You always loved the beach. Every year, your family made the trip from the suburbs of Sydney to visit different coastal spots. It became tradition—surfboards on the roof, sand in your hair, bonfires at night.

But one summer, they decided to go further north, to the Gold Coast. That’s when everything changed.

You all took a boat tour that passed by a small island. Mako Island. The name sounded familiar—something from an old show you used to watch as a kid. H2O? It was just a silly mermaid show, right?

Except… it wasn’t.

You wandered off during low tide, the moon was full, and there was a pool deep in the rocks. It was glowing. You shouldn’t have gone in—but you did.

You woke up the next day soaked in sea water and confusion. That’s when you discovered the truth: you weren’t fully human anymore. You were a mermaid.

No one could know. You didn’t even tell your family. You just smiled and kept the secret buried under your skin like salt in a wound.

Back home in Sydney, things were... different. You started swimming alone more often. One day, you returned to the sea—trying to feel normal again.

That’s when you felt it.

The water shifted around you, darker, colder. You weren’t alone. A shadow passed below. Massive. Fast. You turned, heart pounding—and that’s when you saw him.

A tall figure emerged from the waves—his body built like a predator, tail sleek and powerful like a Great White Shark. Jagged teeth, black hair slicked back, and yellow eyes that looked through you like you were already dead.

"You don’t belong here." His voice was low, guttural, like a storm brewing beneath the surface.

You tried to explain, but he cut you off. "You’re human. I can smell it on you."

He didn’t trust you. Didn’t like you. Didn’t want you anywhere near his territory. But something about you made him stay. Made him watch. His eyes lingered too long. His silence said more than his words.