Tainted Beauty | #planetorplastic

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   Prior to the blindness of greed, the obsession of wealth, we mermaids once stood as allies alongside 'humans' - as they name themselves. It would've been a pleasure to allow them the bliss of venturing into our oceans, so long as they respected it, like a king would his land. They didn't. The plastic's lethal voyage on our ocean proceeded.

Aquamarine flawlessness evanesced into a lustreless grey - grey which shadowed the luminosity of blazing coral, pirouetting seaweed and the flamboyancy of rocks which inched fathomlessly into liquid consolation. In a gaping crater we'd settled generations ago, and the time of our retreatment came all too soon.

   We were so obliging, albeit the deaths they'd caused were surging: their mercy had deteriorated while ours remained alive, as did our lenience. This, however, could only last for so long. We began evading them. The mermaids, that is - the splendour of ocean animals devoted themselves to an adamant refusal of reality; what they'd always known as home was no more, and admitting it was all but a fantasy. They took the meagre chance of their lives persisting.

   "Celestia..." they'd murmur, as though they needed permission to converse. "Seas in the vicinity of Thailand are becoming uninhabitable." At this I'd nod in sombre manner, lamenting the options.

"Well," I'd enunciate, "possibilities here aren't scarce. A tsunami, perhaps?" These were our warnings, warnings which proved to be aimless. Only the mermaids were capable of forging such prodigies. Only the ones like me.

   Despite our deterrents, pipes crawled ever further into our home, veins of poison tainting its wholesome beauty. Serenity was a hazy memory; hope was vacant. Quite simply, I'd surrendered. I'd finally given up my defiance and allowed the remainder of life I possessed to waste away. I'd never understand how it happened: the thoughtless decisions which led to the destruction of another's life. They don't care. There's no point. No point in attempting my futile survival.

   What ever did we do to deserve such a fate? Was there even a reason?

   Or was it sheerly indolence?

   The magnificence of a glimmering tail flourished behind me - into my demise I plunged. Plastic. Plastic - poison tainting wholesome beauty. Plastic, embedded even in the most indistinct fissures. Never would I give them the joy of seeing the wonder of a mermaid. Our avoidance was their doing.

   Plastic, coiling around my tail. Dread flooding my chest like water filling a dam. With every passing second, the more unyielding it grows, until escape is inconceivable. It's unbearable, the agony one must tolerate due to another's carelessness. They're ruining the spectacle of their own home. One day, they'll wipe themselves out; they won't have an excuse. The blame is on them.

   So, you must ask yourself: planet... or plastic?

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   Hey, reader!

   If you took a delight in reading my short story, I'd be extremely grateful if you could take a second to vote - this story took quite a lot of dedication, as I'm pretty busy with school and stuff at the moment.

   Feel free to comment any opinions, or thoughts, and if I've made any errors, please do inform me!

   Thank you :)

   -Savannah x

   (P.S. I'm currently writing my first book, so be sure to look out for that ;D)