• Large, muddy, conceiling eyes that held back the tint of green that sparkles through in segments. Almost the opposite of mine. Yet that is what i saw in my reflection.
    Sharp air tickled the back of my throat as i forced my hand to my lips, to prevent a loud gasp or scream. Starring back at me, was half a monster. Creamy skin that was marbled like the stairway in my house lay under the lapping waves; Mahogany whisps of hair fluttered, surrounding it's beautiful face; A Small snake-like nose; and cupid's bow, poppy tinted lips.
    Something dark followed it, and seemed to drag it downwards. It looked heavy and swayed behind it every so often, to push forward and move slightly side to side. It was icy teal. Flashes of gold stunned me every moment, with the sun reflecting off it.
    Leaning in i ponder at this mystical face greeting me, drawing me into the water. As the eyes widen i want to be consumed by them, they have a hunger for me to dive in, as much as i want to.
    "Lorna.." I flew back into the iron pillar, at the sound of Jim's voice. I could almost feel the splash of the ocean upon my face, the salt seeping into my mouth.
    "Do you believe me now?" It wasnt a mermaid. It was something more.
    "It's beautiful." he grasps my arm as i try to sink back into the position i had been lying in, dying to sink back into the dark eyes.
    He lifts me off the decking and carries me back to the boat, where he made me a hot chocolate and answered my questions concerning the monster.
    "Do you want to know why they only come now?" I nodded with sheer excitement, eager for every crevice of this new adventure to be explored.
    "Well, it's said the merpeople feed off humans so that they can become immortal, otherwise they age just like us humans and wither to become wretched and wrinkled."
    "I'm not surprised, they're so handsome."
    "But, they dont want to kill humans, not that it would be on their conscience. I guess it's because they don't have the ability to. So, when dawn breaks, they scour the shallows of the beaches for any human bodies
    that may have been swept ashore after storms."
    "What if i was swimming? would i become their victim?" he hesitated to answer my question.
    "There is one thing you have to understand about them. They are one with the sea. They are both elegant and agile, but also murderous and greedy. It's unpredictable what may happen if you were to swim out there."
    He looked down at his full cup of now cold-hot chocolate and placed it upon the leaf woven mug mat. The sea reflected in his eyes through the porthole. I could even make out the foreign clouds that were heading inland to cause misty weather.