She quickly went outside, took some water, and placed it on the small fire in her kitchen. When the water became warm, she poured some into a small bowl and brought it inside. She dipped a clean cloth into the hot water, squeezed it, and gently placed it on the mermaid’s swollen arms and shoulders.
The mermaid winced in pain, but after a while she let out a soft sigh of relief.
Amara continued to care for her with the warm cloth, wiping away the dirt and sweat and pressing gently on her back.
“Thank you. Thank you,” the mermaid kept whispering, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Amara felt pity in her heart, but she also felt afraid. She did not know what would happen next, and she did not know why the mermaid had come onto land, pregnant, only to be caught by hunters.
The room was quiet except for the mermaid’s soft groans and the gentle crackling of the fire outside.
Amara looked at the mermaid’s large belly and wondered, What kind of baby is inside her? Will it be a fish or a human?
She did not know. But she knew she could not let the mermaid die.
The mermaid opened her eyes weakly and looked at Amara.
“My name is Nene,” she said softly.
Amara was surprised. “Nene? That is a beautiful name. My name is Amara.”
Nene smiled weakly, though her eyes were still filled with tears.
“Thank you, Amara. I will never forget this,” she whispered.
Amara nodded and held Nene’s hand gently.
Suddenly, they heard the sound of footsteps outside the hut, and Amara’s eyes widened in fear. She quickly looked at the door and then at Nene, who was trying to sit up but was too weak.
Amara placed a finger on her lips.
“Shh. Don’t make a sound.”
They both listened quietly as the footsteps moved closer to the door of the hut.
Amara turned quickly to look at Nene, the pregnant mermaid, who was lying weakly on the mat. Nene looked at her with fear in her eyes, clutching her swollen belly, her silver tail folded beneath her body.
Suddenly, the door opened with a loud creak.
Amara rushed forward and pushed the door, using her body to block the person outside from seeing inside the hut.
“Who is there? Why are you opening my door like that?” Amara asked, breathing heavily, sweat on her forehead.
Standing by the door was Mama Jadeeka, the village gossip. Everyone in the village knew her as the woman who loved to poke her nose into other people’s business. She stood there with one hand on her waist and the other on the door, trying to push it open wider while stretching her neck to look inside Amara’s hut.
Amara blocked her view with her body, spreading her arms across the doorway.
Mama Jadeeka raised her eyebrows and tried to look over Amara’s shoulder.
“What are you hiding in there, Amara?” she asked suspiciously.
Amara forced a small laugh. “Hiding? Hiding what, Mama? So early in the morning?”
