The darkness here is comforting but I cannot stay. I had almost learned to accept my fate as hell bound. I had almost learned to accept that only the moon’s light brings solace. It is cold here and the crashing of the waves against the rocks makes me think that someone is here with me inside this shallow water, someone wants to hear my story. I do not exist among men, I am a mythical being. This admission to myself, makes me laugh softly against the rough dripping walls. My silvery shivering laughter reverberates off the walls of the cave and falls back upon my ears. For a moment, I thought I had the company of one like me. My heart is trying to accept that I am the only one.
Shifting and pushing against the walls, I slip back into the edge of the water. I see the moon and its children high above and i wonder do they ignore my breaths of life as the others do. My skin explodes in excitement as the water moves farther up to my chest. My hair floats upon the water when I dip my head back and feel the life around me. Then I dive down just a bit, exploring my watery wonderland. I paddle out farther, shifting and dodging the rocks. Before me, is open sea. All but the various jutting rocks which blemish the shoreline. Moon light dapples the caps on the waves and I smile. My element hugs me whispering softly. One breath, a deep one signals my second dive.
Underneath my eyes adjust to my world again. So many tears have filled my world with sorrow. Do my friends know that even I am burdened by my prison? Do they even feel as I do?
My arms push forward as my body lunges deeper into paradise. Soft skin fades into beautiful turquoise scales, satiny and precious. Deeper still and I see fish darting away from me. Turtles dive down and dodge my quick desperate paddles, frightened it seems. Their eyes catch mine then move on to a destination their own. The beautiful sublime warm waters comfort my aching heart. I am so alone. I close my eyes momentarily to just feel the warmth pushing in on me.
On I push, moving raidly against the current. Another wave crashes in , pulling me back and every muslce in my body strains toward my goal. I grunt and sway vertically pushing deeply into the undertow.
A jutting rock, not too far from here offers a resting place beneath the moon. My familiar home, something to solidify my existence. I push onward, yearning to gaze outward from my vantage point. I want to see you.
I hear you, not too far away, coming in from fishing. I have one more chance before the night is over.
My tired hands grip something solid. A huge protruding rock, slippery and unforgiving pulls me from the waters. The blanket of sea breaks from around my face and falls away as I leap from the sea. Gasping and squealing, I climb upon the rock and pull my body completely from the deep. Once warm and surrounded by familiar, now cold and alien in an unforgiving world. I look up at the black sky. It is unfathomable and amazing. The breath in my lungs hold tight for a moment then moves up and out of my mouth. The stars are beautiful, an audience. I cannot let them down.
I hear you closer, even so close that I can see the tiny white boat breaking the waters. I wiggle upon the rock and get comfortable. It draws nearer and I can barely make out your handsome features, your waves of dark hair and muscular build. You stand up with your hand upon your brow, surveying the coastline.
I close my eyes, run my hand down my shivering tail and begin my song.
I hope you notice me.
