Stomp. Stomp. Stomp. Wheeze.
"Ok, deep breath."
Stomp. Stomp. Stomp. Cough.
"Shit." Another deep breath and a resolute expression.
Stomp. Stomp. Stomp.
"Jefferson?" The man in front of him didn't turn around. Madison drew another shallow breath and walked toward him. "What are you doing out here? The ship is on the other side of the island. Why would you walk so far? How did you even get here so fast? Did you know how long I've been looking for you?"
"Jemmy, shhh." Thomas held up his hand.
"Thomas, I told you not to call me that."
"Madison, shhh." He repeated. "Look." Madison followed his gaze over to where the sun hit the waves, making it look like a tide of diamonds was coming into shore.
"It's too bright." James said, wincing. "I can't see very-"
"Shut up, James. Look."
Madison sighed. He didn't know what he was supposed to be looking at or what had Thomas so captivated. "I don't-" he gasped. The end of a long, indigo tail flipped out of the water and splashed the surface. "That looks like..." his words trailed off.
"I know." Thomas said softly.
Farther away a second tail could be seen for a moment before it slipped away again. This one was a lighter blue and Madison's mouth hung open. "Two of them?"
"Apparently. Didn't you say the one you saw looked like you?"
"I did. But I dismissed it as some trick. A ruse to get into my head."
"As did I. Do you think these are the ones we saw? That they found us again?"
"Hard to say with only a fin to go by. Perhaps we should get closer."
"James, no. Washington was right. Most tales involving sirens of the sea do not end well for humans."
Madison huffed and gave Thomas a small scowl. "My scientific mind is too curious. I have to know more about these creatures." He started to wade into the rising tide.
"Madison! You shouldn't do that! You'll get soaked and your poor health may not recover from the chill."
James kept walking. He was up to his knees when the creature suddenly surfaced- a being almost identical to Madison himself. Jefferson's eyes widened. "My god, he does look like you." He said astonished. "Only instead of the pleurisy and tremors he has the peak physical condition of a gladiator." James was about to protest but Thomas had a point. The sea creature smiled at the doctor and dove back under the waves. "Well he seems friendly." Thomas offered. "But I still would feel better if you weren't so far from shore." They watched as the merman disappeared into the murky depths and James started walking back to the beach.
Thomas heard a small ripple of water and turned his head toward an outcropping of rocks. Long, slender fingers emerged from the water and the second siren hoisted itself on the warm boulders and sat, curling its tail around the barnacle-encrusted stone. It started collecting shells and sea glass, tying them together with seaweed which he then weaved into the dark curls that framed his face. He eventually braided them all into a knot on the top of his head.
"That one looks like you." Madison said, moving closer to Jefferson. "Only instead of your pretentious self-importance he seems to have a genuinely pleasing demeanor."
Thomas looked askance at him and James's voice caused the merman to look over at them. When he saw Thomas, he scooped up the remainder of his ocean treasure and dove back into the water. "Aw, you scared him." Thomas watched him disappear with a small pang of sadness. The grief was short-lived however as his lookalike resurfaced only 20 feet in front of him. He held his hand out, beckoning for Thomas to come closer and the commodore was more than willing to oblige.

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A Tale of Skeptical Sailors and Mischievous Mermaids
FanfictionIn the early 1800's, a British naval vessel sails the Atlantic and encounters a mystifying species that leaves the crew enthralled. But are these sirens friend or foe?