The Siren of Seasong Shore

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"I'm sick of being treated like dirt! I've been your cabin boy for years and have not once been given a promotion, nor an ounce of respect so I'm going to go find my own crew and become a captain! Then I'm going to find a siren and prove to you that I'm not crazy!" yelled a teenage boy.

The group of sailors he was with chuckled, before their captain spoke up, "I told you, boy. Sirens are nothing but a myth as an excuse for ametuer sailors who get lost at sea and drown."

"I'm not a boy! Screw you! I'll find a siren and I'll bring one back here to show you that they're real!" the boy retorted.

"Fine, boy. Be that way. But don't come crying back to me when you are hungry and tired and want to be a part of my crew again." the captain sneered.

The cabin boy glared back before running out the door, towards the docks.

"So you're looking for sirens, huh?" said a voice from the shadows.

"Who goes there?" questioned the boy.

A figure emerged from behind a pile of crates. Pulling down his hood, he was revealed to be a middle aged man, with green eyes and brown hair. "It's been awhile since I met someone who believes in sirens."

The boy raised an eyebrow. "Who are you?"

The man continued, ignoring the boy's question. "I mean, they exist, but they're rarely seen, so i guess it's no surprise."

"They're real? So you believe in them too?" yelled the boy ecstatically.

The man chuckled in response. "Believe? No. I've met one."

"Really?" the boy's eyes lit up. "Could you tell me about it?"

"Sure, but it's a long story. We might want to take a seat." With that the two settled down among the crates.

I was probably just about your age when I met her," started the man. "Sixteen to be exact. But before i go on, i must warn you... The power of a siren is something to be feared. Never, ever challenge a siren. It may be the last thing you ever do."

The boy looked at the man with curiosity. "You sound like you are speaking from experience, but you seem pretty alive..."

The man grimaced. "I was lucky. But most people aren't."

"Why did you challenge her then?" the boy asked, "If there's so much risk, then why?"

The man smiled, looking dreamily at the water, almost like he was remembering the moment. "I suppose I couldn't help myself. I hated that cocky smirk on her perfect pink lips. Or the way her aqua eyes glittered like gems. Or the way the moonlight shone against her flawless glowing skin the night I met her."