeze—you go hear, but no fit hold am.

I no know wetin he dey talk, but I fit feel say he dey beg me.

Lucas glance Theodore, laugh:

"This one don wound too much, he no go survive many experiments."

He dey talk as if life na game. My blood boil.

"No wonder he dey beg you—he sharp pass the other one."

"But if he die, I go just dissect am."

Lucas dey smile like person wey see money for gutter.

He lick lips, reach for Theodore’s hair.

Lucas hand rough, him eye get that wicked shine. As he touch Theodore, na my own hand begin shake.

Theodore no fight, just dey look me, his eyes full of sorrow, shining like gems.

E pain me. For small second, I feel say this one dey surrender for my sake.

As if he don already accept him fate.

Without thinking, I block Lucas’s hand, take deep breath.

Na instinct push me. Even my colleague shock.

"Wait."

My hand dey shake. My chest dey tight, but I no fit let this one go.

"I choose the blue-tailed merman."

As I talk am, I feel Lucas eye dey burn my back. For this lab, every choice get price.