The Last Mermaid

~ 79 ~

Legend has it that we mermaids are descended from Aphrodite herself, also known as Atargatis. Aphrodite has been known throughout the world for inspiring tempestuous sin, but was it ever really her fault?

Born out of a clam shell, naked as a babe. Immune to the temptations of her own body, while those around her shudder at the beauty of her nakedness.

We never knew we were beautiful - only that we were nearly the same as anybody else. To talk about the ocean as if it were a utopian place is, first off, a farce - because we are equally flawed as humans, even though we have an easier way about going through emotions and societal issues. One of the sayings we tell each other "You are not so special" and "Don't swim to the surface."

Plenty of our own kind have died because they were under the impression that a human man would want to understand them - that they would want to get to know the hot mess sitting upon the rocks. 

And yes, sometimes they don't notice their tail turning into legs.

This leads to a great deal of young naiveness, and inexperienced mermaids finding themselves plopping back into the water before they get the opportunity to speak to a human male, even when this is what they want to do. 

Perhaps I've always leaned on the more intellectual side of being a mermaid. It's not that I want to be human, I genuinely enjoy my times in the water (and kelp baths too - goodness!) but I couldn't help thinking that love should be so simple. 

I simply do not agree that you have to be human to understand what love is. That it has to fit X, Y, and Z boxes. I know what love is not, and some guy ogling over my breasts isn't it. 

And DON'T talk to me like I'm some thing to be protected, the whole "I'll teach you the ways of the world." "Oh... I'l teach you the ways of my world too, how bout we start with my fist up your..."

Oops. You were expecting a nice mermaid, weren't you?

With all this mermaid analysis, you'd think that I'd have some grand theory on interspecies romance but, I only have some cases of my heart broken and some weird instances of breaking others' hearts. 

Now, most of my friends are paired up with other mermen, and they feel eager to pressure me too. 

"Oh... come on. It's not so hard when you settle."

They say it like they too want to be human

Imagine if our secret got out