The Little Mermaid
Chapter 1
Do you remember the story of the little mermaid? It is the tale of a mermaid who rescued a human from drowning and traded her voice for legs so that she could be with him. The original version didn't have a happy ending but the Disney film did.
This version is different from both the original and the Disney version.
The tale starts at sunset on a ship. On this ship there are a Prince and Princess who are engaged. It is a short while before the party begins and Anna, the princess is leaning on the railing of the ship, looking out at the ocean. The ship is large and has several rooms below deck for passengers. This is where the party guests are getting ready. At the top of the mast is a flag. The sails are white. Anna's long, very dark brown hair is being blown about in the wind. Her sea blue eyes are staring at the vibrant colours of the sunset sky. Her skin is as pale as the moonlight shining in the east. She is wearing a pale blue, full length, sleeveless dress. She knows she should be getting ready for the party but she doesn't want to and she's decided that she's not going to. For Anna it is only a marriage of political convenience for her parents rather that a marriage of love for herself. She wants so much for this party to be over.
A short while later the party guests arrive on deck but Anna just ignores them and continues staring at the sunset. The sky is orange where it meets the sea but it gets darker and darker the higher up you look. The colour fades from orange to red to purple and finally to dark blue where the moon is. The sun is getting nearer to the horizon of the blue green ocean. Anna looks at the ocean and begins imagining what it would be like to live in it.
Just as she thinks she's lost all sense of reality she hears something that snaps her back in.
"Anna" someone calls.
Is someone calling my name?" thinks Anna. The voice is very quiet and Anna chooses to ignore it as she thinks it's her imagination.
"Anna", the voice is getting louder and she begins to wonder if it is her imagination.
"Anna", the voice louder still and now she knows it not her imagination. She wonders who it is that is calling her name.
"Anna", the person is practically yelling at her and she recognises the voice immediately. She hears their footsteps looming towards her.
"Yes Luke?" she asks while turning around to face him. Anna takes a minute to look at his facial expression and she can see that he's not happy. His hazel eyes are burning with anger and his mouth is in the form of a scowl. He has mucky blonde hair and tanned skin. She looks at him with curiosity, wondering why he is angry with her. After contemplating several reasons and getting nowhere with it she gives up.
"All right, what have I done?" she asks him.
"Firstly, I called fro you four times and you ignored me for three of them, that's very bad for the fiancée of a prince, you're supposed to turn around when you hear me call your name the first time not the fourth. Secondly, you haven't changed yet. You're a princess but you're certainly not dressed like one" he says. Anna sighs; she's getting fed up of being told how she should dress.
"Luke at first I thought I was hearing things when you called for me and also there's a reason I haven't changed for the party, because this is the last place on earth I want to be right now, bearing in mind this is not a marriage I chose to be in" Anna explains calmly.
"But, I love you" he says saddened.
"Yes, I Know, you tell me every day but the feeling is not mutual. I have tried with all my heart to love in return but I cannot" Anna says. Anna turns away from Luke who stares at the floor.
Then two sets of footsteps are heard as two people approach Anna and Luke. Anna turns around to see who it is.
"Luke, my dear" a woman says.
"Hello mother, father" Luke says hugging his mother. He then shakes his father's hand. Anna looks at Luke's parents.
"Hello Anna" says Luke's mother.
"Hi Lucy" Anna says. Lucy is Luke's mother's name. She has golden blonde hair, hazel eyes and tanned skin. She is forty three years old. His father is called Andrew and is forty four years old. His hair is light brown and he has hazel eyes with tanned skin. The four of them stand in silence for a minute.
"Why haven't you joined the party yet? It is for you after all" Andrew asks.
"We were just about to" Luke replies before Anna can make a comment. She looks at him sternly but no one notices this. Anna sighs, she's usually ignored.
"Well then come and join it" Lucy says. Luke nods. His parents start to lead him away and he takes Anna's hands but she firmly stays where she is.
"Anna, please join the party" Luke says. Anna shakes her head.
"You go and have fun, I'll be fine" she says. Luke lets go and walks away. Anna then returns her attention to the sunset.