The 7th installment of The Hearteyes Zone, a supernatural series of oneshots.
You're standing on the otherside of the unchanging door into another dimension. A dimension of reduced sight and sound. To enter requires unlocking said door with the key of curiosity.
Erik Stevens is about to take the plunge. For one man, the exit may forever be distorted and out of reach..
🎶 Di cuttlefish fled an di di wata turn red wen Vanity meet Mr Hammerhead ow awful dat day wid terrible dread dat old maid of Mer shi dead 🎶
"Wah mek yuh insist pan singing dat depressing song," Marin signed from beneath the water as she watched her curious best friend closely with her large dark black eyes. Her long black kinky hair was in two tail-length ponytails, wrapped artfully with twine so that she wasn't completely blinded and wrapped in her own tangled web of hair when she swam.. she'd gotten enough of that when she was young. Absentmindedly, her strong tail flipped back and forth as she floated, nearly breaching the surface. She wasn't bold enough to stick out like Nautilus.
Nautilus was already halfway out of the water, her ample waist still submerged as she looked about in every direction. She should've seen a ship coming by, it's why she'd come.. There was always a ship passing through about this time. Maybe she was too early. Based on the position of the big yellow starfish in the sky, it seemed that was the case. "Marin, Marin, Marin," she smiled. "Yuh kno mi majored inna Mer History at Great Coral yuh it di song of warning an it part of fi wi history as a people wah mek nuh sing it proudly?"
"Because it's awful!" Marin spun. "Who makes songs bout dem people being murda by hungry sharks? Plus a warning ave neva stop yuh from being curious," Marin signed.
"Yuh kno dat old merchild nursery rhyme Sleep Stonefish actually bout di poison epidemic of 154?"
"There yuh guh wid dem deh human years eff mi neva kno any betta I'd tink yuh use history as a excuse an yuh actually interest inna observing humans cuz yuh wish fi be one," Marin signed. "Is that why you always come here to watch the ships?"
"Yuh tell mi. Notice yuh always here wid mi Marin," Nautilus retorted.
Marin nodded slowly with a click that meant, "Touche."
"Wah mek yuh nuh eva use yuh lungs," Nautilus asked for the millionth time. "Nuh like anyone's round yuh cya practice yuh human speech it just mi yuh an whulla dis space," she spun, diving to refresh herself in the water before resurfacing. She slung her butt-length locks and two whipped over her shoulder as a few others hit her own face.
"It burns wen mi use mi lungs," Marin frowned. "Mi nuh like breathing oxygen. Plus eff word get back I'd be judge suh haad."
"It only burns cuz yuh nuh dweet enuff.. an who cares yuh suh gud at chatting like a human!"
"I care," Marin signed with attitude. "Humans evil. That's wah mek wi stay away!" Nautilus seemed to forget that she escaped a lot of ridicule since she was a Great Coral Scholar. Marin, however, had no excuse.
"Well evil or no.. mi wa fi si a ship an den wi cya guh."
Erik was semi-lit from the complimentary wine left on his tiny desk when he left his cabin to walk about the ship, though he was tipsy his sea legs were sturdier than most sober sailers. He was no stranger to cruises having taken one every year through his friend's traveling business for the past few years. Erik always got the best deals. This year was Jamaica and Erik planned to spend as much time as possible on a beach butt naked surrounded by cuties. He couldn't wait until the ship docked so he could finally get back to some authentic Caribbean food. In the meantime, he hit up one of the onboard food stations and picked up an apple, banana, slice of pizza, and some fries before carrying it all to the massive deck to enjoy while looking out at the expansive sea. Everywhere he looked, he just saw blue rippling water. No land in sight and though he was ready to see land again, the view gave him peace. Families moved around, their voices and conversations carrying. Some played in the big pools, some walked by, and some sat, either eating or enjoying the scenery.
Allowing himself to daze lazily at the water, he stared into the space where the sky met the sea. It was then that he saw briefly, something abnormal in the water. He quickly focused his eyes, but nothing was there. Had his eyes been playing tricks on him? He stared and stared at the spot in question. No one seemed to be paying any attention, but he knew he wasn't crazy. Tipsy, sure. Crazy, no chance.
Right before he gave up looking, he saw a strange movement of the water as if something were lurking. His mind went to sharks and he squinted as if it would help him to see better. As minutes passed, he decided to google it. He also needed to get closer to the edge of the ship so he stepped out to feel the air and the wind and see the water with no barrier but the the one set up for the safety of passengers.
How can you tell if sharks are in the water?
Immediately he sighed deeply, eyes shut. Looking back to the spot, he figured it was indeed a shark. Maybe there were a few. He hoped so. He wanted to see them, maybe a fin or something.
He listened closely to the wind hearing the artful cadence of a beautiful voice. Someone was singing and they sounded hella good. He wondered why he could hear it and where it came from.
"Hey yuh," the musical voice called. He looked left and right and behind him, seeing no one outside with him at the moment.
"Hey yuh cum wi si yuh battam half," the voice came again and he looked down to the water, his eyebrows shooting up into his hairline. There was a beautiful woman, topless, and bobbing in the sea. Her wet skin shined, and though she was brown like chestnuts, her skin was somehow pale.. sun deprived. Her thick long locks framed her striking face which seemed a bit wider than the average face. Her eyes were huge and round. Her pupils were large. Her nipples.. were nonexistent from where he stood as were her areolas. "Hey, cum dun here let mi ave a luk at yuh," she called again.
"Girl...," Erik stared. "Why you in the water, you know there's sharks in there? AND.. How you plan to get back up," Erik asked, confusion keeping him from asking the real questions like why are you naked to begin with?
"Nuh tell anyone up deh mi live inna dis sea! ....Yuh really ave two legs?" She looked overly excited. "Marin," she called. Her teeth were sharp as if they'd been carved
"What are you," Erik squinted. "You a real mermaid?"
"Yuh kno of us! 100% mi authentic," she grinned flipping up her tail up in pride.
"You don't look like no damn Ariel.."
"Suck ya mudda. That's a stereotype. Yuh humans all ignorant, yuh inna di carribean! "
"Nah nah, I'm saying you look better," he rushed, saving himself. Erik was shook to his core. She had the insults on lock as well as human speech. He looked at her tail as she showed off. It was like a back end of a dolphin or shark, smooth. Erik flinched before steeling himself. This was unheard of and though he was a little afraid, he was definitely intrigued. "Jump dun an let mi si yuh legs," she called again with a splash.
He looked back and waved for her to hide when he saw a man coming near. She'd gotten the hint because when he looked back she was gone. It was a good three minutes before the man left and Erik stared at the water.
"Hey mermaid," he called, "...Yo!" Seconds later she appeared, but not alone. There was a second mermaid who surfaced silently, her deep and scary eyes on him. "Aight so y'all speak English... What's y'alls names?"
"Nautilus," the first one responded watching the other who remained mostly covered by the sea.
"Marin," the second one replied, her voice as alluring as the first's. He felt himself getting caught in their spell and hit his hand on the rail to snap himself out of it.
"I'm Erik," he paused feeling the ache. "You know I can't breathe underwater.. and if I jump.. I'll probably drown."
"Jus dive.. Mi wi ketch yuh mi swear," Marin assured.
Erik knew he couldn't pass this once in a lifetime chance up. Without any further deliberation, he climbed up and hauled himself off the edge of the cruise ship toward the water. As Marin promised, she'd caught him and brought him back up to the surface where he could breathe. With a long gasp he rose and splashed before looking around for the two creatures. He could feel something touching his legs, grabbing his feet and instinctively, he kicked. Quickly Nautilus surfaced.
"Yuh neva haffi kick mi mi just curious mi neva meet a human!"
"My bad. I never met a mermaid.. mermaids..... Y'all don't eat humans do you?"
Marin and Nautilus exchanges looks.
"There's a saying dat 'tuh eat a human yuh inherit dem evil' an wi Mer people shun evil," Marin spat.
"So we evil huh," Erik tested looking into her dark eyes. They were totally inhuman. "....I can see that. Go ahead. Ask me anything you wanna ask me."
"Wah food yuh eat? Weh yuh accent from? Yuh wish yuh had less legs... or more? Yuh sing?" Nautilus fired them off. Erik answered between strokes as he spit and kicked water to catch up with his ship and noticing this, Nautilus held onto his hand to help speed him up. They alternated between swimming underwater and breaching the surface so that he wouldn't die but they wouldn't be seen. "Yuh ship wi reach Jamaica soon."
Erik's legs were getting tired.
"I hope so. All this swimming, I'm finna get a cramp."
Marin grabbed his other hand so all Erik had to do was focus on not choking on water.
"Wait," Erik coughed not wanting to arrive so quickly and end the magic. He hadn't fully gotten to process the experience. The two mermaids paused allowing Erik to bob in the ocean and breathe. He took a second to catch his breath. "So.. I've always wondered something.."
Marin ducked back beneath the surface, uncomfortable above it.
"Aren't mermaids supposed to seduce humans and pull them to their death?"
"Wah type of information duh dem feed you! Dem deh a di sirens!"
Erik gaped realizing he'd offended Nautilus. "I'm sorry, that was ignorant. But one more question.. How do you.. uh.. Do merpeople have.." Briefly he made on ok sign and stuck his finger through it.
"Wi ave mating parties weh di male of fi wi species wi drap fi him buddy from inside fi him bady wi mate belly tuh belly. There's a slit inna mi belly an mi pop out di child."
"So you're mammals," Erik tested. "We could probably mate. We already share partial dna."
"Mi nuh sure.. though mi a scholar an knowledgeable bout human culture.. mi naturally curious."
"So. Am. I," Erik paused looking her over. She looked strange but she was still strikingly interesting to look at and he was very curious. Reaching out he cupped her breast and it was like a blank globe of flesh, probably purposeless. She did not react. When he squeezed it she only looked down in confusion. Certainly no nursing would occur if they were able to reproduce. "I wonder if you'd conceive if we put our genetic codes together."
Marin signed to Nautilus, drawing Erik's attention. He had more questions in his eyes. He didn't know they used sign language to communicate.
"Mi nuh reckless mi a risk taka," Nautilus smirked pulling Erik underwater. He was snatched and submerged, his sensitive eyes screwing shut tightly. Nautilus reached out and her hands were scaly to the touch as Erik felt them on his face. Slowly he opened his eyes, the saltwater stinging them until he got used to it. He had to be brief in getting his dick out as he hadn't gotten a good breath of air. He kicked slowly to keep from sinking and watched as the majestic mermaids swam around his waist circling him like sharks, half dolphin and half woman. He observed their forms up close with his fingertips as they surrounded him, searching for the 'slit' they mentioned. He couldn't feel it. Sensing his intention, Nautilus stopped in front of him and led his penis into what appeared to be her belly button. Of course, her anatomy would be completely different. She'd said that merpeople fuck belly to belly. Erik never thought in a million years he'd be getting fish pussy. He knew better than to say it. Still, for some fish pussy.. it felt pretty good. He lost the breath he was holding and almost choked.
Erik pointed to the surface and his mouth and the mermaids looked out stealthily before pushing him up. After a long intake of air, he re-submerged himself and grabbed Nautilus by the smooth rubbery waist, making sure to chuck her bellybutton pussy like he would any other one. He was giving her the experience, though he didn't dare lick it. He could tell that she took it all as first hand research. He wondered honestly if she could get pregnant. She wouldn't be the typical baby mama.
Let's find out, he thought releasing himself easily into what she referred to as her slit. It was what she'd agreed to afterall. She too wanted to know. When they parted, her bellybutton shrunk down and hid as if being covered by her own flesh. He had a lot to learn. She swam away quickly like she'd just heard her mama pull up in the water. He blinked as she'd swam down so far her couldn't see her. The light didn't reach that far. Marin was still there and she pushed him up from the water to breath again before pulling him back under and dragging him the rest of the way to the island. He swam to shore and pretended he was the type of nigga that just swam fully clothed because he had the urge. He could deal with the odd looks appraising his soaked apparel, afterall they hadn't just had mermaid sex. He needed some fresh filtered water and some fruit after all the salt he felt like he'd swallowed.
It happened that Erik decided to cruise to Jamaica and the Caribbean for the next few of cruises as well, hoping to spot the mermaids once again. He'd never tell of his experience. No one would believe it anyway. Each time on the ship, he go to the edge where he could see water and call their names but they were nowhere to be found. After 3 fruitless years, Erik finally accepted that it was indeed a once in a lifetime sighting.
Until the next year came along. He told himself it would be the last year and then he'd be traveling to Singapore. He drank his wine and danced and ate onboard as usual, enjoying himself and ready to get to shore to connect with the friends he'd met in previous years. When they reached that familiar point in the sea, he went out again, watching the water. The sea was so beautiful.
"Nautilus," he called expecting no answer. He didn't get one. "Marin," he called. Still he only heard the wind. He stood there taking in the air and the clean smell. He stood there for about ten minutes. Just he'd dazed out, he heard a small splash. Looking down, he saw what looked like a sponge. He squinted and on closer inspection, he saw that it was hair. Kinky, bushy, afro hair like a lily pad on top of the water. "Marin," he called again. The eyes finally appeared. Dark, large eyes. The small face lifted from the water and Erik was shook to see a small and ghastly looking version of himself with sharp teeth in a grin.
What could've been a nightmarish moment sent him leaping over the side of the ship into the sea to embrace the young merboy for Erik knew exactly who he was.
"Yuh kno mi cool inna di sea cuz mi fada ave 2 legs. Nuh bady steps tuh mi," the young boy gloated. Erik couldn't contain himself. He had the mind to stay in Jamaica just to know his son.
"Is that right," Erik grinned, fretting over the merboy who was more at home in water than Erik could hope to be. "Lemme see that strong tail of yours. What your mama call you?"
"Shad," he said showing off his tail. He wasn't long like his mama, but Erik knew he'd surpass her greatly someday in size. He looked half-shark. Erik thought it was the dopest thing. He just wished he could share his son with the world, but he knew better.
"Nuh stress it dad wi inna two different cultures mi wi be fine," Shad said reading Erik's mind. He was already so much wiser than any human baby, developing at an accelerated pace. He was like a pre-teen. Erik knew Shad's place was in the sea with people who could protect him. Nautilus' head popped up subtly from the water, her signature locs identifying her to Erik.
"I'm a visit you," Erik promised rubbing Shad's mass of coils. "I swear.. Look for the ship.. every year."
And thus Erik Stevens was submerged in a new world. A dimension unexplored. A dimension only found in...
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