Author's Note:

Ok real talk - I seriously love writing in this genre. It can be creepy, sad, romantic, corny... Goddarn it, that's why I just love this show! I don't even mind too much that there aren't many people reading this, I just love writing it.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!


"Somebody get Siren in here already!" Yelled the pianist, the strongman of the group. Such an elegant instrument for a man with such thick, strong hands, Siren thought as she was carried into the tent by the strongman's partner, aptly named 'strongwoman'. How creative…

"She's right here, Al, calm yerself!" The woman yelled in a strangely low-pitched voice, not quite matching the vision of masculine beauty she was.

The strongwoman carried her up to the stage, settling her down on the movable, lightweight lounger. It had been decorated with gaudy, sea coloured sequins and sea shells. It was sickening.

Even her outfit was sickening to her, but she was thankful for the modesty. Her age helped, she supposed, though there would undoubtedly be people out there that wouldn't keep them from their fantasies. She didn't care much, just allowed for them to pose her like some form of beautiful mythical creature. Fake gems and seashells made the golden bodice glitter; the skirt went down to the join in the legs, making it appear as if they were entirely joined. All part of the illusion…

It was Halloween night; the lights were all being tampered. They weren't performing tonight, some superstition keeping the performers back or something like that… But Madeleine had insisted on at least a rehearsal. She was the last act to be rehearsed, due to how she would have to be carried back and forth between her caravan and the tent… seemed like a waste of energy. Besides, this was her first performance and Mistress Madeleine seemed to want to make things a little 'easier' on the young girl.

Her hair had been curled. If there was anything she did like about herself, it was her hair. It had always been long, a pretty blonde colour. It was soft and she loved running her fingers through it, so did anyone else who ever touched it. Though, after only a few short hours of being part of this whole thing… They'd already mucked that all up. True, it was temporary but having her hair curled and solidified through hairspray, she hated it.

"Ye alright there now, darlin'?" The strongwoman asked, as gently as her accent would allow, to which Siren gave her a cold look and nodded. She hated being rude, but she had no desire to smile.

Mistress Madeleine made a groan of annoyance, "Non, non, non, mon chéri!" The woman stood up, walking towards the stage, her face no longer stretched out into slight prettiness by a smile, her skin hung off of her cheek bone in that grotesque way only unhappiness brings. "You must smile!" Her face then twisted into a false smile, her fingers drawing the shape on her face as if Siren was too stupid to understand her.

The child frowned harder, to spite her, "I will smile when I have to," Her voice was quiet, despite how harsh she wanted her words to be, "Why waste a smile now when I could save it for an audience?"

Madeleine's smile quickly faded, deciding to turn away and ignore Siren's response. Of course her thoughts wouldn't matter; she was just a means to get more people in. A new freak meant more people, more people meant more money.

"Begin, my little mermaid," Madeleine turned as she reached her chair, swinging her arm around dramatically, "Give us all a show!"

Siren looked down, glancing at her hands. This was it, she figured. Time to show them that oh-so precious 'talent' of hers.

The sun vanished from the horizon, the darkness setting in.

The strongman, pianist, sat down once more on the piano stool and started playing. A simple chord pattern, the lights went down… The show had begun.

"Have you ever been lost in a different world,
Where everything you once knew
Is gone?
And you find yourself powerless
With everything that exists…
You're numb."

Her voice was clear, soft with her underdeveloped lungs that expanded quickly with each sharp, silent breath she took. Her eyes settled onto the darkness of the seating area, the bright light on her face effectively blinding her. The empty seats watched her, and she watched them.

As if an angelic choir joined her, she allowed for her vocal ability to show through the non-verbal rise and fall of notes. Much like how quickly her life fell… She briefly looked up, half whispering the one line before the chorus her heart truly understood.

"Will I ever break free…?"

No.

"I searched my world but I can't find you
You're standing there but I can't touch you
Try to talk but the words are just not there"

Her hand stretched outwards, her eyes glinting with something… There was nothing there, nothing for her. She withdrew it.

"I can feel a sense of danger
You stare at me like I'm a stranger
Paralyzed and you don't seem to care…"

She closed her eyes, trying to force herself into the music. She could lose herself in it, if only she could figure out how…

"The demons in my dreams."

She no longer felt a need to open her eyes; no one was there to see her anyway. She lowered her head for a moment, taking another breath before continuing with another bitter verse.

"If you become a nobody
Blind, to your family
Who would you be?"

She almost smirked.

"And life has gone into reverse
Re-living every hurt
Along the way…"

Once again, she vocalized that small trill. Was that what it was called? No matter, she didn't care. The harshness of the fall sounded bittersweet to her ears.

Mistress Madeleine grew tired of it all. She stood up and rudely strutted backstage, passing by one of the jugglers and hissing, "It's not even a song about the sea, for Christ's sake!" Funny. Her accent had all but vanished.

Now, the big top was empty apart from the performers. A pianist, a violinist, a percussionist (who found himself with very little to do in this song), various other would-be musicians and a mermaid, singing her tiny soul out. Though as the tent filled with her soft voice, a new presence moved in… along with deep green tendrils of mist that curled their way through the tent flap.

"Everything that you fear is calling you and drawing near…"

How fitting.

"I searched my world but I can't find you
You're standing there but I can't touch you
Try to talk but the words are just not there…"

Siren opened her eyes once more, now seeing what appeared to be an unfamiliar silhouette walking down the aisle. A tall person, a flowing cape. A hat? The coldness from her face melted into curiousity, her eyes fixated on this silhouette.

A chill ran down her spine. He was watching her.

"I can feel a sense of danger.
You stare at me like I'm a stranger
Paralyzed and you don't seem to care.
The demons in my dreams…"

A sudden strength rose up within her. This person… Whoever he was… She knew he was listening. She knew he could see inside of her, past her 'tail'. With all of the strength in her young lungs, she belted out the next part of her song, almost directing it to this stranger in the crowd who she stared at, her eyes filled with heartbreak.

"Wake me up and let's go, yeah
I'm about to explode!"

Her voice was beautiful, though was tainted by the darkness a child of her age should not know. The piercing eyes of the stranger watched her, his lips slightly parted.

"I searched my world but I can't find you
You're standing there but I can't touch you
Try to talk but the words…"

She had to pause for just a brief moment, her eyes closing tightly. She had to at least try to conceal the despair in her eyes. She had promised to never cry again… or she had been made to promise that.

"-are just not there.
I can feel a sense of danger
You stare at me like I'm a stranger
Paralyzed and you don't seem to care…"

The light dimmed, and all of a sudden, the handsome stranger became clear in her sight. He stared straight into her eyes, as if mesmerized by her voice… like a sailor to a siren. Under his gaze, the child felt herself shrinking, the final line falling from her lips.

"The demons in my dreams…"

The light went out. And he vanished.


Author's Note:

There we have it for this chapter! Just as a side note, please remember that this is more... contextual. Siren will not be thirteen throughout the entirety of the story, so no ultra creepy stuff!

The song used is "Demons" by Brian McFadden, I do not own a word of it!

I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you next time!