Clash of Tides (A merman story)

STANDING, I STUMBLE AND GAWK at Assan. The revelation of his existence makes my desire to collapse again stronger than before. Unable to hold my balance any further, I descend to the ground and hope it swallows me whole, but that is a wish that won’t be afforded to me. There are many things in the sea that humans should never see...what does he mean? Those plants… the teeth on the petals. What were they? Who is he referring to? What kind of place is this? My mind flows with questions; however, based on how Assan has acted so far, getting the answers from him reminds me of pulling a horse that refuses to budge.

As my mouth is agape, I take a few steps back from Assan. His speed in the water, the whirlpool surrounding our bodies, and his confident aura underwater add to what he is telling me. More memories of the ordeal return, including his lips pressing against my skin, and the ability to breathe in the water with no air. Even now, his touch lingers, making me remember the almost death I escaped from. For those few seconds, underneath the waves when I could breathe, my body was different yet also the same. How did he give me the ability to breathe underwater? Was it true?

Even though Assan rescued me and kissed me, my idea of him hasn’t changed: he is still a mystery that won’t let me be free. The longer I’m here, the anger I have for him grows within me. His body may be toned and arms strong, but he is full of secrets and unworthy of praise.

I stare at Assan as I tremble, but I am eager to get more information for him.

“What do you mean? What were those plants? What kind of place am I in?” My voice cracks, worrying about how he will reply.

Assan’s brows knit together as his eyes form slits at me. He scowls, looking at me with an intense, icy vexation in his blue and sea-green irises.

“It is as I told you. I warned you, did I not? Escaping is futile.” He continues his glare.

Anger seethes through me. “Why don’t you tell me what you really are? It is obvious you are not human…” I trail off, bracing myself for his proper answer. He filches in the water, then lazily shrugs his shoulders. Does he not want to tell me the truth?”

“I wonder…can you handle it? The truth of what I am?” He arches an eyebrow at me and smirks. He whips his head back, causing his black tresses to create a curtain in front of his eyes, and water from his locks drip onto his exposed chest.

I swallow the gulp in my throat, deciding what is worst: my mother, the human-eating, underwater plants, or Assan—all of them are bad. My body tenses, and it’s clear that Assan is testing me, but why?

I take a step forward, trying to stand firm, but no matter how much I try, the weight takes a toll on me. Hunching my shoulders, I refrain from letting tears drip from my eyes.

I part my lips, and my voice squeaks out. “If you are going to sleep with me…”—my body stiffs, thinking about Assan’s touch and all that he has done to me or will do to me—“you may as well tell me the truth; however, I doubt you will tell me everything.

He chuckles darkly before giving me a sly grin. “You are not wrong. Just because I fuck a woman, it means nothing to me. You best remember that.” His words are harsh and cold as his intense gaze burns into mine.

At that moment, I think back to the kiss between us: it didn’t mean anything. But it wouldn’t; he is only using me like Mother; the tides are changing.

I grimace, growing even more puzzled about who or what Assan really is. If a woman means nothing to him, then I can’t fathom why he desires a child. He’ll be a terrible father.

I shake my head and lower my gaze to the small pools of water soaking on my feet. Tears spill from my eyes, but I squeeze my eyelids shut. “Just tell me...what are you?” My voice is quiet, but Assan has no problem hearing me as a grunt erupts from his throat in response.

I look back up at him, and he lowers his arms to the sides and sighs heavily. “Humans have their tales, Elena, so answer me this, have you heard rumors about creatures in the sea?” His face is stern, and his eyes hold a dangerous glint.

I shake my head, feeling the rush of adrenaline pumping back through my veins and my heart pounding against my chest. Lucas was the one who told me about creatures in the forest, but never the sea. Still, I don’t believe the rumors.

“I’ve only heard of those on land, but aren’t they…”

“They are not rumors... I am afraid they are true, and in your case, that’s bad news.” Assan cuts me off and shrugs. His nonchalant deposition starts to frustrate me.

My mouth is agape, and I’m speechless. Such things do not exist in this world; this is all foolish from drunken sailors that wish to earn some coin. Perhaps he is trying to trick me, cause me to go mad, but maybe, I already am. “You are lying,” I attempt to shout, but I quickly retract, covering my mouth. Assan raises an eyebrow at me, probably noticing my strange habit of quieting myself. To my words, he then glares daggers at me, and his firm displeasure hits me all at once. The water surrounding him starts to ripple rapidly as he clenches his jaw in anger.

What started as small ripples spin faster, forming a whirlpool, like in the water before. His intense gaze is right on me. “Do not ever call me a liar again, or the consequences will be dire,” he says through clenched teeth as small waves hit the edge of the rocks.

I shake uncontrollably, realizing I must have hit a nerve. Even as I stand on land, his rage oozes from the water. My breath catches in my throat as I ponder Assan’s words and range. I am such a child here, so small and helpless.

To my surprise, his gaze begins to soften, and the water returns to its peaceful state. The silence between us remains as I am unable to understand the foolishness happening around me, but then, just because something lacks comprehension, doesn’t mean its foolish.

“Based on your expression and silence, I take it you understand not to repeat those words again, correct?” His tone is sharp as he glares at me, and I nod.

Curiosity nags at me, and I part my lips and ask, “If what you say is true, then what other creatures live in the water? What are you?” My body trembles waiting for his answer.

Assan gives me a playful grin. “That plant is just one of many things in the sea, and I…well, humans have given my kind many names.”

I swallow the gulp in my throat. “What names?” My breath hitches.

“Sea people for one, though, I find that one unoriginal and stupid, but I guess for your purposes…I am considered a merman.” He grunts, but his voice is calm, undisturbed by the information he divulged.

His blue and sea-green pupils are upon me, and I am stunned. Lucas had told me the stories of merman and mermaids, but I didn’t believe them. Even now, while one is before me, I still think my eyes are deceiving me.

I shake my head, absorbing in the truths that Assan is revealing to me. It’s still hard to believe.

“If you are a merman, then how…” My voice trails off as I question how Assan plans to conceive a child with me, for all of this is preposterous.

Assan’s lips twist into a sly grin as he leans lazily at the edge of the water.

“You shall see, shortly.” He smirks at me with overwhelming confidence showing on his features, and I wonder if he has bedded a human before.

As I stand there, soaking all this in like a washcloth, droplets form from my eyes and run down my face. Even though the tears are flowing, I refuse to move; my new path is laid before me, and the truth is, I am never escaping from here.

“…if what you say is true, then…” I pause, sobbing.

“Yes,” he answers bluntly.

Then, on cue to his answer, my legs buckle beneath me. I fall, landing on my knees. I am trapped, with no means of escape. Even if I try to free myself, I fail. My current will never let me leave. My boat needs to sink with me as a passenger before I find my freedom. As I sit here, I blend in with the rocks: an object not moving but for the water moistening my outer appearance.

For a moment, my mind descends into madness as I chuckle, remembering that day, before, when I tried changing my flow, but mother wouldn’t let me. The cycle continues, and again, I am trapped.

I hadn’t seen my father for what seemed like months, then. I was lying in bed when Mother barged into my room and forced me awake. My little brother, who was still new to the world, was crying and wailing, needing attention. I rubbed my eyes, trying to comprehend the noises surrounding me, but Mother urged me to rise quickly from the bed. It was normal to hear the sounds of men working in the nearby streets, but something was amiss that day. I heard noises in the house, and my mother’s face was full of a rage I hadn’t seen before.

“Elena, wake up. Pack your bags, we are leaving, today!” My mother’s voice boomed within my room, almost as if it shook the house. I was confused and frightened, but I listened to my mother and packed my clothes the best I could. My wardrobe was plentiful back then, but I wasn’t given enough time to secure all my belongings before the guards entered our three-bedroom, brick-fronted terraced home: two guards armed with their rifles slung across their shoulders. Both were wearing their red coats, with tight white pants and white buttons, buttoned to the top.

“You are aware you must vacate the premises today, Madam. Do you understand?” One of the guards asked my mother, keeping the stern expression on his face.

Looking at my mother as she held my brother, I could tell she was holding back the tears in her eyes. That was the last, and only time, I saw my mother about to cry.

My mother simply nodded her head, grabbed my little hand, and started walking towards the door.

“Mama, where are we going?” I asked her, confused over everything that was happening. I never got an answer from her and, instead, clutched my bag close to my chest. People were staring at us that day, and men were entering our house, removing the furniture my mother loved. It felt like a thousand eyes burned into mine, with hatred, I would only understand when I got older. I lowered my gaze to the cobblestone on the street, not wanting to look at the faces judging me. As we kept walking, I felt another pair of eyes on me, but less judgmental. I looked up when I saw short black hair and dark brown eyes staring at me. The girl was younger than I, and she was walking towards the house I used to live in. It was Mika. Carriages passed us, and the stares continued, but my mother kept walking. Eventually, we walked to the shadowy, poorer part of town. Bodies laid about, and the disgusting smell of human waste hit my nostrils. I tugged on my mother’s dress, but she dismissed me, along with my brother’s cries.

I stopped to look around, gaping at the area around us. The sky seemed darker here, covered by the smoke from the factories in the distance. It was harder to breathe, and I was scared. Men with faces covered in grime followed me with their gazes, and I quickly ran back to my mother.

We walked into a dank alleyway and stopped in front of a small, crumbling terraced home. My brother was still crying in my mother’s arms when she started rocking him, soothing him with her voice.

“This is our new home. Now get inside,” my mother ordered, and I followed without question, mostly because I was afraid of the outside.

After we settled and I grew accustomed to my new lodgings, my mother came into the small bedroom I shared with Joe. Her lips were a brighter shade of red, and she was wearing a puffy, pink dress that was open at the top. Life most of her dresses, it was elaborate, but I could not understand why she was wearing it.

“Elena, put this on,” she said, handing me a powdered brush. I looked at my mother, perplexed, wondering why I needed this.

“What for?” I asked curiously.

My mother smiled at me, giving me her sweetest grin. “You are coming to work with me tonight. Come then, hurry along; you will enjoy it.” She urged the powered brush into my hand and started powdering my face against my will.

I knew my mother never smiled at me in such a way, and it scared me. I stepped back from her, shaking my head. “I don’t want to go, please, don’t make me,” I pleaded, and tears pooled at the base of my eyes.

My mother groaned. “Stop acting like a child! Look around you, Elena. It is just the three us now, and you need to work. You are young, and there is a certain clientele that will enjoy your company.” She smiled at me. Her grin was wicked, sending me into blood-curdling fear. I stepped back from her, bumping into the wall.

“Stop this now! If you continue acting this way, no man will want you.” She stepped before me, bent down, and used her finger to wipe the tears from my face.

“Please, I don’t want to go.” I sobbed, hoping my mother would listen to me.

“Shhh...it will be all right. I will doll you up and make you pretty for tonight, and you will match with me.” My mother took the powdered brush from my hand and dabbed it on my face. “My beautiful Elena, with us both working, we shall be part of the upper class again.” A smile tugged at her lips until she heard the sound of Joe crying from the floor. She groaned and turned towards the blanket.

“What am I going to do with you? That father of yours, he should pay me the money he owes me. One day, he will pay.” She sighed. “Someone will need to watch you.” She ran her finger down Joe’s bright white face and then turned towards me and sighed heavily.

Joe saved me by delaying my mother’s plans, and now I am abandoning him. I am trapped in this cave, with no escape. I have become my father.

A sharp stone hits my leg, snapping me from my thoughts, and something splashes and twitches next to me. I look over, and two fish are flinching about with two stones next to them: flint and marcasite. Curious, my gaze trails back to the water. Assan, who is glancing at me from over his shoulder, stays near the middle of the pool.

“Eat,” he says bluntly. “I will return to check on you later.” He turns away from me, and all I see is his backside and wet locks. “I hope you have learned your lesson, Elena. It will be troublesome for me if you die before I get want I need from you.” He sighs. “Foolishness doesn’t look good on a human. Besides, the plants that tried to eat you are not the worst the sea has to offer.” His voice is cryptic, and my imagination runs wild thinking about what other creatures live in those murky waters.

Instead of responding to him, I lower my gaze to the ground, feeling empty and lost in a sea of darkness. The soft sound of water splashes about, and based on the water’s movements, Assan has not left yet.

“I am still in disbelief that you tried to escape. I thought you wanted death, unless, you were attempting to speed up the process.” His voice is soft but has that playful tone.

Despite his taunts, my eyes refuse to look at him. I am drowning in my own sadness, and every moment I hear his voice, it consumes me more, like fire.

“...there is someone…I don’t want to be like, so I tried to change my mind, but it was for nothing,” I mumble out, hoping Assan tries to understand my pain. For a second, the cave becomes silent again.

The shine from the sun beams down on me, warming my skin and drying my tears. It is the only light and warmth I have in this cave. The only exit left that could bring me to freedom, but it is out my reach, like always.

“Then, Elena, both of us have something in common. There is someone we don’t wish to resemble.” In the shock of his words, I stare at Assan. His back is still facing me, but his voice was soft, hinting with a sadness I understand.

“Now eat,” he says, with a harsh tone lacing his voice as he swims away. His scaly, bluefin splashes above the water, and I am speechless. He really is a merman…

Reluctantly, I pick up both stones with my shaking hands as the tears spew from my eyes again. Beating the rocks together, I hope to create a spark soon, so I can at least satisfy this hunger my body feels.

The fish continue twitching next to me until they both come to a halt; their battle is over, but at least they have found peace.

It is quiet in the cave now, and only the soothing sounds of dripping water create music for my ears. My dress is a mess, ripped at the bottom and becoming tattered at the seams. Once I get the rocks to spark, I gather dried seaweed and pick up the piece of cloth I ripped from my gown. I burn parts of it and cook the fish where the sun is the brightest. The spot is dry and warm, unlike other sections of the cave. The fish are cooked, lacking any seasonings, but inside I have no desire to eat. Why eat when I am to be killed soon? As I eat pieces of my fish, a part of me is glad I know how to cook; without the knowledge, Joe and I would have starved a thousand times over since my mother only knows how to make stew and spread her legs.

I toss the bones and hope rain comes soon for drinking water. My eyes are puffy and, most likely, scarlet from all of my sobbing. I press my body against the rocky wall, closing my eyes. I wrap my arms around my form, using my own body heat for comfort. My mind drifts, and I find myself in a green field with sunlight near the Leverton Manor. I’m running with Seidon following behind me as his blonde hair blows in the wind. He is trying to catch up to me, but at least on land, I can outrun him, but eventually, he catches me and wraps his arms around me. I don’t know why I think of him; I will never see him again.

With the pleasant dreams of escape, sleep comes to capture me.

I TOSS AND TURN. A chill breeze blows across my face. Groggily, I open my eyes, and the moon above me greets me. Beams of light shimmer through the open ceiling. I am heavy, weak, and numb. Rubbing my eyes, I wonder how long I slept. Days and time are lost on me. Staying still, I stare at the dark sky, watching the clouds advance towards the moon. How long have I slept?

I wince as I sit up, and the sluggishness in my muscles slows me down. As I prop myself with my elbows, I sweep my surroundings, and my horrific prison is back in view. I sigh heavily, exhausted over the truth about Assan. He said his kind, so there has to be more like him, but where?

I push myself to stand, but my legs are weak, like a newborn kitten. The air is cool, so not much has changed since I slept. Out of the corner of my eye, half of a giant clamshell sitting at the edge of the water catches my attention. Looking inside, I see it is empty. I can use this to gather water. Did Assan bring this for me? As I stare at the shell, I hear a splash come from the pool. Quickly, I spin around, noticing a figure in the corner of the water.

I stare intently, and one blue and one golden pair of eyes looks straight at me; they are the same pair of hues as before. I’m shocked by the face I see. It seems to be the same young woman. Her face is round, and her eyes sparkle like Assan’s, but unlike his, they do not captivate me. Brunette hair sways in the water and stops at her shoulders but doesn’t stick to her flesh. She looks as though she is part of the noble class—a woman I could never be.

She must be like Assan. Is she the one from before? Maybe she will help me. I take a few steps forward when she retracts away.

“Please...can you…”

“He has already started. I must inform her majesty. War is coming.” Quickly, she swims away, and a green, scaly tail splashes above the water. I run to the edge of the pool, hoping my voice reaches her, but she is gone.

“Her Majesty. War is coming...he has already started…” I pause and close my lips. What else is Assan keeping from me, and does he know that woman who was watching me?