The Mermaid

The sky was clear above the ocean. Constellations swayed on the surface and a slender figure stirred the water around the Cassiopeia; the harbour was silent, deserted ships resting gently by the docks. Suddenly light appeared behind a fishing boat, scattering through a net onto the ground. The figure under the water moved again and waves splashed against the docks when the laughter of two people echoed through the harbour. A girl and a boy, hand in hand, skipped around the ships towards a longer pier reaching into the ocean.

A dark shape emerged from the water further away and watched them; her hair long and wet, dancing underwater around her slender waist. Pink scales glinted in the starlight as the mermaid submerged again, approaching the figures without a sound. Fish followed her trail, then disappeared, sensing the human presence. The mermaid watched the boy as he watched the girl, their faces distorted by the water; he smiled and the mermaid turned her gaze. Then the mermaid looked at the girl; she’s never seen her before, the boy always came alone to look at the ships and to gaze into the ocean. The girl was blonde and her skin was fair, eyes dark blue; she had long legs and she was wearing a short skirt that accentuated her waist. The couple reached the end of the pier and sat down at the edge, taking off their shoes to touch the ocean with their feet. The mermaid kept her distance and watched the girl rest her head on the boy’s shoulder as he pointed out different constellations in the sky.

She could hear their laughter getting slower and their words sounded drunk, somehow sweet like honey. The boy and the girl looked into each other’s eyes and the mermaid watched the boy, her gaze rested on his dark hair, his brown eyes and the mermaid tried to reach out but the boy was too far away, like he has always been. Every time he came to the docks the mermaid would float near the surface to look at his face, and every time she tried to get closer but the waves drove her back and by the time she built up the courage to swim up to the pier the boy left, only leaving behind a familiar scent.

When the boy kissed the girl the mermaid closed her eyes and the ocean whirled. Wild waves splashed against the couple’s legs and the water became darker; the boy and the girl stood up, laughing, and stepped back from the growing waves. The boy looked back, once again, and he could’ve sworn he saw the fluorescence of pink scales glow in the dark water, but then the girl grabbed his arm as the ocean roared. The starlight broke on the mad waves and the couple slowly disappeared behind a ship, the watchful eyes of the mermaid resting upon them.

And as the light died out and the harbour was empty again, silence settled and fish returned to the surface. And the little mermaid sank to the bottom of the ocean because her heart was heavy. The water slowly cradled the reflection of the stars and the moon watched the mermaid slowly fade into her sorrow.