With golden hair and minty green scales, the young woman of the sea was every fisherman’s dream. She sat atop a rock, seemingly a mere human with her legs beneath the surface; as one would see in the movies. Yet on this particular day, as her tail gleamed underwater and her long hair fell in soft curls along her shoulders, she reeked of despair. Her chest rose and fell with each heavy sigh. She gazed longingly at the young fisherman who had been gracing her seas with his presence almost every day for the past two months. She gawked and objectified him, as many had done to her. And, although she knew she was out of sight, she blushed furiously whenever he glanced in her direction. She had never met the man of course, oh what an absurd thought! A woman of the sea mingling with a human? Not to be done! At least…not to be done on land seeing as how she couldn’t survive more than five seconds on the hard, dirty earth without legs. And if the poor lad saw her tail swishing back and forth in the water? Well he would certainly run screaming. So she sat atop a rock with her tail gleaming underneath the water and her hair in soft curls along her shoulders; reeking of despair.

With golden skin and minty green eyes, the fisherman was every young maiden’s dream. Working endless days on his boat gave him strong, toned arms and a dark tan which gleamed in the hot sun. He was lusted after by countless women and he certainly didn’t dislike the attention, but no woman seemed quite right. So, he spent most of his time alone, out on his boat. Of course he wasn’t always alone, there were other fishermen that sometimes had the audacity to set sail on his seas. Yet even when he was alone he would get the strangest sensation of being watched. He would look up, he would look down. Alas, there was nothing to see and no one around. He was lonely and - to the naked eye - alone; which only intensified his loneliness.

“What are you huffing and puffing about my dear?” An older woman of the sea inquired from behind the blonde-haired, green-tailed beauty. Although they were the same species she appeared otherworldly when compared to our protagonist. No youth in her skin and only wisdom in her eyes. Her brown locks were twisted into a long braid and her lavender tail was much longer and thicker than her younger companion. “Not another human? Why don’t you set your eyes on a more…attainable mate? Humans don’t believe in creatures like us. And those that do, well they aren’t too fond of our kind. Just the other day I heard a few humans speaking of Sirens and mystical women who sing to men to lure them into the sea…”

The young woman listened intently to her mother until she heard those words, after that she completely zoned out. Singing to the men? Luring them into the water? Her green tail swished back and forth excitedly. Why, she wouldn’t even need to face the man! Nor would she need to go on land! What a clever idea; singing to them. How had she not thought of it herself? She pecked her mother on the nose before diving deep underwater without saying a word. The older woman noticed the younger’s perky attitude and felt proud that she had cheered her up. With one last glance at the young fisherman she turned to swim away, in the opposite direction of her daughter.

Blonde hair bobbed just below the surface as the young woman of the sea swam through the water. Her thoughts were moving quicker than she was and she had never felt more alive. She settled on a small patch of rocks as close to the boat as she could get without being seen. The fisherman was reclined in his boat with his eyes resting on his fishing pole. He was relaxed and content. She had never been this close to him before she could see his green eyes and his flexing muscles. Why he was so much more splendid than she had thought! She gazed and she ogled and she objectified him as usual. But this time, things were different. She still reeked of despair but she also glowed with hope.

Green eyed and envious, the young lad thought of his brother; a bloke much younger and much luckier than he. His brother was to be wed, this Sunday. Imagine that! His brother, almost seven years younger than he, had more luck with women and was happier than could be. His head hung low and he felt completely alone. His eyes grew weary just as the sea grew dreary. What was once his safe haven, his happy place, his home-away-from-home, was now just a sea. The waves were louder than his thoughts, they screamed and they screeched. They threw themselves against the boat, they drenched his thin coat. They felt his despair, his desolation, his depression. Even they were sick of the lonely, dreary sea.

And the young maiden, well, she watched. She could see his sorrow and it mirrored her own. Deep down, she knew that together they would happier than alone. So she began to sing.

The young lad was confused, he saw no woman, he saw no maiden. Yet her voice – oh god her voice – was sweeter than an angel’s, sweeter than a devil’s. He looked up down and all around. He glanced out past the stars he looked down beneath the surface. There was nothing there was no one, he was completely alone yet he had never felt less lonely.

“My dear…your voice…well it’s the most beautiful thing. Please come out, come to me. I’d love to watch you sing!” He cried out, again and again. She merely mimicked his words back to him, smoother and lovelier than he could ever dream.

“Come to me, come to me you beautiful thing. I’d love to have you watch me sing.” Her voice rang through his ears and he shut his eyes tight, imagining the face that sang with all her might. His skin was crawling and his whole body shakes. He had never felt so alive, never felt more awake. She continued to sing, still unable to be seen. “Come to me, come to me, come to me please.”

Her confidence wavered for a second when she realized that he might not jump. But she continued to sing and soon enough, the young fisherman dropped all of his belongings, stripped himself of his coat and dove down into the water. She screeched happily and dove down to meet him.
The piercing sound, the beautiful lyrics stopped as soon as he hit the water and he panicked. Her spell had worn off and now he was just a fisherman in the sea. He spun around beneath the water, his eyes stinging and his lungs aching. Where was she? Where was she? And why didn’t she sing? He saw nothing and grew dizzier and dizzier as he sunk down too low. He couldn’t hold his breath much longer and his eyes fluttered shut. He was slipping under until he heard a swish and felt the water move against. He opened his eyes with all of his strength and caught a glimpse of golden hair and minty green scales. Maybe he was going mad, maybe he was losing it. Or maybe it was simply the lack of oxygen. Maybe this was death.

She reached him underneath the water and squealed again with delight. Her prince, her prince charming was with her at last! She clutched him close, felt the tanned muscles she’d been ogling and the legs she’d been envious of. She ran a gentle hand through his hair and caressed his cheek before realizing his eyes were shut. Those minty green eyes which she had only had a glimpse of earlier, why they could not be seen. He was heavy and limp, he was lifeless and dim. He did not glow like he did on his boat. She panicked and squealed once again, emitting the same sound with a different effect.

“WAKE UP! WAKE UP!” She screamed and screeched and squawked and shrieked. It was no use, he was gone. She had made a horrible, a terrible, a retched mistake. They were together at last but there was nothing happy about this ending. They were golden and minty green and they reeked of despair in the lonely, dreary sea.