When It Sinks In

Oh ye who tempt fate,

for what do I owe this pleasure?

Is it the chase of desire?

A cruel kiss upon chapped lips.

The stars do not bend for men,

Beware for the threads are thin,

woven together with thread.

Oh ye who tempt fate,

What are you serving us today?

____________________________

A young fisherman and his father were sailing home after a long day of fishing on the sea. With nothing but the light from the lighthouse to keep them company well, besides each other anyways. The waves, dark and restless, slapped against the sides of their small fishing boat.

Then came a sound from up ahead. A low, mournful wail was drifting across the water.

“Dad,” the young fisherman said cautiously.

“I know, son. I hear it too.” He flicked on their flashlight and swept its beam across the choppy surface.

Up ahead, jagged rocks jutted from the sea. Perched on top of one was the most beautiful creature the boy had ever seen. Her hair, long and golden, spilled down her back, glistening in the beam of light. From the waist down, her body shimmered with scales that caught every colour of her tail in shades of green, violet, blue.

"Recite me a poem." The creature hissed at the pair of fishermen.

"A poem." The father bellowed out a laugh.

His son elbowed him in the gut. "Dad. '' he warned.

The creature hissed." Not another word, young one. I wasn't asking you."

Sputtering, the old man replied, "I know of no poems."

In an instant, the beautiful creature's beauty faded away and her true form showed. Half-human, half monster. Her face contorted into something that came from the young man's nightmares, her skin turned deep purple, her eyes gleamed bright red and fangs appeared as if out of thin air.

"You must pay the toll with your life."

"Dad!" the son cried, as the creature knocked the boat with their long, dark tail. The waves knocked the boat, salt-water crashed over the sides before the boat eventually capsized. Before he could even gasp for his breath, the old fisherman, his father, was gone- as if vanished into thin air.

Feeling warm breath on his neck, the son turned his head to face the once beautiful creature. "Best pay attention son." She let out another cackle. Swiping her long talon across his face, he gasped as blood was drawn. It poured down his face and the cut burned sharply with the salt-water that still remained on his face got inside the mark.

"I'm leaving you with your life and a somewhat gentle reminder of this: you are now cursed by the mark of a siren. You are now mine and there is plenty of use for a human slave amongst us of the sea."

He sputtered. "But my father-"

She grinned. "He's just a memory now my boy. He belongs to the sea- to the siren's. As do you."

He felt a tear leak down his face. He was trapped, truly trapped by the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. That monster. The audacity of that siren was clear. He preferred the same fate as his father rather than the unknown of the creature's plans for him.

"Here's our agreement: You lead the boats to our rocks. A poem can save your life from us. We do enjoy them." She cackled and then continued. "Don't let the fishermen in on our little secret on what the price of the toll is.. or you will pay with much more than your life. The ocean is starving. We need all the bodies we can get."

He screamed. "Then why spare me?"

She covered his mouth with a hand. He looked at her, eyes wide in fear. "Because you were just too cute not to pass up. I'm giving you one chance. Bring us the fishermen, or you won't like the consequences."

He shuddered but nodded at the same time, and she removed her hand from his face. She licked the salty blood off her palm, and with a wink, dove back through the ocean's surface.

As soon as the creature was gone, he cried, tears of sorrow for his fate and his father.

The young man's journey has only just begun.

Chloe Rose Violet 🌹