by R. L. Weeks
He pushed his coffee away. “Why would you even ask that?”
Aggravation flared. “The way you sounded so dejected that someone would come find her, it’s a logical question. I just didn’t mean to say it out loud.”
“I’m just a poor fisherman, remember?”
He stormed out and left Sally with her mouth hung open. Fred came out drying his hands on a towel. “What the hell was that all about?”
“Apparently he’s offended because I asked him if he’s falling for Naia.”
Fred started to speak but Sally held up her hand.
“I don’t want to hear none of this siren business. If she starts singing, I’ll worry about him drowning.”
He held up his hands in mock surrender and went back to the kitchen.
Sally held her mug and warmed her hands. “Tell me, Fred. Just in case. Do sirens have any natural enemies?”
He winked at her. “If they do, I have a sneaking suspicion that you’ll be the one to find it.”
“Jesse has never acted like that before. He’s always been so sweet, even when fishing was bad or a boat broke down.”
“That’s what sirens do. They poison a man’s mind, just for the hell of it. Change his whole character.”
“And I just accept that?”
He shrugged. “Don’t know what else to tell you. Don’t let him go swimming with her cause he won’t come back.”
She sat there and stared at the door for a long time. Is Fred right? Do I even remotely believe in anything like that?
She slumped in the booth.
Am I just overreacting because of the green monster?
She fiddled with her mug of now-cold coffee.
Do I even have a right to be jealous? Jesse and I have never even been on a date.
A long-distance love affair while they were both in the same small town, while everyone expected them to end up together. Stubbornness over those expectations had always kept them from the big reveal of how they felt. Long looks, winks, the occasional arm around the shoulders. Teasing and flirting had become a way of life, but no further. Now it may never.
Sally felt like she’d lost her best friend.
She spent the evening baking pies for the next day. She pulled the last apple pie from the oven and untied her apron.
Lights and sirens lit up the dim lobby as an ambulance flew down the street. Before she could get the door locked behind her, Fred thudded down the outside staircase.
“What happened?”
She shrugged as she turned the key. “No idea. I just finished the baking for tomorrow. No one’s been around.”
They hurried down the street toward the lights and noise to the beach area, opposite the marina from the boat ramp.
Archie approached them as they neared, headed in the opposite direction. His lip pouted as he stopped.
“Mom says I have to go home.”
Sally touched his shoulder. “What happened?”
“One of the guys found a body. Mom won’t let me look.”
Fred stiffened, and Sally gasped. “A body?”
“Dunno who it is. I heard someone say his heart was ripped out. My folks is freakin’ out a little.” He glanced back. “I best git before they see me stalling. I don’t want to get grounded.” He stomped off.
Fred grabbed her arm before she could move. “Sal–”
She patted his hand. “I know, Fred. I know what you’re going to say. Come on.”
Naia stood off to the side, her hair long and loose. It floated on the night breeze and gave off almost a glow. Jesse stood with one of the paramedics.
Sally moved so she could hear him.
“I’ll wait here until the coroner gets here. We don’t have our own police so the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office is sending someone official.”
The paramedic wrote on his clipboard, then asked another question she couldn’t interpret.
“Andrew Renner. R-e-n-n-e-r. He’s lived here his whole life.”
Jesse glanced toward Sally at her sharp intake of breath. The Renner family had taken Naia in.
“Excuse me.” Jesse walked toward her.
“You okay?”
Sally nodded, unable to speak. Her eyes roved over to Naia.
Fred spoke in a low tone. “What happened?”
Jesse took off his baseball cap and smoothed his hair. “Wife says that Andy and Owen went out gigging for flounder. Took his Jon boat. No idea where that is or how he ended up on the beach.” Owen was the eighteen-year-old son.
“Archie said his heart was ripped out?”
“Damndest thing I’ve ever seen and working a shrimp boat, I’ve seen a lot. Chest ripped open, only his heart missing.”
Sally gagged. “How does that even happen?”
Jesse wiped his face. “Stingray maybe? No signs of a shark attack, no teeth marks.”
Fred started to mumble. “Or a–”
Sally cut him off. “How’s Naia doing?”
Jesse’s features softened as he looked toward the girl. Sally’s heart sank a little more. “She’s all right, I guess. I’m sure she’s traumatized. Haven’t had much of a chance to talk to her.”
Fred scowled at Sally. “You sure it was some kind of animal, or sea creature?”
Jesse frowned. “How would a person just rip someone’s heart out?”
“Where’s Owen?”
“With the boat we’re assuming. If he saw his father fall overboard and never surface, he may still be out there. Once the sheriff’s office gets here, we can organize and figure out what the next step is.”
Jesse went back to the paramedics. Naia caught Sally’s eyes and gave her a small smile before she walked toward the water’s edge.
Fred snarled. “I would love to go push her in and see if she grows a tail when she gets wet.”
Sally laughed. “You’re going with the siren theory, right? You know if you tell the law that, they’re probably going to give you a nice pink padded room with a fancy jacket.”
He sounded grim. “They won’t find Owen alive.”
She slapped at him. “Why would you say that?”
“Because it’s true, dammit. I told you this was going to happen. I may not have known that the bitch eats human hearts, but I knew she was trouble.”
“We’ve had visitors to Ladyfish since I’ve known you. You’ve never acted like this before.”
He spit in the direction of Naia. “We always had visitors. We ain’t had the likes of her before.”
He headed off down the street. Sally watched the commotion before she focused on Naia. The girl stood staring out over the Gulf, hands clasped behind her back. As if she felt Sally’s stare, she turned and waved.
A shiver ran along Sally’s spine as she suddenly felt exposed and alone. With a final glance toward Jesse busy helping weigh down a sheet over the body, she hurried after Fred. Walking alone in the dark was the last thing she wanted to do.
By morning, Owen’s body had washed up near the boat ramp. Just like his father, his chest had been ripped open, his heart missing. While the coroner was at a loss as to the how and why, he was certain about one thing.
No stingray, or shark, or any other such sea creature, was responsible.
Saved
Fred slammed the door to the diner open so hard the entire front window rattled. In the quiet of the early morning hours, the sound echoed.
Sally jumped and almost dropped the tray of biscuits she’d been pulling from the oven. “What’s going on?”
He ignored and stalked off to the kitchen without a word.
She groaned. The entire town was on edge lately, with good reason. Several weeks had passed since the Renner men had been discovered. Five more bodies had been found in the immediate area, all with their hearts gone. To make matters worse, several more victims had washed up both north and south of Ladyfish. All men, all in the exact same condition.
She followed him into kitchen and jumped back as he threw a frying pan at the sink. The force of the
throw caused the pan to bounce out and clang as it skidded across the floor.
She waited before she spoke. When no other items flew across the kitchen, she peeked at Fred. “Did they find another?”
“Down by the power plant.” He spun toward her. “I’m about to put a stop to it myself. Those were all good men. I tried to talk sense to your boyfriend but his head is so far up her ass that he won’t listen to nobody.”
Sally didn’t both to correct him. She hadn’t had a proper conversation with Jesse since the day Naia appeared. Boyfriend is the last thing I’d call him.
“You tried to tell him that she’s a siren?”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m not stupid. He’ll never believe that. No one would. Hell, you don’t even know if you do.”
She huffed. “Every day it’s becoming easier.”
“I told him that she’s trouble. He’s treating you like crap, he’s not working like he normally would. His whole character has changed since she washed into town.”
“He’s in love, Fred. You can say it. I’m over it at this point.”
He cupped her face. “No, Sal, don’t say that. He’s not in love with her. No one is ever in love with the bitches, not really. They have some… some… voodoo shit that they put on men when they want attention. For whatever reason, this particular bitch has taken a fancy to your man. It’s not his fault.”
“So, she put a spell on him?”
He scrunched his face. “Not really a spell. A trance maybe.” He rubbed his head. “Just go with voodoo. It’s easier.”
“So, what you’re saying is that when she’s gone, he’ll go back to normal?”
Fred threw his hands up. “That’s just the thing. I’ve never known a story that ended good. The guys always end up dead when them bitches get bored with em.”
A nervous giggle escaped. “You crack me up referring to the sirens as bitches.”
He shook his head. “Out of everything I said, that’s what you got from it?”
She sobered. “I don’t know what to do. I want to believe what you’re saying about Jesse. I love him. You know that. Why it took until now for me to admit that, I have no idea. But this whole situation is so far out there, I feel like I should be committed just by saying I do believe you.”
“I don’t want to see him dead, but it will happen if we can’t figure out what to do about her. I promise you that.”
Dread chased her every step as she opened the diner and worked the breakfast crowd. Then the lunch crowd. At dinnertime, Jesse came in with Naia but barely grunted a greeting.
If Fred’s right, do I just rip that beautiful head off her shoulders and throw it to the fish?
She giggled at herself. I’m losing my mind. I want to feed one of those bitches to their own kind.
She’d given up on Google because everyone had their own opinions, and just like politics, every expert contradicted the one prior.
Sally locked up and started for the staircase to her apartment. A cool breeze blew and she turned her face upward, eyes closed. She sucked in a deep breath, the air salty but without the stench it had after the storm. On a whim, she headed toward the marina.
A serial killer is ripping the hearts out of people and you’re going walking around in the dark. You’re a special kind of stupid, aren’t you?
She focused on the moon, full and heavy. She neared the beach, the water lapping on the shore.
All the victims have been guys. You’ve been penis free from day one.
She shook her head as she walked. You’re losing it chick. You’re seriously losing it.
She kicked off her shoes and curled her toes in the sand. The Gulf, illuminated by the moon, stretched calm and peaceful. She and Jesse had spent many nights doing the same thing, from the time they were old enough to be out after dark, through the teenage years, right up until Hurricane Irma sent them scattering.
Why did we never make the switch from friends to something more? Why were we afraid to take that first step?
She wandered to the water and waded in up to her ankles. The sands shifted beneath her feet and sucked them down into the depths. A piece of seaweed made her jump as the current wrapped it around her leg.
And just what are you going to do, oh brilliant one, if a body floats by?
She stepped back. Male victims were one thing. Male bodies would be quite another.
A movement rippled the water. The moonlight glinted off… something. Sally strained to see. Loose crab pot buoy?
Another movement. It’s someone swimming.
She crouched low to the water, mindless of her clothes. She waddled backwards toward the beach.
“Ohhhh, Sallllly. I see you.”
A lyrical voice tinkled over the water, sweet but cold. Taunting her.
She scrambled backwards and landed hard on her tailbone in the sand. Naia swam to the shore, her hair floating like a blonde oil slick around her body. She lay in the shallows, elbows down, her chin propped on her hands.
“Curiosity get the better of you?”
Sally tried to keep her voice calm. “What are you doing out here, Naia?”
Naia clicked her tongue. “Come on. Are we going to pretend you don’t know what I’m doing here?”
“You’ve already said more words just now than the whole time you’ve been in Ladyfish.”
“Eh, I only talk when necessary. It’s exhausting, really.”
A little temper bolstered Sally’s nerve. “Never bothered you chatting away with Jesse.”
Naia threw her head backwards and her musical laughter echoed across the water. As she shifted, Sally could see her nakedness, at least from the waist up. She tried to make out a tail but Naia’s lower half remained covered in the dark water.
“I knew you were jealous, but you sound like a love-stricken teenager.”
“What are you? A fish? A demon?”
Naia cocked a brow. “I believe your friend told you exactly what I am.”
“You knew?”
“He tried talking to me once, but if I’m not interested, I have my ways of sending someone away.”
Sally almost whispered. “All those men. Those poor men.”
“A girl has to eat, you know. Staying on two legs takes a lot of energy.”
“Why? Why here?” She straightened. “Why Jesse?”
Naia waved her hand. “You’re not the only one that can be curious. I’d been watching him for a while. Sometimes I just get a sense from someone. He’s such a good guy. Normally I like the bad boys, the rough and tumble. But him. He was so honest and so good. I wanted to figure him out.”
“And did you?”
“He’s actually quite boring. Very resistant to my charms, actually. I’d like to say you can have your boy back, but that just doesn’t happen.”
Sally jumped up, her wet clothes caked with sand. “What does that mean?”
“Naia.”
Jesse appeared from the dark. He stared at Sally before heading toward the water. She ran to him.
“Jesse, you have to stop. You can’t go near her while she’s in the water.”
Naia taunted. “Come on, Jesse. You know you want to.”
Jesse pushed to the water.
“Everyone stop right where they’re at.” Fred stepped into view, a rifle pointed toward the water. “I’m done with this and I’m ending it now.” He raised the gun to his shoulder.
“NO!”
Before she could react, Jesse pushed Sally to the ground hard. He ran to the water as Naia flipped and dove, which gave them a brief glimpse of a long tail. Jesse dove and disappeared.
Sally jumped up and screamed. “Jesse!”
They duo surfaced further out, barely visible in the moonlight. Naia smoothed his hair and kissed him. She trailed a finger down his chest and placed her palm against his heart.
“Shoot her! Shoot the bitch!”
Fred cussed. “I can’t. She’s keeping Jesse too close. I can’t see them well enough.”
&n
bsp; Hysterics followed. “She’s going to kill him.”
Fred took a deep breath. “He’s gonna die anyhow, whether I shoot him by accident or not.” His finger tightened on the trigger.
Before he could pull off a shot, the water boiled. A blood curdling screech filled the air, and Jesse was flung away from Naia and disappeared under the water.
Sally ran into the water but Fred grabbed her before she would swim. “Wait.”
“He’s going to drown.”
“And so are you until you know what’s going on.”
The screeching continued, the water thrashing wildly.
Sally strained her eyes. “That’s Naia making that sound.”
Fred stepped deeper into the water. “Something has her.”
“Like a shark?”
He shrugged. “No clue.”
Naia struggled and fought but seemed unable to swim. A huge tentacle broke the surface and wrapped around her neck. She disappeared under the waves.
The water calmed and all was silent.
“What the–”
Before Fred finished his sentenced, Jesse surfaced nearby. He thrashed and sputtered then went under again.
Sally swam out and dove where he disappeared. She felt around and found a handful of hair. She surfaced and pulled him up. Fred lifted him out of the water and carried him to the beach.
Jesse coughed and choked. It was some time before he could talk. When he did, it was the old Jesse.
“Sal, what in the hell happened?”
She cupped his cheek. “It doesn’t matter. You’re back now.”
“I feel like I’ve been swimming in a dream full of mud. I couldn’t think straight, couldn’t make it end.”
Fred chuckled. “That’s what those bitches do.”
Jesse’s face screwed up. “Huh?”
Sally kissed him. “I love you.”
He smiled. “I’ve waited years to hear that.”
She pulled back. “Why in the hell didn’t you say something?”
“And make it easy on you?”
Fred howled with laughter. He pulled Jesse up. “Let’s get some hot coffee in you.”
Jesse pulled Sally close and kissed her again. “I love you, too.”
As they walked down the street, Jesse’s arm around Sally, she glanced over at Fred.
“And now I know.”