Palaimon and the Sailor (boyxboy) Short story by L.J Harding

Chapter 3

I awoke to the whispering ripples of a school of fish. This one was well ahead of schedule. I used my abilities to track the school of fish, observing the ship through their eyes.

                As quickly as I could, I unwrapped myself from the sea weed. I managed it in seconds, wasting no time. I beat my tail against the water, bursting through the ocean towards my destination.

I was there in minutes, ambition radiating out of my body like nothing before. Never have I ever been ahead of a shipwreck.

I watched as the Siren's above attacked the ship. I couldn't waste this opportunity, I needed to do something. I decided to do something that merfolk haven't done in centuries before. I was going to rise to the surface.

I swam up, until my head burst out of the water. I screamed in shock, feeling the cold attack my body. I was gasping, I couldn't breathe.

I quickly relaxed myself, willing myself to calm down. Once I did, I felt myself breathing. I felt myself breathing air.

I couldn't keep focusing on this, I needed to save a human. I turned to the ship, watching as the humans on board screamed and ran from the Sirens.

I sent my hands flying as high as they could, building up the power I had inside me.

Once I felt that enough power had been collected, I let my hands drop to the water. As soon as I performed, I watched as a large wave of water came crashing down onto the ship. The water clung to the wings of the Sirens, forcing them to stay on the ship.

The flock of Sirens ran after the humans with the same limbs the humans used. I watched in shock as the humans jumped off the ship and into the ocean.

The Sirens had enough. They shook the water off of their wings and soared into the air.

I watched in shock as the flock swooped down onto the surface of the sea and began picking up the humans. I wanted to defend them but by the time I had come to their defence, the siren had already flown away.

I felt my panic instantly be eased once I watched a human swim towards me. Judging by the strong features, I judged that this was a human version of a merman.

He screamed through gasps of air, "Help! Please! Help". I quickly put my arm around his waist, nodding to him in response. I then brought him underwater, and began swimming away from the threat.

It wasn't long before the human began to thrash about. I stared at him in confusion as I stopped, trying to figure out what he wanted. He pushed himself away from me and began swimming to the surface once more. I followed him, hoping that he'd tell me what was wrong.

"Hey! What the hell do you want to kill me that much that you're willing to kill yourself too?" the human screamed in my face. I stared at him in confusion, and his anger soon transformed into the same emotion.

"You're not a member of the crew? Who are you?" he said in bewilderment. But I ignored him, the threat was back.

I watched as the remaining sirens spotted us and came swooping down for their prey. I was much faster though.

I felt the world go completely still around me as dark clouds filled the sky. Before my eyes it began to rain heavily, and thunder and lightning soon followed. I manipulated the skies, directing the lightning to strike at the Sirens.

The power of bolt struck through the sirens, killing them off one by one. The sirens who survived the first bout of the storm fled in fear. As soon as I knew they were completely gone, I cleared the skies with my mind.

I turned to the human, and the look he returned was one of shock. "I saw your eyes go grey, did you do that? How did you do that? What were those things", the human spoke, still in a panic.

Sympathy filled my eyes as I replied to him, "It's okay human, please relax. I saved you. Your ship sailed through the Sirens hunting grounds". I tried to remain as relaxed as I could, but then the excitement overwhelmed me "I'm sorry, I've just never seen a human before. I've waited so long for this opportunity. Finally, I get to meet one!".

The human just looked at me in even more bewilderment than before, "What are you talking about? Why do you keep addressing me as human? What are you if you're not human yourself?" he said in the same tone as his appearance.

I gave him a similar look in return, "I'm a merman.. don't you know?", I said. If I know a human by look then how come they don't know my kind by look?

"A.. a merman!? What do you mean..!? How!? I.." screamed the man in complete pandemonium. I quickly shushed him. "Stop! If you make too much noise the Sirens might come back. Think a little bit more about this. I have to bring you underwater now for safety", I ordered.

I was quickly declined by the human, "I can't breathe underwater you idiot!". What's an idiot? Human slang was so confusing. Nevertheless, I couldn't ignore what he said.

I didn't realise humans couldn't breathe underwater, that is weird. "I can provide you with a source of air if you like, it's basic water manipulation but I didn't realise I would ever need it", I replied, quite proud of my abilities.

Eventually, the human agreed. I trapped a source of air around the boy's head as I carried him underwater, towards the pod.

Today, I caught a human.

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