Mermaid Blues

Serah's Beginning

About 100 miles away from the Oceanfront Aquarium, a small figure appeared above the waves, her silhouette illuminated by the full moon.  She had traveled a long time and was still unsure about the way she was going.

She ducked under the ink-colored waters and where two legs should have appeared, a glistening tail showed itself above the water before submerging beneath the waves.  The girl propelled herself forward through the waves until she was close to the shore.

The water was so shallow she could barely keep her body concealed beneath the water.  Her hand brushed sand and rocks as she slowly dragged herself onto the wet sand of the shoreline.  She laid back against the gritty sand and breathed heavily.  Her deep blue eyes gazed up at the burning stars of the night sky.

"I will find you, Sister."

The young mermaid's name was Serah.  A seventeen year old mermaid who was on a mission to reunite with her older sister.  Her sister had gone missing a few days ago, and though her family had warned her to stay away from the human world, Serah knew that humans were the ones who abducted her.  Serah had been out swimming dangerously close to the surface when her sister had warned her to come back...

"Serah, there's a boat that's been floating close to our home for a few hours now.  Please, come in for a little bit until it leaves."

Serah crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow, "And what makes you the boss of me?  This is a free ocean, and I can swim wherever I please."

Her sister glared at her. "Why must you always be so rebellious?"  She swam towards her sister and glanced down at her, "I'm just trying to look out for my little sister."  Her eyes softened, "I love you, Serah."

Serah's shoulders sagged a bit and she looked away, "I'm sorry for always worrying you...I know you're just trying to keep me safe.  I just feel smothered sometimes."

Her sister smiled. "I know, and I'm sorry."

Serah swam down a few feet, "Okay, let's go in-"

Suddenly a net dropped into the water above Serah and her sister.  Serah screeched as four figures in identical black suits dropped into the water with goggles and air tanks strapped to them.

Serah's sister swam in front of her and roughly shoved her back, "Go, Go! Hide!" She turned and began swimming away, shoving Serah in front of her when she was roughly grabbed by her tail and dragged backwards.  She struggled but soon all four figures were upon her, grabbing her flailing arms and tail, pinning them down.

Serah's eyes widened in shock as she peaked above the large, mossy rock she was hidden behind.  The figures seemed not to notice her as they struggled in containing her sister.  Serah was frozen in shock as her sister fought the strange men.

A man pulled out a large contraption and drove a long needle into the mermaid's side. 

Serah screamed out and clamped her hands to her ears as her sister let out an agonizing cry.  Her eyes burned as she watched her sister.

Her eyes met her sister's and she watched them slowly begin to close as the needle's effect began to take over.  Her sister smiled sadly as she drifted into a sleep, her body falling limp.

The four men placed the net over her and secured it before swimming to the surface.  Serah shook in fright as her sister's body disappeared above the waters.

Silence followed.

A minute.  Five minutes.  Ten minutes.

Then Serah let out a loud scream, "SERENA!!!"

Serah shuddered and sat up as a wave of cool water washed over her.  It was hard re-living the memory of watching Serena being taken.  Tears began to flow freely down her cheeks as she began to cry.  One of the tears slid down to her chin before dropping onto her tail.

Serah then began to feel a warm tingling sensation.  Her body, from the waist down, began to glow along with the pearl necklace she'd worn since she was a baby.

  Her blonde hair began to fly around her face as the wind picked up.

As quickly as it began, the light faded and Serah was left sitting on the sand with a pair of legs instead of a tail.  She had heard of the rumors before.  A mermaid's wish for legs could be granted if they had a real need for them.  However, at midnight, her legs would become a tail once again until the sun rose once again.

Serah had always believed it to be only a rumor.  Until now.