The Navy Boy and The Mermaid

David

     Blue. All I see above or below me is blue. I reach for the surface as it slowly fades into blackness. The cold salt water envelopes me like a blanket yet offers me little comfort. Just as I accept my cold, dark, watery grave I see something. A woman. She propels herself towards me with purpose. She looks almost human but I am not left to those thoughts long enough to dwell on her appearance. Suddenly I'm wretched out of my sleep covered in a layer of cold sweat. 

     "David? You alright?", my bunk mate, Aaron, looks at me quizzically. "Uh, yeah I'm fine.", I lamely respond trying to shake the image of the woman out of my mind. We quickly dress in silence before heading up to the mess hall for breakfast. I push my dream to the back of my mind brushing it off as just me being nervous to be anchored in the middle of the Atlantic. This massive ship would make any inland boy nervous though. The Mariana was no joke. She was a huge cargo vessel carrying hundreds of planes, a few tanks, and a literal boat load of ammunition. Where we are delivering this load is a complete mystery but people gossip. Everyone has their theories terrorist attacks, delivering to an ally, attacking another country, and ending a war before it starts. Of course I don't have the time for ridiculous theories. I am simply here to do my job and go home. End of story. 

     I walk gingerly over to the left side of the enormous vessel and peer over the edge. The ocean laps against the side of the Mariana wishing to pull her to a watery grave. Why do I feel like the ocean is watching me? Watching me stand here at the edge of a ship, staring down into her unending depths. Depths that hold many secrets. I look around at the area we have anchored in and can't help but wonder why we've stopped here. I turn back to the light splashing of the ocean. What are we here for? 

     I take a deep breath of the salty ocean air before heading back inside. Most of us are trained soldiers, others are trained yes but they serve a different purpose. My purpose is to fix anything that decides to break on this damn ship. Which actually occurs quite often. However, the part I despise the most is when a blade snaps and I have to suit up in scuba gear, jump in the damn ocean, and stay under this ship until she's in running condition again. If you haven't noticed by now I am not exactly a fan of the ocean. I regret not just going to the army. 

     The day fades to night fairly effortlessly. Only minor fixes were necessary throughout the day. Standing on the deck the chilly ocean breeze nips at my skin forming goosebumps in its wake. Looking out over the dark water is almost calming tonight somehow. I close my eyes listening to the soft sounds of the waves. The lack of big city sounds is soothing. No honking horns, sirens, no drunken fights outside of the apartment, and no little rat dogs barking in the apartment next door. All you can hear on the vastness of blue, now black in the darkness, is waves or the occasional flock of seagulls when you're close to land. I smile to myself, enjoying the comforting silence of the sea. 

     The peaceful walk back to my bunk is interrupted by a rumbling. I look up to the once clear, star filled sky to find dark black, gray clouds forming. This can only mean one thing. A storm. I hurry below deck to begin fastening equipment into place. We have to prepare for the worst. Quick brewing and sudden storms are very unpredictable and potentially dangerous. The crew is in such a hurry we are stampeding each other trying to fasten everything as quickly as possible. I pull Aaron off the floor before someone can trample him. "Thanks, man", he mumbles trying to catch his breath. "No problem what use is a pancake for a bunk mate?", I joke. 

     The storm kicked into full force in only an hour. Waves crash violently over the ship and across the deck. The dark water swashing against the port hole in my bunk pulls my anxiety to the surface. It rises with the water. I find myself mesmerized by the water splashing against the glass. Staring out into the darkness reminds me of my dream. For a moment I think I see her. The woman in the water. She stares back at me from the deep. Curious teal blue eyes judge me silently, her pink hair floats around her in beachy waves, her chest is wrapped in green seaweed, and she has a tail! The woman from my dreams wasn't a woman exactly. She was a mermaid! I stare at her deep blue scaly tail in absolute awe. For a moment I don't notice that she has moved closer. I jump back for a moment when I realize she's only a few feet beyond the glass. My eyes travel up to meet hers. She studies me curiously for a moment. I glance over at Aaron as I hear him stir in his sleep. "Dude, what are you doing up right now?", he asks sleepily. I wave him off quickly looking back to the port hole only to find that she's gone. "Damn!", I whisper exasperatedly while climbing into my bunk. This storm must be making me hallucinate. Been at sea too long I suppose.