Evan

I never thought tide pools could hide anything more than crabs and starfish, but then I saw her, so small I almost mistook her for a toy. Four inches tall, with a flicking silver tail and hair that clung to her shoulders, staring up at me with wide, frightened eyes. My chest pounded as I crouched closer. She was real. A mermaid. Before I could even think, I scooped her into a bucket of seawater, heart racing. I had to take her home.