Beneath The Velvet Sea

The waves whispered against the rocky shore, their rhythm as steady and ancient as a heartbeat. Eight year old Iris Carter sat cross legged on a blanket, her knees pulled close to her chest as the ocean breeze tangled her hair. Beside her, her mother, Evelyn, hummed a melody a tune so haunting and beautiful that it made Iris’s chest ache in a way she didn’t understand. “Why do you always sing that song, Mama?” Iris asked, tilting her head up to catch her mother’s gaze. Evelyn smiled, though her eyes remained fixed on the horizon where the sun melted into the sea. “Because it’s not mine to keep. It’s a gift from the ocean .” Iris wrinkled her nose. “The ocean doesn’t sing.” “Oh, but it does,” Evelyn said, her voice soft but certain. She turned to Iris, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “This song has been passed down in our family for generations. My mother taught it to me, just as her mother taught her. It’s said the sea gave it to us.” “Is it magic?” Iris’s voice was a mix of curiosity and awe. Evelyn hesitated, her smile fading slightly. Her gaze grew distant, her fingers brushing the edge of the blanket. “Not the kind you’d wish for. If you ever hear this song again really hear it....it means the ocean is calling you. And Iris, the sea takes more than it gives.” Iris’s brow furrowed, confused by the sudden gravity in her mother’s tone. But before she could ask more, Evelyn kissed her forehead and stood, brushing sand off her skirt. “Come on, little mermaid,” Evelyn said, her warmth returning. “Time to head home.”