Feather: A short story collection

Siren Song

My feet tapped with impatience. Maggie was using up all of the hot water again. "Maggie, hurry up!"

Later after I was all showered, in cold water mind you. I clicked on the flashlight and read beneath the covers, illuminating my face.

Just as the book got real good, I felt the need to shove water down my parched throat. Unhappily I padded downstairs and filled a glass of water. I spotted my AirPods, and popped them in my ear, and turned on the music.

While sipping the water and humming along to Eminem rapping, as I was not nearly fast enough to rap along with him, I saw a glimpse of a curly brown head of hair. I turned towards it, Maggie was walking in some sort of robotic movement down the hall, nearing the door.

"Maggie! What are you doing up?" I called to her.

She did not even gesture as if she had heard me, just kept jerkily moving forward. She's just being rude, like all other 10 year olds. I swear, the younger generation was just getting more spoiled, no wonder all the old people think we are obnoxious.

But a small part of me wonders why? What is she doing? Ugh, now I have to follow her like the big brother I should be. I set my phone down and walk down the hall after her.

Maggie opens the door and a gust of cold wind blows in my face, I get a taste of the lake air. She quickly walks outside, and I hastily follow her.

We continue this way for a few minutes, Maggie just mindlessly walking down the street, and me humming along to songs blasting through my AirPods while following her.

Suddenly she stopped and turned. "Go away Jake! You're making her go away! She hates boys." Maggie robotically moved around and continued forward, I was so confused.

I pretended to walk back towards the house, but I secretly turned around another house and cut a shortcut across their lawn. Maggie was close in sight, so I followed.

Eventually we reached the lake, without her having seen me. Then she dived in. I screamed. The lake water was frigid cold and last year a neighborhood kid had almost drowned, Maggie knew how to swim, but not well. She had hated swimming lessons and quit early on.

I hesitated, then popped out my AirPods, plugged my ears as the pressure made them feel weird and jumped in.

My eyes slowly adjusted to the water and saw Maggie in front of me. She was desperately swimming down but was having a hard time. My lungs pounded and I had to go back to the surface for air.

Breathing deeply, I dived back down, Maggie was nowhere in sight. I swam down hoping to catch a glimpse of her. My ears finally got used to the water and I could faintly hear something.

It was an eerily haunting sound, wailing through the water, it was a song.

Maybe you and me
Won't be remembered
But I have time for you to be
Forever together, smoldering embers

The sea, the grass and sky
Have never seen a better pair
You and me will never die
Tied together, locks of hair

My heart thumped and I felt the need to follow this voice. It was right, we were the best pair and we did belong together, forever.

I eagerly swam down, overtaken by the need to see the owner of this beautiful voice.

Oh, you see
The love between us,
Twining you and me,
We will never be dust,

Time will slow,
So we can be,
Just a future glow
You and me

The song rang through my ears, it was mesmerizing. I was running out of breath, but I couldn't stop. I had to, no I needed to see the being behind this voice.

My feet kicked faster and I practically tore apart the seaweed in front of me. I gasped, letting out some of the few precious breaths I had left.

She was stunning, her blue scaled tail glittered under the far up moon, her long sun kissed brown hair floated around her like a halo, and her voice seemed to envelop my body, like being wrapped up in a big warm blanket.

Come to me,
Trust that I,
Hold the key
And will guide

Her voice winded higher and higher for the end of the song.

Will I love,
Ever again like you,
Flying like a dove,
Cause I feel new

The lady looked right at me, and I saw her eyes, wild and stormy, midnight blue. She was a siren.

My heart told me to run. As the song ended my wits were back, I saw what I had not noticed before, Maggie, curled up and blue in her arms. Dead.

I screamed, the last of my air leaving my lungs.  I knew I would die, and join Maggie and this horrible creature down here in these watery depths. My feet kicked, I had to get up. Her hand snaked out and wrapped around my ankle.

"Oh no you don't little human, I'm afraid I need you and your sister, too bad you had to be such a good brother Jake." Her voice was melodic and sweet, but the words coming out of her mouth betrayed her, they had a sharp twist to them.

My mind began to feel fuzzy and dark around the edges, was this what death felt like? My lungs begged for air and freedom. I felt dizzy.

Her song was right in some aspects, we would be together forever, trapped down here, with her and her malevolent intentions.

I felt my body give up the fight, as let her drag me down and set me next to Maggie. I let her take my hand and put it inside my cold dead sisters hand. I let her sing a song and carry me away from consciousness. The last thing I heard was, "oh sweeties, bon appetit."