Below the surface𖦹 ° Pt 5
The siren finally finishes tending to its wound.
For a few moments, the cave is filled only with the sound of the waterfall and the occasional dripping of water from its hair.
Then suddenly—
Its head snaps upward.
You tense immediately.
“…What?” you ask nervously.
The creature doesn't look at you.
Instead, its ears flare outward slightly, those strange fin-like appendages fluttering softly.
Listening.
It rises abruptly.
You instinctively shrink against the wall.
The siren ignores you completely.
Slowly, it approaches the waterfall blocking the entrance and disappears beneath the surface.
And just like that—
You're alone again.
“…Great,” you mutter.
You sit there in silence.
One minute.
Two.
Five.
Long enough for anxiety to start eating away at you.
You don't understand it.
Every time it leaves, you panic.
And every time it comes back…
You panic too.
Your thoughts are interrupted by a splash.
The siren surfaces again.
But this time—
It's bleeding.
A deep scratch stretches across its shoulder.
And in its claws hangs the body of a shark.
A shark.
Your eyes widen.
The creature tosses the dead animal aside with little effort before climbing back onto the rocks.
Its eyes immediately find yours.
And despite the blood dripping from its shoulder—
It lets out a low, warbling trill.
Almost proud.
As though it expects praise.
You blink.
Then blink again.
“…Did you just fight a shark?”
The siren tilts its head.
Another soft trill leaves its throat.
The siren lets out another pleased trill, seemingly oblivious to the fact that you're staring at the dead shark with growing horror.
It really did expect praise.
But your thoughts are elsewhere.
How long had you even been here?
Hours?
Maybe more.
Your clothes were still damp. Your body ached from sleeping on unforgiving rock, and despite the fruit and fish the creature brought, you knew you couldn't stay.
Not because you feared what it would do.
But because someone would come looking for you.
And if they did—
Your stomach twisted.
You'd told your family where you were going before leaving. They knew the location.
Eventually, someone would put the pieces together.
Search parties.
Divers.
Researchers.
People with nets and cages and scalpels.
People who would discover the truth.
And once they saw him…
God only knew what they would do.
Your eyes drifted toward the creature.
Still cleaning blood from its shoulder.
Still humming quietly to itself.
Still completely unaware.
You swallowed.
"...Hey."
The siren looked up immediately.
Its pupils widened.
You forced yourself not to shrink away.
Slowly, hesitantly, you reached toward its head.
The creature flinched.
Not violently.
Just enough for you to freeze.
For a moment, neither of you moved.
Then slowly—
Very slowly—
You brushed your fingers against one of those strange fin-like ears.
The siren went completely still.
"...I need to go home," you whispered softly.
Its eyes blinked.
You continued stroking the fin gently.
"I can't stay here."
Nothing.
You smiled weakly.
"I know you probably don't understand me..."
The creature let out a soft hum.
"...But if people find me here..." Your voice cracked slightly. "They'll find you too."
Those pale eyes remained fixed on your face.
You didn't know if it understood.
But it understood your expression.
And right now—
You were desperate.
"...Please."
Silence.
Then—
The siren clicked its tongue sharply and turned away.
It lashed its tail against the water hard enough to spray you.
Frustrated.
Annoyed.
Upset.
And for a horrible second, you thought you'd made it angry.
But after a moment, the creature looked back.
Waiting.
You blinked.
It clicked again.
Then glanced toward the waterfall.
And back at you.
You stared.
"...You want me to follow?"
The siren huffed impatiently.
Then disappeared beneath the water.
Only to emerge moments later near the waterfall entrance.
Staring.
Waiting.
As though asking—
Well? Aren't you coming?
Immediately, you realize what the creature means.
Heart pounding, you wade after it.
The moment you pass through the waterfall, your breath catches.
The cave had hidden just how far you'd been taken.
The water gradually became shallower, the dark depths giving way to familiar rock formations. Sunlight pierced through the surface above, illuminating schools of fish that scattered at your approach.
Your eyes widened.
How far had it brought you?
How long had you been unconscious?
Then your gaze landed on something bobbing gently in the water.
A small wooden boat.
You froze.
The siren surfaced beside it and, to your astonishment, pushed it toward you.
Your stomach dropped.
No.
No way.
This must've been how he transported me.
The realization sent chills down your spine.
The creature had known what a boat was.
Known how to use it.
And had brought you all the way to the cave.
Slowly, you climbed aboard.
The siren watched closely until you settled yourself inside.
For a brief moment, neither of you moved.
Then—
A sharp trill.
And suddenly the boat lurched forward.
"WOAH—"
You nearly fell over.
The siren had disappeared beneath the surface.
Only for the boat to surge forward again.
And again.
Your eyes widened.
He was pushing it.
Fast.
Far faster than any person could swim.
The sea blurred around you as the wind whipped through your damp hair.
Minutes passed.
And slowly—
Familiar scenery emerged.
Your heart stopped.
The diving site.
The same waters.
The same rocks.
The same cursed place where your friends had died.
The boat slowed.
Eventually stopping completely.
Silence.
You swallowed hard.
"...This is it."
Slowly, you turned around.
The water behind you was empty.
You blinked.
Nothing.
No pale eyes.
No dark silhouette beneath the waves.
No ripple.
Just the endless ocean.
Your breath caught.
"...?"
You stood up slightly in the boat, scanning the water.
"Hey?"
Nothing answered.
No trill.
No curious tilt of the head.
No farewell.
He had simply brought you back—
And left.
As though, once he'd understood what you wanted, there was nothing more to do.
Your chest tightened unexpectedly.
You didn't even know why.
You should've been relieved.
You were home.
You were alive.
And yet...
Staring at the empty sea, all you could think about was the creature that had saved you, cared for you, and then vanished without so much as a goodbye.
Nine hours.
According to everyone around you, you'd only been missing for nine hours.
By the time you'd returned home, your family had nearly called the police.
You'd lied, of course.
Claimed your phone had died.
Claimed you got lost.
Claimed you'd panicked after the shark attack area triggered old memories.
Everyone accepted it.
Eventually.
Life slowly returned to normal.
Or at least…
It tried to.
But normal no longer felt normal.
Weeks passed.
And you found yourself researching.
Obsessively.
Sirens.
Ocean myths.
Marine biology.
Disappearances.
Anything.
Everything.
Most of it was nonsense.
Until one night—
A random article caught your eye.
"Marine Biologist Finds Unbelievable Creature Beneath Sea Level."
You frowned.
Almost absentmindedly, you clicked it.
May 06, 1990
MARINE RESEARCH GROUP STUNNED BY DISCOVERY Lead researcher claims an unknown aquatic humanoid species was recovered during a routine dive. Scientists describe the creature as female and heavily pregnant.
Your eyes widened.
Scrolling further—
Pictures.
Blurry.
Old.
But real.
A siren.
Long dark hair.
Blue scales.
Large pale eyes.
Floating in a tank.
Another article.
1990, October 18
"BABY MIRACLE" AMAZES RESEARCHERS The offspring of the discovered marine specimen was successfully delivered yesterday. Scientists are calling the event "the greatest biological discovery of the century."
More pictures.
The mother.
And beside her—
A much smaller siren.
Dark hair.
Blue-green scales.
Curled against her side.
Another article.
1991
STAFF INJURED DURING FEEDING ATTEMPT Researchers report the adult specimen became highly agitated during routine feeding. Witnesses claim the creature nearly severed the hand of the juvenile after it approached food intended for the mother.
You blinked.
The juvenile?
You scrolled further.
MOTHER SPECIMEN ATTACKS OFFSPRING DURING FEEDING Researchers narrowly prevented serious injury after the adult specimen attempted to bite the juvenile's hand while competing for food. Staff describe the species as displaying "extreme territorial aggression."
Another article.
1994
JUVENILE SPECIMEN EXHIBITS REMARKABLE INTELLIGENCE Researchers report the young siren is capable of recognizing patterns and imitating simple actions. However, repeated incidents of aggression have resulted in multiple injuries among staff.
Another.
1996
THREE STAFF MEMBERS HOSPITALIZED AFTER ENCLOSURE INCIDENT The juvenile specimen attacked handlers during a routine examination. Researchers note the creature displays hostility toward nearly all human interaction.
Another.
1997
AQUATIC SPECIMEN CONTINUES TO DEFY EXPECTATIONS Despite years in captivity, researchers report the juvenile remains highly aggressive. Attempts at socialization have repeatedly failed, with the specimen showing violent responses to both familiar and unfamiliar personnel.
Picture after picture.
Always just the sirens.
The mother.
The smaller siren.
Sometimes swimming together.
Sometimes separated.
Always watched through glass.
You kept reading.
Your heart beating faster.
Then—
2000, January 11
DISASTER STRIKES MARINE RESEARCH FACILITY Fire destroys records and exhibits. Authorities report no casualties.
The next article.
And the next.
And the next.
MARINE GROUP SUED AFTER ADMITTING FALSE DISPLAY OF "SIRENS"
FORMER STAFF CLAIM CREATURES WERE SIMPLY COSTUMED PERFORMERS
PUBLIC HOAX FINALLY EXPOSED
ALL EVIDENCE DESTROYED IN FACILITY FIRE
You sat frozen.
The screen illuminating your face.
Your gaze slowly drifted back upward.
Back to one particular image.
The smaller siren.
Dark hair.
Blue-green scales.
And eyes.
Those terrifying pale blue eyes.
The same eyes.
Your breathing became shallow.
"No way…" you whispered.
You enlarged the picture.
Staring.
And staring.
Your mind wandered unwillingly to the creature that had brought you fruit.
That had healed your wounds.
That had hummed happily when praised.
That had pouted when you wanted to leave.
The creature that had simply…
Brought you home.
Your chest tightened.
What if—
What if that wasn't just some siren?
What if that was him?
What if the thing beneath those waters—
Wasn't ancient.
Wasn't a monster.
But the siren in those photographs.
And if that was true…
What happened in 2000?