Mermaids and Vampires

Prologue

I emerged from the cabin below and staggered across the deck, as waves rocked the little fishing boat back and forth. The light blue sky was lit by early morning sun. I began pulling in the lines. It crept upon me slowly as I worked, unaware, looking down into the ocean to see what I had caught. As I pulled up the netting and dropped it on deck, a few fish flopped and gasped for breath.

When my head rose I saw it. The grey fog rolled in from all directions. I felt a chilling breeze. The air turned cold in seconds. The deep blue water darkened. I noticed its surface was still. So still it looked frozen. I leaned over the edge and saw a crystal clear reflection of myself in the water. At that moment I realised my boat was not rocking. I walked across the deck. As I moved the boat didn’t sway in the slightest.

The fog was getting thicker, so thick that I couldn’t see past the edge of the boat. All around me, whiteness encroached. I looked up but the fog above was no less dense. It blocked out the sun, the sky, everything. I could hear nothing, nothing but my own heart beating and my heavy breaths.

I walked toward the front of my boat and leaned on the side. Again, it didn’t move. I stood there waiting for something to happen. The silence was sickening. In an effort to break it I whistled a little tune. Moments past in silence again. No sounds, no wind, no waves, nothing. Then, suddenly I heard it. A soft feminine voice mocked the tune so quietly I wasn’t sure it was real. I ran across the deck to where I thought it had come from and peered over the side. There was nothing, but the water here had dissipating ripples. Then I heard it again. The same beautiful voice singing, followed by a giggle this time.

I dashed to the side it came from. The area where my nets lay. I looked down at the skeletal remains of fish, still hanging on the nets. I looked over the edge again. Some ripples quickly disappeared. I leaned closer, staring into the deathly still water. My reflection appeared. As I tried to look past it and see into the deep, the picture morphed. Features becoming softer, smoother, my short hair was lengthening, and the face appeared feminine. I looked into its dark black eyes. They were getting brighter now, turning red as the image became clearer.

I leaned closer entranced by this face’s beauty. I reached out and stretched until my hand skimmed the surface of the still water, but in a seethe of ripples the face disappeared. When the water settled it was gone. I stood up, turned around and leaned on the side of the boat. I stared into the fog, now longing for the creature to return.

Through the mist I thought I saw something. I crossed the deck once again and there it was. The beautiful creature leaning with her arms folded on the side of the ship.  I was drawn to her. I came so close and she just stared at me, grinning.

I leaned in, my face only inches from hers.