Aliénor's Song

A New Home

As I approached the ship, I noticed subtle differences in it and the one who had so callously left me to die in the ocean. For one, this ship seemed to carry passengers instead of cargo. As I got closer, I could hear shouting. I looked to the deck to find a man pointing at me.

"Passenger overboard! Theres a woman in the water!"

I ducked my head under and felt something splash into the water. I came up to investigate. The ship had dropped a small boat over the side and two men were climbing into it.

I tried to tell them I was ok, but what came out of my mouth was a mournful melody. I couldn't speak. As I sang I noticed the second man stop and he turned slowly to look at me. It was as if he was seeing me for the first time. Entranced, he leapt from the side of the boat into the ocean. Other men were also jumping into the water from the deck of the ship. I closed my mouth. As if waking from their trance, the men began to shake their heads and look around, confused.

That was interesting. I opened my mouth again, piercing the still morning air with my new song. The men again began swimming toward me as if they were in a daze. My song draws men to me. The women aboard were shouting after them.

"What are you doing? Get back to the ship!" One shouted.

Curious. Apparently my song had little effect on them. I closed my mouth and dove beneath the water. I began my own journey to the new world, hoping to find the murderous bastards who had taken everything I loved from me.

I swam for about an hour before I began to notice my hunger. I had eaten fish in my previous life, so I began scanning the ocean around me for something that could be food. I happened onto a school of silver fish swimming in a tight ball as I approached. I tried to grab one, but it eluded me. That's when I had an idea. I whipped out with my tail and speared two of them on the sharp spike. They immediately went limp. Apparently my tail was venomous. Nice.

I removed the first fish from my tail and inspected it. I wasnt sure how to eat it. Fish had always been cooked for me when I ate it before. I gingerly took a bite from the fleshy underbelly.

Oh. My. God.

I had never tasted something this delicious! My teeth cut through the fish easily, within seconds i had devoured the first fish. I made short work of the second and broke the surface again. Nothing on the horizon, but I was sure I was headed in the right direction. Diving back under, I began my journey again.

☆☆☆

As I swam along I contemplated what my life was now. I had so many questions. First of all, what was I? Were there others like me? How would I find them? How long would I exist in this lonely underwater world? I didn't know. The only being who could possibly answer those questions was the source of the blue green light. I didn't even know her name. How would I ever ask her?

As if summoned by my wandering thoughts, I heard a voice in the back of my head.

"Aliénor."

I turned abruptly, in the distance behind me I saw a faint shimmer of light near the surface.

Finally!

I swam furiously toward the light. As I got close I felt the surface of the ocean break and saw a young woman sinking rapidly to the bottom of the sea. She was mesmerizing. Her skirts billowing around her as she struggled to swim back to the oxygen she so desperately needed.

Before I could reach her, she was enveloped by the light. I watched her nod, seemingly in answer to the same choice I had been given.

Her body began to writhe as her dress melted away to be replaced by the same long black tail. I watched the webbing stretch between her fingers, her fiery red hair coming loose from where she had it styled at the nape of her neck. Sharp slits traced along her ribs, revealing gills just like mine. Then the light was gone again.

"WAIT!" I screamed. I had so many questions

"Aliénor, this is Mairi. She is your sister now. You are not longer alone."