Well, at least I learned one thing. Even the tiny Caribbean islands are not that small. I found this out the hard way. But then again, I'm a city person, so what do I know?



I borrowed one of the hotel bicycles, wanting to see the volcano for myself, that essentially formed this island, preferably from the top, looking in. All I brought in a tiny strap-on backpack, was a bottle of water and a banana, plus the chain lock to prevent the bike from being stolen. I figured I'd be back in an hour, two tops.



The road was on an incline all the way, which made sense right, going up the volcano. But after an hour I was exhausted, all my water done already, but I figured going back would be easy piecy, going downhill all the way. Unfortunately, the road had turned more into a path, and one particularly sharp rock cut my tire.



There was absolutely no cellphone service to call for help, so I left the bike behind next to the path, with the lock on, just in case. I ate my banana, and with the water done already I left the empty backpack behind as well. Now, I wasn't that stupid, that I would still try to reach the top. But would I backtrack to the hotel, or turn right, as I could see the ocean there, and as I was made to belief, there were plenty of beaches around the island. And beaches meant people and soft drinks, right? Or maybe something stronger.



I chose for the beach, because even if there was non, I could still cool down in the ocean, and from there track my way down to civilization. It was downhill also, but quite steep. At some point too steep, as I stood at the edge of a ravine, looking fifty feet down or so.



As much as that sucked, I also noticed the top of a roof, close to the water, perhaps the wrong way, but it had to be civilization, right?



The walk to get there took me an hour or so, as I finally could cross over the ravine, and by then I was seriously dehydrated. When I got close to what looked like quite a compound, there was a fence all around it, except on the water side, but it was all rock there and not accessible.



Walking along the fence I crossed a path, not a road, but there was a gate here that could possibly fit a car. Of course it was locked and there was no doorbell or anything. But the gate was not as high as the fence, and I saw a few places that allowed me to climb over it. When I dropped down on the other side, I felt a twist and a sharp pain in my ankle. Just what I needed.



Limping towards the house I just saw nobody as I moved along the wall, until there was a sort of arch leading me to the other side. That's when my mouth dropped.



It was like an oasis, a courtyard with plenty shadow, as it was enclosed by the house on three sides, like the home was build as the letter U. There was a giant pool, and pathways down toward the ocean. And finally I saw someone. A young woman, swimming in the pool.



Before I could get her attention, she disappeared underwater. Seeing a glass on a table with some fluid in it, I realized I couldn't wait for her approval, so I covered the last few steps, in pain, to the little table. I'd love to boast how much control I had, forcing myself to take small sips. But it was not to be, as in two swift gulps I drained the life saver. It tasted a bit funny, but I would have drank sewer water.



I sat down in one of the chairs, trying not to look threatening, as her head bobbed out of the water. She saw me instantly and I waited for her scream. It didn't come. Instead she said, "Who are you?"



I started with an apology. "I'm sorry for intruding, Miss. My name is Xavier, and I had some troubles on my way to see the volcano, ran out of water, and damaged my ankle. I apologize for taking your drink, but I will pay for it. It saved my life."



She smiled at that. "No need for payment", she said, "but it could still kill you. That drink contained my medicine, dissolved in water." I could feel myself go pale, knowing that I was indeed allergic to some medicine groups, and could get very sick from them. She smiled though, saying, "But I doubt you're allergic to breast enhancers?"



I started laughing, from relief, but then I burst out, "What?" After a short silence she asked, "You mean, what is my name?" I nodded, feeling very stupid. "My name is Quinn. Nice to meet you, Xavier."



Then, swimming closer to the side of the pool, she said, "You look like you could use another drink. Would you mind getting me one of those towels?" And she pointed at another chair, with a small pile of towels on it. The few minutes I had sat on this chair, my ankle had swollen, and when I put weight on it, getting up, I cried out in pain.



I fell forward, to my knees, relieving the weight off my ankle, towards the chair with the towels. I managed to grab one and then, with a decent toss, it landed in front of Quinn.



As my eyes locked on hers, she kicked her feet, I imagined, as she launched herself from the water, leaning on her hands, twisting in the air, as she landed with her butt on the side of the pool, her legs still hanging down in the water. They weren't legs though. I clearly saw a large fishtail. Quinn was a mermaid!



She twisted her hips again, the tail coming from the water, spinning into my direction. It was long, way taller than I expected, swinging a good amount of water drops on me as well. As it was laying right in front of me, I could see it was beautiful, a cool shiny green, but with different colors hidden in it, as the scales reflected the sunlight.



"Would you mind helping out a bit?" came Quinn's voice from far, as I softly touched the tail. I was mesmerized, until Quinn raised her voice. "Yo! Earth to Xavier! Wake up please. Help me get out of this tail please!" That shook me back into the now. She was wearing this tail, it wasn't real! And she needed my help getting it off.



It was seriously tough. I couldn't move too well myself, so we were both slithering across the wet tiles. She explained where best to hold her tail, as she started pulling. I was still amazed how real it felt. It was like holding a large fish you just caught, by the tail. But it was fun as well. We laughed like lunatics as I almost slid over the edge into the pool. But in the end her body came out. She had the large towel strategically draped over herself, and suddenly I realized she had been naked inside the tail.



When the tail was finally off her, I was panting, holding it in my hands. I felt the inside, just vacated by her body, and there was a thick layer of soft material inside. It almost felt like meat. I didn't realize she had gotten up and had put on the bikini bottom that fit with the top she had been wearing while in the pool. As she stood there, watching me feeling up and down the tail, she simply said, "Thanks!"



Now that she was mobile, reality hit me hard, knowing that I was not. She had to help me back in the chair, before she went and came back with a few different drinks. I would have been happy with more water, but I didn't mind the lemonade. I drank eagerly again, yet in small sips this time.



"We need to talk", she said as she sat down in the next chair. "Do you need me to call someone for you? Or do you need a doctor?"

I shook my head, as I was on the island by myself. But then I thought... "Maybe the hotel. Before they start a search party, if I don't show up before dark. Is there any way I can get back there in time? Can you give me a lift? Or get me a taxi?"



Now she shook her head. "I have no transportation. And taxi's can't reach here, the road doesn't come this far. The hike to the nearest home, where the road starts, would take about three hours, but not with your leg... I get supplies delivered once per week by boat. That would be your best bet to get back to civilization, but they were here just yesterday. You'd have to stay in the guestroom. Unless..."



She left me hanging there, looking at me curiously. "Unless what?" I asked.



She didn't reply immediately, like she was gathering her thoughts. Then with a smile on her face she started explaining. "As you just saw I am a mermaid. Or really a mermaid model. I have been here for the past two months. Preparing for a photo shoot that takes place, all of next week. I have multiple tails and mermaid outfits. I have practiced in all of them, either here in the pool, or down in the ocean. I have found many interesting locations for the shoot to take place, like a coral field, or a wreck of a ship. I've found a nice secluded beach with perfect sand, and of course the perfect rocks to sit on, you know, like a mermaid."



As I was listening, I could see her swim, like a real mermaid, and make pictures of her in my head. I could feel my manhood stir in my pants, but tried to get a grip on myself. Didn't want to scare her.



She continued. "I have swam as far as where the road starts. It's a few miles, but the tail makes it so easy. With practice of course. I could teach you. And in a few days we could swim there. And if I call for a taxi ahead of time, they can pick you up and bring you back to the hotel. You only lose maybe three days of your vacation, rather than six if you wait for the boat."



I saw how her plan made sense, and I knew already I'd love to try one of those tails. But there was still the problem of my ankle. No walking, but no swimming either. But she didn't agree with me.



"You see", she said, "the tail is connected to the whole of your leg, not just your ankle. The movement comes from the full leg. As a matter of fact, as you saw earlier, the leg sleeves are so tight, it may actually help, healing your ankle. Like a splint."



I started wondering. I was in awe with the tail. It wouldn't hurt to try, right? Except...

"But isn't it a girl's tail? I mean, will it fit me?"



She understood. "Well, not every tail may fit you. Especially the ones where the tail goes on like a top across the breasts. But this very tail you're holding has a good length, my legs could have been four inches longer, and it still would have fit. The only trouble part may be your hips and your waist. You're more straight where I'm curvy in that area. Let's give it a try."



"Now?" I asked.

"Why not?" she replied, "There's still a few hours left in the day for practice. And you may feel more comfortable sleeping in the pool, than trying to drag yourself upstairs to the guestroom. And I was planning a different tail for myself anyway. If you can swim in that tail by tonight, without drowning, then tomorrow we can practice in the ocean."



It seemed all so logical. And I was curious. Plus, this was perhaps getting me back to the hotel a day sooner, right? There was just... "I didn't bring any swim trunks, you know. Didn't expect to hit the ocean, if you know what I mean."



"No worries", she said, "you won't need any swimwear, you're naked under the tail. That's how you can hook up the plumbing, so you don't need to take the tail off when you need to go to the bathroom."



When she saw my still worried face, she continued, "Listen, we have to trust each other here. Your plumbing works a bit different than mine. I have special tape that I use to hookup the pee-sleeve to, you know, my pee-hole. It may actually be easier to fit it on your, eh, thingy, but I can't be sure. So I will be down there to tape it for you. If you can't handle that, then maybe we should just forget about the whole thing."



I made an executive decision, right there and then. "I can handle it, if you can." And that sealed the deal. She took the tail from me and started cleaning it under a shower. Then she looked at my legs, and said, "Oh boy. That will have to go!" And she pointed at the hair on my legs. "It will be hell and painful to get the tail on or off. You're not allergic to Nair, I hope?"



I shook my head, having only used it once in my life. "Good", she said, "I have an easy version of that stuff, that I use myself as well. Take your pants off please." I hesitated only a moment, but she started on me. "Look, we talked about this. You could handle it, you said. Your legs need to be free of hair. All the way up to your navel. And if I may advise, probably the rest of your body also. You'll like it smooth, underwater."



To proof I could handle it, I took everything off, including my watch. She smiled, then started spraying. The spray set like foam, as it touched my body, and soon my whole front, including my crotch, was covered in a thick layer of foam. As she gave it some time to sit, she managed to get a garden hose my way, and after about five minutes she used it to water my body down, removing the foam. And everything that was dissolved by it. Before I could take a closer look, she had me turn on my belly, as she made the chair go flat all the way. Next thing I know she sprayed me all over there as well with the foam.



Ten minutes later I was completely hairless, including my crotch. But she moved quickly now, while I was wet, she explained, as she started pulling the tail over my feet. It was tight indeed, as it now moved over my ankle, but instead of feeling pain, I felt relief. It was like covering it in tight fabric was the right medical decision.



A few times she sprayed water from the hose over my legs and inside the tail. My knees were covered, then my thighs, and then she stopped to "deal with the plumbing". It took a few uncomfortable minutes, as the soft fingers of a beautiful woman were handling my manhood. "I can handle this, I can handle this", I kept repeating in my head. And just when I thought she was all done, she pushed something slippery in my rear.



I didn't protest. It had to be the thing that allowed me to do a number two, while wearing the tail. And the tail moved up over my hips and settled over my belly, where it was extremely tight. "I'm afraid we need some help here", she said, as she went and came back with a six inch wide strip of what looked like a transparent latex belt. She moved the tail six inch back and wrapped the latex belt around my waist. I had to suck in my belly, as she locked it with the cincher, as she called it, and just like that the tail shifted over it and settled perfectly.



The tail felt comfortable. At no point were my legs touching each other. The tail felt like filled with a mass, I won't call it meat, but nowhere did it look like legs were inside. Quinn started pushing my body to the edge of the pool, and I used my hands and flapped my tail to help. Then, very unceremoniously, she shoved me in the water.