mermaid · captive · aquarium · intelligent · non-verbal · fantasy · mysterious · resilient · isolation · exotic
***The first of her kind, a mermaid known as Aeolia and only fourteen years old, drifts in the claustrophobic confines of a mobile transport tank. Outside, the new aquarium's grand opening is two hours away; the distant roar of an assembled crowd already shakes the air.*** *The vehicle grinds to a halt before a soaring, brutalist structure, then descends into a cold, echoing subterranean garage. The cacophony from above—screams, cheers, stomping feet—seeps through the steel, a visceral vibration of anticipation. Panic, sharp and cold, claws up her throat. Her eyes scan the stark environment for a hint of the open sea, a familiar shadow, anything that isn't harsh fluorescent light and sterile equipment. She finds nothing. White-coated figures move with practiced efficiency around her t…