Charming: Once Upon a Time - 1. Chapter One

“—With the mermaid population declining over recent years due to overfishing, many people are advocating for the expulsion of fishing vessels that use nets to inhumanely capture these endangered, magical creatures. Their numbers have already dwindled from oceanic pollution by over—”

“—Considered a pestilence like cockroaches, fairies have become a serious problem in major cities across the kingdom due to their growing numbers and trickster nature. New measures will be taken to exterminate these creatures and rid them from the streets by utilizing very potent—”

“—Are you fairest of them all—”

“—Get an appointment with the Godmother today and have all your wishes come true—”

I grunted as I turned one of the knobs of my car’s radio again to a different frequency with one hand as I steered my car with the other one. I didn’t want to hear any news about how horrible this world was. So, when the radio started playing some generic pop song, I relaxed into my seat and tapped my fingers on the steering wheel to the song’s repetitive beat.

With magic being another part of life after its existence was revealed decades ago, a person would think that life would be more like those fairytales that always ended with a happily ever after. However, those fairytales have been whitewashed beyond recognition like history books that now stated that slavery in America wasn’t so bad. The original stories had dark origins and even darker endings that reflected the time they were first told. Unfortunately, not much has changed since then, only that people today liked to sugarcoat everything, to lie to themselves about the reality of the world that they lived in. But no matter how much sprinkles you put on a turd; it was still going to be the same piece of—

Seeing the stadium close by, I returned from my thoughts and refocused my attention on my mission. I turned my car to the large parking lot of the stadium that was completely deserted. Not one car was parked at this area, not surprising since the stadium has been abandoned for years, but this is where I was supposed to meet someone. However, to meet them, I had to go beyond the parking lot and into the stadium that was flooded after a category-five hurricane ravaged the city and was the new home of many mermaids. They sought refuge there after most of their underwater kingdoms have been destroyed due to pollution of their oceans. Their situation was very sad, especially since they were basically living in huge fishbowl where they would live the rest of their days away from home in the depths of the seas. This was certainly a cruel world that I lived in.

After parking my car in a handicap spot, I exited and locked my noble steed that used to be a racecar I saved from being scrapped. I wiped the horse-shaped hood ornament with a handkerchief before walking to the entrance of the stadium. Entering through one of the revolving doors, water spilled out and soaked my shoes both inside and out. I was already shivering, but I knew that I needed to push through if I wanted to accomplish my mission. So, I walked through the doors and continued my way through the stadium until I approached stairs that were completely submerged.

Knowing this was the right time, I pulled out a small bottle given to me by a witch. Like a drug deal, I met her in a sketchy alley where she exchanged the potion with my own money. I didn’t fully believe that this witch had my best interests in mind when she gave me this mysterious concoction, but I knew that this magical substance was the only way I could traverse through the flooded stadium without having to chop off my legs and become a literal mermaid. So, I uncapped the bottle and without hesitation, I gulped down the liquid that tasted strongly of dish soap and almost made me vomit it all out.

However, I managed to keep the contents inside my stomach and when I started burping, a bubble started forming around my lips. After one final burp, the bubble grew large enough that it encased my head like some kind of helmet, and I knew the witch told me the truth. Chuckling, I looked back at the submerged stairway and took a deep breath before stepping into the cold water and then taking a dive into the watery depth.

I felt like I was in shock from the drastic temperature drop, but my head was still dry, and I was still breathing thanks to the bubble around my head. The rest of my body soon adjusted to the water’s cold temperature, and I started swimming down the stairway and then entered the main area of the stadium, the field. Once having grass that was neatly trimmed, the field was now consumed by a forest of seaweed. I swam upwards instead, avoiding the possibility of some dangerous creature hiding in the seaweed. Other than the few schools of fish swimming past me, the area seemed to be diluted of life. That was until I swam up to the stadium’s seats where the mermaids were sleeping at.

As I continued to swim upwards, I saw that many of the mermaids looked very sickly based on their usually bright colors that were now washed out. I was saddened by this spectacle since I once imagined mermaids as beautiful creatures who saved drowning sailors by swimming them back to shore and maybe that was true once upon a time. However, mermaids now were now an endangered race and further pollution and overfishing would only guarantee their eventual extinction. Not only were mermaids were being affected, all magic was slowly dying off as science and technology continued to advance. Soon magic would only exist in the pages of a history book before turning into myth and fairy tales.

Ignoring my own pessimistic attitude of the future, I continued swimming past the sleeping mermaids and entered the concessions that once served food to football fans. I then spotted the meeting place. Once a seafood concession, the sign and the counters were covered with coral of different colors and shapes, like mold that grew in a bathtub. I knew this was the place, and it was confirmed when I swam past the counters and saw a mermaid guarding a door. He was plated with armor made of a variety of seashells if the creatures that once inhabited them were the size of the average human.

Raising a finned eyebrow at me, he said, “Password?”

“Sea foam,” I replied.

The mermaid grunted before moving to the side and allowing me to enter through the door which led to a large office. The place was something else entirely. Unlike the rest of the stadium, this area was crowded with luxurious furniture and other objects that all came from different eras, so they all clashed from the mismatched chairs to the gaudy gemstones that decorated the room. I then saw a mermaid who was sitting at a desk with two other mermaids who sat on either side of him. They both possessed intricate tattoos all over their arms, most likely from octopus or squid ink. Mermaids had a way of adapting sea life to suit their needs and wants.

“Ah! Lucian! There you are!” the male mermaid spoke. “Please, have a seat!”

I felt queasiness in my stomach, which I tried to simmer down as I grabbed the armrests and positioned myself onto the chair. “Hey, Octavius. Sorry if I’m late.”

“No, you came here just in time.” Octavius propped his chin on his clasped hands and smiled at me. “So…have you brought the item for exchange?”

I nodded, the bubble helmet bobbing in the process, as I pulled out a ball of soap wrapped with plastic wrap. “Here it is. It’s made with magical oil and ash, a courtesy from two friends of mine.”

“Let me see.” Octavius reached his hand out, and I handed the item to him. “This is marvelous! I can feel the magic pulsing through this simple object.”

As Octavius continued to examine the soap with intense fascination, I cleared my throat which signaled him to why I was here.

“Oh, right! I’m sorry. You want me to complete my end of the deal, don’t you?” Smirking, the mermaid pulled out an object from inside his desk drawer and handed it to me. “This is what you want, correct?”

I nodded and broke out a smile of my own. “Yes, it is. A mirror made by a mermaid.”

“From mermaid tears to be specific,” Octavius included as he handed me the mirror.

“Right…. Well, thank you very much for trading this item to me. I guess I’ll be going now.” I pocketed the mirror in my coat. “I really appreciate this.”

“Do you know why mermaids exist in this world, Lucian?” Octavius interjected as he looked at the soap in his hand.

“Uh…well, I’ve been told that they’ve been created by witches like other magical creatures from unicorns to fairies. Sort of like how scientists use animals for scientific experiments but with magic instead.”

“Yes, and witches created us as a form of punishment, to swim in the water that would never wash away the sins we’ve committed in our human lives. It’s depressing really.”

“…It is.”

Octavius looked down with a saddened expression. “If only there was a way for me and my kind to return to our human form again, legs and everything.” He then looked at me before smiling, baring his teeth that raised the hairs in my arm.

Clearing my throat, I said, “Yeah…I’m sorry for your predicament. I hope the soap I gave you will help you in some way.”

“Oh, it will. This soap, with its magical properties, can finally wash away my sins…but it’ll also transform me into foam in the end like one little mermaid once upon a time. I need a new body for me to truly be reborn…like a prince charming for instance.”

With his exposed teeth looking more like a shark’s, I swam backwards and caused the chair to tumble to the floor. I knew this deal wasn’t going to be the usual exchange of items, but the vibes I was getting from this mermaid weren’t good. My fears were confirmed when Octavius rose from behind his desk and revealed the lower half of his body. Eight tentacles twisted like snakes, so unlike the beautiful scaled body of fish that shimmered like jewels of normal mermaids.

I knew I was completely screwed if I didn’t get the hell out of there, so I tried to swim through the door. However, I was quickly grabbed by his mermaid consorts who laughed as they gripped my arms. I struggled with all my might but being underwater made the situation even more difficult. I couldn’t even reach for my weapon in the inside pocket of my suit coat, the hold of the two mermaids tightening with each attempt of struggle.

“I’m so sorry it had to end this way,” Octavius spoke as he swam towards me. “I’ll make this as painless as possible.”

Octavius’s tentacles then began wrapping around my body from arms and legs to my waist and neck. The other two mermaids continued to laugh like it was some goddamn comedy show where the final punchline was me dying.

One of Octavius’s tentacles pointed at my bubble helmet like a dagger. Before I could warn him, he ruptured the encasement around my head. The last thing that I remembered was a tremendous force enveloping my entire body. Then everything went black.

Coughing was what happened next, being turned to the side as I heaved out water and a hand patting my back. I groaned, the pain in my lungs making me feel like total shit. The cold air didn’t make my situation any better as I shivered in my drenched clothes. I still felt the same hand patting my back, and I forced myself to turn to see a scruffy-looking man with brown hair and a police uniform looking back at me with furrowed eyebrows expressing concern.

“Are you okay?” the police officer asked.

Groaning again, I then nodded and said, “Yeah…I think so.”

“Good. Now let me ask you this question.” The officer pulled me by the collar of my coat. “What the hell were you doing in the stadium? That area of the city is very dangerous. Explain yourself.”

“I…I was just—‘’ I coughed again, my lungs still in pain.

The officer sighed before standing up while pulling me up as well. “Doesn’t matter. I saw enough to know that you were doing an illegal deal with a sea witch.”

“Wait! What are you doing?” I felt the cold metal of handcuffs lock around my wrists. “Hey! Stop!”

“I’m arresting you for attempting to deal drugs with a witch,” the officer stated before reciting my legal rights and adjusting the handcuffs.

“I wasn’t dealing drugs with a witch! You don’t get it! I just wanted a mirror from him! That’s all!”

“That’s a unique lie, I’ll give you that.”

“It’s not a lie! Just check the inside pocket of my coat!”

The officer looked at me with narrowed eyes, but he opened my suit coat and shoved his hand inside the pocket. What he pulled out shocked me.

“This is the mirror, huh?” the officer asked as he held a handful of a dust-like substance.

“No. No, that’s not what it looks like! It was a mirror, I swear!”

The officer scoffed and began tugging me towards a police cruiser, which I should’ve saw at the other end of the parking lot. I begged the man to understand that I wasn’t doing anything illegal, that I just wanted to exchange an item with the witch. However, the officer didn’t listen as he opened his cruiser and tossed me in the back of the vehicle.

“Please officer! You have to believe me!”

“And why should I?” the officer said, turning around in his seat and staring back at me.

“Come on, man! Do I look like someone who does drugs?”

“Well, if that wasn’t drugs in your pocket, what is it then?”

“I told you it’s a mirror…well, it was.”

“And why would you go to such a length of meeting a witch in a flooded stadium just to get a simple mirror?” the officer asked.

I opened my mouth to answer him, but I knew this man wouldn’t believe what the truth behind obtaining the mirror was. How could I explain to him that I needed the mirror to find an evil woman whose body was as cold as snow, whose soul was as dark as ebony, and whose lips were dripping with blood. I lived in a world where mermaids, fairies, unicorns, and even dragons existed, but even thinking about a race of blood-drinking creatures that haunted the minds of humans for centuries was still a hard concept to grasp. Vampires…no way he was going to believe me.

“Well?” the officer asked impatiently.

I closed my mouth and instead laid back against my seat. “Never mind.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought… Freaking princes.”

I ignored the insult as the officer began driving out of the parking lot. I watched as my car, my pride and joy, disappeared from view and hoped to the Godmother that no one was going to steal my baby. This wasn’t what I had planned when I started this mission, to get arrested under the suspicion of dealing narcotics with a witch. Now I was at the back of a police cruiser while completely soaked from head to toe. I needed to think of a new plan to get out of this situation, and I knew who I had to make my one phone call to. A princess with glass slippers to be exact.