She has a voice that makes him shiver, even as she calls for help. He leans over the side of the ship, staring intently as he tries to catch a glimpse of the girl. She’s being pushed under by the violent waves, almost as if they were trying to pull her down to the dark depths of the ocean. He manages to locate her murky black hair and porcelain white skin, against the dark sea.
He searches furiously for a flotation device, or anything he can use to save the poor girl. Once he has a life preserver secured in his grasp, he hurls it overboard. He tries to scream at her to take hold, but his voice is lost with the wind.
Soon, she somehow manages to find the preserver. She wraps her arms tightly around it, holding on for dear life, as he pulls it — and her — back to the ship. He stops when he sees dripping, shivering arms reach over the side and rushes forward to her aid. He hoists her up and helps her to sit on the railing. His eyes go wide.
In place of legs, is a tail. A long cobalt blue, scaly, and slimy tail. There are two fins on her hips, and a long caudal fin that trails down. He watches as she moves the tail, slapping it against the side of the boat.
“It’s impolite to stare,” she says, her voice smooth and solid. Not what he had expected.
“I am very sorry Miss. I have never seen a mermaid before.”
He’d heard the tales. His mother had always told them to his sister. She’d told her stories about beautiful creatures with majestic tails and long silky hair. How they swam around in the ocean, collecting sea shells and talking to other sea creatures, like whales and crabs.
“Mermaid,” she muttered, almost as if she was testing the word. “Is not the word I would use.”
“Then what word would you prefer?” He leaned against the railing and watched as she ran her fingers delicately over her scales.
She giggled, and it sounded like a full symphony. She curled her finger, gesturing for him to move in closer. He obliged, and slid along the railing. She repeated the gesture and he repeated his movements, until he was only a few mere inches aways from her. Her faded pink lips curled into a dangerous smile as she moved so her mouth was next to his ear.
And with that word, she grabbed ahold of him, and leaned towards the ocean. She fell, with him wrapped tightly in her arms. He screamed as they plummeted towards the icy sea and, before he knew it, the salty water enveloped them.
He trashed and flailed his arms and legs in a desperate attempt to free himself from this Siren’s clutches. She tightened her grip and flipped her tail, sending them farther underwater. He let out a scream as he kept flailing, keeping his eyes on the glow of the moon that was still barely visible.
With a few more flips of her tail, the glow began to dim, and his eyelids grew heavy. He felt his mind go blank. His eyelids slowly lowered, and the last thing he remembered, was her heavenly voice as she sang a song. A song that he would have enjoyed, had it not been about him dying.
