Deep Breaths

As the summer wore on in the ever exciting Miami Florida, the humidity rose and rose. Soon enough all weather stations were warning of a severe tropical storm on the horizon, some saying it was possible to become a class one hurricane. As people prepared for flooding and debris the winds rose and brought along tall waves crashing into shores. Flooding came with rain and thunder. People huddled down and prayed until the sun shone again. Days later people are assessing the damages and starting to rebuild.

With school delayed many children help their families. One such child was with his mother playing in the backyard of his house in his suburban neighborhood.

“Charles! Don’t wander too far off okay? Mommy wants to keep an eye on you! Some of our neighbors animals have been going missing and they think an alligator has gotten into the wooded area back there! I'll call you in for dinner okay?”

“Okay momma!” was Charles reply as he played with his toy airplane. Flying and flying between trees and around busses. He had paid no attention to where he was and soon found himself at the lake his mom and dad would take him for a pick nick. He knew the place very well, but at five years old he had no idea how to get back. He started to panic. The trees looming over him and the sun played hide and seek as it continued to get darker and darker. He couldn't breath. Why couldn't he breath! Snap. What was that? It must be the alligator momma warned me about! It's gonna kill me! I’m gonna die here! I'm sorry momma, I should have listened to you!

A light. A song. Safe, calming music. He could breathe again. His head felt foggy. Why was there a woman in the lake? She must not know about the alligator! I better, go and, warn her. His feet started to move before he could realize they were.

    The scales on her tail shone like gemstones. A-a tail? Wait. People don't have, tails. But for him it was too late. Her hand reached around his wrist in an iron grip wit her nails digging into his wrist. Her lips stretched across teeth as sharp as a sharks. She started to drag him into the water! He pulled and hit and kicked but she wasn't letting go!

His feet slipped in the mud and he fell down allowing her to pull him faster into the water! Faster than he could process his head was under. He couldn't breath! Her hair no longer gentle, wild and thrashing in the water, creating a main of dark brown hair that no longer covered her as she had no care for modesty. Her tail was strong, despite the ribs he could see, enough that it pulled her closer to the bottom of the lake. He could hardly see from how murky the water was. He couldn't hold his breath any longer! He didn't want to but he breathed in and felt the unbearable sting of the water and silt invade his lungs.

Her grin grew wider and wider as he became weaker and weaker. Soon all fight had left him as his vision faded to black. The last thing he would see was the remains of a cat. Specifically the cat of his neighbor Mis. Deedricson. With tears that no one could see he said goodbye to the only kind thing there at the bottom. The cat could do nothing to aid the boy, the currents the two had created only causing it’s head to sway peacefully. It’s eyes unseeing as the boy fell prey to the starved siren.