When he was a boy he was told stories about them, the beautiful cratures hiding in the deep waters. Back then he didn't believe. The boy grew up, the waters were like his home, until he is told the stories again, but this time he can't ignore it.
I...
When the captain reached Lucia, everyone was already there. He observed and checked if everything was good and soon enough, they sat sail. The comforting gentle sway of the wood under his feet was back and he could finally get some good sleep that night. However, before night fell, he had other things to do .
With everything under control he went into his deck. It seemed smaller than what it actually was since it was cramped with so many things. There was barely a place for anyone to walk around. There were maps and bookshelves filled to the brim with books. The map for their next destination was opened on his desk. He sat on his chair and rolled it up. He grabbed the book he shamelessly bought and opened it.
It had a dark blue velvet cover that was peeling from the corners. The silver lettering was worn out and not as bright as it must have been in the beginning. The binding was barely holding up in places. He opened the cover and skipped past the first few pages that contained the title and the table of contents.
The first few chapters talked about the first sightings of sirens and how they have influenced mythology. The captain skimmed through it, and with every line he was regretting having wasted money on what he thought to be a piece of junk on his hands. It would go on and on about their beauty and their majestic voices. Every time he would read the word voice, the humming would start ringing in his ears and he would shake his head, knowing his mind was playing tricks on him again. He told himself that he had to be stronger than this and just a sleepless night shouldn't put him in this condition, even though he had spent days and days not sleeping before and he had been just fine.
When he finally arrived at the part explaining what the sirens could do, he started reading more intently.
Our researchers haven't been able to closely examine a siren's abilities, most of the information that we have gathered is based on other witnesses. Sadly we haven't been able to get information from the people attacked as all of them have been too injured to speak before their deaths, or their bodies have never been found.
"Or maybe they were attacked by sharks and you have blamed it on these fairytale creatures," the captain mumbled through his teeth.
All siren sightings have been from sailors or pirates. Each siren case seems to have one prey in the spotlight. They pick their victims and aren't focused on the entire crew.
They usually appear during nighttime, after a shipwreck, or a storm. They first show only parts of themselves, before showing themselves fully to their prey. They are known to be fast swimmers and possess enormous strength.
They usually sing to lure their prey towards them. While they sing they recite memories that are endearing to their prey and it is believed that they can read the prey's memories to make their songs more captivating and alluring. Their singing usually affects the whole crew, but it affects much more the sailor they are planning to attack.
Once the prey is in the sea the sirens will drown them. What happens afterward is still unknown. No part of the victim's body has ever been found after going into the water, and that is why some believe the people who are lured in aren't killed at all, but blessed by the sirens and given a new life in the sea.
The first thing that made the captain not believe a single word, was how vague and uncertain the book read. There were no studies, no proof, just speculation. The second thing was how no remains were found. To him, those were just excuses. He even felt sorry for anyone who believed in sirens, or any mythical being for that matter. Some details were way too ridiculous. They could read people's memories? They could have come up with something better than that.
"They are called mythical for a reason," The man said out loud as if to directly speak to whoever was innocent and naive enough to believe them.
He massaged his temples, trying to reduce his ever-growing headache. He closed the book shut and threw it into his desk drawer f. The thought of tossing it out into the sea seemed appealing, but was too childish.
"Remember, these are just made-up stories." He whispered to himself. Maybe some part of him was starting to believe in the supposed fairytale his father had told him.
He went to the deck and immediately noticed the lack of sunlight. The warmth wasn't there anymore, instead dark clouds were approaching and the wind had picked up. He immediately told the crew to return to their places and prepare. He knew better than to take a storm lightly.
As he was double-checking on everyone, one of the eldest in the crew approached him. He had worked for his father for years and was known to be a wise man that not even the sea could beat. He had long silver hair that was tied back loosely. His eyes were small and his nose hooked and his lips were barely noticeable under his mustache.
"A thunderstorm right after a ship sets sail is bad luck." The old man said to the captain.
The captain scoffed. "I thought you were smarter than to believe these things."
"Sometimes you should believe in folklore and myths. They haven't come from nowhere. They are a part of reality." The words didn't sit right with the captain after what he had just read from the book and his experience from the previous night. He knew the old man was wise and always knew what he was saying. Also, a detail from the book came back to him.
Sirens would show themselves after a storm.
He brushed it off by thinking of the many times he had been faced with storms and nothing happened after, just the welcoming sun.
While walking and helping his crew, something shined in the corner of his eye. His head turned, but there was nothing. Another sailor called out for him and he immediately went to help. By the time he was finished and everything was checked, he studied the clouds. They were coming closer and faster, he knew there would be a huge storm coming any moment at that point.
A shine coming from the surface of the sea caught his attention once again. He walked near the edge. He held onto the shrouds with one hand and one leg and let his body hang as he examined the water intently. He waited for that shine again, but nothing appeared. The sea was dark and waves were starting to form.
A raindrop fell on the captain's head. Many of its friends followed suit and started falling from the sky soon after. The captain let go of the shrouds and went closer to the bowsprit. The wood of the deck was getting darker in the spots where the rain hit. Lightning and thunder joined the now pouring rain and the wind was getting more and more aggressive by the second. The ship started swaying from one side to the other. Most had to hold on to whatever they could grab that was secured in place strong enough.
Navigating the ship was getting harder. It was unbelievable how much the weather had changed. The flag that had been tied to the very top of the mainmast and was flowing wildly until now, tore from its place and flew off into the waves.
One man from the crew screamed. It was the young sailor. He went flying across the deck and almost fell into the roaring sea. The captain was quick in his legs and caught his arm. He wouldn't let anyone die on his ship even if it meant putting himself in danger. He almost fell into the darkness himself, but managed to tangle his legs to the shrouds. He held on as long as he could and other people rushed to help.
While the storm was at its peak, they really thought it couldn't get any worse. A storm right after they set sail was an indication of bad luck after all. The captain regretted not having listened to the old man, but even if he had, they wouldn't have been able to go back to shore in time. Things were going to calm down eventually and everything was going to be alright was the lie he kept telling himself, but the sea had other plans for him
Suddenly, a crash was heard, followed by the ship shaking.
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