Oceans Calling

Chapter 1

        Since the beginning of the human race, mermaids have been pictured as evil mythical beings. They are many different versions or myths that describe them. Most tell about women with long silky hair and everlasting beauty. These half human and half fish marine creatures were believed to sing to men and lure them to their deaths. Often, killing them by their mesmerising voice or make them commit suicide willingly. Let it be known that these creatures are very much real, but there is a real story behind all these legends.

      Thousands of years ago,  the god of water and the goddess of music gave birth to their second daughter Sirena. She was the goddess of beauty for her most angelic face and delicate form. When she became of age she was allowed to visit Earth to walk amongst humans and learn their ways. In the village, she stumbled upon a shepherds boy. They had soon became friends, his name was Ander. Becoming close with this boy made Sirena learn all their ways of their living: the simpler life of a human. 

     She and Ander soon fell in love and the gods were against such alliances. Frustrated with his daughter, Poseidon warned her that he would make her pay for their betrayal against the gods. Sirena ignored all warnings. As punishment for not heeding his advice, her father banished her to live eternally in the ocean as half god and half fish.

     Sirena waited to be reunited with Ander. Time went by like she was paralyzed by it, until she found that she could grow legs on land. Once she shed her tail, she embarked on the journey to find Ander. It was the dead of night, she had walked upon his window and lightly tapped, hoping he would wake.  Ander appeared half asleep, surprised to see her standing there after being apart for several months, oblivious to what had happened to her. Immediately, when he layed eyes on her, he pulled her into his arms. He caressed her gentle cheek and pulled the loose strands of her hair behind her ear as he looked deeply into her eyes. Finally, she felt at home, this is where she belonged. Slowly, he planted a soft kiss on her lips. The bliss of that moment was temporary. When their lips left each others it felt like they had lost something.

"Ander..." she whispered. 

     When she opened her mouth all he could hear was the voice. That song with an unforgettable melody that penetrates the soul. It ringed in his ears like an echo bouncing off the walls of a canyon. Quickly Sirena covered her mouth with both hands,but it was too late. She watched how Anders  face turned from happy to fearsome. Blood began to run down from his ears to his neck and she quickly brought her hands to cover them as if that would have stopped the bleeding. His brown eyes filled with pain and torment. What had she done? Ander fell to his knees and Sirena catched him as he tumbled towards the ground. 

"I'm so sorry. Please don't leave me.", she pleaded as he looked at her with a calmer expression resting on his face.

"I will always love you" he breathed. Those were his last words, before he took his last breath.

     The pain was unbearable. She cried tears that fell from her chin, turning into pearls as they fell. She held his body tightly like she would never let him go.
     
      His voice was loud and sudden in her mind. The sound of her father's voice made the anger directed toward him ripple well deep into her soul. He was the cause of this. He made me. Her stomach ached at the feeling of disbelief still hanging on her mind. Was this really happening? Her body had just become the hollow container of pain and rage. 
  

"My daughter, You must accept the consequences of your actions. You did not follow my council."

"How could you be so cruel! You killed him for loving me! I'm ashamed to be your daughter and call you father." She screamed at him while pulling Ander's body as close as she could. She would never forgive him for this. Never...

     She felt her skin rapidly start to crack along her arms and legs forming itchy scabs of dead skin. Her lungs started to feel tight and the shortness of breath creeping up behind her. She was already struggling to breath between spasmodic contractions caused by crying. Intuition and instinct kicked in; she knew she needed to get back to the water soon. Sirena didn't want to leave him there. Picking some yellow wild flowers she arranged them peacefully surrounding him. He looked so beautiful, even without color in his cheeks. She gifted him one last kiss that lingered on his forehead.

"I promise that I will always love you and only you" she whispered into the wind as if it was actually listening. And that is a promise she would never break.