I managed to choke out. I tugged at the tentacle twining around my throat. “Help me—somebody!” I opened my eyes—and stared up at the ceiling. I was lying in bed. In my cabin. The sheet was wrapped tightly around me. I took a deep breath and waited for my heart to stop thudding. A dream. Only a dream. I rubbed my eyes, lifted myself, and peered out the porthole. The sun was just rising over the horizon. The sky was morning red. The water a hazy purple. Squinting past the reef, I saw the lagoon. Perfectly still. Not a sea monster in sight. I wiped the sweat from my forehead with my pajama sleeve. No need to be afraid, I told myself. It was just a dream. A bad dream. I shook my head, trying to forget about the sea monster. I couldn’t let it scare me. I couldn’t let it stop me from finding that mermaid. Was anyone up? Had I yelled out loud in my sleep? I listened carefully. I could hear only the creaking of the boat, the splash of waves against its side. The pink morning sunlight cheered me.
