things i want to write but am too lazy to actually write

marliza mermaid au

"Stay there!" James yells at me, pushing me into the cabin and slamming the door in my face. I hear the lock click.

Out of the small, circular window on the door, I watch men rush about, their frantic shouts muffled by the wood between us.

I know I can help them. The man at the wheel clearly needs help pulling the ship starboard. There aren't enough men trying to adjust the sails.

Deciding to go against my husband despite the punishment I'll receive, I manage to pick the lock on the door and I slip out.

I can't believe he insisted I wear a dress and this makeup. He just wants to show me off, with no regard of how impractical it is. I struggle through the battering winds to the wheel, grabbing it and helping the man pull it.

"Maria!" He gasps. "Shouldn't you be inside!"
"I'm more useful here." I reply. He shakes his head, the wheel slipping as he loses interest, more worried about me than the ship.
"You'll die! This is no job for a woman!"
"I'm fine." I reply. He shakes his head adamantly.
"It's too cold." He lets go of the wheel and pushes me away from it. The ship pitches to port. Screams fill the air over the roar of the ocean. "Get back inside!"
"I can help!"

He shakes his head and pushes me again, towards James and I's room.
"Go!" He pushes me again, but I grab the edge of the boat stubbornly.
"No. I'm helping!"

Before he can argue, a gigantic wave rears above us, then crashes down in the pair of us. I try to gasp, and inhale a mouthful of ice cold, salty water. I can't hear anything, can't feel anything, other than water.

~~~

set at sometime in the 1800s.

maria is married off to james reynolds right before he goes on a whaling expedition and she manages to persuade him to take her along with him as she wants to experience some adventure before she had to settle down as his wife.

he takes her to show off his new wife to all his colleagues, but starts abusing her while they're at sea.

their ship hits a storm and maria goes overboard. she washes up on an island and is left to try to survive on her own.

except she isn't alone. after a few days, she meets eliza, a mermaid.