Poor Unfortunate Soul

Five

I know that she swam to shore and drank the potion. I felt it. I know that the prince fell in love with her. I saw it.

But the true wicked ones were the prince's parents. They put the prince through an arranged marriage. They knew that the mermaid-turned-human and the prince loved each other. But the prince got married to a princess that lived a country over.

The little mermaid was heartbroken. And I was heartbroken for her. To be honest, I think that I was more heartbroken than she was; I lost a child I cared for, and I didn't get to see her get married to the love of her life.

Now, she floats peacefully through the waves, as sea foam cresting the top of the ocean.

Sometimes, if you listen close enough, you can still hear her calling and singing with her beautiful voice. If the light hits the top of the ocean a certain way, you can still see her peeking through the top of the waves, looking at the shore.

But she's gone. And she forever will be.

No fairy tale is ever really happy ever after.