By Myranda Neizer.
A flash of red catches my eye in the waves. Off in the distance, catching slants of light from the sun, is what seemed to be a head of hair. Rubbing my stinging eyes, I peer again into the glistening blue. No one would be swimming out so far from the shore, with sharks and God knows what else lurking in the belly of the waves, right? Yet even after wiping my salt caked sleeve across my face and looking again into the surf the floating form still bobs before me. Down below the crew scurries about unaware. “I’m only a drummer boy on a ship,” is all I am thinking as I jump across the railing and hit the water with a splash.
The warm mist eats me up for a second, and then spits me back to the surface. Kicking my bare feet, I make my way to the victim.
Her skin appears deathly pale against the sparkling water as each stroke I take brings me closer to her. She looks dead floating there amongst the frothy sea spray. For a moment I stop swimming as my heart beat slams against my chest, treading water I catch my breath. Behind me I can hear clearly the up roar I caused on deck. The commotion mingles with my frantic breathing, choking me. “Just do it!” I push myself, “If she’s dead than at least you tried.”
I start swimming towards her again, while reaching out to grab her shoulder with shivering fingers. Just as I am about to touch her she opens her eyes. Liquid brown spears see right through me, turning my blood to ice water in my veins. Antarctic glaciers shift in the pits of my stomach, making me gasp in surprise.
Like an idiot I gaze back at her, drinking her features in as the tides gurgled beneath us. What is she?
Suddenly she lurches toward me, this woman who is part fish, part goddess, and grabs my shoulders in an iron grip. Her strength surprises me as she attempts to press me under the surface. Still so shocked is I by this thing that I do not try to get away her at first. It takes me a few seconds to realize she is going to drown me. I try to kick away in demoralized fear with little effect. My life flashes before me in whirl. Tightening her hold on me, I quickly come to terms with the fact that she is capable of snapping me in two like a pencil. On the verge of dyeing a watery death, all I can seem to think about is what this thing is. A wave washes over my face, picking us up in its embrace and making me choke. While I clear my mouth of sea water I ask, “What’s your name?”
The sound of my voice surprises me as much as it does her. Her hands press me down further into the water and I know she is about to punish me for my out burst. Instead she leans closer and whispers in my ear, “Aurora.”
Her eyes soften as she looks at me. “What is yours?” she asks.
I think it is a bit odd my murderess is making small talk with me in the middle of the ocean but I am not about to tempt her. “Samuel,” I say loud enough for her to hear over the roaring of the crashing waves around us.
“I shall spare you Samuel,” she lets me know matter-of-factually.
“But if you do not bring me a man to take your place by sunset tomorrow, I will sink you and your ship.”
The thought makes me want to retch, but Instead I inquire, “What are you?”
“Do you not listen to the gossip around you Samuel? You must have heard of mermaids before?”
Her tone suddenly changes as she tells me, “Enough talk now Samuel, I will take you back to the ship and when you climb aboard point me out to the captain, I’ll do the rest.”
Her voice is like underwater sea weed stroking my ears. I feel a warm haze drift over me; I will not snub her wants.
My legs hurt as I climb the rope ladder up to the ships deck. Breathing heavily, I try to explain what happened, well what happened up to a point. My voice comes out strained as I point frantically over board. Of course no one believes me but the captain, a fair man, takes a look. What he sees is a woman smiling back at him. Her coral pink lips part in a seductive grin. With her index finger she beckons him into the sea. Not waiting a moment the captain abandons ship, over the railing and into the open jaws waiting below. I watches with horror as Aurora opens her mouth like a snake, showing off rows and rows of shark-like teeth. After eating our captain she dives under the surf, the tip of her tail splashing goodbye before leaving with the rest of her.
The crew is scared witless at what they have just witnessed. Outrage and fear takes hold over them, whipping them about like a loose sail fluttering in the wind. All seems hopeless as the sailors crumble under the pressure. That is until someone steppes forward to take control. A young man about Samuel's age takes charge with out waiting. His strong, strict tone snappes the other men back into attention. Their vessel after all, could not sail itself.
If only wish I had the guts to sail it myself, I think to myself. I knew all too well though that no one would respect me, since I am only a drummer boy for them to listen to.
Once in dry cloths again I sit and watch the sea. Deep down I want to see Aurora even after seeing what she had done. Long locks of my hair fell across my faces the setting sun slipped from view.
Yes, I am sure I will have done what she has asked, even if I is not threatened. In a way I is in love with Aurora, this man eating creator I’d never see her again. At least I think I will never see her again. I is wrong about that, she came to find that night.
A whispering sigh reached my ears around midnight, waking me from my dreams. At first I think it is only the sound of water brushing past the ships walls. I rolled to my side and is about to fall back asleep when I heard it again. Soft as mist after rain, her voice roused me. “Go up to the deck,” she whispered.
Fully awake now I do just that. Quietly I made my way to the deck and looked over the rail facing north. Aurora waited below, smirking in the moonlight. Her red hair is blazing even with the lack of light. “Hello,” I greeted her.
I do not even try to keep the pleasure from my voice as I welcomed her. This seemed to please her. “Hello Samuel,” she said.
“I came to offer you another deal,” she whispered.
“What kind of deal?” I asked, once again not hiding my emotions, I is confused.
Bating her eyelashes she whispered up to me, “I can make you the captain of this ship, if you want.”
This charmed me, grabbing my attention almost as strongly as she grabbed me earlier that day. “How will you do that?” I wondered out loud.
“All you have to do is point me out to the new captain,” she explain calmly, “this time however, do it differently.”
“I don’t understand,” I whines, “How do you want me to do it if not how I did today?”
With a flash of her white teeth she snickers, “By tricking him with his own pride.”
“Continue,” I ask her. There is no doubt I will fulfill her every whim.
Not only do I want to please her, but I do not mind being captain either. From drummer boy to captain, I think comically.
“Tell him he is a coward,” Aurora suggestes, “call him out in front of his crew and insist he is no man at all unless he can look the mermaid in the eye and live to tell the tail. He will try to prove you wrong and fail.” She finished.
“How will the death of that captain make me his stand-in?” I ask with doubt, “I am only a drummer boy.”
“Simple,” she giggles, “The captain will fail and when he does you will tell the men that you can do what he could not.”
Shrugging her slim shoulders she adds, “The look down at me to prove you can and I will let you see me with out calling you into the sea.”
“They’ll respect me for what I can do,” I laugh happily.
Gazing down at her I find myself again wrapped up in a hazy fog. Yawning, I stretch, but the haze does not lift.
“Go to bed Samuel, you have quite a task in the morning,” Aurora said.
Nodding my head in content agreement I once again head towards my bed. When I wake I shall put Auroras plan into action and make myself captain.
As dawn arches her back, rising from her slumber behind the horizon, I awoke in anticipation of the turn of events. Clearing my voice once, I tilt my head back, letting a bellowing scream erupt into the mornings glory. The tinted red attire of dawn falls upon the forms of the sailors as they come sprinting to my aid up on deck. Heads of sleep tussled hair and eyes heavy with sand stand before me with questions. “What is it now drummer boy?” one sailor demands.
“The beast has come again,” I explain to the men, “she has come to lay claim on another soul that calls this ship home!!”
This strikes a nerve among them, jarring them awake. I have their undivided attention now as the rest of Auroras plan unfolds from my lips.
“Who will slay her before she takes another like she took our captain?” I ask without really expecting volunteers.
While sparkling garments flow down to warm the sea and man alike, I position the trap Aurora so cleverly designed.
“I’ll bet my life and all of yours that no man but I can calm and send away this thing that breaths salt and moisture.”
There, I think, the trap as been set. Clever eyes regard me with doubt as this statement I have just made sinks in. shining wool from dawns robe clings to our skin, causing prickles of sweat to bead up. “So the drummer boy thinks he’s a hero?” the new captain roars.
Laughter rings across the sun kissed surf, the alarm vanishes like fog. I am left feeling like a fool, even more pathetic and deflated than before.
The warm mist eats me up for a second, and then spits me back to the surface. Kicking my bare feet, I make my way to the victim.
Her skin appears deathly pale against the sparkling water as each stroke I take brings me closer to her. She looks dead floating there amongst the frothy sea spray. For a moment I stop swimming as my heart beat slams against my chest, treading water I catch my breath. Behind me I can hear clearly the up roar I caused on deck. The commotion mingles with my frantic breathing, choking me. “Just do it!” I push myself, “If she’s dead than at least you tried.”
I start swimming towards her again, while reaching out to grab her shoulder with shivering fingers. Just as I am about to touch her she opens her eyes. Liquid brown spears see right through me, turning my blood to ice water in my veins. Antarctic glaciers shift in the pits of my stomach, making me gasp in surprise.
Like an idiot I gaze back at her, drinking her features in as the tides gurgled beneath us. What is she?
Suddenly she lurches toward me, this woman who is part fish, part goddess, and grabs my shoulders in an iron grip. Her strength surprises me as she attempts to press me under the surface. Still so shocked is I by this thing that I do not try to get away her at first. It takes me a few seconds to realize she is going to drown me. I try to kick away in demoralized fear with little effect. My life flashes before me in whirl. Tightening her hold on me, I quickly come to terms with the fact that she is capable of snapping me in two like a pencil. On the verge of dyeing a watery death, all I can seem to think about is what this thing is. A wave washes over my face, picking us up in its embrace and making me choke. While I clear my mouth of sea water I ask, “What’s your name?”
The sound of my voice surprises me as much as it does her. Her hands press me down further into the water and I know she is about to punish me for my out burst. Instead she leans closer and whispers in my ear, “Aurora.”
Her eyes soften as she looks at me. “What is yours?” she asks.
I think it is a bit odd my murderess is making small talk with me in the middle of the ocean but I am not about to tempt her. “Samuel,” I say loud enough for her to hear over the roaring of the crashing waves around us.
“I shall spare you Samuel,” she lets me know matter-of-factually.
“But if you do not bring me a man to take your place by sunset tomorrow, I will sink you and your ship.”
The thought makes me want to retch, but Instead I inquire, “What are you?”
“Do you not listen to the gossip around you Samuel? You must have heard of mermaids before?”
Her tone suddenly changes as she tells me, “Enough talk now Samuel, I will take you back to the ship and when you climb aboard point me out to the captain, I’ll do the rest.”
Her voice is like underwater sea weed stroking my ears. I feel a warm haze drift over me; I will not snub her wants.
My legs hurt as I climb the rope ladder up to the ships deck. Breathing heavily, I try to explain what happened, well what happened up to a point. My voice comes out strained as I point frantically over board. Of course no one believes me but the captain, a fair man, takes a look. What he sees is a woman smiling back at him. Her coral pink lips part in a seductive grin. With her index finger she beckons him into the sea. Not waiting a moment the captain abandons ship, over the railing and into the open jaws waiting below. I watches with horror as Aurora opens her mouth like a snake, showing off rows and rows of shark-like teeth. After eating our captain she dives under the surf, the tip of her tail splashing goodbye before leaving with the rest of her.
The crew is scared witless at what they have just witnessed. Outrage and fear takes hold over them, whipping them about like a loose sail fluttering in the wind. All seems hopeless as the sailors crumble under the pressure. That is until someone steppes forward to take control. A young man about Samuel's age takes charge with out waiting. His strong, strict tone snappes the other men back into attention. Their vessel after all, could not sail itself.
If only wish I had the guts to sail it myself, I think to myself. I knew all too well though that no one would respect me, since I am only a drummer boy for them to listen to.
Once in dry cloths again I sit and watch the sea. Deep down I want to see Aurora even after seeing what she had done. Long locks of my hair fell across my faces the setting sun slipped from view.
Yes, I am sure I will have done what she has asked, even if I is not threatened. In a way I is in love with Aurora, this man eating creator I’d never see her again. At least I think I will never see her again. I is wrong about that, she came to find that night.
A whispering sigh reached my ears around midnight, waking me from my dreams. At first I think it is only the sound of water brushing past the ships walls. I rolled to my side and is about to fall back asleep when I heard it again. Soft as mist after rain, her voice roused me. “Go up to the deck,” she whispered.
Fully awake now I do just that. Quietly I made my way to the deck and looked over the rail facing north. Aurora waited below, smirking in the moonlight. Her red hair is blazing even with the lack of light. “Hello,” I greeted her.
I do not even try to keep the pleasure from my voice as I welcomed her. This seemed to please her. “Hello Samuel,” she said.
“I came to offer you another deal,” she whispered.
“What kind of deal?” I asked, once again not hiding my emotions, I is confused.
Bating her eyelashes she whispered up to me, “I can make you the captain of this ship, if you want.”
This charmed me, grabbing my attention almost as strongly as she grabbed me earlier that day. “How will you do that?” I wondered out loud.
“All you have to do is point me out to the new captain,” she explain calmly, “this time however, do it differently.”
“I don’t understand,” I whines, “How do you want me to do it if not how I did today?”
With a flash of her white teeth she snickers, “By tricking him with his own pride.”
“Continue,” I ask her. There is no doubt I will fulfill her every whim.
Not only do I want to please her, but I do not mind being captain either. From drummer boy to captain, I think comically.
“Tell him he is a coward,” Aurora suggestes, “call him out in front of his crew and insist he is no man at all unless he can look the mermaid in the eye and live to tell the tail. He will try to prove you wrong and fail.” She finished.
“How will the death of that captain make me his stand-in?” I ask with doubt, “I am only a drummer boy.”
“Simple,” she giggles, “The captain will fail and when he does you will tell the men that you can do what he could not.”
Shrugging her slim shoulders she adds, “The look down at me to prove you can and I will let you see me with out calling you into the sea.”
“They’ll respect me for what I can do,” I laugh happily.
Gazing down at her I find myself again wrapped up in a hazy fog. Yawning, I stretch, but the haze does not lift.
“Go to bed Samuel, you have quite a task in the morning,” Aurora said.
Nodding my head in content agreement I once again head towards my bed. When I wake I shall put Auroras plan into action and make myself captain.
As dawn arches her back, rising from her slumber behind the horizon, I awoke in anticipation of the turn of events. Clearing my voice once, I tilt my head back, letting a bellowing scream erupt into the mornings glory. The tinted red attire of dawn falls upon the forms of the sailors as they come sprinting to my aid up on deck. Heads of sleep tussled hair and eyes heavy with sand stand before me with questions. “What is it now drummer boy?” one sailor demands.
“The beast has come again,” I explain to the men, “she has come to lay claim on another soul that calls this ship home!!”
This strikes a nerve among them, jarring them awake. I have their undivided attention now as the rest of Auroras plan unfolds from my lips.
“Who will slay her before she takes another like she took our captain?” I ask without really expecting volunteers.
While sparkling garments flow down to warm the sea and man alike, I position the trap Aurora so cleverly designed.
“I’ll bet my life and all of yours that no man but I can calm and send away this thing that breaths salt and moisture.”
There, I think, the trap as been set. Clever eyes regard me with doubt as this statement I have just made sinks in. shining wool from dawns robe clings to our skin, causing prickles of sweat to bead up. “So the drummer boy thinks he’s a hero?” the new captain roars.
Laughter rings across the sun kissed surf, the alarm vanishes like fog. I am left feeling like a fool, even more pathetic and deflated than before.
Just when all is about to go back to normal Aurora leaps on board, snatching the captain that has just spoken up in her webbed claws.
Shrieks poor forth like blood from a wound, bodies struggle to escape the scene that’s taking place in front of them all. With a fierce hunger Aurora devours the boy who thinks himself a man a few moments ago. The sound of flesh shredding makes my stomach turn. I stand frozen and awe struck watching, wondering how it might all end up when suddenly I remember my role! I am supposed to stand against her and become the hero for the whole ship. Moments before she slips back into the sea, blood dripping from her jowls, I grab her by the tail, attempting to seem brave.
“Take me beast!” I bellow in mock courageousness.
Hissing at my touch, she backs away until she bumps against the railing. With arms raised she does a good job at pretending to fear me. I feel like I am the gallant slayer instead of a drummer boy playing the part. Taking a step forward I curse at her, demanding she leaves and never returns.
Yowling, she retreats into the sea, yells from the men following in her wake.
I turn with a smug grin to greet not thankful applause but anger and fear. “The boy is a witch!” one man accused.
“He works black magic, controlling the sea and her creatures!” another added.
Hands yank me, pulling me to the floor as rope binds my wrist behind my back. “No, I am a hero!” I insist.
My pleas fall on deaf ears, only the sound of their own reasoning could be heard. “We must send the witch into the sea with his fish woman!” they chant.
Where were the panic stricken men now? Gone and replaced with these reproachful brutes. Together the sailors condemn me to the sea floor, not one will be willing to lend a hand to save me.
do I deserve to be defended? I who tricked and helped kill not one, but two men.
These thoughts confuse me as I sink, the air rushing from my lungs. One other thing occupies my thoughts in my last minutes of consciousness, that thing is Aurora. Her plan failed, where is she now? Sharks circle me around and around, waiting. I scan the crowd of them, looking death in the eye in hopes of seeing her, my love. My vision becomes tunneled as I search in vain for her face, but she is no where to be seen.
Shrieks poor forth like blood from a wound, bodies struggle to escape the scene that’s taking place in front of them all. With a fierce hunger Aurora devours the boy who thinks himself a man a few moments ago. The sound of flesh shredding makes my stomach turn. I stand frozen and awe struck watching, wondering how it might all end up when suddenly I remember my role! I am supposed to stand against her and become the hero for the whole ship. Moments before she slips back into the sea, blood dripping from her jowls, I grab her by the tail, attempting to seem brave.
“Take me beast!” I bellow in mock courageousness.
Hissing at my touch, she backs away until she bumps against the railing. With arms raised she does a good job at pretending to fear me. I feel like I am the gallant slayer instead of a drummer boy playing the part. Taking a step forward I curse at her, demanding she leaves and never returns.
Yowling, she retreats into the sea, yells from the men following in her wake.
I turn with a smug grin to greet not thankful applause but anger and fear. “The boy is a witch!” one man accused.
“He works black magic, controlling the sea and her creatures!” another added.
Hands yank me, pulling me to the floor as rope binds my wrist behind my back. “No, I am a hero!” I insist.
My pleas fall on deaf ears, only the sound of their own reasoning could be heard. “We must send the witch into the sea with his fish woman!” they chant.
Where were the panic stricken men now? Gone and replaced with these reproachful brutes. Together the sailors condemn me to the sea floor, not one will be willing to lend a hand to save me.
do I deserve to be defended? I who tricked and helped kill not one, but two men.
These thoughts confuse me as I sink, the air rushing from my lungs. One other thing occupies my thoughts in my last minutes of consciousness, that thing is Aurora. Her plan failed, where is she now? Sharks circle me around and around, waiting. I scan the crowd of them, looking death in the eye in hopes of seeing her, my love. My vision becomes tunneled as I search in vain for her face, but she is no where to be seen.
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