Ariel's face mirrored how I felt as I turned to swim in a different direction. Shoot, shoot, shoot! I kicked as hard as I could but one of Ursula's tentacles purposely smacked against me. My heart lurched as I was thrown back, soaring through the water to hit the coral behind me, a cry of pain building up inside of me as the hard surface caused my back to arch sharply. Ursula's dark red lips curled into an eerie smile as she moved toward me, her tentacles all extending outward at once in different directions, looking quite graceful in the water.

I was quick to begin swimming toward the ladder leading upward and out of the water. My scuba gear weighed me down, though, and as my adrenaline began kicking in, I realized how much harder it was for me to breathe. My inhales weren't earning me much air. Not like they used to. Did Ursula release a leak in the air tank?

"Where do you think you're going, darling?" Ursula's raspy but smooth voice questioned playfully. I knew that her type of play wasn't the same as mine. "You're in here for a reason, meaning you and little Ariel are acquainted somehow. Why don't you tell the princess to come out of the hole she's hiding in?"

The hint of warning in her tone made me shiver in the water. I reached out for the ladder rung, not daring to look over my shoulder. My lungs were beginning to slowly burn from the lack of oxygen it needed to function. My eyes wandered to the side where Zeke and Ben were still not in sight. Either they abandoned me or they were trying to do something to help. As for me?

The water was her domain. I could only hope to get away.

Unfortunately, luck wasn't on my side. Her slimy, black tentacle wrapped around my waist as I just began to reach the surface of the water and she dragged me back down, almost effortlessly, even when I tried to hit her tentacle to initiate some sort of pain. The tentacle tightened as she turned me to face her. The tip of her slicked up hair swayed in the water. She chuckled, eyes taking in my scuba gear. "Ridiculous. Humans really don't belong in the water."

If I could speak, I would. But even if I could talk I wouldn't want to because I had no air to speak with. I was suddenly aware of the lungs I had - that are usually unnoticeable - now that they weren't receiving what they needed to function properly. The burning feeling was spreading on both my sides. I would find the sensation weird if I weren't too concerned that I was close to passing out. But the burning had definitely grown more rapidly, overwhelming my whole torso now. My movements were becoming sluggish. I tried to fight her off nonetheless.

"What should I do with you?" Ursula still smiled. "You poor, unfortunate soul."

I was barely aware of the splash from above us. Ursula's eyes flicked upward and she scowled at whatever she saw. Behind her, I saw Ariel floating with the screwdriver I had lost. I instinctively snapped my eyes shut when she brought it down on Ursula's pale, purplish skin. The sea witch screeched and her tentacle released me. Just as I moved to try and swim toward the surface, something grabbed my waist again. I began to flail out before realizing it wasn't a tentacle. I angled my head to find Zeke carrying me upward, all dressed up in scuba gear.

Blood had stained the water as Ursula clutched at her shoulder, swimming angrily after Ariel who made a quick retreat back to the open pipe. When we broke the surface, I spit the breathing piece out of my mouth to inhale the fresh, night air. The burning in my lungs revolved into a need to cough and I allowed Zeke to lift me over the edge of the exhibit where another pair of arms welcomed me, wrapping around my body to lower me down as I coughed intensely, my body shaking slightly.

"You okay, princess?" Ben asked, moving to crouch in front of me. I gave him a thumbs up before wiping some water away from my eye.

Zeke joined us after a few moments, patting my back as I released the last needed coughs. There was a sharp sting throbbing in my cheek. Right. Ykell had scratched me. I raised my hand to the long cuts. The scabs that used to be hardened were soft. I was almost tempted to peel them off. Scabs always started to itch.

"What happened to Ursula?" I turned to look at the exhibit.

"We've still got her," Zeke said, shaking his head sharply to get rid of the droplets.

Ursula was floating by the glass, her glower deadly and threatening as one hand gripped her shoulder. So Ariel made it back to the pipe. Good. Blood was still staining the water in small spirals, escaping between Ursula's fingers.

I rose shakily to my feet and we approached the glass together. Ursula continued watching us. If she could, I know she would turn us all into those creepy plants she had in her cave that were alive in the movie. I folded my arms and gave her a hard stare, trying not to shiver in the chilly night. "We have you here for a reason, Ursula. Why did you kidnap a child?"

She stared at me a moment before laughing maniacally, shaking her head as if I just disappointed her. "You think I took a child?"

"Yes."

"Well, sorry to break the news," she chuckled, "but I didn't."

•~•~•~•

You may have noticed that these characters aren't experts at solving the mystery and that the action scenes aren't perfectly mapped out where they do cool moves, make amazing decisions, and know karate or whatever, etc. I did this on purpose because they are just normal people. I know I wouldn't be able to solve this mystery very well and have flawless plans or lifesaving backup ones. I would be clumsy and non-stealthy because that is how it would be for an average person. I wanted this to be as realistic as possible.

Hope you understand. :)