Sinking

What if sirens were once women? Here is a short story inspired by a textpost I saw on tumblr. Thank you to whoever thought of this. Please read and enjoy.

Rough calloused hands gripping her wrists. Chains of iron wrapped hastily round her raw skinned ankles. Dragged across splintering boards by her long, matted raven hair. Pain like no other. The pain of death soon to come to she not willing.

She stood. Proud and fearless, just as her mother raised her to be. The prow of the ship was no place for a coward, so she would not become one. Her throat and eyes stung from the vicious, salt ridden winds biting at her face. Her simple dress whipping wildly at her back, a poltergeist in disguise. It snagged at the chains on her ankles, as if trying to free her. But there was no escape from this. Death was coming, and she would remain standing to greet him like an old friend. Deep down, she knew she was not ready to leave this world just yet. She had unfinished business. Things that needed changing. But that would never be.

Laughter, harshly nervous, broke her from her thoughts. She turned her head to see him stride towards her, the others silently egging him on in fear. She was a threat to them and she knew it. Especially to him. Always him.
He had loved her once, wanted to spend his life with her. But that was long ago. Still, she could see it in his eyes, a faint misty film of regret. He didn't want this. But tradition topped love, and he was ready to obey like a dog to his master.
A clap of thunder saw the men jump and shift uneasily. They wanted to be done with this. With her. She was to be cast overboard, and forgotten like the lost pirates treasure from long ago. She focused her gaze on him, unflinching anger. Yet still some sorrow remained, for she would never again speak to her mother. Never get to say goodbye. It hurt.
"You do not belong here. You are bad luck."
Her stare remained, cold and hard. She focused her hurt on him, blaming him for this. He was doing all of this. He was killing her. She pulled her eyes from him and turned to face the ocean, wild and dangerous. She took one step. Then another. She sensed his hands about to grab her, to throw her over. There was no way she would let him have the satisfaction of it. Before he could touch her, she jumped.

Pain ripped through her back as the barnacle encrusted ship shredded through it. She had only a moment to scream before the icy waves consumed her and she went down, pulled by the weight of the chains. Her eyes wide, bubbles escaping her open mouth as she choked soundlessly, the only spectator a lone shark circling below, waiting. Panic coursed through her as her lungs filled slowly, weakened muscles let the surf push and pull her as it pleased, little eddies  whirling through her hair, her dress, her outstretched fingertips. More sharks, shifting in the edges of blurred vision.  Her blood cascaded down into the depths, a spiralling staircase for a lifeless corpse. She felt herself loose consciousness, she watched her own mortal body drift away, another mystery taken by the tide. Yet there was still pain.

Pain in her neck, her hands, her legs, her feet. She could feel the contortion, the stretch and snap as her bones and muscles contracted and grew together, becoming one. Her spine lengthening, her neck cut open wide. It felt so right, so natural. She extended an arm, admiring the cyanide green webs of membrane criss crossed between her fingers. She brought them up to her neck, and found she could breathe water as easily as air. Feeling a sudden surge of power she glanced down at her tail, a muscular piece of scaled art, tapering gently to a flowing end far below. She could see every detail, every new mark on every part of her body. Only then did she notice them. Surrounding her, lounging gently in silence, each and every one like her. Not sharks.
Monsters.
Beautiful, wicked monsters. She ran a tongue over her razor blade teeth before grinning. They grinned back. Looking up to the ocean surface far above, she remembered how this came to be. Untamed, seething, passionate rage filled her soul. It was time for revenge.

A bright yet overcast Tuesday morning. Whistling to myself softly I cast out my nets from the little fishing boat I could call my own. It rocked gently in the breeze, the lapping of the waves a constant soothe. Just a little further out and I would catch all the fish I wanted. Father always warned to steer clear of black rock, before he disappeared. But black rock was fascinating, I could afford to venture closer if I dared.
The most beautiful singing faded into existence as I drifted in, softly worming it's way into my head....let the nets drop...come closer....

There she sat, the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. All alone on those dreadful black rocks. Singing the most entrancing song I had ever heard. Fitting, a beautiful song for a beautiful woman. Her hair fluttered as she beckoned me in with a flick of her finger, and I smiled. What harm would it do, to visit the girl of my dreams if only for a moment? I took up the oars, discarding my nets without thinking, and began to row towards her. She was truly stunning, cat green eyes, full lips and gently hollowed cheekbones. And that smile...it was a killer. She was perfect, and she wanted me to come closer...

My boat smashed up against the shards of stone at her feet, jolting me out of my trance. I saw clearly, if only in a split second, the shift in the shimmering air around her. It revealed vicious teeth, dripping gills and a long thrashing tail. Then it was gone, back to the beautiful woman. But I would not be fooled again. I screamed and she lunged, piercing my neck with those terrible canines, now visible along with the rest of her hideous form. But alas, I did not have time to view this spectacle for more than a few seconds, for her claw like hands gripped my face as she drank my blood bit by bit. My screaming turning to hoarse shouts as she slit open my belly after drawing the life force from my veins. Licking her lips as if I were a delicious meal she smirked, and cast me aside on the rocks.
"Why" I croaked
"Revenge"
As my vision faded I watched her slip away into the water, and stared intently at the strange, jagged scars across her back. It was only then that I cursed my grandfather for all that he had done.