Chapter 3

EMMETT'S GIFT

         Justin sat there, stunned, staring at the pink potion for a few moments, unsure of what to think, of what to do.

         Then, making up his mind quickly, he sprang into action.

         Quickly, he wrote a note, explaining his experience and his decision to leave. He stuck it onto his now ruined painting. Then he swam over the wall of his garden, through the halls of the palace and out the main gate without a word of greeting to anyone and ignoring all hails and then shouts from the guards.

         Without a single regret, and with only the potion and his gold and pearled diadem as his only possessions, he left home, forever.

         Pumping his tail hard, fast, and rhythmically, Justin moved through the city streets quickly. He was almost near the outskirts when he was sideswiped by an equally, fast-moving, swishy body.

         "Emmett! What are you doing here?"

         "Baby!! I was finished with my charity work at the Old Sole's Home and was on my way home. Imagine meeting you way out here! Wait! What are you doing way out here!? Come on, sweetie! Swim me home!" Emmett grabbed his hand.

         "No, Em," Justin pulled his hand away, "I'm not going home. In fact, I've left home."

         "Left home?!" What are you talking about?"

         "I'm not sure if I can explain it to you but I may have found a way to be with Brian."

         "Oh, not this again. Baby, when are you going to give that up? He's a mortal, you're a merman. It'll never work. Come on home."

         "No!" Justin shouted, "Don't you understand? That isn't my home any longer. I love him. I NEED to be with him even if only for a little while. It WILL work. I've found a way."

         "But baby, you know..."

         "And STOP calling me that!" Justin bellowed in a deep and terrible voice he never knew he had, "I'm not a baby any longer!"

         Emmett was shocked. He had never really considered Justin's deep feelings before. He never really considered anyone's real feelings before as he only had rather shallow ones himself. He mostly pre-occupied himself with a new shell lei here, a new routine there, which charity to help with next. Justin was simply his baby brother, another accessory to carry along and make him look good. But as he took another long, hard look at Justin, Emmett realized this was no longer the case.

         He saw a strong, young merman with a handsome face and a long, well formed green tail. Blue eyes with a deep longing and a sadness that pierced deep down into the heart, that showed his desire for the mortal would never be erased.

         "Oh, Justin, he said, enfolding his baby brother in a crushing hug, "Of course you're not! You know I don't meant it like that."

         He pulled back. "But ba - uh, Justin, what do you mean, you've found a way?"

         "I had a kind of dream," Justin went on to describe his ethereal encounter with the black sea witch.

         But - but...maybe it was just a dream,: Emmett said wildly, "Come on, let's go home. I'll make you something warm to drink and..."

         "If it was just a dream, then how do you explain this?" Justin held up the pink potion in triumph.

         Emmett gasped and his eyes went as round as gold doubloons. He covered his mouth in horror.

         "Oh no! Oh no, no, no!" he whispered.

         "Emmett! What's wrong? What is it!?"

         "Oh babe - hon - Justin, I guess you should know," Emmett explained, "Although Mom would probably scale me alive for telling you. There IS a sea witch out there, somewhere beyond out borders. She was exiled centuries ago and is unspeakably evil. I've no doubt everything she told you was the complete truth. But Justin, everything she gives exacts a terrible price. Be sure, you will pay everything she asked for, and more. Your voice. Your sunshine. And he'll never know. He'll never care. Is he really worth it?"

         "Yes. He is. Oh, Em, I don't know. All I know is that I'm worth it to seek him out. And if he won't love me back, then I need to just be near him, to love HIM, no matter what. All I know is that I'm wasting away for wanting him. And I can't live like that either. I have to go."

         "Well, I can see you're determined. Here, take this."

         As usual, Emmett was wearing several types of necklaces and leis. (He was rather vain.)

         He drew one off. It was a delicate gold chain with a tiny silver conch shell attached. He put it around Justin's neck and said:

         "Here. If the worst should happen...no, let me finish...IF the worst should happen and his marriage to another is imminent, draw this off your neck and give the shell a blow. I shall hear it and I'll do whatever I can to help you."

         "Oh, Emmett, thank you. But what could you do?"

         "I don't know, baby. But I'll do it. And I'll get you're brothers to help as well. Oh, good gravy, what AM I going to tell everyone?"

         "Don't tell them anything. There's a note in my garden. Just give me until dinnertime before you "find" it."

         "Will do. Well, goodbye," Emmett shook his hand solemnly...for about two seconds!... before pulling Justin into a crushing bear hug and bursting into tears.

         "Take care of yourself! I'm going to miss you so much! And I don't care!" he added rebelliously, "You'll always be my baby!!"

         With a final, sloppy kiss, Emmett took off toward the city.

         Justin watched him go fondly and then resumed his trip in the opposite direction at a hard pace.

         He wanted to be a long way away before dinnertime.

                                                                                    BJMBJMBJMBJMBJMBJ

         Justin swam a day and a night only stopping for short breaks and to scavenge food.

         At long last he returned to the castle and its nearby beach. Dawn was just breaking as Justin made the final jump onto the beach as near to the castle as possible. At least he thought so. In fact, he pulled himself up onto the beach at the exact place where he had left Brian.

         With the rising sun warming his body, Justin pulled the stopper out with his teeth and before he could think about backing out, before he could think it all, he drank the pink potion in one gulp.

         The pain was incredible. It felt as if he was sliced in half from fin to navel with a sharp sword. He screamed and writhed. Almost immediately however the fire in his throat burned through his vocal cords and his scream turned into a rasp that turned a squeak and turned into silence.

         Still silently screaming, Justin passed out from the pain.

TBC