2
“Well, at least he returned your skin straight away, eh, Tesh?”
I did not know how humans communicated every day. Even though I was considered young among our kind, the idea of just using verbal language was beyond confusing. Selkies spoke with sounds, their movements, and even scents. There was no room for miscommunications in any interaction my family had, so now was no different.
I was just so surprised by the entire scenario that I could barely react let alone have a coherent conversation with my Nona.
That, and I was still reeling from the feeling of having my skin torn away. It had hurt beyond anything I had ever imagined. No one but family had touched my pelt before, let alone taken it from me. It was even worse knowing that the thief had no idea that he’d ripped the skin from my body.
Even while I’d been gulping for air, one man had stepped in. He’d tripped the thief, wrestling the boon from him, and staggered back to the family with it.
All I had been able to do was stand there. The family had twittered all around me, sitting back into their seats once the danger had passed. But I waited for the man to reach us. He was tall and older than me, and a man of the land. Everything about him was rough and weathered. I wasn’t sure how he could fit in normal human clothes. Yet he had poured himself into jeans and the usual parker everyone wore for the Tasmanian winters.
This human seemed to be a loner. Everything about him said he only spent the bare minimum of time around others. Yet, he was bringing back my skin. My heart beat faster when he paused in front of me. I couldn’t speak and time seemed to stop as my skin went back over my shoulders. I’d never forget the way his hands gently touched my body.
I didn’t think I’d ever wanted someone as much as I did this human. But then he was gone and I’d fallen back into my seat in disbelief.
“Such young love.” My father’s pure delight vibrated through his skin. It was like it caused a feedback loop. It echoed around him. “What will you do, Tesh?”
“Traditionally, returning your pelt is the start of the rest of your life.” Nona bared her teeth. Even if our skinless form was almost entirely human, our teeth could not hide that we were something more. They were sharp with two points and a slight hook.
Just like a seal.
Mother and Father were both Selkies, but the love of Nona's life had been a human who returned her skin. It was a story we’d all been told a million times, but we all loved to hear it. The story sounded like a dream come true, a real one. I wasn’t shy about admitting how much I loved the idea of finding the one I was meant for by some sort of cosmic act of kindness.
“But your new man doesn’t seem to understand what has happened.” Mother was sad about it, watching the space where he had disappeared.
“I should go after him.” I held to the edges of my skin. As I said it, the righteousness of the words had me standing. I needed to go after this man.
“Go after him, Tesh,” Nona was warm, “see if this boy is supposed to be with you.”
I didn’t need to answer. My family knew how I felt. I would have to use all my senses to find him again, but I would. Then we’d get to see if the dream could happen twice.