The Siren's Song

“Cast ‘er overboard!”

“The Sea Goddess is enraged, get ‘er off the ship!”

The voices echoed in her head, over and over again as she sank, deeper and deeper. The weight of the water crushing her, her chained feet pulling her faster and faster. Below the water, the sea seemed calmer-- while a raging storm took hold above, below almost seemed peaceful.

Darkness consumed her vision as she finally couldn’t hold her breath any longer, mouth opening in a silent scream as the briny sea water filled her lungs; the pain was indescribable; but then she heard another voice.

This one was soft; calm. It seemed to vibrate from the very water around her.

“Dear child…

Do you want revenge?”

Did she? After all, she had hidden herself on the ship, disguising herself as a man despite knowing the legends herself. Despite knowing it could be the end of her--

“Those silly superstitions? Come now child, why would I harm you..”

The voice was closer now, and when she opened her eyes; her vision seemed just a bit clearer-- strange, considering the dark saltwater should have blinded her by now.

“They say you are jealous of other woman’s beauty; and when we cross into your domain, it angers you--”

A laugh followed, and a crack of lightning lit up the world above as thunder rolled.

“I am jealous of no one dear child… Men make up such tales because THEY are the ones that are jealous. Jealous of a woman’s power.”

And now she could see the owner of the voice-- well, she thought she could, at least. A beautiful face appeared in the water, was the water. Her form shifted with the tides.

“You can show them… Make them understand. I can give you that chance. Do you want it?”

She was so young-- she’d wanted to sail across the world, find her place. It had all been taken from her; she knew that. She knew she was dead; or dying…. What did she have to lose?

“...Yes.”

She could almost hear the smile before a terrible pain consumed her; a burning unlike anything else; but she could feel it. The power the Sea Goddess had spoken of. It flowed through her behind the fire. Warming her flesh as it changed. She looked down at her feet, heavy with the ball and chain they’d used to sink her as the chain broke loose, and where once was two legs, was now a tail fin. Black and sleek, she watched as scales glistened in the light of the storm. Her dark hair, which had been pulled up tight, came loose in waves around her and she took a deep breath as oxygen refilled her lungs-- gills replacing the need for solid air. Her vision came back. Better than ever before; she could see everything now-- no longer clouded with salt.

She didn’t need to ask; she knew her purpose now. Her power.

As the Goddess had said; men were jealous of their power… and now she got to show them why--

With her blessing, she swam after the ship; following it as it safely got through the storm-- the men aboard foolishly believed that, by throwing her over; they had been blessed. Instead, they had been cursed.

They managed to stop in a cove, throwing down their ankors to wait out the rest of the storm.

It was later that night when one of them, the young cabin boy whom could not sleep, heard the strange and beautiful voice-- it carried over the sound of rain, and waves. Low and husky, but so mesmerizing; he couldn’t look away once he’d caught a glimpse of the owner.

Yellow eyes glowed just above the sea water, hidden beneath the reeds as a beautiful woman seemed to rise up from the water; her song sorrowful and beautiful; and as he leaned in; reaching for her outstretched hand he noticed something.

A tattoo, on the mermaid's hand.

A tattoo he remembered quite well when he had bound the girl’s hands at the captain’s orders.

By the time he looked up in shock it was too late, his scream cut off as he was dragged under the water. Dragged down, down, and down.

But there would be no ‘second chance’ for him.

The next morning; the crew would look for the boy; but considered him lost overboard; but as their journey continued, more and more of them were lost. Always at night, always without so much as a sound; save for a splash of water.

The mighty crew of over 40 soon dwindled.

30.

15.

5.

By this time, the crew had been too small to sail the large ship, and the Captain and his first mate, the last two remaining, were forced to abandon it and take one of the row boats, in hopes of making it to land.

But they had not been spared; they had been saved for last; and on the night of a bright, full moon, as they both drifted asleep in the water, she came for them. The first mate was easy; gone before he could even wake up. He had been kind to her, at least. Up till the end… but the Captain. Well; she’d save him for last and make him see what his foolishness had done.

He awoke, bleary eyed in the moon’s light, looking around for his friend with no success; but before panic could set in, he heard it. The same sweet song that had led all of his crew to a watery grave.

He saw her then, a beautiful woman. More beautiful than he’d ever seen; just leaning against the edge of his boat. Dark hair swirling around her in the waves as deep yellow eyes stared back at him and he felt almost compelled to lean forward. Closer.

“....Hello Captain.”

And like all his crew before him; he realized too late who the mermaid was; what she was. His scream was the loudest as she let him struggle for a while. No one would come to his rescue; no one would hear, but she relished in the sound before cutting it short, dragging him down with her to the bottom of the sea, where the restless spirits of his dead crew now resided.