The storm raged on throughout the night, there had been a couple of times I had woken up from the noise. One time I woke up in the middle of the night to hear that music again. I reached over and checked to see if it was my cellphone making the noise. But it had shut off due to the battery dying.
Sighing, I sat up and made sure to plug it in. My agent would kill me if they weren't able to get a hold of me tomorrow morning. Feeling thirsty I got up to get me something to drink. Heading over into my kitchen, I got me a glass of water from the sink.
By now the rain sounded like loud white noise on the tin roof to the house portion to the lighthouse. It was actually kind of soothing... Finishing my drink I decided to check and see if the light to the lighthouse was still on. Though I was sure that it was... I just wanted to double-check.
Heading over to the door that led into the white house I opened it and began the long climb up the steps. As I climbed the sound of the storm was much louder due to less insulation in the lighthouse tower. I assumed that the tower was built before the house had been. That or the house had been remodeled. I wasn't quite sure, I probably should've asked the realtor about that. But at the time...
I shook my head, I wouldn't think about the circumstances that led to this decision. That was in the past. This was a fresh start that didn't need to be marred by bad memories.
Finally reaching the top, I was relieved to see the light was still going. The light slowly spun within the glass room. From inside the room with the light I watched the rain pour down on the glass. It was pretty hard to tell what anything looked like because of this.
However, the light managed to illuminate some of the beach and water down below. Seeing movement, I moved closer towards the window. Down in the water it almost looked like... Someone was there.
Then I heard music again, it was still drowned out by the storm but it was louder than it had ever been. As the light spun back around I was sure I saw a girl in the water!
Panicked I rushed outside onto the observation deck. "HEY!" I shouted into the storm, I was being pelted by the fat raindrops. Being outside the noise became louder and I heard a woman's voice. Rushing back inside, I scrambled down the stairs and grabbed a raincoat and some boots. I wasn't sure what I could do, but I couldn't stand there and watch someone drown!
As I ran I splashed in mud and water trying to get down to the beach as quickly as possible. Which was much easier said than done. After all, the lighthouse was elevated upon a hill-like crest. I tripped in fell a few times, skidding down the side of the hill on my butt.
But I eventually made it down to the beach, large waves crashed down onto the beach with fervent anger. It seemed like the ocean was trying to drag anything it could from land into the water.
"HEY!" I yelled into the storm looking around for the girl I saw. I was so sure I saw someone. "HEY!" I yelled louder, straining my voice. I let out a shout of surprise when a wave nearly hit me. Stepping back further from the shoreline I cursed. "Damnit! I should've brought a flashlight!" I was kicking myself for this. How did I expect to see in the dark like this?
Letting out a couple more shouts, I no longer heard the voice that I had heard from the lighthouse. Frustrated, cold, wet, and scared I slowly made my way back up to the lighthouse. As I left the beach I could've sworn I heard a splash of water. But I chalked it up to the constant crashes of rolling waves.
Once back inside I pilled my wet clothes off of me and pulled on a housecoat. "That was a stupid fucking idea, Gloria." I scolded myself, I knew better than to go to a beach during the storm! I literally wrote entire book chapters about not going to the beach during a damn storm!
Using a towel to dry my hair I sat down on my couch, I had no idea what came over me. But something just drew me to the water like that. I closed my eyes and the fact of the girl I thought I saw flashed in my mind. Snapping my eyes open I rubbed my forehead.
"It was just your imagination," I told myself, a pit of anxiety bubbled in my stomach. There was nothing I could do though, going back out there was a death sentence! So I struck up a compromise with myself. I would go back out in the morning once the storm had calmed down. Worse comes to worst, at least I'd help recover a body... That is if there was one to recover.
Feeling exhausted from my little adventure, I left my picked up my wet clothes and put them into the washroom before heading back to bed.
I didn't hear the music or voices for the rest of the night.
In the morning, I got dressed and ready for the day. The events of last night had not slipped from my mind. In fact, I had dreams about it. Though I don't remember the imagery much or even the content of the dreams. But I do remember that girl's face.
Packing water, food, pocket knife, and first aid kit into my pack I headed for the door. I paused feeling like I was forgetting something. Pondering over it for a few seconds I shook my head. It probably wasn't important anyway. Shutting the door and locking it behind me, I headed down towards the beach once more.
Looking around in the daylight, it seemed that the storm had really done a number on some of the surrounding trees. A few were toppled over, some of them had been split in half and one of them was laying on its side with all its roots exposed.
There were also bits and pieces of trash scattered here or there across my yard. I sighed at this, I'd have to clean that up later. But for now, I needed to go back down to the beach. If anything, it would give me a good chance to explore.
Making it down to the beach was a much easier feat than last night. Though last night's adventure gave me a bit of a limp thanks to a root that I had tripped over. I shot as suspicious glare over at the tree next to my house. It wouldn't surprise me if that root happened to be connected to that tree.
Then again, it was probably my fault for chasing after imaginary girls. I almost laughed at myself, "Same as high school." I shook my head at the memories. My friends and I all thought it was so funny that my dnd character just so happened to like to kiss girls. Little did I know my character and I had a lot more in common than what I thought.
The sound of rocks crunching underneath my feet brought me back to reality. Looking around I saw bits of driftwood washed up onto the shore with a few fishing nets.
I walked up to one and picked it up, "Damn plastic nets." I grumbled to myself. I could go on for hours about how much I hated those things. But deciding not to get myself riled up over nothing I looked around for any signs of a person.
I spotted another bit of plastic net close to a nearby cave. My brows furrowed in confusion. I hadn't realized there was a cave system so close to home. But that was good to know, I was a bit of a hobbyist spelunker. Heading towards the cave I pulled out my flashlight. This time, I had remembered to bring one down with me.
The sound of dripping water echoed in the cave as I followed a strange trail of plastic net fibers. As the pieces got smaller and small drops of red liquid got more frequent.
Following the trail as closely as I did, I almost ended up walking directly into an underground pond. "What's this?" I asked myself moving my flashlight around. Suddenly I heard the sound of splashing. Jerking my flashlight towards the sound, I saw nothing but rippling water.
"Anyone there?" I asked, getting that creeping feeling of being watched. Standing at the water's edge I turned every which way trying to find the source of the sound that I had heard.
Then, suddenly I felt my sprung ankle get drabbed. Instinctively I jumped back and kicked falling to my behind. My flashlight flew out of my hand and pointed directly at a being rising out of the water hissing.
Its bright orange hair and blackened eyes were the first things I noticed. Its mouth was a wide sharp maul. It let out a hiss after I kicked it in the face and gills and fins extended from the sides of its head.
It started to climb out of the water- but then it got stuck on something. The creature paused and splashed around a bit before trying to get back up again. It let out another hiss trying to return to its menacing pose before. But it got stuck once again.
It was clearly frustrated by this, its blackened eyes faded into more human ones as it splashed around struggling with something. Slowly getting up, I reached for my flashlight. Hearing my movement it hissed at me for a moment before continuing to struggle.
I moved to the side of it to see what this person... Thing... Was having issues with only to nearly drop my flashlight at the sight. "Holy fucking shit!" I took two steps back. Under the water was a long and gorgeous orange tail matching this thing's hair. I looked over at it feeling it staring at me suspiciously.
"You're a mermaid!?" I pointed at her, she let out a low clicking growl at my movement. Seeing her webbed hands reaching for something I spotted some of the same nettings on the beach tangled around her tail. "Oh, you got to be kidding me," I grumbled, why couldn't the stupid fucking fishing industry clean up after themselves!? Then again, I should probably count myself lucky that they don't. I'm pretty sure for a second there I was almost fish food.
Walking over to my backpack, I stepped over the mermaid's swipes at my ankle. She seemed to be targeting my injured one for some reason. Maybe she could tell it was weaker.
Whatever the case, I pulled out my pocket knife and my first aid kit. I didn't know how much it was going to help. But it was something. Spotting a tuna sandwich that I had packed also, I looked over at the mermaid--siren thing.
She was probably hungry and it was better that she ate my lunch then make me her lunch. Grabbing that also I approached her. She hissed at me, the fins from before protruded from the sides of her head. "Yeah yeah." I waved her off not impressed. She was no different than that injured shark I helped in the golf last summer.
I sat down the first aid kit and opened my knife. She glanced at it before looking at me. "I'm not going to hurt you," I promised before pulling out the sandwich. "Eat this and not me," I ordered tossed it to her before grabbing my flashlight and wading into the water. I looked over at the mermaid who had managed to catch the sandwich. She seemed busy tearing at the meat inside the bread.
I took advantage of this time to reach under the water for her tail. I held my flashlight in my mouth as I did so. She must have felt movement near her tail because she jerked back away from me. She let out a low clicking growl while licking the mayo inside the two pieces of bread.
"I'm just trying to help you." I chided before quickly grabbing at the net and cutting some of it lose. The bread went flying into the water as she lunged at me. I brought my left arm up to protect myself. I felt the sharp tips of her teeth sink past the thick material of my jacket and break my skin.
Her eyes were black again before slowly fading back into much calmer ones. I stood there letting her bite onto me. I counted myself lucky that I had chosen this jacket to wear. The thick material took most of the bite. While it still hurt like hell, it wasn't as bad as it could have been.
Keeping my composure I glared at her. "You done?" I asked as if I was a mother dealing with a child throwing a tantrum. Her grip lessened at this, "I thought so." I said just before cutting another piece of the net away. I had taken the chance while she was distracted to saw away at the part where the net had been tightest around her.
Slowly the net fell away from her body. She slowly removed her mouth from my arm and I slowly waded out of the water now that she was free from the net.
Sitting down, a bit further off, I opened up the first aid kit after removing my jacket. I heard movement in the water, my guess is she figured out what I had done and was testing out her rang of movement.
I cracked a few glow sticks for some better lighting and took a look at my bite wound. "Well, that's going to scar," I grumbled to myself seeing blood slowly seep out of the wound. I pulled out a water bottle from my bag and squeezed the spring water on the wound just in case. Her bite kind of reminded me of a shark bite.
I secretly hoped she wasn't venomous. But her coloring didn't give me much hope in that regard. As soon as I got home I would have to run this under hot water before calling poison control. Though, at the moment I didn't feel any different. But it was better to be on the safe side.
As I cleaned and wrapped the wound I heard a low clicking noise. Moving my flashlight over to the noise I saw the mermaid peering over the water's edge at me. She looked concerned and apologetic.
"Look what you did." I pointed to my now wrapped up arm. She sunk down lower at my scolding. Sighing, I slowly stood up, "At least I know I'm not crazy." I grumbled finally getting a good look at her face. She looked just the same as the girl last night. My guess was she somehow got tangled up in the net during the storm and washed up into this cave.
Slowly packing away my stuff, it wasn't lost on me that she watched my every move. Spotting the plastic that I had packed the sandwich in near the water, I reached down with my injured arm to pick it up.
Just as I did her hand jerked out of the water and clamped onto my arm over the wrappings. "Hey!" I shouted I looked at her to see her eyes were not blackened like they were when she attacked me. Taking that as a sign that she wasn't being aggressive I relaxed.
"Yes, it hurts," I explained to her as she ran her cold webbed hand long my arm. I had no idea why I was talking to her like she understood me. Then again, it was probably because of the humanoid form she took. It probably tricked the more primal part of my brain not thinking she was another person.
I suddenly felt her cold cheek against my arm, looking down at her, I saw her rub her face against it cooing. It was kind of cute. I hoped she wasn't planning on biting it off.
She let out a noise that sounded like a musical instrument. For some reason, I got the feeling she was apologizing. "Alright, I forgive you," I said moving my arm away before any water broke through the bandages.
A low clicking noise rumbled from the back of her throat at this, she splashed around a bit joyfully as I smiled. I was glad to see that she was okay. I headed towards the mouth of the cave hearing her letting out musical tones as I did.
'Don't go...'
I paused at the mouth of the cave, for a minute there... I turned back around to see the mermaid staring at me. "I'll be back," I promised her. She seemed to nod before diving underwater.
I have no idea what just happened, but I'd deal with that after properly dealing with this bite.
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