er Beach

It seemed to take an eternity for the right season, moon phase, and tides to bring the Mer back to their summer home. Topyrus watched the signs daily. The Color Masters remarked on his attention to the study of the seasons. While his mind quested for the omens that would signal the return of his friends, his imagination lived in the summer before.

Topyrus’s home keep, built by his grandfather Telfrombry, sits on a bluff above a strong thera channel flowing vibrant and steady amid a primal forest. The roar and crash of the sea just below rarely disturbs the students concentrating on mastering the power glowing brightly in a rainbow array of energy. Nor would the masters who have attained their ultimate desire to study with the MultiColor Master Telfrombry be distracted by the change in the slant of the sun beams through the door way. Only Topyrus, born with an intuitive gift, never struggling to master thera concepts, let his thoughts wander to the beach.

Soon they would appear. Traveling along the coast from their winter home. Leaping through the surf, chattering greeting, squealing in play. Reekeet and Sheersha would be surprised at how much he had grown, how much stronger and faster he had become.

“I might even win the ‘tamla’ this year.” Topyrus dreamed aloud of the game they played with heavy kelp balls. Rema watched her son’s pure exuberance. Fifteen years grown yet so young in man years. In Mer years he would be reaching adulthood with all its responsibilities.

“Swimming among the Mer is dangerous Topyrus.” Rema cautioned.

“They watch for me. It would be a lot more dangerous with out them.” Topyrus assured .

“What about Frankin? Does he go with you?” Rema asked about Topyrus’ favorite land friend.

“Oh, Frankin doesn’t like the cold in the morning. He hasn’t said it, but I don’t think he likes the Mer too much.”

“Maybe they scare him. They’re larger than the forest watchers. Their teeth are sharper, and they have long sharp claws.”

“Frankin likes to argue and show off. They don’t much care for conversation. The Mer know enough energy that you don’t tease the mothers.”

“Teasing a Mer colony would be very dangerous.” Rema agreed.

“Don’t worry, Reekeet and Sheersha will watch for me. Everything will be exactly like last year. You’ll see.” Topyrus stated with all the certainty of youth.

**

Cook was starting the morning ovens when Topyrus came down the stair. Topyrus nodded greeting. He pushed the lever on the heavy door and soon was trotting down the star -lit path that led to his watch point above the Mer beach. The surf sound came upon him as he emerged from the forest. The roar and rumble vibrated in his chest. As he had hoped these many days, the crescendo carried the sharp chirps and squeals of the Mer coming to shore. Topyrus rushed down the path still not able to see the shore in the before dawn. The beach shrouded in fog appeared before him gray and mysterious. Topyrus stopped at the border of forest and sand.

Now he could clearly hear the Mer greeting each other as they came up from the sea. The fog lifted with the dawn. Before him hundreds of the people of the sea filled the beach. The mothers formed circles and fenced in their smallest with their long full bodies. Once full grown, a Mer would only travel on foot to or from the surf. The youngsters scampered from the water their flipper-like feet awkward on land.

Topyrus rushed to the first group. Up close the mothers were mountains of flesh and sand. Sensing his presence the mother closest twisted and rolled her head toward him. She cleared her sand filled nostrils sending a spray of wet sand over him.

“Sheeeet Tah,” was the Mer greeting.

Topyrus recognized the scar on the mother’s left brow, deep enough that it showed through her thick coat of sand.

“Sheeeet Tah!” he answered. Then, “Reekeet? Sheersha?” Said with the proper inflection this was enough to ask after his friends.

“Reekeet ummba,” the mother answered. The mountain then twisted back to the inner circle of squirming babies.

Topyrus contemplated the mother’s answer. A dread bloomed in his heart. “Reekeet was coming,” the mother had said. She did not mention Sheersha. The Mer only spoke of the living. The annual passage from their winter home to summer here along Telfrombry’s Keep took months. Lost Mer were not mourned. They were honored by never speaking of them again.

“Tahhhprsssss!”

Topyrus turned to the surf hearing Reekeet’s call. The giant Mer approaching him was unrecognizable as the playmate from last summer. The curvy lipped smile and the unmistakable way she pursed her nose were the only reminders of the baby Reekeet. Topyrus stood dumbfounded in the shower of sand and sea as the giant shook the excess off her coat of fine body hair.

“Reekeet!” A young Mer squealed, “Raaaupa ummba!” Her call to go surf riding brought both their attention to the breaking waves surging crystalline in the early morning light. This vision at least was the same as Topyrus had dreamed all winter.

“Gijjjj di tock!” Reekeet said and turned to join the Mer playing in the waves.

Topyrus found a spot at the edge of the forest where his clothes would not be trampled. Stripped to the summer morning air he made fast work of the distance from the forest edge to the pounding surf. His lithe form, still pale from the winter out of the sun, was a pink contrast to the sand covered mothers and dun babies. The water’s first shock took his breath away. He became acclimated after pushing through the first few waves. When he had reached the deeper water Reekeet appeared beside him and signaled for him to grab her shoulders. The summer before Reekeet, Sheersha, and he had ridden with the “before mothers” this way. Together they shot through the water. When a wave appeared Reekeet surged forward. As they arced down the face Topyrus released his hold and was riding the surge on his own.

Completely enthralled, Topyrus was unprepared for the massive lip of white water that thundered down upon his back driving him to the rocky bottom. Pinned to the floor he struggled realizing he could not breathe. The weight holding him down relented. Then the wave force began to suck him up. Eyes open Topyrus could see the light. Stroking and kicking he fought his way to the surface. All the while his lungs screamed for air and his thoughts screamed for the Mer. He broke through. Begging for air he choked instead on the sea foam. With just a moment to take a breath another roar of white water sent him tumbling end over end. Topyrus came upon the thought that the Mer might not find him. He saw a vision of his mother searching for him. The Mer would never say his name. Maybe they would never find him he would just be gone like Sheersha. Topyrus relaxed in the force of the sea. He let it carry him as the thera did during meditation. He was swirling, gliding, flying in rapture with the roiling sea.

Reekeet found him floating in the current. Clinging to her shoulders they knifed through the water back to the swells. Grrrsteep a “baby” close to Topyrus’s size chirped for attention. When Topyrus turned to her she pantomimed a new position for his arms while riding the wave. The next swell appeared and Topyrus and Grrrsteep launched themselves into it. Topyrus kept his total attention on the slide down the face with. Grrrsteep ahead of him chirping encouragement. He maneuvered across the face positioning him self as the Mer had taught.

Exhausted yet blissful Topyrus attended his chores and classes. He dreamed of the next day’s wave rides. He had been stronger and faster than summer before. Grrrsteeep had thrown the “tamla” to him as Sheersha had. Sadness for the missing Sheersha darkened his thoughts. As the loss floated in his mind he realized that Reekeet would swim with the mothers and babies next summer .

Copyright 2005 Suzanne Driggs