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  Keoni walked uneasily toward Chief Akolo’s hut. He had always been reserved, but since his father died two years ago he had become even more quiet. The burden of providing for his mother, Maili, and Taha, fell squarely on his shoulders now and he accepted that, but he also had other dreams for himself and didn’t know how to reconcile the two. Since Mina had come to the island, he had been thinking more and more of his other plans. It was her confidence and openness to the larger world around them that inspired him to seek out his uncle.

  “Good morning Keoni!” Akolo’s wife, Sela, greeted from beside the fire.

  “Good morning, Aunt. Is the Chief in? I would like a couple words with him.” His fingers squeezed his net pulsingly and he made sure not to let his words waver.

  “Sit down, Keoni,” his uncle’s booming voice instructed. “Have some coconut milk. What can I do for you, nephew?”

  Keoni looked around at the forest around them, seeking some form of guidance, and, after not seeing anything to fixate his attention onto, he decided it was just better to spit it out.

  “I graduated high school last year at the top of my class. At the time I only thought about college in passing because of my family situation, but in the past few weeks I’ve been thinking more about it, and I’d really like the opportunity to attend college.”

  “Oh?” Akolo’s piercing dark eyes demanded more of an explanation.

  “Yes, I would like to study political science. My dream is to eventually become a representative for Okawii on the Island Council.”

  The Island Council existed to serve all of the nations in the Pacific. It was formed in the 1930s and acted as a sort of United Nations for the Pacific islands, with laws governing fishing and resource use as well as a standing army to defend its member nations. All five islands that had mermaid populations, Okawii, Ipona, Beluu, Lila, and Otto Island, were members of the Island Council. These five islands, along with a handful of islands populated by ‘regular’ humans, enjoyed culturally protected status.

  Keoni looked hard into the fire, avoiding his uncle’s eyes. It was never discussed openly, but from what he had picked up from the adults around him, Chief Akolo had cut off Okawiian contact with the Island Council when he first took over as chief, not long after the big accident of Mina’s mother many years ago. Chief Konala, it was said, died of a broken heart shortly after his daughter. Effectively, Konala had been the last Okawiian chief to have a standing relationship with the Island Council. Keoni did not know this, but the elders had tried to dissuade Akolo from this decision at the beginning, but Akolo had the support of the people, who were scared after Eva’s death and wanted greater isolation from the outside world.

  “I see. I did not expect this. I was hoping you were coming to ask about a match between you and Ana.”

  Keoni raised his eyebrows. “No, Chief.” It was true that he had Ana had dated in the past, but that was long over. This comment by the Chief made him realize how impossible that would be. He hadn’t admitted it to himself until now, but he liked Mina. He liked that she didn’t grow up so isolated from everything like he did. She was smart, as evidenced by the fact that the language lessons had been going so well, and nice, and pretty. Her lighter hair made her stand out from everyone else on the island. Keoni hadn’t really felt this way about a girl before. He had dated Ana because everyone expected them to, but he had never felt very deeply about her. Something about Mina just attracted him. Keoni didn’t know whether she would choose to spend her life on Okawii or elsewhere, and he didn’t care. If she wanted to stay on Okawii, he wanted to stay here with her. If she wanted to go elsewhere, he wanted to go there with her. The one thing Keoni did know was that if he hoped to have a chance with Mina, he would have to go to college. She was a smart girl from America and was surely bound for college herself.

  “And what is it you hope to accomplish on the Island Council?”

  “Uncle,” Keoni addressed him familiarly as he looked up to meet his gaze, “Although we preserve our exceptionality because of what we are, I think it is important for us to maintain contact with the outside world, and the Island Council is a place for us to be heard. The world is changing fast, and our culturally protected status may not always be a given. It would be good for us to have one of our own on the Council, to protect us and speak for our interests.”

  Akolo glanced over at Sela.

  “That is a very intelligent observation. Truthfully, Keoni, since we were not able to have children we have always thought of you when considering our future and Okawii’s future. Specifically, we had hoped that you would take over for me as Chief of Okawii when the time came for me to leave this world. You are only 18, and have only recently entered the world of adults on the island. In order for you to be a good chief, you need to stay on Okawii and become more familiar with our ways. It is for that reason that I deny your request to go to college. You may go.”

  Chief Akolo then rose and walked away, leaving Keoni alone with his aunt.

  “But Mina…and her golden tail…” Keoni said in a halting voice, looking questioningly at Sela.

  “I understand,” his aunt said. “But you know him, there is no changing his mind about anything.”

  He walked back from their hut astonished. Mina’s presence on the island had changed everything. It was her boldness and drive that had shaken him from the stupor he had been in since his dad died. Also, her golden tail, which, in addition to being gorgeous (he had made a point of walking by the lagoon during one of her lessons), made her the obvious heir on Okawii. While the weight of providing for his family would never go away, in his mind, the nuisance of his inheriting the Chiefdom had vanished with the appearance of her golden tail.

  Chapter 7

  David was in his office early, as he had been every day that week. The acquisition of First Tucson Bank wasn’t going as smoothly as he had hoped and he was trying to sort through the mess by coming in at 5:30 am while his mind was fresh and before the everyday distractions began. Although it had been several years since he had taken over for his father, he still didn’t feel like this was his office, and he felt like an imposter as a bank president.

  Simon, who had also been coming in early to work on the deal, knocked on his door one morning when it was still quiet.

  “Hey David, you got a minute?”

  “Sure thing, what’s up?”

  “This is kind of awkward, um,” he hesitated, not wanting to bring up unpleasant memories for his boss at this delicate time in the Bank’s year, but he had promised Hector.

  “Sit down, what is it?”

  “So you know I joined this hunting club recently, the one I went to Switzerland for a few weeks back.”

  “Yeah, I remember. If you need some time off to hunt again, I don’t know if we can swing it until this deal goes through…” David ran his hand through his hair.

  “No, it’s nothing like that. So, this is kind of weird, but this guy I met at the club had previously fished around Okawii, and he wanted to know if you knew anything about any extraordinary fish in the area.”

  David looked up at his colleague. “What do you mean by extraordinary?” he asked, probing whether Simon knew anything about the mermaids. That would be a disaster for the Okawiians. If the secret was out, he’d have to find a way to tell them, especially if some sort of hunting group were on to them.

  “He mentioned something about a golden-tailed fish. When you were at Okawii, did you ever hear about anything like that?”

  “No,” replied David sharply. “I’ve got to get back to work.”

  It was clear to Simon that the conversation was over, and it was even more clear to him that his boss definitely knew something about the unusual ‘fish’ that lived near Okawii.

  Simon left and David stood up and walked toward the window. He stood there for a long time, holding the picture of Eva and baby Mina, and ignoring his secretary’s attempts to go over his day with him. At 8 am sharp he walked back to his desk, opened his con
tact list, and called his travel agent.

  “I’d like a ticket to Okawii, please. For tonight, if possible.”

  The field trip planned for the last day of mermaid lessons was an annual island event. The class of new mermaids was taken on a swimming trip to a nearby island, Luta, and all of the parents came, as well as all of the teenagers and whoever else was old enough to go. The grandparents stayed on Okawii with the children under 14 not in the class and not allowed outside of the reef.

  Luta played an important part in the lives of the Okawiians. It was their closest neighboring island, and, as mermaids, it only took them about an hour to swim there. Because the Okawiians’ main source of sustenance was the sea, it was important for them to have another hunting ground so that they didn’t deplete their own reef. Luta served this purpose. The island itself was uninhabitable. It lacked a permanent source of fresh water, but over the years the Okawiians had built a few huts there in which they kept some water and supplies, and in which they could spend a few nights if necessary.

  About 50 Okawiians gathered at the dock on the morning of the trip. All of the adults had spears in hand. Mina was excited about her first swim in the great Pacific, and was curious to see how she stood with the other adults strength-wise. She had been comparing her mermaid swimming to the 8-year-olds’ so far. She had packed her satchel that morning with a waterproof camera (she’d never been to an uninhabited island before) and her map that she now brought with herself everywhere, just in case.

  Out of habit, she looked around to see if Keoni was there. He wasn’t. Her feelings were neutral about this: on the one hand she wouldn’t get to see him all day, but on the other hand he wouldn’t be there to see if it turned out that her swimming wasn’t up to par.

  “Hey! How are you?” Maria greeted her with a bright smile.

  “Great! I’ve been looking forward to this swim for a while.” Mina’s friendship with Maria was developing nicely. Maria had invited her over a couple times, and they got along great. She felt comfortable enough to ask her elementary questions about the island, which Maria answered courteously.

  “Hey!” Paul nodded, coming from behind them and grabbing Maria’s hand.

  Ana sauntered over. “Good morning, guys.” She stepped between Mina and the hand-holding Maria and Paul and put her back to Mina.

  Ugh, she’s so horrid! Mina thought to herself, walking around to Paul’s other side to stay in the circle. But there was no way she’d let Ana know that she got under her skin. She wondered if anyone else noticed that Ana pretty much ignored her when they hung out at Vai Place with the others. Asking Maria what Ana’s deal was out of the question. As practically the only girls their age on the island, they’d been best friends since childhood, and Mina knew better than to try and get between them.

  Ana looked over at Halapua and said to Mina with a smirk, “Looks like your class is gathering. You should go join them. Looks like they’re having a lot of fun.”

  Mina looked over and saw that the 8-year old boys were shoving sand down each other shorts. She rolled her eyes and stayed with her peers.

  Finally Halapua stood on the top step of the dock and addressed the crowd with his deep voice. “Welcome to our annual trip to Luta. Our eleven graduates are ready to go beyond the island’s reef and learn about the open sea. As usual, I will ask that we stay in pod formation. Women in front, new graduates in the middle, and men spread out on the sides and in the back. I don’t anticipate any shark attacks at this time of year, and even if there is a straggler, our pod will stay tight and it shouldn’t come near us.”

  The islanders consumed their White Coral and they waded into the water near the dock. Mina had long gotten over the Coral’s interesting taste and texture, and now a unique reaction took place in her body: whenever she knew she was going to take it, her body began to crave it—like her mind knew that the mermaid form was coming and wouldn’t give her peace until she took the coral. Although she expected the end result of fifty people taking the coral, it still overwhelmed Mina to see the sheer amount of mermaids all together at once. The unique colors of the tails twinkled in the sunlight like a rainbow. Her golden tail drew stares, especially from those who were too young to remember her mother and hadn’t thought that this tail color could exist on Okawii.

  The Okawiians were already in formation when they exited the reef via the opening south of the dock. They stayed pretty close to the surface, only about 15 feet down, as they headed southwest toward Luta. Mina and her classmates were amazed to see the slope of the Pacific floor go deeper and deeper down into oblivion below them. No unwanted intruders bothered them; the pod only swerved once to avoid a few jellyfish. The volume of sea-life fascinated Mina. She knew that there were entire ecosystems under the sea, but to see them undisturbed and watch creatures so unafraid of the mermaids they had become used to was a great experience. Mina’s spirits soared when she saw a small group of seahorses below her, each about 8 inches long.

  Before long, the coral reefs were appearing below them again and the pod shrunk in closer to maneuver under and around the corals. Mina was so busy exploring what was below her as she swum that she didn’t realize that Luta was only a few meters away.

  Because Luta did not have a river like Okawii, the mermaids beached themselves and laid in the sun for several minutes to dry off and get their legs back.

  As she lay in the sand, Mina reflected that this was the best day of her life so far, and how remarkable it was that on Okawii, every day seemed better than the last. Then she heard a familiar voice that grated on her ears: Ana’s. She was talking with Maria and apparently didn’t see her a few people over in the sand because they were still wallowing with their tails.

  “I really wish Keoni would have come today. How romantic it would have been for him to be in the group of guys guarding all of us.”

  “Yeah, but it was nice of him to stay behind to watch Taha while Maili came instead.”

  “I just hope that new girl Mina isn’t trying to sink her claws into him. Everybody on the island knows we’re meant for each other.”

  “My, my, Ana, it sounds like you’re jealous,” said Maria.

  “Not of her! I can swim circles around her,” Ana replied, annoyed that her jealousy was so obvious to her friend.

  “Then you’re jealous of her spending all that time with him learning Okawiian. Do you think he still likes you? I mean, it’s been years since you guys dated.”

  “I have no doubt that he still likes me,” said Ana, ignoring Maria’s comment on her being jealous of the lessons. “My mother had his family over for dinner last week and he flirted with me the entire time.”

  To her surprise Mina felt a burning in her eyes, but widened them and remembered that she was to show no weakness when it came to the topic of Keoni. So Ana and Keoni had dated in the past, so what? At least that explained her coldness toward Mina.

  Ana continued, “Maybe it wasn’t the smartest thing dating the one I want to marry when we were so young. Looking back, I should have waited. Oh well.”

  Mina silently dug her fingers into the sand. The idea that Keoni had once dated Ana depressed her, but she reminded herself that she didn’t know the details. Why would she say that? She can’t know that I like him. I’ve shown no sign at all to the outside world that I am remotely interested in him. And I’m not really, right? I have Andrew back at home. And I have to go back home at the end of the summer, it’s not like I’m here to stay. Then we’ll be off to college and I’ll have a career. Unless I want to spend the rest of my life on Okawii. Actually that doesn’t sound too bad. This island really is paradise. Why go to college at all? Stop it, what am I talking about, even my mom went to college. College is a must.

  Then Mina noticed that some of the Okawiians, having dried off completely, were walking around. She felt her legs return, but didn’t want to get up for fear that Ana would see her and think that she heard them. A few minutes later Ana and Maria got to their feet, thankfully foc
used on something on their other side.

  Mina quickly stood up and hurried away, unaware that Ana knew she had been lying there and said most of it for her benefit.

  Chapter 8

  On Luta, the Okawiians scattered to do various chores. Some gathered firewood and lit small fires on the beach, while others dove back into the water. Mina inhaled the fragrant sea air, crunched her toes in the sand, and got out her camera. She watched the scene unfold in front of her with curiosity and took a few shots of some palm trees. Unexpectedly, Maria appeared in her viewfinder.

  “Come on!” Maria beckoned Mina back into the water.

  “What are we doing?” asked Mina. She didn’t understand why people would go back into the water right after their swim over to the island.

  “We’re getting lunch,” answered Maria. “Come on, I’ll show you.”

  Mina put her camera back into her bag, stood up, and shook out her legs. Maria had already waded in up to her hips, and Mina didn’t want to lose her. After they had gotten their fish tails back, Maria gestured to Mina underwater to follow her. Mina cruised next to her friend just above the seabed. Suddenly, Maria darted her hand out and grabbed a large, crimson lobster. She pointed to her right and Mina saw another one scurrying away. She grabbed it before it could get away and they swam to shore with their lunches.

  Almost everyone had caught their lunches and was out of the water by the time they came ashore. The islanders who had built the fires promptly roasted the lobsters on the coals and everyone devoured them with great relish.

  After the picnic on Luta’s beach, Halapua again addressed the group.

  “We had a great trip over with no complications, and a great lunch. Now is the time when we usually introduce the newest class to the traditional events of the Mermaid Games.” Halapua’s twin sons high fived and all of Mina’s other classmates smiled widely. “As you all know, we hold the Okawiian Island Games sporting competition every year, and whoever wants to can compete in any event.”