The Little Merman

Jack

Ariels POV

"Come on Flounder, hurry up!" I yelled, swimming towards a shipwreck in the distance.
"But Ariel!" Cried Flounder "...what if there are sharks..."
"Don't be a baby!" I teased.
"I'm not a baby!" Flounder sped up and was now swimming beside me as we grew closer to the ship.
It's beautiful, I made sure to take in all the details. It's magnificent white sail that moved silently with the current, the slightly disturbed but nearly crafted wood and the beautifully carved mermaid sitting at the front of the broken deck.
I slowly swam inside through a hole in the ship with Flounder behind me. The inside was full of nicely crafted furniture. There was a desk that was resting on its side, slightly broken. I swam up to it and sit it up straight.
"Hey Flounder look at this!" I pull out a paper from a nearby shelf and lay it out on the desk.
"I think it's a map!" Flounder hasn't moved from her post, keeping watch for...I'm assuming sharks, she only adjusts her eyes for a moment to look. That baby, she's still afraid. I laugh to myself.
"Wow, thats real fascinating" she says, her voice completely flat.
I roll up the map and put it back, at the far side of the room I see something shining. I swim over to it and pick it up. It looks strange, it has five points and is silver. It looks sort of like my Father's trident. Maybe it's a mini trident.
I collect a few other things and put them into a small brown pouch.
"Hey Ariel...." I hear Flounder say
"Yeah, what is it?" I say as I stuff more items into the pouch.
"It's just that...there's a..its"
"Flounder, spit it out!"
"It's a SHARK!" She screams.
Just then then the wall was destroyed sending bits of broken and sharp wood pieces through the water. A piece slashed across my arm leaving a bloody gash. Oh no.
Flounder was already escaping through the other side of the ship. I quickly followed, holding onto my arm. The shark is quick and is right on my tail. I catch up with Flounder now, the only exit is through another small hole in the ship. Maybe to small. Flounder was unable to fit through, blocking the exit. I push her with all my strength and adrenaline. When I succeed she shoots through and starts swimming again. I quickly swim through, not getting stuck due to my tiny figure. The shark close behind, smashing through as soon as I catch up with Flounder again.
"Ariel what are we gonna do!?!" Cries out Flounder.
"Keep swimming! I have an idea" we swim for a little while longer avoiding the sharks bites when it gets to close. Finally we approach a cavern, the entrance is to small for shark to get through, and to strong for it to break through. We quickly swim inside and we hear the shark smash into the hard stone. It's dead. The impact was so strong it died...
Well never mind that, were safe now and also in my paradise so its a win win. By paradise I mean this cavern. I've been coming here for years now, its were I keep all my treasure from the land people that I collect.
The walls stretch quite high and is completely covered with different objects, mostly sorted. Quickly but effectively I bind my bleeding arm with some seaweed. Then I swim over to a shelf naturally carved into the stone and pull down a box. Inside are objects similar to mini trident I found. One is the same but has no points and the other has only one point which I cut myself on once. It's pretty sharp...
"Hey Ariel! Shouldn't we go ask what that thing is?" Flounder asks.
"Oh yah!" I pull it back out the box and swim up to surface with Flounder.
I'm not allowed on the surface, but I can't help it, its just so amazing. On the surface is we're I met Skuttle, he's a seagull, but also my friend. He tells me everything he knows about the land, he's really helpful.
"Hey Skuttle!" I call out.
"Ah, Ariel boy!" He replies while perched on a rock. "Did ya bring something?"
"Sure did! Check it out" I hand him the mini trident and bite my lip out of excitement. "So what is it!?!" I ask.
"Well...it would appear to be....you know, you brush your hair with it...humans call it a...a dinglehopper!" He brushes his feathers with it while he speaks.
"No way.." I begin "let me try it!" He hands back the dinglehopper and I brush my short red hair. It really works! People are so smart.
"Ariel! What are you doing up here!" I turn around and see my father's right hand man, Sebastian. What is he doing up here?
"Your father is very disappointed that you didn't show up for dinner again, he's worried"
"Tell him not to worry, I'm not even hungry, but you know who was! That shark that almost ate me and Flounder earlier!"
"Wait what?! Ugh nevermind...its Not about that...it's about your obsession, you know your not allowed up here!" He is pointing his claws around angrily while trying to stay surfaced. "Your father wants to talk to you, right now!"
"Oh fine..." I begin with a pouty face "thanks Skuttle" I follow Sebastian down to the sea bottom with flounder.
I really don't want to go back home to father. All he's gonna do is scold me for being an awful son and then he's gonna lock me in my room for the night.
"Ariel! You know that the surface is forbidden and yet... You disobey me. Your an awful excuse for a son! Now go to your chambers!" He points in the direction."why can't you be more like your sisters." He sighs as I swim away.
What did I tell ya, I was insulted and then locked in my chambers. Just like I said.
It's really boring in here, I just really want to go back outside and to the surface. I lay down on my seashell bed and comb my hair with the dinglehopper. I'm really glad father didn't see it and that Sebastian didn't mention it. Maybe he isn't so bad...
I try to close my eyes but...I can't I feel like I have to go to the surface, like if I don't, I'll miss out on something life changing. So I go.
I quickly swim to the window and pry it open. I only just got my window back after being grounded for sneaking out before, yah my father actually got rid of my window and filled it with more wall.
I swim out and hurry to the surface.
"Wait Ariel!" I hear, I turn around and see Flounder. She hadn't left the castle yet and was swimming up to me. "You're gonna get in trouble Ariel" she cries.
"Don't worry, I'll only be punished if I'm caught" I smirk and continue up to the surface.
When I get to the top I look around, in the distance is a ship its labelled "shipping goods" I wonder what that means?
"Come on Flounder" I whisper.
"Ariel...I don't think this is a good idea...."
"If you don't think so you can stay behind, but I have to go" I start swimming away.
I reach the ship and climb up the side when I hear voices.
"Ariel get down!" I look down, it turns out Flounder did come along. I ignore her though and listen to the conversation.
"Oi mate! Why don't you find yourself a lass?" One of the men say.
"Oh Berry, I told you. I haven't ever met a girl I really liked, it feels like I never will.." He trails off.
"Oh come one then, I'll take you to the bar when we get home. I'll show you all the finest women"
"Hah, sure" he smiles...he has a really cute smile I think. Wait....did I...I did....OK there's no fighting this, he's handsome I'll admit it. I take in his features.
He's tall has a slightly dark complexion and chestnut brown hair that is tied back in a short ponytail. His eyes look like a dark green from here and his build is strong but slim...woah. He's carrying something, a bag? So is his friend who is also admittedly handsome, but not in comparison. They haul it over to the other side of the ship when all of a sudden.
The waves become very strong and the wind picks up ferociously. I fall off from the ship and watch it. It's gonna tip! There's No way it can stand these waves! I can hardly stay above the surface and Flounder has already been launched somewhere from the waves.
Oh no...a crate falls down from the ship nearly hitting me, and then I hear.
"Fire!!!!" I see a smaller boat come shooting down, I swim away and watch from a distance as men start pouring onto it.
"Where's Jack!" I hear one of them yell.
"He's a lost cause!" The boat starts rowing away the waves nearly engulfing it. It's as if these waves were made for me, sent straight from my father.
The boat is gone and all that remains is the ship, its half sunken and the flames have nearly engulfed the whole thing.
Who was Jack? And what did that man mean by 'lost cause'
"Help!" That must be Jack!
I force my way through the waves trying to get to the ship. The waves have now fully claimed it. On no! I need to find him! I dive down and reach the ship as its sinking. I see no one. Wait. There were bubbles just a second ago, I saw them. I swim down and there, the man from before was wedged between a crate being held by a rope. Most likely an accident from when the sails collapsed.
I make my way towards and work my fingers to loosen the rope. The crate comes free and 'Jack' begins to float. Unconscious.
I wrap my arms around his waist and pull him up to shore, dragging him to a nearby beach.