SBB Snippet-AU Modern/Merman-'Deep as the Ocean'
This is an excerpt of my story for the sbb17 I have working on. This section is a bit of the past, which I really enjoyed writing. ^_^
@sbbsnippets
Deep as the Ocean
Story by themirrordarkly @starmaki
A breeze chilled him, but the humid night air warmed him as he marvelled at the seals on the rock, and he wanted to get closer still, so he climbed, with nimble feet and searching fingers over the slippery rocks. The danger not entering his twelve-year-old mine just the adventure. He was thin and light with a shock of blonde hair that fell into his blue eyes, so he could do this, being quick, dexterous and sure-footed from the many boat trips with his uncle that he went on. His father a fisherman too, but the sea took him in a freak storm which left him and his mom behind. He did blame the ocean, that was true, but it was the nature, the angry waves and foam that took him, but Steve made a choice not to fear the ocean. His dad was gone a year, and still deep in his mind, a hole in his heart where his dad was so big and strong, and his smile wide and laugh hardy, and he was gone like an echo that rung over and over; he never was coming home.
Steve made his way to the last rock still a good thirty yards from the large flat outcropping, and he could clearly see the harbor seals. But one was different, not shaped like a seal at all, too long and sleek, a shimmering blue-silver fin, beautiful as a weakfish, scales glittering in the pale light. Was it a tuna or swordfish, but it wasn’t in distress–flipping and flopping. And then it was slipping off the rock into the water leaving the other seal, and Steve sat down on his rock sighing at the sight for now it was gone.
And then a head and a pair of shoulders popped out of the water near Steve, making his heart hammer in his chest, his breath sticking in his throat as he gripped the rock he was sitting on. The person, a boy really, swam closer and stared at him, eyes a stormy blue, wet hair slicked back the color of midnight, skin pearly with fine scales on his shoulders, little gills fluttering slow on the sides of his neck.
“Hello?” Steve’s voice came out high and squeaky. His heart pounded wildly in his chest.
What? Who? Steve couldn’t think straight so he thought being polite was a good thing. Steve never seen a person like this. He wondered if he was dreaming, if it was real or like a fairytale or old fish tale told to the young and eager.
“Are you lost?” Steve asked.
The boy just stared and watched with careful eyes, his gills moving slow like breath. He could have been Steve’s age maybe a year older as he had a lithe look, fine muscles playing under his skin and he was beautiful. Steve didn’t have any other words to describe him. It was like looking at a faceted crystal, cool, glittering and shiny with a beauty that only could be painted to capture it all. The moonlight shined on the boy and he glowed, his features sharp yet curious. He moved closer placing a hand on the rock near Steve, and it was silver scaled with gossamer thin membranes between each finger.
“Who are you?” Steve questioned.
The boy gave a light pitched chirp, pursing his lips, brow knitted, looking confused.
“Do you talk?” Steve was transfixed. He didn’t know what to think, but he braved and steeled himself, stretching out his hand toward him, and the boy looked at it puzzled, back and forth, at his own and then Steve’s hand–both different yet the same.
“Yeah, we are different but that’s cool.” Steve’s voice was steady now and he smiled. “In fact, I think it’s pretty neat.”
The boy placed his other hand on the rock and it looked the same. His eyes downcast as he studied his hands and Steve’s then he slowly glanced up shy and careful, and gently smiled with a closed mouth, quiet and soft.
Steve pointed to himself. “Steve. My name is Steve.”
