Plunge

Morning Breaks

I sit in a bush under a grove of trees, trying my best to stay hidden.
The dawn has just crested over the mountain, and I try my best to keep my breathing shallow.
However, my heart seems to pump in my ears.
During the late hours of the night, the Royal Guard arrived demanding for a mermaid.
I was lucky to be hidden away beforehand by my friend Rita.
Because no one has given me up, the guards lay waste to the neighboring fishing village.
I have to stay here, I cannot move.
My hands shake and my knees feel super weak.
"We know a mermaid is here! There was intel of her living among the commoners."
The commander of the Royal Court holds onto a man's arm.
"We ain't seen a mermaid in these parts for decades," the haggard man says. "So there is no mermaid here."
He spits in the guards face, only for his throat to be met with sharp steel.
I gag at the cruelty.
"Bastard," the guard sneers. Turning to the others, he barks an order.
"Check the fishing boats in the harbor for her."
I try to slink deeper into the bush, horrifed of the sight as the other guards run to the warfs.
My friends, the ones who have safely hidden me are being cut down like old trees.
A woman screams and falls close by.
"Where is the mermaid?!"
"I don't know who," she is silenced suddenly by a blade.
Oh my Gods, Baru!
"These damned serfs," the guard hisses. "So tired of it."
His fierce eyes scans the destruction of the town, stopping on a child.
"Boy," he screams. Get over here!"
The boy's eyes widen as he scrambles backwards, suddenly falling over upturned barrels.
The guard advances and hisses, "mermaid."
"Mermaid?" The boy looks horrified at the sword in his hand.
"Yes boy, the mermaid who has been living here for about a decade. His Majesty, Prince Roddrick, wants her. Where is she?"
The boy trembles and replies, "I, I don't know sir."
His eyes follow the thin trail of blood sliding down the guard's weapon.
"Pity, I was wanting to keep you alive."
I bite back a scream as I hear a sickening slice and crunch of bone.
The child's agonizing cry is quieted so easily by just a few strokes.
I feel tears burn my eyes as the boy's head rolls across the mire.
I am in shock.
"Listen gents," he turns to his troupe. "Burn it to the ground. We will smoke her out."
They cheer as others light torches.
"I want everything burnt, including the boats. Destory it all to ash!"
The guards get to work as the shacks catch, a sickening smell of viscrea and burnt straw mingling together.
Amongst the screams, the fire also horrifies me.
My mind reels and I slowly back furthur into the bush.
Fire, I hate fire.
I gasp and try to swallow more air.
I can't breathe!
"Where are you," the commander sneers, the scar across his face twitching.
"The traveling minstrel says he met you many times already."
My eyes widen as I try to slow my panting.
The minstrel? He was so kind to me, how could he know what I am?
"Come on, you oceanic whore, show yourself!"
The wild light in the guard's eyes reflects back the fire.
I hear the piercing mewling cry of a baby, and the wail of a woman.
Was that Rita?!
Smoke billows as the screaming dies down, the land growing eerily silent; save for the crunch and pop of burning wood.
Almost everyone has been killed or taken for questioning.
I gulp and fight back a cough, my lungs burning with every breath.
The guard waltzes to the thick brush and starts hacking at it.
I back away and try not to meet his gaze.
If I show myself I may die here.
My hiding spot is almost revealed as the bush grows thin, just like my breathing.
"Sir," another member of the Royal Guard is behind him at once.
"There is a maid fleeing the village. She is being persued."
"Good. Perhaps that is the mermaid we need."
The commander turns away, and I will my tense shoulders to settle slightly.
He suddenly turns back and slices at the bush one last time before departing.

Once the sun is past its zenith, I carefully look around. The smoke has somewhat cleared, but the stench of death still lingers.
I wipe at my cheek and feel a tear trickle down to land on my leg.
It bounces off, for it has crystalized.
I can't move, but I will myself to.
I walk over to the closest body and my heart beats rapidly even more.
By the Gods.
The young boy's body is crumpled on the ground; his head is nowhere to be seen.
A hand goes to my mouth as I force my breakfast back down.
I don't want to be disrespectful by puking on or near him.
How could another human do this? All for wanting to catch a mermaid.
I feel more tears fall and scatter on the ground.
I know the answer all too well.
I run to the edge of the wood and grab a single wildflower.
This little boy was sickly, but still worked so hard. To meet such a fate is horrendous.
"You had such a rough life," I whisper. "May you rest forever."
I feel a pressence near my shoulder and turn. A large, dark catlike figure with glowing yellow eyes appears next to my side.
"Death," I say. "It is good to see you once again."
The figure, whom I fondly named, is silent and looks past my shoulder.
"Ah, yes. You are here for everyone who has died. I shan't get in your way, as always."
I pause and look into the golden radience of its eyes.
"Will you be genuine to him? Life wasn't kind and I'd hate for him to be hurt once again."
Death blinks and then purrs.
"Thank you," I say wiping and placing a tear near the figure.
"That is all I ask."
The creature paws and jumps on the crystal before letting out a chitter.
"I knew you'd enjoy playing with that," I chuckle.
Death looks at me and then at the dead body. Its eyes glow, and a light figure of a small human rises from the corpse.
I nod to them both and move towards the nearest burnt hut.
There isn't much, but anything I can grab I do.
Some food has survived the burning, and so I gather it.
Moving on, I stop at an intact hut.
This is Rita's hut. Oh Gods, please...
I put my arm to my nose and try to push myself in.
A beam has fallen from the roof, and I kick as hard as I can.
I choke back a cry of surrpise, for a body is sits with a smaller one in its burnt arms.
Those fucking bastards. They killed not only her but her newborn!
I choke back another sob and fight the nasty smell of burnt flesh.
I will need to leave and move on, but how could they do this.
All for harboring me safely. 
I look around her hut, but nothing of value is around.
I glance once more at Rita's carcass, her remains burning an image under my retinas.
The time we spent for a whole decade flows through my mind, and I sink to my knees.
I let the tears flow and crystalize.
I will never forget these murders.
So many have died...just to save me.

Once again Death finds me, and its eyes meet mine.
"I will be okay. Rita was a great friend and loved that child. When news of her husband left her, she turned to me for comfort."
I turn to the dark figure and bury my face in sooty hands.
"Please, I beg you, do what you can for all of them. So many of these people had a rough life."
I hand the tears I collected of the ground.
"It's not much, but it should be enough."
Death purrs slightly and rubs its ears on me. The dark fur is soft, and my fingers caress it.
"People have such strong misconceptions of you, Death.
They think you cause it, but it's simply human nature to pass on. And then.."
My heart pounds suddenly, so I clutch my chest. I hate the pain, but I bear it.
"Then humans do this to others. They kill other humans and magical creatures merclessly."
Death blinks and licks a paw before its eyes grow wide.
"I will let you gather them. Be especially gentle with the baby."
I smile to the figure and move on, trying my best not to freak out even more.
The images of Rita and her child are still engrained under my eyelids.