Mako: Island of Secret - Zac's story: Chapter 1

Ever thought that mermaids/merfolk was real? Yeah, neither did I until I was ‘accidently’ turn into one. Hard to believe…and yes it did come with benefits, power’s over the element of water (more on that later) and the only down side was keeping away from water (when on dry land), or else I turn into a freak with a fish-tail and the hardest part is keeping this a secret, believe me it was no easy feat, believe me.
My Name is Zac Blakely and this is my story of how I became a ‘MAKO MERMAID’.

EPISODE 1: OUTCASTS…..

The story begins on small titanium fishing boat, making its way towards our chosen camping for two nights and nearing the shorelines of our chosen fishing spot; as the boat continued to sail towards the island but then also diverted around the island’s shores.
“What about here?” I suggested having a quick look at the spot.
Cam then agreeing it as well is a perfect spot, and then decided kills the engine of the boat, without a word or a body movement and I picked up the boat’s anchor to place within the water. Of course I looked over the edge of the boat to make sure I didn’t hit anyone or anything in the processes and then threw it down below. Once the anchor was secured on the sand dunes below, I then sat myself back down near the stern (front) of the boat.
Cam leaned down towards where his fishing rod was lying in the boat (around the middle with the top leaning against the middle seat of the boat), began to unhooked the hook and then threw the line into the ocean near shoreline, out on the claim sea green ocean waves with great ease and then relaxes on the ‘winding’ end of the rod; near the shore lines of an island near the mainland ‘Mako’ and unknown/mysterious island to anyone; I looked towards him in a questioned looked.
“What are you doing?” I quizzed shrugging my shoulder.
Cam just gave me the odd look and replied
“What does it look like I’m doing, mate?” He stated a rhetorically in reply. Giving me that weird look, which he always give me the ‘what do you think’.

I continued on to relax whilst watching him fish…Any whom; introduction to begin with: the name is Zac Blakely (embarrassing to have a last name that ‘almost’ sounds like a first name as your last) I have black medium hair (always messy and kept in fairly loose curls), fair brown-peach skin, piercing earth brown eyes and usually wear ¾ shorts and any random short-sleeved/singlet I can find (depending on the weather). But first I may as well introduce the ‘moron’ here in the boat with me; his name is Cameron (Cam for short). He’s been my best friend for the past 15 yrs and we treat each other as equals, and he’s also he’s the same height as me with short length streaked blonde hair with a bit of brown in it, he usually wears a plain everyone day random top with ¾ length shorts (usually some random designs, but still his sense of fashion is closer to mine…either that or he’s trying to copy my styles).

Anyhow:…While Cam were fishing out of the shores of ‘Mako Island’ (and yes this is the name of the island we’ve landed near), apparently we have happen to heard stories of this place, like how fishers have ‘claimed’ to see women (beautiful, I might add) in the water and then when they disappear they have a ‘fish-tails’ instead of legs as they’ve disappeared underwater. Either that or they must have been on something that made them go crazy, as he continued to fish…in which fair to say he’s much more better at it than me; but I suddenly had this crazy thought come to mind.
“You won’t catch anything.” I stated to Cam out of blue, whilst relaxing near the front of our boat, just looking out towards the island.
“You’re just worried that I’ll catch something before you do.”  Cam remarked in reply as he remains focused on his task at hand.
Suddenly this sparked my inner manhood challenger as I quickly grab my rod that I had brought with me in the boat; as start to unhook the ‘hook’ from its ‘store-away’ position.
“Game On.” I stated as I still unhook the hook and then threw the line in the water.
I then stared at Cam this then afterwards gave me a bit of time to relax just as my line is securely within the waters (and with me continually wilding in the line). And this gave me time to think…now this got me thinking of all of the stories that we’ve heard about this Island, I mean there are the very, very, very, etc.….slimmest chance of it being true or the fact of it being a fairy-tale is more than a 100%...and as I said before and probably already been proven, that there are no such things as ‘Mermaids’…but since I was so focused on beating Cam I decided to ignore my thought and direct my full attention, and then time I will beat him no matter what.
“Right, let’s see who can catch a big one.” I challenged Cam.
“Well, you know I’ll obviously win.” Cam boasted.
I just looked at him with in eyebrow raised.
“We’ll see about that.”
I then turned my full attention to our little game.

Time past, I started to brag that I’ll have a little nibble on my end any second now…and of course Cam and just sat there in silence.
But then something was tugging on my line… I’ll say it again ‘my line’….this is now my time to shine and finally put an end to Cam’s unbeaten record of ‘catching-fish-better-than-Zac’, so slowly (to the way my dad taught me) I begin to wield in the fish ‘sucker’ on the end of my line…as it slowly wielded it in I could definably feel the tug, it felt like a big one. But then seconds later the tug had stopped…Uggh…DAM IT, I finally had a chance just this one chance and I blew it; I just wish that one day I could mop the floor with his record streak, but of course ‘fat chance’ of that happening.
Cam just looked at my empty line and just smirked, with a mocking smile.
“Aw, no fish, eh?” He teased, and then focused back on his catch.
I sighed. ‘Dam it…and I was so close too.’ I thought.
So I tried again, and re-cast my line into the shores.

In which it was Cam’s turn next a few second later.
“Oh, there we go.” Cam announced with a firm pride.
And boy did Cam have the skills he wielded the line like a pro, moving his end of the line-up, winding back on the line and then letting the line slack; and kept on repeating the process. And then he nudged quickly me as he was still wielding it in (all while slightly standing up in the boat).
“Get the net.” He cried out still wielding it in. “Get the net.”
I quickly searched around for the net, of course which was right beside to where I was sitting…I knew it…Cam must think I’m no good at this thing, so he placed this in reflection of his skill and yet really good experience.
So without complaining I grabbed the net and dipped it into the water right under to where the fish that Cam had caught, I scooped up his result…another to add to his unbeaten record streak….and boy was this thing a ‘whoopa’, it was the size of my arm-my-forearm. As it was caught in the net, Cam sat back in the boat and laughing back at his victory. All I could was sit back down and put the fish into its new little home (my esky I’d brought from home with us), and soon to be in our stomachs. And now reflecting on my utter failed…
‘Okay, now I defiantly wish that I could somehow be able outshine his talents…if possible; (sigh) but of course that will never happen.’ I thought.
Looking out towards the Island, I just wish I could find something or someone to help me get to that goal.

Cam started to fiddle around with the boat’s engine, and I was stuck with pulling up the anchor and placing it back to where it belonged in the boat… *sigh* I’m too dammed depressed. As Cam finally managed to get the boat’s engine working as using his ‘boat-licencing-skills’ to guide the boat straight towards the Island for the night…MAKO ISLAND. I’m now getting back into what amazing secrets this tiny Island hold, I mean I bet explores have travelled all over this island but yet how come I’ve never heard about during history lesson.

…Random topic now: (about myself& Cam) We attend Sun Coast High School in the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia;(and currently were on school holidays, coming back next week) and yes I/we have heard of this island (in the past) but only through the listening in of other students at school, occasionally teacher (very rarely talked about), the other fishermen (I live near the edge of a river-canal bank that connects to the pacific ocean, and I sometimes can hear them talking about the island as they either: dock into harbour or as the go by) and the patron’s on the beach (just to clarify: both myself and Cam are Surf Lifesaver at our local Beach…fully trained of course).

…Now back to the main story line: As soon as the boat hit shoreline of the island and I hopped out of the boat, before Cam with my amazing skills, and then we pulled it in further to shore with me placing the anchor (into the sand dunes) to hold the boat from getting swept away overnight, (and we didn’t even bother to cover the boat…but the weather man predicted that it will remain dry tonight…so there) we started to unload as he pilled all of our gear out of the boat, I pulled on my sack with my sleeping bag, other essential packed within it and a little ‘billy tin’ hanging off it, Cam, I think had the exact same things as me but he was holding the Esky with his ‘fish’/our dinner in it. Cam followed me onto beach dunes, and up onto the wilderness, but of course knowing Cam he started to muck around and playfully shoved me over a bit, I wanted to get him back for it so I ran after in a laughing manor and eventually shoved him…and then the fun died down, and we casually walked towards the bushel’s surrounding the entrance into the deeper parts of Mako.
As we continued to trek further into Mako, I couldn’t help but admire the wilderness inhabiting the island….very unique and awe inspiring. We walked on a small natural stream, and tried to look for our chosen ‘camping’, but of course we could have camped anywhere as no one else were within a 100 or so kilometres/km. So we camped near a river stream, on a small natural grassy plain.
“Perfect.” I said as I began to place my backpack on the grassy grounds below.

Cam had no point of arguing, as this was like a magical spot, to take in and reflect on our vacation time; just so you know it was now only have until next week, we go back to school, so in (not so) celebration we decide to venture out towards this island, and spend the last 2 days here….no other human beings around for miles. Cam was so exhaust from that trekking we just did from the beach to where we are right now…so exhausted in fact that he dropped the Esky (where ‘his’ catch laying inside) and then decided to sit his bottom square on top of the esky. I was going to sit down next to him in exhausted.
“No, I caught the fish…you do the tent” He said still panting a bit; and the he rolled the dark green bag in which contained the tent towards me.
I couldn’t really complain as it was only fair. So I just dumped my own sack and started to get the tent out of its bag and began to set it up. Whilst Cam started un-load the rest of his gear out of his backpack, and then began setting up for tonight’s dinner.

As the sunset on a not-so-disappointing-day, we sat around a roasting fire, it was a bit nippy tonight but there was also going to be a full moon that is meant to rise tonight. I couldn’t wait for that, so as we sat around and talked about what we did during the rest of our holidays; whilst tuckering into the cooked fish (we used our hands, as bringing cutlery wasn’t worth it).
“Man, how good was that?” Cam stated as he polished off his plate.
I however continued to eat, but then answered his question.
“It’s a bit rubbery…but not bad.” I answered. When I said it “-taste of rubber-” Cam gave me a weird or ‘you-think-my-cooking-is-that-bad’ look, that’s when I had to correct myself.
Cam just relaxed a bit, placing his plate on the grass around the camp fire…were sitting on large stones we fished out of the stream (since we didn’t want to bring any sort of chairs with us, adds weight and really hard to carry back + we had woollen shirts on, as It was getting a bit nippy)
“So where are the chicks? Where’s the music?” Cam bickered. “You’ve of asked Evie.”
I just shook my head. Cam, I can say from experience she love to be in other places, but Cam prefers to fun to follow him wherever he goes…just saying that this is his way of having a good time.  And just so you know, Evie is my girlfriend; her mother was a good friend of my mum’s ever since we were little, but at the age of 11 she passed away, I’ve been her very supportive boyfriend and the shoulder for her to cry on. We’ve been together for a few months now.
“She hates camping.” I remarked.
“Isn’t exactly my idea of a good time?” Cam stated.
“Well, school starts next week (finishing up my mouthful). We won’t get another chance to get away.”
“Two days on a deserted island…it’s great.”  Cam said.
I guess Cam couldn’t argue with this idea of ‘alone-time’, but a bit more alone in it. Then Cam just finished plate off and then his placed the left-overs in the fire and his plate on the grass near the campfire.
“I’m going to crash.” He announced as he made his way towards our tent that ‘I’d’ set-up.
I still continued on with my meal, and then suddenly reminded myself of how Cam is when he sleeps…when we were young Cam or I would sleep over each other houses for the night, and Cam had a record of snoring out loud…so just as a reminder.
“You snore I hit you.” I reminded him, as I put the last bit of the fish in my mouth.
Cam just looked at me with a smirk, as if the say ‘dam it, he know my weakness/secret’
I just finished it my meal off, but still had chunks left over so I did what Cam did, make it fuel for the fire. And rose from where we sat. I’d admit that I was starting to feel a bit tired, but instead of going into the tent I started to walk past, just as Cam was taking off his shoes to enter the tent.
“Where are you going?” He quizzed as he was half way of taking his second shoe off, sitting on the esky.
I just looked at him.
“Nature calls.” I answered, as I waltzed past and headed over the river rocks to and beyond in the search of a perfect private place.

After walking a few feet away from the camp site, I started to burst out in laughter clutching my stomach in the processes…I could of said anything else but of course I almost hear Cam laughing after me. Whipping the tears from my eyes cause laughter and then continuing on to find the perfect spot to do-what-I-have-to-do; I still had time to think and wonder about this Island, I mean I know I have already told about how dangerous the island is…like it cursed or something, but camping out here for 2 days, far away from any other human contact (and  believe me it took a miracle to convince mum and dad in to let me even come on this adventure in the first place) and just to enjoy nature, maybe was one of the best ideas I’ve had in a long time, I’d admit that I’m really proud of myself. I did eventually after about 20 minutes did find the perfect spot to literally let-it-all-out; I faced a huge bolder, lowered my flyer and then just relaxed as it-all-came-out. (Gross I know, but still I can imagine the looks on your faces ‘the readers’ right now…. Like ‘ewe, I didn’t need to know that’)

As it all came out I looked up to see that the full moon was just coming out from behind the clouds…and with that comes light…I couldn’t help but admire the gorgeousness of the moon (it also struck as something familiar, like something out of a dream…but a beautiful dream) , and it also provided a perfect ‘natural light’ in which to help me find suitable ‘toilet paper’…but then after I had just finished; there was a warm honey like glow of light coming from the corner of my left eye; I only glance it quickly once as then turned back to zip up my ‘fly’, but it was still there so I turned my head back to the source of it, but instead of a solid rock face, there was a cave entrance.
‘That wasn’t there before…I guess those people were right this island is weird, especially now…during a full moon.’ I thought to myself.

Just so you know, since I was a man and adventure had always been our second nature, I decided to check out the cave entrance. Before I entered, I quickly looked behind me in case this was another one of Cam’s jokes/ or a projection joke…it turns out it wasn’t. So I turned my attention back to the cave and made my way inside, with eyes filled with wonder and delight of what I may discover. I slowly walked into the cave as it being unknown to me, I checked every inch of the cave as I was walking into it….I could tell that it was naturally made by the carvings of the walls and how paresis it was, of course it could be just man-made façades.
I can tell you that the cave was short and only one turn (veering to the left)and yet still that honey-glow of light still shined; whatever the source of it was it sure was a good one; at the end of the cave, and at the end was a solid wall but carved into the rock face: was a giant circle a few feet off the floor (and it looked like to be screwed in) as there was about 7 smaller solid circles around the edge of the larger circle….but in the middle really intrigue me as there was a medium size circle but it had ‘trident’ (like Ariel’s father had from the Little Mermaid…and yes it did use to watch thanks to my younger self) pattern caved into the middle circle and it admitted that same glow of that light, I saw at the entrance when I was coming in. It looked really pretty and for some reason I was drawn towards the ‘trident’s’ patterns glowing light; I was now thinking that as if I pressed my hand against it could lead to some sort of other secret part of the island…
So I slowly reach out my hand to touch the trident, but then looked behind me as knowing Cam this could all be a projection trick by him, I only waited a second…and he never showed.

So I directed my attention back to the trident and then eventually touched it, it glowed a bit more brighter that before, but then the whole cave started to make a sort of whining noise and started to shake a bit. I quickly looked at my feet and found out that the floor was glowing that same light but instead the floor started the swallow my feet. But instead of it being slow and steady pace, I quickly passed through the, now free-falling somehow down…but instead of me figuring out I tried to reach upwards with my arms to soften the impact, as they were all in a medium size pool and there was bubbles rising up out of the pool like spa bath. I landed in with my feet first, the impact was hard as I made I big splash and which my face followed smack down.
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