The Mermaiden

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In the Atlantean city deep undersea, lived a beautiful maiden, fair as can be, A daughter of the trident with skin like ivory.
She was loved by all, surrounded by silver and gold.
Until that was a sailor plunged into the deep.
A kind soul she was she tried to help, but when he saw her his eyes bugged out as he tried to flee.
Copper hair as fine as silk, tangled around them, causing the sailor to react with a fight.
He pulled a knife from his boot and sliced the strands that had him confined.
The maiden watched as her hair drifted to the seabed below, her face going pale as a cold calm washed over her.
Whipping her tail before her, she attempted to push, for it was clear he was in a rush.
She never knew that the flesh would tear as her tail connected with his soft tissue.
Accidentally sliced the sailor in half with her clumsiness.
She watched in horror as he floated to the surface, blood trailing behind him.
Fearing her father she swam to the deep, tears trailing behind her.
Trying to forget her mistake she sang lovely melodies in her sorrow.
Alone in the dark where the angle fish sleep she grew cold away from her kin.
Whispers of her father’s displeasure floated about her from all corners she couldn’t escape them.
The punishment for her return, to be cast out the sea and to live as a human.
Everyone knows mermaids don’t own souls, should they die they perish as sea-foam.
She found a cave and hid in the darkest part, in the abyss where no living thing dares venture near, she awaited her fate.
In the dark, her skin began to transform to molten grey heughs, her hair a deeper red than the sailor’s blood.
Her teeth began to lengthen into needle sharp points protruding through her mouth.
Her melodies became a death call her tail became heavy as she grew extra fins to escape the pressure, causing her to swim like a shark.
She was in the dark so long that her body began to mutate, electrified tentacles grew from her body, ripping her skin anew.
Mer and fish alike mistook her for the fearsome sea witch.
She grew hungry for retribution she grew frightfully murderous.
Eyes once blue, black as eel peer out into miles open, watching for another member to fall into the seas embrace.
She ventured out in the moon that’s full.
Her insanity grew as the waves seemed to hug her, she sang her song, the call of death once again, you should not resist its pull.
Her only desire now would be your warm, supple flesh.
She can’t resist your delicious bone, to feel the blood ooze over her skin as she laughs at your screams.
Her appetite, for mortal souls.

~ Jess Bagnall