The siren ✔️

Chapter 6

The myth of the siren wasn't an unknown story. Sailors told them as warnings to not wander off to an unknown area. It was said that sirens were beautiful creatures that lured sailors into the sea with their enchanting singing. That sirens had them in their spell as soon as they sang their song. Through their voice they linked sailors to them as if they were destined to be together. And from that moment, they were. The sailors were doomed the moment the sounds of a siren's song reached their ears. Sirens were a danger.

Many people saw it as entertainment. A story to make the endless days on the ship bearable. So as it got told, mouth to mouth, the story slowly changed. The story lost its truth and so, also its value.

Jeon Jungkook could feel he was doomed. He could feel how his desire grew. How he got fascinated by the flow of water from the tap, by the water flow from the shower, by the raindrops landing on his hand... he was doomed.

The wood of the pier vibrated under his feet.

"Jungkook, what are you doing? Come inside. It's late." Jimin's voice echoed through the air but he refused to turn around. The full moon lightened the water and it brought up memories. Memories of that night.

A hand slightly touched his shoudler and tried to pull him backwards. Away from the edge of the pier. "Come on..."Jimin said persuading. "If you want to go on a search tomorrow, you'll have to rest."

Jungkook shook the hand off of his shoulder and continued to stare straight ahead. "I'm done searching, Jimin."

The ocean was too big and out of his reach.

He couldn't see Jimin but he could imagine the expression he had on his face on this moment. "Oh."

Jimin didn't say anything else. It felt like minutes, hours that they were standing there until he heard Jimin's footsteps fade away.

Jungkook sighed and let his right hand wander off to the object in his pocket. A smile formed on his lips as he looked at the pinkish shell. The shell he had found on the ship. The thing that had given him the hope and kept him looking. He laughed at his hopeful self. He was such an idiot.

The shell reflected the moonlight perfectly. He saw the lights change when he turned it and looked at it from every angle. His hands held it like it was made of glass.

Suddenly the object slipped out of his hands. He saw how it disappeared into the black water. The sea wrinkled before it turned almost smooth and showed him his reflection. But the person staring back at him, wasn't him. The person looked normal, as if everything was fine. He wasn't.

He sunk on his knees, trying to see through the pitch black surface, but the sea didn't show its secrets. "Shit."

He let his arms sink in the cold and reached for the shell. He pulled back when he didn't feel anything. It was a useless shell anyway. Why was he worrying about a fucking shell?

He wanted to stand back up but lost his balance and slipped over the wet wooden floor. He fell from the pier.

And before he knew it, he was welcomed by the threatening cold water. Thousands  of tiny needles were spearing his skin. He tried to open his eyes but the salt already hurt them while keeping them closed.

From the shock the cold water had brought, he forgot how to swim. His heart sped up while his legs and arms were moving in every direction. Going from right to left, to right again, to the left.

What was up?

What was down?

The panic and hectic movements made him tired. He tried to gasp for air, but there was none. Swim to the surface Jungkook! What are you doing?! But his legs and arms refused to follow his instructions, paralyzed from the cold.

Boom boom. Boom boom. His head was throbbing in the rhythm of his heart.

Was he going to die? At this moment he thought he would. His lungs burned. His skull felt like it was shrinking and his organs were pushing against his bones.

He opened his eyes, the pain of salt invading his eyes was nothing compared to what he felt. He saw him. The merman. It was looking at him, eyes bright and dark at the same time, a calming smile forming on his beautiful lips.

He felt how his body got light. No, it felt weightless. The world wasn't real. This wasn't real.

He felt the corner of his lips curl up in a sickening smile. Let's sleep, he thought. He wanted to give in to the feeling without pain or self realization.

The moment of weightlessness ended rapidly when he felt air stroke his skin. He sucked in as much air as he wanted. It wasn't enough. He couldn't breath as good as he wanted to.

His hand was placed on something hard and cold. He grabbed it. He grabbed the ground under him as if it was the only thing that mattered. He opened his irritated eyes, scouring the dark of the reason why he was still alive.
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