To the one who I believed

By 5E Curtis Wong

On the secluded shore of the Mystical Ocean, lies Umiville, a small town built on the fishing industry. The people here are all expert seafarers. The young, the old, the men and women. All of them were skillful with harpoons and boats. And when they sat in pubs after their oceanic adventures, they shared stories and legends of what they had seen on the vast ocean. Most of them were taken as fool’s tales among the villagers, nothing more than made up myths. but one particular girl had more faith in the stories than the others……

‘And the mermaid and the prince kissed under the crimson sunset…… a happily ever af-’

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

‘Lunaaaa!! Stop sulking in your room and help us with our catch!’ A loud voice echoed outside Luna’s room.

‘For the last time, I’m not sulking around! I’m fantasizing with my imagination!’.

‘Just come out already! We need an extra pair of hands!’

‘Fine!!!’ Luna shouted, turning to her novel. ‘I’ll see you later, Ariel.’ Luna closed her book with a deep sigh, ‘Coming!’

Luna was a plain, petite girl from an ordinary family. She had long, flowing dark blonde hair. Her eyes were a cerulean blue, just like the endless ocean. But despite her close resemblance to the ocean, she never got good at steering a ship, or catching fish, preferring instead to read books and novels in her spare time. Meanwhile, Her older brothers, Pollux and Castor, had both inherited their expert seafaring skills from their long-dead parents. Their tall and toned figures helped them navigate the waves with ease.

Luna always stayed home while her brothers sailed the seas to support their family. Luna always looked at her brothers with envy and curiosity. Hearing their wondrous myths of the sea, she had always fantasized about the amazing things she could meet upon the vast ocean. But such things could only exist in her fantasies.

Or so she thought.

‘Did you see anything special today? Like mermaids? Or water nymphs?’ Luna asked her brothers about their ‘adventures’ at sea.

‘For the last time, Luna. Mermaids, Such things don’t, EXIST.’ Castor snapped at her.

‘Castor’s right. Stop being so naive, Luna.’ Pollux said calmly, ‘ You know, those things are just myths from drunken sailors mumbling in the bar.’

‘I’d say you’re just unlucky.’ Luna frowned, ‘I will find a mermaid myself if it’s the last thing I do.’

‘Whatever! Go on with your silly little fantasies, just help us with the nets!’ Castor barked while removing the fish from the fishing nets.

Luna begrudgingly started to work. Picking up the bucket full of fish, Luna noticed something weird about the catch. ‘The fish… are covered with black… sticky stuff. What is this?’

Pollux sighed. ‘It’s the waste water from the new factory just up that hill.’ He pointed towards the hills, black smoke pouring out from hard, steel pipes. ‘Ever since that factory was built, the fish have been dying in droves. Castor and I might have to apply for a job there just to make ends meet……’

Luna looked out towards the sea. He was right, the ocean was getting filthier every day, the surface covered with black ooze, chunks of pollutants choking the surface with vileness and grime.

‘It’s a miracle that you even managed to catch these……’ Luna sighed, watching the vile black sea take over the blue ocean, unfortunate fish carcasses floating to the shore in schools……

‘It was the will of Mother and Father that, no matter what, we would uphold our family’s fishing legacy.’ Castor shouted sternly, but Luna could sense his slightly trembling voice, as if even he was unsure of his family’s future……

Maybe if I make a seashell necklace like mom’s old ones, Castor and Pollux could feel better… Luna thought to herself. I’m not much help here anyways. It’s the least I can do.

‘I… have to go to the bathroom. Be right back!’ Luna ran along the promenade to the beach. Arriving there, Luna got a closer look at the massacred ocean. Dead fish lined the coastline as far as she could see, and all that was left on the beach was trash, more trash, and……

A human sized tail?

What fish is that? Luna pondered as she closed in on the creature. It seemed to be struggling, splashing against the waves pushing it to shore.

As Luna approached the shoreline, the trembling creature lost its battle against the sea and got washed to shore. But what Luna saw wasn’t a big dolphin, nor a gigantic fish, it was……

A mermaid? Luna’s heart skipped a beat, maybe even two beats. They were real! All those legends the sailors told…… The man, no, merman, is standing right in front of my very own eyes!

The merman writhed and thrashed around on the shore, desperately trying to get back into the ocean. The loud noises snapped Luna back to reality and out of the corner of her eye she saw the merman’s peril - his tail was covered with grime, entangled in a large net.

Poor thing…… as if instinct guided her, Luna slowly approached the creature. It’s pupils widened, panicking as Luna slowly approached him.

‘D-don’t be afraid! I—I’m trying to help.’ Luna crouched down next to the merman, inspecting the tail’s injuries. His tail had been slashed by the sharp wires of the net. With each movement, the nets tightened around his tail even more.

She put her hands to work. Slowly wrapping her hands around his tail, she removed the knots around his tail. All the while, the mermaid twitched around, looking at Luna with teary eyes.

‘Augh!’ The mermaid screamed as she touched one of the many deep cuts. He thrashed around, his eyes darting in fear. Luna flinched at the sight. He must be in so much pain…… She thought. Maybe if I give him my leftover bandages…

‘Don’t move. I swear I mean no harm.’ Luna said, while rinsing the wound with the little fresh water she had on her. She wrapped the cloth around the merman’s pristine tail, patching up its torn scales.

After some time, Luna finally untied all the net tangled around his tail. ‘There, you’re free! So, do you want to talk about-’

Without any warning, the mermaid dashed across the sands, eager to return to his home. ‘H-hey! Where are you going? Come back!’ Luna desperately picked up the pace, unwilling to let go of the creature of her dreams. ‘Wh-what’s your name? Where did you come from? I need to know!’

But the mermaid was having none of it. He was fast, even on land. Luna chased until her legs were submerged in the water. Looking out to the sea. She saw the merman swimming freely, leaping in and out of the water. She knew she was supposed to be happy for his returned freedom, but he didn’t even say thanks, or look back, or even tell her his name……

Luna stood on the shore, longingly looking at the sea in hopes of the tiny chance that the merman would return. But as the crimson rays fell onto her face, there was still no sign of the merman’s tail. Decimated, she knelt down on the sand, tears flowing out of her eyes. I just wanted to know more about the mermaid… was that too much to ask?

Suddenly, Luna saw something glimmer in the sands. She picked it up, brushed the sand off, and examined the glittering object. It was a translucent blue, Is this… the merman’s scale? Luna pondered as she pocketed it. She looked at the setting sun over the endless ocean one final time, and trekked back home.

‘I’m home!’ Luna exclaimed. The house was silent, but for the occasional clatter of cutlery. ‘I see you guys cooked up dinner when I was gone.’ Luna plopped on the dining table and started eating.

SLAM! Castor abruptly slammed on the table, glaring at Luna fiercely. ‘Where have you been, Luna?’

‘Uhhh… I was just down the beach… nothing special…’ Luna replied, her hands fiddling under the table.

‘Do you have ANY idea how worried we were?’ Castor scolded. ‘We looked all around town to find you!’

‘To be fair, you completely forgot about the beach…’ Pollux argued. ‘Besides, Luna’s 16 now. She’s independent enough already, leave her be.’

‘That’s not the point, Pollux.’ Castor grunted. ‘Remember what happened to Mother when she went out alone? We can’t let that happen to Luna, at all costs.’

‘Wait… what happened to our mother?’

Castor and Pollux both tensed up, beads of sweat formed on their foreheads.

‘Pollux… Castor… What happened to Mother?’ Luna asked.

‘None of your business.’ Castor growled. ‘Now go to your room. You’re grounded.’

‘But—’

‘GO TO YOUR ROOM!’ Castor shouted. Luna shuddered from the fierceness in Castor’s voice. Her eyes met Pollux’s, pleading for help, but all she got was ignorance. Castor practically shoved a reluctant Luna into her room, and locked the door shut.

Luna desperately banged on the door. ‘Let me out!! Let me out!’ But no one responded to her pleading, no one opened the locked door…..

Castor’s so overprotective! Luna thought as she walked around the room in frustration. I’m mature! I don’t need to be grounded at 16 years old, for god’s sake!

Luna looked out the window. The moon was already on the rise, spilling its pearlescent white light into the walls of Luna’s room. Her hand went instinctively to her pockets, and she pulled out the scale she had picked up from the beach.

Well, I think I can make this into something beautiful. Luna thought to herself. She took out some leftover string from her drawer, along with some seashells from her collection. With little effort, she made the scale into a beautiful necklace. She was about to put it on her, but she noticed something peculiar……

The scale…… Luna picked the necklace up. It’s…glowing?

Moving the necklace around, the scale brightened and dimmed. Luna slowly moved it around her until she held it out the window, towards the sea. The necklace glowed even brighter.

Is… is it calling out to the sea? Luna wondered. The image of the merman suddenly flashed across her mind. Maybe… it’s calling out to him. He did lose his scale after all, so it makes sense he wants it back…… But how can I reach him in the sea……

Luna put the necklace back on, holding it close to her chest. She slowly formulated a plan. A plan that could let her get out to the sea, following her heart, and her necklace. I have to find him. Not only to find the merman… but to give back what is rightfully his…

It was 3 in the morning, everyone in the village was in a deep slumber. All except Luna. Luna had waited so long for just this moment. And she quickly executed her plan. Going through the window, Luna jumped down from the roof, and ran towards the docks. After a bit of searching, she found what she was looking for — mother’s old boat. Castor and Pollux barely used it, but they kept it in good condition ‘for reasons’.

How does this work? Luna fiddled around the controls of the motors. Banging it, twisting the knobs, but nothing seemed to work. Her mom did teach her how to use this thing, but she had been gone for years, and Luna’s memories about it were fuzzy at best.

Suddenly, the motor revved up, propelling the boat forward. She ran to the steering wheel, ready to go out to the open ocean. Just wait, Mr. Mermaid. Luna held her necklace to her heart. I’m coming.

As she sailed from the port out to the open sea, the necklace grew brighter and brighter, illuminating the darkness around her. Along the way, she could finally see the full extent of mankind’s damage to the biosphere. Dead fish carcasses, black sludge, and chunks of garbage were everywhere. I hope he isn’t stuck out here again……

Soon after, the junk on the ocean started to thin out, and the necklace was glowing even more brightly. We’re close. Luna thought. The mermaid had to be somewhere out here. But there was still no trace of that mythical creature. I just need to go a bit farther!

But then, disaster struck. As the first raindrops fell onto the boat, Luna began to panic. She remembered her father’s warning to always turn back when there was a storm. This isn’t good. I really should turn back… Luna thought. But her necklace was glowing the brightest it had ever been now, seemingly calling her towards the dark and murky ocean. Looking back at the receding shorelines, Luna steeled herself. I’ve gone too far to stop here. I must find the mermaid of the sea. The mermaid must be waiting!

Even if Luna was determined to continue forward through the storm, Mother Nature was not merciful. The rain grew heavier and heavier, the winds fiercer and fiercer, and the waves higher and higher. As the boat tumbled around on the endless waves, the storm only grew and grew, driving the boat out of control.

The boat was tossed around even more, like a measly leaf in a whirling windstorm. Water sloshed onto the wobbling boat, and soaked the deck with brine and rainwater. Holding on to her boat for dear life, Luna looked to the stormy skies. How do I get out of this…storm? I can barely stand still… Please, Mother, if you can hear this, help!

Suddenly, a ginormous wave formed over Luna’s head. She tried to steer out of the way of the torrential tide, but the wave was too strong. All Luna could do was watch as the waves swallowed her boat, taking her underwater. Buried under the raging waves, Luna desperately tried to swim up to the surface, but the waves kept pushing her around and around. Her arms flailed around helplessly as she struggled to reach the surface. She could feel her vision getting blurry, air escaping out of her lungs……

As Luna’s consciousness slowly faded away, her necklace suddenly glowed like a beacon, releasing a shockwave to the depths of the ocean. Luna’s vision grew narrower and narrower, becoming dark images flashing in her mind… I’m gonna die, aren’t I? Luna thought as she sank deeper and deeper into the depths…

Suddenly, a figure stormed over Luna’s head. W…what was that? Luna’s eyes blacked out again, and when they came back, she saw the figure right on top of her, and her body was wrapped up in a warm embrace. W…who…… Luna thought as the figure carried Luna away from the raging storm. But before she could identify the figure, Luna drifted into a deep coma……

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