Hi everybody!
Here a new story for the prompt series written by JVH624 Daphnecs8 Meggyhashope Dr-Cokebottles rainingmeteors
The prompt is "Sacrifice"
Enjoy!
The mermaid of Copenhagen
Right in the city of Copenhagen, several blocks from Amelienborg's castle, and at the end of the stroll along the harbor, the visitor suddenly found himself in the middle of the countryside, in a bucolic village coming straight from an Andersen's tale.
After passing by the large forged iron grilles, he was facing a little grey stone church with a pointy bell tower, giving the feeling to be in a XIXth century tableau. In the front, there was a monumental fountain composed of a few pools on several levels and ornated with a colossal statue of a woman draped with a dress in a fabric, with a bare breast, driving a herd of resistant oxen. Giant snakes on the pool below came to conclude that feeling of strength and power.
Then, after he admired the first view, the stroller crossed a bridge overhanging the moat surrounding the military fort. If he took the time to stop a few seconds, he could see walkers wandering alongside the waterfront with their kids or their dogs – or even the both – or bikers continuing their venture across the town or joggers trying to keep fit or to lose some weight.
After the bridge, the stroller walked up to a park with a well-nurtured green grass embellished with statues of the ancient kings and queens of Denmark. Before going down to the seafront, everyone could, during summertime, admire a garden with many varieties of flowers. A lot of people stopped, sniffing their perfume, admiring their beauty, some of them even observing with interest the different insects that gleaned pollen.
At the seaside, some giants appeared a bit further, alongside the docks. Some huge cruise boats were taking away hundreds of travelers to the Scandinavian fjords. If he looked down, the visitor could spot a crowd massing around a spot. It was there, very often, that the traveler wanted to go.
When he understood he has almost arrived, he quickened his pace, eager to see her. He still glanced at the bright red seaplane who passed with his propellers working. If he was careful enough and he was lucky, he could also admire couples of swans and their babies coming from the military fort's moat.
A few steps again, and he was facing her at last. She was sitting on a rock, her tail fin folded, staring into the horizon, the little mermaid hadn't moved from here for centuries.
Shancai stopped, breathless. The afternoon came to an end; the daylight was fading, and, fortunately, tourists were fewer, and they didn't climb on the rocks anymore to reach the unfortunate statue and touch her at all costs. The young Chinese student sat on the rocks facing this little treasure, lost in the contemplation of this imaginary creature.
She was here for a week, but it had already become a ritual. Every day, she came here and sat for a few minutes or even one hour or more sometimes, facing the famous statue of Copenhagen to contemplate her and meditate.
Strangely, she calmed her down, relaxed her tensed muscles all day long, calmed her heart that didn't stop to flutter painfully, and eased her mind that didn't cease to torture her.
