Lonely Nymph

A lonely nymph sat at the edge of the water, her toes gently breaking the surface. She thought about how her life was confined to the greens and blues that swirled around her. Life was staying in the azure water that was her home. Anything that existed outside of the creek was forbidden.

Polyphina didn't know why she was trapped there. That's just how it's always been, staying there and protecting herself and her home. She never really questioned why and there was no one around to ask. Normally, the flowing of the creek and the wind whispering through the trees was enough to distract her. It was a treat when a human would stumble past and she would have to subtly guide them away from her sacred ground. But, why?

Why could she not have visitors? She knew of other nymphs that would tantalize their visitors. The lonely nymph was proud of her creek. The water was clear, but still a beautiful blue. The sand at the bottom was soft and the stones smooth. Rocks were tastefully scattered about and there was even a mossy tree that had fallen and had created a bridge of sorts. Her creek was marvelous, perfect even, but there was no one there to admire her hard work to create such beauty.

She stood up, her toes causing ripples as they emerged. Her long hair cascaded down her back, catching the sunlight beautifully as she stepped onto the edge of the creek. The dirt felt unfamiliar to her as she was so used to sand. She took another step forward into the grass that had sprung up along the creek's edges. Another strange sensation that excited her. She decided to control her fate. The creek belonged to her and she could do as she pleased with it.

More cautious steps brought her to a large, sturdy tree, much unlike the thin trees that shielded her creek from outsiders. Her delicate hands reached out to touch the trunk. There were sharp edges, but much like the fallen tree of her own, moss dulled some of the edges. Gently tip toeing around the trunk, the nymph peered up into the higher branches and saw birds perched and squirrels hopping branch to branch. It was the closest she'd seen a squirrel before. She was only familiar with the fish that adored her and a few birds that respected her. Polyphina watched the tiny creature as it continued its perfectly arched hops until she felt sudden unease, as if she shouldn't be there.

Her creek, a safe place, was only a few paces behind her, but something told her not to move. Something rustled in the leaves above her, causing a few to fall. Polyphina dove in the still creek water and sunk herself deep down. The minnows brushed against her, calming her down. Above the surface, a flash of cream and chocolate brown darted from the creek's edge and back into the forest. Someone must have seen her.

Panic filled Polyphina. She'd only ever known the fish and other animals that too lived off of her creek. Did the figure she saw want to hurt her?

She spent the night at the bottom of the creek, salmon and trout circling her mindlessly. She emerged from the water as the first lights of morning shone through the clouds. To make sure she was safe to emerge, she peered through weeds and lilies to check that no one was there waiting for her. Once deemed safe, she emerged and poised herself on a large flat stone. With her toes still dipped in the pool and her back to pricker bushes that would prevent someone from sneaking up on her, she felt safe.

The day was spent combing sand and weeds from her golden hair. She took deep breaths and focused on the tasks her hands were doing. Yesterday's fear and panic being lost with the gentle breeze in the air. Once satisfied with her hair, Polyphina did her rounds of walking along the edge of her pond and cleaning fallen leaves and other debris.

A pair of eyes peered at Polyphina through bronze colored leaves, interested in what she was doing. Why had she run from me, they thought, I meant no harm. The figure sprung from the tree, landing delicately on her feet. Her dark hair trailed behind her as she tiptoed just a few paces behind the little nymph.