a siren's cry [#planetorplastic writing contest]

a siren's cry

a diver like me usually don't end up getting dragged by a siren through what seems like an endless vast of blue ocean.

i'm starting to lose my breath for goodness' sake! this siren won't let go of me.

we arrived at their kingdom and the siren spoke, "you know you can breathe now, right?" 

"you know sirens are not that trustworthy, right?" i answered. "what did you bring me here for anyway? i thought our agreement was final?"

"your people broke the promise, human! and you call us dishonest? i swore i would stop laying my fingers on your people in exchange of allowing us to be at peace in the sea. first, you took our fishes for food and entertainment. second, you supplied us with oil and toxic chemicals from your smoke-belching factories and now what?" the siren exclaimed. "now you're suffocating us in our own home with these plastics!"

"well, it's not our fault we need plastics to survive. where else would we drink water from? where would we put our groceries? do you even know what groceries mean?" i asked.

the siren looked at me in disbelief, "you're not getting it."

"look, i'm sorry. it's just that, where do you think should we throw the plastics away? all the garbage leads to the sea." i said.

i can see the tears forming in the siren's eyes, "human, is it really not your fault? we are dying in our own home. we are dying in a place where we should be safe just because of your litter!" 

"it's not really a big deal. humans are smart so we'll figure something out. just please don't cry." i comforted her but she looked at me and her eyes looked so different.

"it's too late to figure something out. you and your people always think you're superior to other beings. we're dying, human. and we will not forget to take you with us." she spoke with hatred and i can feel the waves of anger surrounding us.

i swam away from her. 

i swam and swam but i was no longer swimming in water. 

i was met with tides of plastic straws, bottles, cups, and bags. i was suffocating.

i can't breathe.

and then i saw her.

the siren. 

"we're dying, human. you and i are the only ones left, but it's now my time to go." she said and she disappeared into bubbles.

i need to get home.

i wasn't holding my breath but the plastics are choking me. 

i need to get home.

my arms and legs are tired from the endless paddling.

i need to get home.

i reached the shore, 

but there was nothing there.

that was when i realized,

the ocean is part of my home. without it, where is my home?