In the Deep

Maggie dozed while waiting for Thomas to return with his mother. Thomas was her only hope. He had found her lost and stranded on the rocky beach. Maggie did not know how she got there, or what had happened to her legs. Thomas had said his mother could understand the writing Maggie had scratched out in the sand. She had tried writing to him, when she discovered she had no voice.

Maggie thought of the young man; of his crystal blue eyes and blond hair tousled by the wind. If she hadn’t been in such a dire predicament…and she drifted off dreaming of his eyes and caresses. Warm caresses turned cold and she woke to find water almost to her chest. She was slipping into a shallow pool. In only a few minutes, the pool became much deeper with the incoming tide. She struggled to crawl out with her arms. Her tail slapped the water frantically. She gasped in a breath of air when she slipped and plunged fully into the ocean.



She gave a silent scream as salt water rushed into her lungs. The effect was immediate. Her throat closed off and she felt tingling warmth along her neck just below her ears. Water rushed in then out the sides of her neck. She could breathe! She felt a gentle motion below her ears and the pleasant sensation of water rushing in and out. She calmed down. Even though she could not remember who she was or how she came to be here, all fear of the water faded away.

She swam easily, rejoicing in the feel of water flowing over her body. Her muscles, her tail, every part of her body knew what to do. She did somersaults in the waves. Water flowed through her hair, causing her scalp to tingle. The water was cold, but delicious. She felt electrified. She swam far out into the depths, away from the rocky beach and poked her head above water looking back to where she had come.

She felt uneasy. While the ocean called to her, and she wanted to explore its depths, something held her back. She yearned to feed on the creatures of the deep and she reveled in her newfound beauty. Her flowing hair, and the water rushing through and caressing each strand, was thrilling. She only wanted to swim and savor the feeling. Still, she felt a tugging at her heart, and turned back.

She saw lanterns along the beach as Thomas and his mother searched for her. She longed to go to them. She was sure they were trying to help. She swam in close and caught the boy’s eyes. Maggie saw that his eyes were filled with concern and he waved his arms at her. His mother had also seen her, but she cried out, and dropped her lantern. The woman fell to her knees. Thomas didn’t notice, and he dashed forward into the surf calling out to Maggie.



Maggie turned and looked out at the endless ocean. In the moonlight it was beautiful with shining wavelets, like diamonds. She turned back to Thomas. His shouts, calling for her, created confusion in her heart. She looked back and forth, torn between sea and shore. At last she turned away. The ocean was calling to her, and its voice sang to her heart.