I don't know how to swim!

Laki knows this...

The air in my lungs gets exhausted, and I begin to choke. Everything in the water becomes much darker and creepier. The movement of my arms and legs becomes sluggish as the water pulls me into its depths. The last remaining air in my lungs is expelled, turning to bubbles and racing to the surface where I can't seem to get to. I feel an intense burn in my chest and a need to breathe. So, I do. Water rushes into my nose and lungs as I continue to sink to the bottom. I am drowning. I open my mouth to scream for help, but at that depths, it is too late. Water finds its way in, wanting to kill me faster. My brain works slower than my limbs, perhaps fear has clouded it, making me take stupid decisions.

I feel hurt and most of all, betrayed by Laki, and I know I am going to die because no one ever taught me to swim. It is ironic I live on an island surrounded by water, yet I couldn't seem to go into it to learn.

My father never bothered and my mother's near-drowning attempts made me more scared to venture into the sea. How naïve and stupid was I! The dark waters swirl around me, encasing me within it like a prison. I'm not sure how much time has passed. It is hard to keep my eyes open; my vision has narrowed to a pinpoint of darkness. My feet touch the ocean floor, sand kicks up as I land, creating a murky cloud. This is going to be my watery grave, where no one but Laki will know the truth of my death. I let go and move to a place deep in my mind where nothing can affect me. Death is closer than life here now. Just when I am about to close my eyes, perhaps for the final time, I see a movement. A quick flash of a maroon-colored tail and I feel hands skimming along my back and across my middle, before the creature circles around me again, examining my face and body with fascination. I frown, unable to believe my eyes. It is hard to tell if this is reality or I am delusional.

Am I imagining him?

He stares at me with unblinking brown eyes that are dark except for the flecks of gold, which look as if they're constantly moving. A small light within the darkness, which are his eyes. My father used to say, eyes are the window to one's soul, but with him, it seems like a very cloudy window I am staring into.

Do Gods or these Sirens have a soul? Or are they only for humans...?

He picks up the necklace around my neck, seeming proud that I'd accepted his offer in marriage, as a grin blooms across his face, revealing those horrible and gruesome teeth once again.

At first, he doesn't seem to understand I am dying, being more animal than human, until he moves toward me, getting closer. The grin disappears, and he presses the side of his head against my chest, appearing to be listening to my lungs struggle. His ears are different than ours, pointed and sharp. As if knowing what I needed, he quickly grabs me, yanking me up to the surface, his tail fin propelling us and sweeping the bottom, the sand blown outward in a circle. Once he breaks through the water's surface, I gag, coughing and trying to expel all that I was never meant to take into my lungs, but my muscles stiffen up. For support, I use his shoulders to rise high above the water level, trying to take in big gulps of air, my body shivering, my vision still blurred.

He makes an odd sound, a sound I've never heard from a human, a chortle of some sort. I would say this is cute, but this sound has come from him, and he is more deadly than cute.

Or this is how I feel anyway...why did I think deadly?

I feel his tail brush up against my legs under the water. His scales are smooth, and I jerk away at the feeling. However, I can't let go of him, or I will slip back under the water. It is just strange and odd but not frightening. After a staccato of coughs, I am able to take a deep breath, the cool air soothing to the burning sensation in my throat and lungs. I am desperate and greedy for air and so thankful for it.

I look at the Siren. I am envious of his ability to breathe underwater and also above it. They are lucky to have their bodies adapted to both land and water. I wished I had that ability, too.

I croak, my throat bruised after this near-drowning, "Land... take me to land."

He stares at me blankly, and it takes him some time and repeated actions from me to process my words. I think his knowledge of the English language is limited to very few words. Perhaps he understood my actions or he knew the word "land" because his eyes dart to the beach quickly.

"Land," he repeats the word, his eyes returning to mine, and his nostrils flare before he leans in and smells me again, going back to his animalistic behavior. The next thing I feel is his tongue sliding along my neck, which causes me to shiver.

"No, take me to land...please," I beseech him, closing my eyes shut, and his tongue slides all the way up to my jaw and my cheek.

"No. Land," he replies in the same tone as if mocking me and my words as he pulls away. I reopen my eyes to see that grin of his, a mouthful of teeth that installs fear in me, no matter how many times I have seen it.

Does he understand me, or is he trying to figure out what I mean? From the way he is smiling at me, I assume he knows more than he lets on, or he is smart enough to figure out what I mean just by repeating a couple of words.

"Please," I beg, my fingers curling into his shoulder.

He then takes one of his fingers and pushes his clawed hand to my lips, "Please..."

"I don't want to be in the water anymore," I say, still shivering, hating how my legs are dangling in what feels like a bottomless pit.

"Water... is...good," he says slowly as if having to think about the words he wanted.

"Water hurts me... please just take me to land," I ask of him, tears beginning to fall from my eyes as I stare at him. Through the tears, I see how his face appears to become human-like except for his ears. Even his eyes change shape, the huge eel-like iris and pupils becoming smaller.

He stares at me as if bewildered by my tears, confused, like he has never cried before. Maybe he hasn't... how exactly can you cry in the water?

"Water..." he says, scooping up a tear with his finger. Examining it before bringing it to his mouth and tasting it.

"Land, please," I whisper, weakening as strength drains from my body.

I wrap my arms around him tighter, becoming desperate. He makes another sound, a growl followed by a clicking noise, which is creepier.

"Land," he says before lazily swimming toward the beach, finally accepting what I want. His movements are awkward from the way I cling to him, but he makes no attempt to adjust me.

When the water becomes shallow enough and my feet are able to touch the bottom, he stops, refusing to come any closer to the beach. His arms slide from mine, and he stares, waiting for me to let go of him.

I am hesitant, my body feeling fatigued, but I slowly lessen my grip, finding it in me to stand by myself. I feel comforted that he stays with me. His tail is so close to my body that I feel the little patters of his frills with each lull of the waves.

Relief washes over me, knowing I am safe, and I wiggle my toes in the sand before taking a step closer to land. I trudge along, my legs feeling heavy. It is a chore to lift them and my arms which felt as heavy as lead when I use them to balance my body, mimicking the birds in the sky.

I collapse once I reach the beach, and now the only water touching me is the gentle wave that approaches the shore, kissing the soles of my feet.

I glance back to see the one who watches me from the sea but is further out into the water than before, and it isn't long before he dives below the surface again, not liking being watched.

My fingers curl into the wet sand, and I look back at my hands, but all I can think is how Laki left me to die...even after professing his love for me and all those kisses and small touches. It was all a lie.

How dare he! He would pay.

And some part of me is glad I would be marrying the Siren, as I cannot imagine marrying Laki now. Never would I think of him or even want to touch him again.