Below The Surface

•••Chapter Two•••

The boy tried to back away but stumbled on the loose rock and fell.
The eyes were just below the surface now staring at him with a satisfied look. He was frozen with fear as he looked back. The rest of the face was visible now but it was nothing like he had ever seen in his life.
Pale and fair. Curtained with long, blonde, swirling hair, it was beautiful yet so strange, he couldn't look away. It's porcelain skin seemed to glow faintly in contrast to the black sea. How strange this creature was, with oddly human-like features, yet so unlike any human he'd ever seen...

Suddenly and without warning, the creature shot out of the water towards him, and he could only open his mouth in terror before cold, long fingers grabbed his arms and yanked him away from the rocks down into the icy water. He thrashed violently trying to escape the grip of the creature whilst the muffling water closed in around him.

He was being dragged down further into the dark depths of the sea. He could see a long tail lashing out from the creature, propelling them further and further down.
He was beginning to struggle for oxygen. With one final effort he kicked out his leg at the creature but the grip merely tightened. His brain grew fuzzy and blackness was creeping into the edges of his vision...
He faintly saw something dark dart through the water towards him. It yanked away the creature which let go of him in surprise and he took this chance to kick out and away, fighting through the water to the surface. He could hear screeches echoing through the water has he kicked, willing himself not to stop.
He was almost slipping into unconsciousness when he finally broke through the surface, coughing and gasping for air.
The cold breeze chilled his wet face and he began to shiver, as he tried to keep his breathing under control. His limbs were beginning to grow weak and sluggish. He needed to get to land before his body betrayed him and he slipped back down into the dark.
He swam away from the rocks where the creature had dragged him from, and towards the distant docks. His heart beat quickly while he imagined the creature below him, swimming towards him again, ready to drag him back down...

Relief flooded through him once he felt the rough wood of the old dock. Grasping a wooden post he hoisted himself up with a grunt, and collapsed on his stomach, chest heaving . He knew he should get to the shore and away from the water but the adrenaline that had been pumping through him now tapered away, leaving only exhaustion.

He was panting and shivering and coughing in the cold night air, keeping a wary eye on the rippling surface of the water. His mind was too tired to begin comprehending what had just happened. So there he lay, unable to move, unable to think.

After a while of rest he was able to sit up. He rubbed his face and ran his shaking fingers through his dark, wet hair. It had been a mermaid that had snatched him, he was almost sure of that. But whatever had come out of the darkness and distracted the mermaid, he was not certain. It was too quick for him to see. He stared out at the ocean that glowed gold in the torchlight coming from the dock, now wondering what other beasts lived in mystery below the water His heart beat normally now, and he was able to weakly stand. He should return to the blacksmith's shop and dry himself by the fire before heading home, he didn't feel safe here in the open...
Suddenly movement in the corner of his eye made him stiffen, ready to run. The movement had come from the shadows below the docks. A shape was swimming out and into the open. Fear gripped him as he saw the pale face, deep green eyes. He backed away, preparing to turn and sprint up the dock, but he noticed that this was not the same mermaid that had snatched him away. The one that looked warily up at him now had dark hair and her eyes did not hold that smug look of satisfaction. She broke the surface of the water and, to his great surprise, spoke. Her voice froze his tracks,
"What is your name?" her tone was soft and smooth. Undeniably soothing, like soft waves on the beach.
He was almost too scared to speak,

"Colin." He said eventually.

He grasped a wooden post behind his back and held on tightly.
The mermaid tilted her head at him,

"I'm not going to hurt you." she said.

Colin did not believe her and held fast to the wooden post, tightening his jaw.

"What do you want from me?" He asked brusquely, sounding braver than he felt. Though he was frozen with fear he could not help but admire the beautiful features of this creature. The way her skin seemed to shimmer.

"I thought I would make sure you were alright." she said in her smooth voice.

"You wha- wait aren't you- what?" He stuttered. He was having a hard time thinking straight as he stared at the creature.

"Wait, did you...did you save me?" he asked, remembering the dark shape that had darted through the water.
The mermaid nodded, her green eyes gazing steadily at him. She must have seen the confusion on his face for she explained,
"I'm not a killer. If I was anything like my sisters, you would have been dead within minutes. I'm not like them. I'm not going to hurt you."

Something about her tone told him she was not lying. He let himself relax slightly, and leaned back against the hard wooden post.

"Do you have a name?" he asked cautiously. She gave him a small smile and lifted herself up so she was resting her arms on the dock, her dark hair falling down her slender torso.
"Narissa. I'm called Narissa." she replied.
"Well uh, thank you Narissa. For saving me I mean." He looked down at his rough calloused hands.

"It was the honorable thing to do." she replied softly. He lifted his gaze to her face curiously. She was staring down at the wood of the dock but her eyes shifted to his after a moment.

"I should go." she said after a few moments of a surprisingly comfortable silence.

"Will I uh- will I see you again?" Colin asked rubbing his arms to warm himself.
She didn't answer his question, merely smiled at him mysteriously.
"Goodbye, Colin." she said before diving into the water. Her tail splashed the surface and he marveled at the shimmering colors before it disappeared with her. He stared at the waters rippling surface for a minute or two before getting to his feet and heading back up the docks...

To be continued...