Plunge

In Hiding

A decade ago my pod was massacred by humans.
Mermaids are rare among them, and even moreso around fishing villages.
To get tangled in a net normally spells utter doom for us.
I have heard stories of horrendous actions taken against our race.
People killing just for our scales, others torturing us - just to make us cry for our tears!
I ended up getting caught in a net myself, and the eyes that found mine were shocked.
I was saved by an elderly fisherman, who muttered something under his breath.
I was a mermaid adrift from my pod, yet when he saw me he reacted with respect.
He quickly untangled the net and offered me sanctuary in his home.
I wanted to stay at his shack for only a few days, yet my fondness for him grew as the days went on.
I learned about him and the villagers, and even made friends.
I still remember the old man's words one fateful night.
"I always wanted a daughter," he said. "But unable to have my own; I don't mind caring for you."
He coughed then, the sound utterly sickly, and I still remember it today.
"You seem to be an adult, but then again, mermaids live longer than a normal human."
"By a few thousand years," I said.
I do not know why I gave him this information. However, I feel I can trust him.
"Wait, how do you know this fact? You seem to know more about my race than you let on."
I stare at the tattoo on his arm, a detailed mermaid of immence beauty.
She holds a seashell, and I swear I've seen her before.
"There is something you need to know. I was in love with a mermaid once."
He rubs an eye and I see the shimmer of a tear.
"She was older, coming to the end of her life. I was younger as a human, and a sailor then."
I scoot closer, "what was she like?"
The man sighs and sits on an old chair in the hut.
A wistful smile plays across his withered face.
"She was etheral, beautiful even. The way she walked was enchanting."
I learned that the mermaid was my own mother he fell in love with.
The news was surprising, but also welcoming.
I wipe a sudden tear, remembering that old man. He had died not long after, his frail body not able to take any more pysical abuse.
That was when Rita somewhat took me in, and our friendship grew.

I turn into the wood slightly and trudge on, deep in my reviere.
His grave is around here somewhere, I must remember!
The rocky outcrop marking his resting place still looks the same as always.
No one knows where he is burid, save for myself and Rita.
Or rather, she knew where he was buried.
"Ertu," I say. "Thank you for all you've done for me."
I place a boquet of flowers I picked atop his grave.
I then unhook my old necklace of shell and place it on the blooms.
A familiar dark figure paws at my skirts.
"Why is it you follow me?"
I ask this to no one in particular.
Death purrs and rubs against me slightly.
"You take everyone away from me yet keep me here. Why?"
I have asked this qustion the first time I saw Death.
It was when my mother passed away.
She had never revealed Ertu to anyone - for a mermaid loving a human was a grave sin to the pod.
I sink on my knees atop Ertu's grave and cry.
My tears well and then crystalize before they fully hit the ground.
I feel so helpless when it comes to saving people.

I now skirt along the treeline and avoid the main road.
My own name doesn't matter in the human world, which is good.
Death follows me at a distance, keeping watch and chittering on occation.
Death always shows itself to me in the form of a large cat.
Its yellow eyes and beautiful antlers ensnared me the moment I had seen it. Why the creature is fond of me I am unsure, but on occation it will show itself.
Be it a demon, a denzin of ill, or even a God, the creature is not at all manevolent.
I have seen Death take mother, as well as Ertu before I realized their purpose.
Why they do not take me away, I am still unsure myself.
I blink and stop, for even with the moon shining, I cannot see well.
"Death," I say. "I'm casting a light spell."
I warn the creature whenever I cast any of my spells. The reason being is the fact that Death's a tad jumpy whenever I do.
It makes them run hazardly, almost directionless.
I fondly call it "having the zoomies."
I clear my head, clap my hands and say, "arlu mobia dailux."
I feel my eyes ache when they glow, and a soft light wraps around me.
I sigh contently as a ball of bright golden light floats around my soulders down to my legs.
Then it swirls up again, casting visability for me.
It is still dark the further I peer, but moving around at night has always been a challenge.
The wild grasses cling to my underclothes, and I hear fabric tear slightly.
My new destination right now is a tavern almost a full day out, and so I click my heels faster.
I need to get there as soon as I can.
Death appears next to me and I chuckle.
"Care to join me on my journey? It's not as if you plan to leave."
The creature shakes his head and trots next to me, matching my stance.
"You look like a cat, yet have the buid and demeanor of a giant dog. How odd you are, dear friend."
There is a growl, and it makes me chortle harder.
"What, you don't like to be compared to a dog?"
The figure stares at me and blinks slowly.
"I will take that as a yes. Fine, I won't do that."
Death rubs against me, stops, and crouches.
"What?"
It looks at me expectantly and flicks its long tail.
"Are you asking me to ride you? I can't do that, I hate heights."
I swear I see Death roll their eyes, yet without any pupils it's hard to tell.
The solid, golden orbs of the figure stay on me, as if awaiting me to change my answer.
I sigh after a moment.
"Alright, fine then. You know I grow tired easily on land."
I wrap my legs around its middle and bury my fingers in soft fur.
I cling to Death like a lifeline, and when we set off the air is sucked from my lungs.
With the way we run, I will get to the tavern before morning!