Drabbles

Not Their Truth

     Water sloshes against the side of the boat, splashing the bare hand reaching so delicately to the sea. Chubby little fingers grasp at crisp air, trying to catch flying droplets, and delighting in getting a cool sea mist. Workers and passersby chuckle at the little girl tied safely to the boat and they watch her marvel at the movements of the ocean. They leave her to her imagination, not worried that she'll perish or be harmed. Some make sure her line is secure then step over her body and go on their way without a second thought. The little girl rests her chin on her hand and wiggles herself closer to the edge, stopping when she tugs on the rope tied to her waist. Her hand is way too high to dip into the water but just having her palm moistened by random drops makes her happy. She can feel people pull delicately on her line but she lets them be, knowing they're just making sure she's safe.

     The hours pass serenely this way- the little girl getting the ocean chill and accepting it as if it were sweet candy. She's brought food and drink by her father, Ruler of Ship, as she puts it, but is let alone otherwise. As the day wanes, so do those who wander the deck. The little girl grows more excited the less bodies are around her; she loves the way the stars shine on the waters, and she prefers to experience the phenomena alone. As darkness twinkles below, a form ripples just under the surface of the waters. Eyes widening, the little girl scuttles closer to the edge, her rope tensing and reaching its end. She watches the surface below gain the shape of a face. She stares down with wonder instead of fear, her age preventing her from registering something truly unusual.

     "Hullo," the face gurgles, the mouth spluttering water.

     Shocked, the little girl can only respond with a weak, "Hello."

     "You watch us often," the face says matter-of-factly. The face slowly emerges from the water, revealing a head and shoulders.

     The little girl, now more shocked about what she thinks is lie than the person in the water, frowns. "I don't watch anyone."

     "Yes," the head bobs under water then springs up, "you do."

     Surveying the deck and finding it empty, the little girl looks back to the waters and inspects the person swimming along peacefully. They have flowing blonde hair and crystal eyes. The little girl couldn't tell much more than the person below was a little girl as well, just like her. Finally, she responded with, "Papa lets me lay here and watch the water. I don't watch people." 

     The little girl below shrugs. "Well, you watch us, even if you don't know it."

     The little girl above puckers her mouth. "Who are you?"

     "Maudie. Who are you?"

     "Rhona. Why are you in the water?"

     "I live here, of course." Maudie smooths back her wet hair in a practiced motion. "What are you doing up there?"

     "I live here. At least until we dock, then i'll go back to my real home." Her face scrunching, Rhona clutches the edge of the boat. "What do you mean you live in the water? People don't live in the water, they live on it."

     Maudie dunks her head in the sea, springs up, then swims a little closer to the surface of the water, revealing a sparkling tail where her legs should be. The scales twinkle blue in the starlight. "I live in it. I'm a mermaid."

     Rhona, not yet taught that mermaids don't exist, smiles dreamily. "Wow. I've never met a mermaid. You're beautiful." She reaches down but can not reach Maudie's tail.

     Maudie slows, so her face is directly below Rhona's, and smiles upwards. "Thank you. You're beautiful as well. You're a human, right? You don't have a tail? My momma told me about you."