#dooo

Your foam board was snapped in two, but that could have been your spine. Sitting up on the shore, water still lapping at your feet, you squinted to stare hard at the distant waves. Sure, your chest still hurts a bit from swallowing gallons of seawater. Your muscles ache from surfing so unprepared. And those scrapes from brushing against the coral? They hurt, but nothing would hurt more than not knowing the truth.

You blinked and saw the tail fin of…a dolphin? 

*

The next time you went to the beach, you were ready. Or, at the very least, more prepared. Calm winds today, so no chance of being swept away suddenly due to poor forecast. Poor forecast and poor judgement, you reminded yourself. This time, you weren’t really focused on catching a wave. This time, you just wanted to see how far you can go. Past the break, past that safety net which kept the fish out. 

And this time, you brought bait with you. Nothing fancy, but very smelly. The odor would no doubt be extra potent under water, attracting all manner of dolphins and other marine life near you. That was the plan, to catch that mermaid, because that was definitely what you saw. Well, catch is more or less the right term. You just wanted to see one. You wanted to believe they were real. 

They had to be. 

But when you waded beyond comfort and the shoreline was but a mere blur in the distance, suddenly maybe this wasn’t a good idea. It was getting dark. The sun had set, but the leftover remnants of the day was still decorating the sky. You had been holding the fish in the water for at least an hour now, but you hadn’t seen fin or scale or even heard a splash -

A spray of water had slapped the back of your head, making you yelp in surprise and drop your slippery bait. Turning around quickly, you saw the disturbance in the water already begin to settle back into a natural pattern. Maybe it was there? This time for sure, you were not going to look away from that spot. Blindly, your hand reached where you dropped the fish, hoping it hadn’t drifted too far away.

Then, you felt something rough brush against the palm of your hand.

“Hey!” you shouted, quickly switching your gaze to the side of your board after yanking your hand back to safety. 

There was a faint purple glow beneath the surface. A line of them, illuminating the dark, deep waters below. 

*

The locals had taken to calling you a plank, for the sole reason that you always seemed to just sit out in the water instead of ride the waves. Sure, they laughed, and many other surfers even came by to ask if you needed help, to which you only shook your head no. Maybe you didn’t know how to use your board properly? Or you were too occupied with being one with nature?

No. You were too curious for your own good. And, you will admit, too ambitious. 

The plan tonight was going to be different, much different. You tossed the fish a few feet away from you and played the waiting game again. However, you didn’t have to linger long. The fish plopped and disappeared after a few spare minutes. Then, throwing another, it was plucked under within a second. Now, knowing that the mermaid was here, you took a deep breath. 

And dove right in.

Your trusty board floated away, not too far that you couldn’t swim back to it, but would you even really need to? The knowledge that a real life mermaid was here was way more important right now. Plus, logically, you knew this was the one that saved you long ago. Why would a mermaid change their mind now? Why save someone to only eat them for dinner?

The current underwater was the first thing you felt change as you kicked your feet in a steady rhythm to stay afloat. But still, you saw nothing, except the moon, the clouds, and the stars hiding behind them. Did your heart picked up its pace in your chest? Yes. Did you regret this decision? Not quite yet. What was it that folklore said about mermaids? They were sirens of the sea? Lured people with their disarming voice? Ate poor bewitched humans as they dragged them to their watery grave?

And suddenly, the light from the moon became shadowed. That presence? Was behind you. Looming over you. Watching you like the curious little, wandering prey you are. 

Swiftly turning in your spot, you were finally graced with what many believed to be the demons of the ocean. They were all wrong. All the stories. All the gossip and the myths and boastful claims of “I killed a mermaid before.” That was simply not possible because the one right in front of you was too extraordinarily beautiful for both land and sea. 

And, oh, you were mesmerized. Enchanted. Captivated.

What drew your breath to stop was not his luminous, silver hair cascading like streams of moonlight over his collarbones. Nor was it his wine, almost grey, shade of skin, but rather his eyes. Inky blackness harboring a ring of nebulous blues and purples, glowing with intimidation and power right back at you. He was studying you, that much was certain if you had been aware of yourself at the moment. But you weren’t. You were trapped, ensnared, unable to bring your mind to think about anything else except those dual-toned irises belonging to this beast of a man.

The mermaid’s head tilted, soft locks giving way to expose those gills along the column of his neck. Markings, he was covered in them. They greatly contrasted against his wet skin in sharp curves, highlighting his handsome assets even more. Along his cheeks, his jaw, those broad shoulders, his well-developed muscles covered in aged scars, all the way down to his dripping waist and below. His…other half. 

It was a little different, now that you think about it, that the art depicting mermaids to be remarkably close to, well, a human. But he had no rounded ears or smooth, glistening skin, or even the same row of pearly whites like you did. They were…black and glinting at you dangerously with a smile. A smirk? A grin. He was grinning at you, eyes hooded with lax silver brows and a look one could only describe as deliciously amused.

“Are you lost, little guppy?”

You wouldn’t exactly say his voice was deep. It was more of a growl, a rumble, a warning disguised as nothing more than a simple question. No alluring magic there, but it did give you a shiver colder than the chill of water.

When you didn’t answer him, that grin spread even wider, “I thank you for the fish, but I do not think you should be out here this late.”

“I wanted to see you.”

“Hm. And so, you have.” An order, a tone of finality, and before you could add more to your answer, he waded closer. And closer still, “Now, it would be wise to return you to land before you drown from exhaustion, no?”

The mysterious mermaid had ushered you to your board, the firm plastic nudging your back, “But - no, wait - “

Despite your defiance, you found yourself climbing up on the safety of your surfboard. He swam effortlessly to the rear, getting ready to push you and guide the wandering human back to shore. The man - he was chuckling. At you? Your stutter? No, none of that. He was deviously delighted at this small human who he could easily break in a soul-crushing hug. This mermaid was no small shark, after all. 

“I’ll see you again, right?” facing him, not once daring to look away lest the illusion wear off, “Right?”

“No, I do not think you will.”

That is for me to know and for you to find out.

Your face fell slightly at the prospect of never witnessing this marvelous man in all his mythical glory ever again, “Then…then can I at least know your name?”

The name of the one who saved me. The name of the one who will bless my dreams every night from now on. The name of the mermaid with black teeth and the unknown cosmos in his eyes.

“My name is Lotor, dear,” he winked, your heart stuttered, and your mind came to one conclusion.

You wanted, no, needed to know more about this mermaid who so easily trapped your heart in his jaws.