Making A Promise

My Second Entry

"Mermaids aren't real, Shreya."

My heart sank when I heard those words. I clenched the plastic mermaid doll in my hand, ruining it.

That statement upset me, but I didn't let it bother me too much.

After all, we were on a picnic - I could have some fun. I asked my mum if I could go swimming.

"As long as you come back soon." I smiled cheekily at her and brushed the sand off my face.

"Sure thing!"

My feet ran along the white sand towards the beautiful ocean. It was so magnificent and blue.

However when I neared the shore, my eyes nearly fell out of its sockets.

A mermaid. On the rocks.

My heart ran a marathon as I neared her. Her tail looked like it was made out of emeralds, and her eyes were the prettiest sapphires I had ever seen.

"Hi," I whispered shyly.

She whipped around to face me and I could see tears in her eyes. "Stay away from me!" She sobbed.

My heart sank in grief. She looked so depressed, and I wondered why she was scared of me. "I won't hurt you," I promised, more quietly than before.

She studied me and spoke cautiously. "You are the person that is hurting me. Why? What did I do wrong?" Her tone reminded me of something that had lost hope.

I dared to get closer to her. "I don't understand.. I would never hurt you!"

"Let me explain." She fixed her eyes on me and began a tragic story.

"Once upon a time, we dominated the oceans. We were the best swimmers and we taught the dolphins how to swim." She smiled a little. "We even wore crowns of coral and pearls.

"Then came along mankind. At first we were at peace with each other. However, after the world wars, the humans started developing huge industries. These industries powered mass production.. and alas, with that, came the pollution."

The mermaid closed her eyes. "Our homes started overflowing with trash. It came from those factories. Most of the trash eventually floated away, except for this one type."

"Which type?" My hands were trembling.

"Plastic. The plastic never left. It choked the turtles. It suffocated the coral. And it killed us.

"I'm the last one left." She opened her eyes and eased open my fingers. Her voice trembled, "This killed us, human."

I looked down at my palm to see the crumpled plastic doll. I choked.

"If you learn to save this," she whispered, "then maybe it won't end up killing whatever's left."

She smiled sadly at me. "I'm homeless now, human. But maybe there's hope for the rest."

I was openly crying now. "I'll save this," I choked out. "I'll save you. I'll stop using plastic shopping bags and start reusing my water bottles. I'll tell my friends about you too!"

The mermaid's eyes sparkled with a flicker of hope. "I'll trust you to keep your promise, then."

And I will, for the ocean.