That night, Joan went to bed with a lot on her mind. Her mom was starting to get suspicious that she had something to hide. It struck her as odd that the girl never removed her sweater and, like any concerned parent, peppered her with questions as to her health. To make things more awkward, Zoe kept staring at her sister's forearm at every opportunity. Only Mikey, the youngest, minded his own business.
Taking her cues from her mother, Joan indicated that she might be under the weather and retreated to her room early before her dad could get home from one of his late-night work shifts. She hoped she would be able to maintain this charade long enough to get rid of the bracelet without having to explain it to anyone else.
Studying the metal band by the glow of her digital clock, she drifted off into sleep.
In her dreams, she drifted through a dark mist. It felt cool and comfortable, like being suspended in water.
"Joan!"
The voice came from somewhere ahead. She recognized it immediately. "Urma?"
Slowly, the mermaid came into view, her face bright with joy. "Joan! You're alive!"
"Yes, I'm alive," Joan answered. "I just went home. What are you doing here?"
"Waiting for you, silly," Urma giggled. "We never finished our game. You're still it, and you're still slow. Can you catch me, slowpoke?"
The mermaid raced away. Joan chased after her, barely registering that her legs had become a fin again. "Wait! I need to ask you something! How do I get out of this bracelet?"
The mermaid only darted away, all the while laughing playfully. "C'mon, Joan! Swim faster! Faster! There isn't much time left. The festival is almost upon us, and we all must be in our places! Faster!"
Joan gritted her teeth, trying to quicken her pace. "What are you talking about? Where are we going?" She called to the mermaid, now barely a speck in her vision.
"To the ocean, of course! To Alorda! Faster! Faster!"
"Wait for me!" Joan practically screamed, everything within her wanting to catch up to her aquatic friend. It seemed, though, that all her efforts only made her movements more and more sluggish. Soon, Urma had vanished, and Joan could not hold back tears that streamed from her face and mingled with the thick mist around her.
