Creature
Chapter 2
By: Bem3373
Phillips POV:
I awake to the smell of unwashed bodies and sweat. I crinkle my nose in disgust before opening my eyes. At first, I can't see anything but a bright light, but soon my eyes adjust.
I see an empty room filled with a cot, which he's laying on. In the corner of the dingy room, there sits an elderly man. He has a dirty beard that is filled with gray hairs, and a filthy tunic on. He smiles a toothless grin when he sees that Phillip is awake.
"Eh. 'Ow you doin'? Weh found ya in da middle of da ocean. How'd ya get there?" The man's lack of teeth creates a strange lisp, and Phillip fights the urge to cringe. Deciding that it would be wise to not mention mermaids, he decides to fake amnesia. "I don't know. I can't remember anything."
The old man nods and the laughs. "'Ow do ya figure dat? Not even knowing your own name." He laughs again and then leaves the room.
Phillip yells after him to wait, and he comes back inside. "Yah?" "What boat am I on?" The man smiles and says "You're on da Hunter. Bafore ya ask, we hunt dem mermaids." Phillip stares in shock. "Mermaids?" He asks. "Yah. Da prettier ones get sold for more." "You sell them?" Phillips asks and the man replies "Yep. Alive too. Some men like to have fun with them, and then kill them." Since Phillip doesn't say anything to that, the man walks out of the room.
Phillip sits down on his cot, and hangs his head. Syrena is in danger. Phillip looks up at his surroundings. "I will not let you hurt her again." He says to himself. He's not talking to anyone in particular, but just to men in general. He frowns and closes his eyes, remembering Syrena.
Syrena's POV:
My sisters have banished me. They are punishing me for not killing the human when I could have.
The mermaids all live in a cove that is undetectable to humans. Now, I am not allowed to enter there. I have to reside in a cove that is unsafe. Humans can enter anytime. The cove is shallow, and well lit. It's the best place that she could find though.
I've heard rumors about a ship used for hunting mermaids. I would be the easiest target if this is true. I remember what the pirates did to me. I remember the way they looked at me. The way they laughed at my nakedness, the way they were so eager to kill me.
Phillip was the only one different. He protected me. He saved me. And I saved him. Now I'll never see him again.
I refuse to allow myself to cry. Crying shows weakness. Even with no one around, I won't do it. I can't let myself get used to being vulnerable. Mermaids are never weak. We're tough.
I'm not though. I was always the nice one. The one who wouldn't hunt for humans. I would live on seaweed and fish. I had never tasted human blood.
I was teased for that. My sisters accepted me, but didn't like me. They wouldn't swim with me. They wouldn't talk with me. They wouldn't sing with me. Imagine. A mermaid outcast.
Mermaids are known for being close-knit. For being sisters that are extremely loyal. This gene must have passed over me.
Now that I think about it, I am sad. It's such a human emotion. Worth nothing. I wish I could deny all feelings. Phillip had forced me to accept feelings and emotions. Now I wish I hadn't.
If I had just killed Phillip, then I would be safe right now. Just thinking about that gives me chills. I would never hurt Phillip. I know that.
Screams too high for humans awake me from my daydream. Mermaid screams. I exit my cove and see a large brown ship on top of the water. A mermaid is tangled in one of the nets.
The mermaid is young, maybe 20 years old. To humans, that's 8. There's no math to support the age difference. They just look a certain age to humans.
I swim up to my sister quickly. The ropes are tough and hard. I force myself to bring out my fangs. I gnaw on the ropes, and they fall apart. My sister looks at me, and swims free.
I am about to follow when another net falls on top of me. I struggle but it's no use. The netting is too thick, and there is too much.
I am pulled up out of the water. My body, still in the net, is thrown onto a ship deck. My tail disappears, and I go into the same position I was in when this happened with the pirates. I try to cover my nakedness, but my efforts are futile.
The sailors surround me in awe. Once that emotion is subsided, they begin making vulgar comments. I hang my head, and wait for something to happen. Nothing does.
The sailors get closer and closer to me. I've heard tales of what human males do to mermaids when they catch them. Tales of forced mating and sale of bodies. It's horrible.
I am scared. Even mermaids feel fright. They just usually hide it and use force to get out of the situation that caused it. I can't do that.
The sailors get closer and closer. I have nowhere to go. I feel a hand graze my shoulder. I squeeze my eyes shut. More hands find my body.
Thankfully, none of them find my areas for mating, or my chest. I would not be able to live with myself if that happened. I force myself not to cry. I finally realize what is happening. I have been captured again.
AN: I HOPE YOU LIKED IT! PLEASE REVIEW!
