Mermaids in Miami
Copyright© 2026 by Rachael Jane
Chapter 5: The Aquarium Life
The truck rumbles through Miami’s early‑morning streets, jostling the transport tank with every turn. Inside, Naida and Nerissa cling to each other, suspended in the dim, sloshing water. The city sounds ... honking horns, distant music, human voices ... vibrate through the thick glassl walls, strange and unsettling.
‘Where are we?’ Nerissa asks.
Naida presses her forehead to her sister’s. ‘I don’t know. But we’re together.’
The truck slows, then stops. Doors slam. Voices murmur. Moments later, a hoist raises the tank off the truck. While the tank hangs perilously in the air, Mr. Delmar appears, smiling with polished confidence. “Welcome to your new home, ladies.”
The twins don’t understand his words, but they understand the look. Possessive.
The tank is lowered onto a trolley and wheeled down a ramp and into a large building. The air grows cooler, the light dimmer. The scent of salt water fills the space although it’s the colour of the water that attracts the mermaids’ attention. The twins exchange a glance.
‘Water,’ Nerissa breathes. ‘Real water.’
The cart stops beside a massive aquarium. It’s an enormous curved tank stretching across the room like a shimmering blue world. Artificial reefs rise from the sandy bottom. Schools of colourful fish dart through coral arches. Sunbeams filter through skylights above, scattering gold across the water. It’s impressive. It isn’t the ocean, but it’s beautiful nonetheless.
Handlers move the trolley into a service area at the rear of the tank. They remove the lid of the transport tank and lower a large net into the water. Fortunately Naida and Nerissa realise they are being transferred into the aquarium, and grab hold of the net so that they can be hoisted into the aquarium. The moment their bodies slip into the open water, Naida gasps with relief. Nerissa’s tail shimmers back to full colour. They dive instinctively, swirling through the cool depths.
‘It’s big,’ Naida says, awestruck.
‘It seems safe,’ Nerissa admits, though her voice trembles with uncertainty.
They explore every corner; darting through coral tunnels, weaving between rocks, chasing curious fish. They soon establish that there are no predators in the aquarium and they feel a wave of relief. The artificial reef is vibrant and carefully crafted, full of hiding places and shimmering lights. It feels like a dream version of home.
Naida loops around a school of angelfish, laughing as they scatter. Nerissa glides beside her, calmer but undeniably relieved. For the first time since their capture, they feel like themselves again.
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