Thank you all who reviewed! You got me so excited that I wrote the other chapter as soon as I could! Here it is. Enjoy :D
We are one with the sea and waves,
We are the ones doomed to live in the shades,
Born from foam, foam we'll become,
We are the secret of the ocean, the most mysterious one…
Her fin gently stroked the water, not at all in a hurry. Because, after all, she wasn't needed…
"You're too young", they say, "too… moony."
Oh, but what's wrong about resembling the moon? Wasn't that supposed to be a compliment?
Even from afar, the moon was astonishing, shinning her tender light, calling mermaids to go see her close.
And many mermaids answered her calling, summing up in the moonlight bathed surface, letting themselves be blessed by the great goddess light.
- Why can't I go too? – she used to eagerly plead, in her childhood times.
- It is too dangerous Toothiana. You are not ready yet. – Rashmi would calmly state.
This was always the answer.
And every time the orb was fully enlightened, she would stay quietly in her lodging, watching her core-sister, together with all of her other sisters, swim towards the starry sky.
But before all this could succeed, Rashmi would lull in her lap, making the currents dance with her beautiful voice.
We are one with the sea and waves,
We are the ones doomed to live in the shades,
Born from foam, foam we'll become,
We are the secret of the ocean, the most mysterious one…
Then, she would leave the little Toothiana with a last wave of hand, and the little mermaid would follow her figure with drowsy eyes, before succumbing to a deep slumber.
" "
He realized his eyes had wandered from the scarf to the water's mirror-like surface, reflecting the clouds, high above.
Jackson blinked twice, focusing on the soft wool cloth in his grip, absently stroking it with his thumbs.
It was, apart from memories, the only thing he had left of her. All the rest was taken, together with her, by the sea.
- I guess the legends weren't all true then! – he murmured, his being too tired, for his voice to carry any kind of accusation. - It seems your kind takes innocent children along with grown up men, after all…
At the lack of answer from the other part, Jack lifted his eyes. And, he had to admit, it made his heart tremble slightly, encountering that pair of rare gems staring deeply at him.
The monster's eyes, he would dare to say, looked almost… kind.
And these conflicted feelings, made the bubble of frustration inside him swell up once more.
- Don't look at me like that! – the boy hissed – It's you who is the monster! It's your fault!
His eyes were flooded again, but he tried his best not to show weakness before such paltry creature. However, it was like he couldn't hold back the words anymore.
- It's your fault we went out to the sea that day!
- It's your fault the storm came!
- It's your fault we were with our heavy clothes on!
- It's your fault I couldn't swim anymore!
- I-It's your fault that I couldn't- I couldn't save her…
He hung his head, exhausted from the outburst.
He felt that dark, cold, heavy mantle of guilt, he so desperately tried to avoid, settling itself on his shoulders. And it was like he could literally feel his spine sag from the weight of it.
But suddenly, his black-hole of grief, that seemed to suck all the little light he had left in his heart, was pierced by the most beautiful sound.
His mind was dropped back in this reality, and he slowly blinked his eyes, focusing the now much lower water surface.
His currently freezing legs were completely out of the water, the wet cloth being cooled by the non-stopping ocean breeze. But that didn't bother him, apparently.
His being was focused, instead, in finding the source of the wonderful sound.
He turned his head slightly, towards the uncovered beach sand.
And lying there, body now completely exposed, was the creature. Yes, she was undoubtedly a female creature.
Eyelids hid her exotic irises away from him, long, strange shaped magenta eyelashes barely stroking her pale cheek. Now that he noticed, all her skin colors looked much less saturated than an hour ago…
Without warning, from barely moving lips, he listened…
A song, in the most melodious voice he had ever heard, was chanted by the apparently unconscious mermaid.
He couldn't understand the words that came out of the faintly stirring mouth, but that couldn't matter less. For the boy, her voice was more than enough.
So this was the legendary siren song!
Jack could now understand why sailors were so anxious to dive towards the deep cold, just to go after such sound!
But then, as fast as it had started, the mermaid stopped. And poor Jack had to hold himself, and retain the impulse to go and make her sing again.
The song was so short and weak, that Jack could only compare it to a quick pray or a goodbye.
But his sorrow for the present silence was instantly surpassed, when her body totally lost its color.
" "
The sun was hot on her face. Too hot for her liking. It was a strange feeling, and again, she didn't have knowledge of any word to describe it. And this was something both frustrating and wonderful.
But in her delicate situation, she wasn't so excited about the upper world anymore.
There was nothing she could do now, except accept her fate. Well, more accepting the consequences of her thoughtless actions, really.
Of all her sisters, she was mostly sorry for Rashmi. She was her core-sister nevertheless, and would be the one to feel her absence more intensely…
So, with one last tear, she sang her goodbyes.
We are one with the sea and waves,
We are the ones doomed to live in the shades,
Born from foam, foam we'll become,
We are the secret of the ocean, the most mysterious one…
And she let the serene darkness embrace her.
However, before she lost her conscious completely, she felt something holding her form, under her armpits.
Next, the pain of sensitive tail skin being dragged across the rough sand.
But then, there was no more pain, no more suffering, and everything was peace.
" "
- No, come on, wake up! - he begged, shaking her shoulders, not minimally worried that he was touching the so called monster's skin.
His heart had made a leap, and the boy had grown terribly pale, when he realized what happened. He ran towards her, ignoring all the previous hate he had towards the innocent creature.
Swiftly holding her torso with his arms, he attempted to pull her heavy body to its belonging.
He could hear the call of waves just behind him, hurrying him to bring her back home. A few more steps and his legs splashed in the water.
- It's not deep enough… - the boy huffed.
So with one last strong pull, he lost his balance in a sudden depression, falling backwards in the cold water, with one hopefully-not-dead mermaid on top.
Jack quickly broke the water surface, white bangs clung to his forehead, desperately holding the mermaid's head above water. It was a dumb gesture, he realized, remembering that she wouldn't drown.
It is a natural reflex, he thought melancholically.
He considered doing mouth-to-mouth breathing, but again, that would be dumb.
- She has gills, you stupid! – he muttered. He needed to calm down.
- This can't be happening again!
Jack desperately started to shake her form, hands clenching her wet shoulders.
- No, come on, wake up! Don't do this to me again! – he grunted.
His panic seemed only to grow and grow, just like last time. And reliving the terror twice was more brutal than what he had ever expected.
The mermaid didn't react, as pale and limp as ever.
Jack only stared at her, faces inch apart, unbelieving irises trying to find those hidden beauties, which he now realized, would probably never see again.
He let go of her with horror, staring at his dripping hands. However, they trembled madly, and Jack felt like they were dripping blood, instead of clear water.
The boy covered his face with disgust and shame, all his body shaking intensely.
- What have I done? – the profound pain made his voice come out as a strangled whisper.
- I'm the monster…
" "
Meanwhile, a few feet below, the currents greeted their returned companion. And, as if looking at her state, and shaking their heads in disapproval, they entered her dried gills, filling them with life once more.
And with that, all her body awakened, healed by the power of water.
Next, her conscience was brought back to hers until now hibernating being.
Her mermaid's body had the ability to shut down at the sudden lack of oxygen, surviving a few minutes without breathing. It was an ability she never thought would need…
She quickly opened her eyes and saw herself surrounded by her beloved ocean.
Oh dear water, how I've missed you!
Toothiana was about to swim away, to never return to this nightmare again, when she suddenly felt a presence near her.
Peeking a fast look over the water, and she saw herself facing a trembling white haired human.
Her body almost jolted back, for seeing the danger this close, but she then remembered the boy, and her previous situation, and how she miraculously ended up here, safe in the ocean again.
Did he… saved her?
Whoa, that was an interesting turn of events! What else happened when she was away?
Her instinct told her to go as fast as her fin would let her. To never return to shallow waters, cute human boys, or warm colored clothes.
But her heart seemed to tell otherwise, and she was dragged by it again.
Even after a nearly-death experience, she wouldn't learn her lesson…
So she tilted her head, as she came closer to his hand-covered face. Stopping in just a momentary hesitation, Toothiana extended her arm, slim fingers pulling his bigger hands down slightly, exposing his puffy eyes.
And those irises, blue as the sea she loved so much, widened madly at the sight before him.
Toothiana only bowed her head with a tender smile.
And with one quick glance over her shoulder, she dove, splashing some crystal droplets.
Behind stayed a madly smiling boy, that couldn't describe the relief and happiness he felt.
And towards the depths swum an incredibly lucky mermaid, who, with a smile on her face, had surely lived the adventure of a life time. Or so she thought…
Sooo... did you like it? If you did, please review. And once again, thank you all for your support :))