Free Real Mermaids 2 - Don't Hold Their Breath by Helene Boudreau

shook her head in disbelief. “This is huge. I’m sorry I got mad at you back there, but I’m glad I finally know.”
    I put an arm around her shoulder. “Me too.”
    Just then, another truck filled with earth pulled up and stopped in front of the locked entry. It tooted its horn for someone to open the gate, but the security guard must have been busy catching the last few minutes of his show because he didn’t come out of the trailer right away.
    â€œWell, if we’re gonna get in there, this is as good a chance as any.” Cori popped up from her seat on the rocks and ran to the back of the truck. She hopped onto the back bumper and grabbed the tailgate, turning toward me with her hand outstretched. “Come on!”

“You’re crazy!” I laughed and raced after Cori, jumping onto the truck just before it lurched forward and continued through the gate. Thankfully, the security guard was busy securing the lock as we entered the construction site and didn’t turn our way before rushing back into his trailer to catch the last few minutes of his show.
    Luke and Trey ran for the gate, laughing, and gave us a thumbs-up as the truck rolled away. I waved to them and flashed a hopeful smile, then grasped onto the tailgate to keep from becoming road pizza, hoping I didn’t just make a huge mistake.
    â€œThis secret-identity stuff is fun!” Cori exclaimed, choking on the cloud of dust kicked up by the truck’s massive back tires.
    I put a finger to my lips to get her to shush. What would happen if we got caught? I seriously contemplated running back to the gate and waiting for the next truck to come through so we could escape. But then we turned a corner and I caught a glimpse of shimmering water through scrub brush and bushes, and any worries I may have had fell away.
    â€œOh wow.”
    â€œWhat?” Cori turned to see what I was “oh-wowing” about but the truck hit a pothole and she bounced off the bumper and onto the road.
    â€œCori!” The same weird superhuman (or super-mermish) force rose up inside of me like when she’d fallen into the ocean earlier, and suddenly I found myself leaping from the truck and shoulder rolling onto the gravel road to save her. “Oof!”
    Okay. So maybe it wasn’t the daintiest shoulder roll ever, but if my life ever became a blockbuster movie I promised myself I’d get a stunt double. I struggled to my feet and ran to Cori, just as she lifted her head. The truck rolled on down the road and around the bend, the driver oblivious, leaving us covered in dirt and coughing exhaust fumes.
    I could hear another truck coming from the other way.
    â€œCome on!” I propped Cori up and slung her arm over my shoulder. She stumbled as I dragged her off the road and into the bushes, out of the way of the oncoming truck. “Are you okay?”
    â€œYeah. I’ll be fine.” Cori rubbed her knee and turned back to the road. “Do you think anyone saw us?”
    â€œNot sure, but let’s not wait and find out. Are you okay to walk?”
    â€œLead the way, fish-girl.” Cori raised her hand to point us onward.
    We bushwhacked through the brush in the direction I’d seen the water. After a few minutes, my flip-flops began to sink in the muck as the brush gave way to marshy grass and then open water about a hundred feet across.
    â€œCould this be it?” I looked to my left in the direction of the ocean and saw the other end of the metal culvert jutting out into the pond. I had my answer. The culvert ran from the ocean to the pond, making it a tidal pool. Somewhere in there was my mother. I just knew it!
    â€œOh, hey! Take a picture, take a picture!” Cori tried to hand me her phone with one hand and held up her other arm where two Monarch butterflies had landed.
    â€œYour phone went for a swim earlier, remember?” I laughed and rolled my eyes. “We could be arrested