Starving for Love

by Nicole Zoltack

  Her heart skipped a beat, still burning with love for the man in her arms, just as she knew it always would.

  Steeling her nerve, she swam inside, careful to avoid the rows of sharp rocks reminding her of shark teeth at the entrance.

  No bioluminescent plankton was in sight or any glowing fish. Strange plants she didn't recognize covered the walls. Their long leaves reached toward her, and she rearranged Kristian in front of her so neither of them touched the plants.

  Maybe this isn't the best of ideas.

  A sudden glow brightened the cave.

  "Hallo, and who do we have here?"

  Sirena lifted her head as the sea witch appeared from the faraway darkness. Merlinasea was in her primitive form — that of a massive sea dragon with mossy green and dark blue scales, yellow underbelly, and white eyes. The eerie unnaturalness to the sea witch dragon made Sirena shiver.

  Before she could respond, the sea witch crackled. "Oh, if it isn't Tritonion's youngest girl. Sirena, isn't it?"

  Sirena nodded, almost hypnotized by the large creature. Most fishes communicated telepathically with mermaids, but the sea witch opened her mammoth mouth to talk as if in a humanoid form, her words vocalized, the sound bouncing off the cave walls.

  "I take it you already know my name." Despite the crammed quarter, Merlinasea circled around her at a slow swim.

  Sirena kept still although her arms burned from holding Kristian's dead weight.

  Merlinasea's shiny scales glistened and glowed as her form altered. The sea witch now had a human-like head and torso, just like Sirena, but instead of a tail, she had squid-like appendages, one of which stretched out toward Kristian.

  "Who is this?" the sea witch asked, her green hair floating forward and covering her chest. When Sirena didn't answer, Merlinasea rolled her white eyes. "Your father did teach you how to speak, did he not?"

  Sirena narrowed her eyes. "Yes. I want you to save him." She lifted Kristian toward the sea witch.

  Merlinasea's long bony finger hovered above his chest, and his diving gear melted away. "He's dead."

  "I know. I was hoping…"

  The sea witch glanced from Kristian to Sirena and back to Kristian again. "You love him, don't you?"

  The lump in her throat prevented Sirena from answering with her voice. She nodded.

  "It will not be easy to bring him back," the sea witch warned.

  Hope flared within her chest. "You mean you can?"

  "Of course I can. You brought him to me for a reason. I can deliver what you want—"

  "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

  "For a price." Merlinasea again transformed. This time, she became more like a jellyfish, eyes, nose, and a mouth floating in the gelatinous bell. The sea witch wrapped two tentacles around Kristian and lowered him onto a bed of seaweed.

  Sirena wrung her hands together. "I have a golden comb I can offer."

  "I care not for human items." Her mouth moved closer to Sirena as she scowled, her eyes moving around the gel with apparent ease.

  She gulped. Mermaids used fish bones to untangle their hair. Sirena did not know if any other marine creature used a comb.

  With nothing else to offer, Sirena kept silent and prayed the price would not be too steep and one she could acquire. She was willing to give anything so Kristian might breathe again.

  "No, what I require is your memory."

  The mermaid backed up until the strange plants wrapped their leaves around her. Hot yet slimy, the leaves held her in place.

  Merlinasea reverted to her sea dragon form, for intimidation purposes if Sirena had to guess. "I will save him if you will agree to lose your memories. Of him." The sea dragon nodded her huge head toward Kristian's deathly still form.

  Tears streamed down Sirena's face. She didn't bother to free herself from the plant. "Why?" she choked out. "What do you have against love?"

  "Love is for fools," Merlinasea snapped, her white eyes turning cloudy. She shook her head. "Believe me, girlie, I'm doing you a favor." The sea witch floated over to Kristian, her long tail caressing the side of his face. "It's up to you. Are your memories so precious that you would rather he remain dead?"

  "Of course not!" Sirena snapped.

  Merlinasea's lips twisted wickedly. "I knew you would listen to reason." The point of her tail touched Sirena's forehead. A cool sensation washed over the mermaid's body. Against her will, she lost consciousness.

  ****

  Sirena lay in bed, her eyes closed. She could hear someone enter the room, but she didn't stir.

  "Come on, Sirena, get up."

  She recognized Marilla's lilting voice.

  "You never show up for my dancing lessons anymore."

  That was Ula.

  "Enough. Up. Now."

  Sirena's eyes flew open as Cordula bodily yanked her up.

  "Now I don't know what's going on with you," Cordula continued, "but I'm tired of it. It's been over a month, and you didn't ask any of us to—"

  "I'm tired." Sirena opened her mouth and faked a yawn.

  "All you do is sleep." Marilla crossed her arms. Although she was the gentlest of the sisters, today even she appeared bothered.

  Cordula nodded at Ula, and they grabbed onto Sirena's arms. "You're coming with us."

  "Where to?" Sirena asked even though she didn't care.

  They didn't answer, not that she had expected them to, and the quartet swam together in a tight group. Soon, Sirena realized they were heading for the surface. She thought about arguing with them since she didn't want to get in trouble with Father but said nothing. No one listened to her so what was the point?

  Her sisters were talking, but she didn't bother to pay attention to them and only caught a few words of their conversation: "Must have had a fight… never sings anymore… flips… dances… not the same… over a month…"

  A few feet from the surface, Cordula and Ula stopped, forcing Sirena to as well.

  "Go on up," Cordula said. "We'll be right here, waiting for you. Come back when you're ready."

  "But I don't—"

  "It's all right, Sirena," Ula said.

  "We know how much this means to you. Go ahead." Marilla's emphatic nods caused her short hair to dance.

  Sirena sighed and decided to placate her sisters. Why they wanted her to go to the surface, she didn't know.

  The air chilled her damp skin. No one was on the beach, which suited Sirena fine. Was it too soon to return to her sisters? Just what did they want her to do?

  A quiet sound reached her ears. At first she ignored it, but it remained a constant hum in her ears, and she pushed herself toward it. Someone was crying desperately, the wailing that belongs to someone whose heart had been broken and would never be whole again.

  Sirena couldn't handle hearing such suffering and was ready to dive underwater when the sobbing ceased. She glanced toward the beach and saw a little boy staring at her.

  "Why were you crying?" she asked after a long moment.

  The boy appeared ready to start wailing again. "Are you a monster?"

  Sirena glanced down. The water was so shallow here the boy could see her tail. She shook her head.

  "You aren't?" he asked again.

  "No."

  The boy lowered his head. The sunlight made his blond curls look golden. He said something.

  "I can't hear you."

  "A monster…"

  "A monster what?" Sirena prompted. The boy didn't answer. "If you don't want to talk about it, it's fine."

  "A monster ate my family," the boy said in a rush. His chest began to heave up and down.

  To prevent him from crying again, Sirena said, "Don't worry. I'll help you."

  "You will?" Light — hope — shone from his eyes.

  "Yes." She hesitated for a moment then added, "I promise."

  The corners of the little boy's lips curled ever so slightly. He clapped his hands before running away.

  Something stirred within Sirena. For the first tim
e in weeks, she didn't feel hollow. Instead she felt anger. This monster, whatever it was, was going to pay. Eating people was barbaric. And to leave a poor boy all by himself after devouring its family… that was beyond cruel. Family was all that mattered. She winced, knowing that she hadn't been the best family member as of late, and now she would have to leave them behind in order to help the boy.

  Sirena didn't make promises lightly. She had every intention of keeping this one.

  Chapter Eight

  Hunger. All he knew was hunger. An all-consuming hunger.

  Nothing satisfied him. Not completely. Not for long. His stomach was a large pit that could never be filled.

  He ate everything he came across. Most things tasted bitter. But some things … some things tasted delicious.

  Flesh. He craved it.

  The screams, though. They bothered him. At first a lot, but now, only a little bit. He heard them constantly. Even when he slept.

  Hunger. Food.

  Time to eat again.

  Always time to eat.

  Where could he find more food?

  Chapter Nine

  Sirena waited until she couldn't see the boy's retreating form anymore before sinking beneath the water. Her sisters surrounded her.

  "Are you okay now?" Marilla asked, wringing her hands.

  "You look better. Are you happy?" Ula asked.

  "Did you talk to him?" Cordula removed a piece of seaweed from Sirena's hair.

  She raised her eyebrows in surprise. How did Cordula know about the little boy? "Yes, I talked to him. Yes, I'm okay now."

  "Are you happy?" Ula repeated.

  Sirena shrugged. "I guess so." A lie. Well, not completely. It did feel good to have purpose again.

  "Good." Ula beamed before facing Marilla and Cordula. "I knew it would work!"

  "Let's go home before Father realizes we're gone," Marilla suggested.

  Sirena swam with her sisters toward the castle. When the spiral turrets of the castle were visible over the seascape, she stopped. "I'll be right back."

  "Do you want me to come with you?" Marilla asked.

  She shook her head. "I won't be gone long."

  "See you at supper!" Ula called. The other mermaids waved, and Sirena darted away. She glanced over her shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief when her sisters disappeared inside the castle.

  A short time later, Sirena entered Merlinasea's lair. She had never been here before, but it looked familiar somehow.

  The cool and refreshing water soothed Sirena's nerves. The idea of going after a monster was not one she relished, but she was tired of not doing anything, lacking the drive to do more than eat seaweed and sleep. Nothing seemed enjoyable anymore. It was as if something was missing, but she had no idea what it was.

  Anxiety slowed her pace. Merlinasea's great power allegedly rivaled her father's. The sea witch could certainly grant Sirena what she sought. A mermaid was no match for a vicious monster. Sirena would have to change in order to fulfill her promise.

  Darkness descended as a large figure blotted the glowing fish in the cave. "Who goes there?" an unfamiliar voice asked.

  "Sirena, daughter of Tritonion."

  "Sirena? What are you doing here?" The sea witch raised her bushy eyebrows. Her head was humanoid, but the rest of her body and tail was that of a massive sea dragon.

  "I need your help," Sirena said.

  Merlinasea narrowed her eyes. "With what?"

  Sirena's fin flittered back and forth. It was obvious Merlinasea was not in a good mood. She would not be surprised if she had to give up something precious in order to appease the sea witch. "I need land legs."

  Merlinasea's dragon parts quivered and changed into those of a squid. Her tentacles curled up and clenched as if into fists. "Why?" Her question was almost a growl.

  Sirena's nervousness transformed into anger. She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "Why does not concern you."

  "Oh, ho, ho. Don't take that tone with me, girl. I can turn you into shark bait before you blink. I have no interest in helping unappreciative ignoramuses." Merlinasea moved as if to swim deeper into her lair.

  "If I tell you why, will you help me?" For some reason she couldn't explain, Sirena didn't want to apologize to the sea witch. Rage built in her chest. She didn't hate anyone, and yet she despised Merlinasea. Not that she had a reason to.

  "If you tell me why, I will consider it." Merlinasea lazily faced Sirena again, her tone bored.

  "Fair enough," Sirena said, hers barely civil. "I promised a boy I would help him. He said a monster ate his family."

  "You plan on going after the zombie?"

  Zombie? Perhaps human-eating monsters were called zombies.

  "Yes," she answered.

  Merlinasea's disapproving look melted away as her lips curled into a vicious grin. Sirena shivered. The sea witch appeared even more despicable than before.

  "Well, will you grant me land legs?"

  "I will — for a price."

  Sirena nodded curtly. "Out with it."

  Merlinasea eyed her up and down. "Your looks."

  Sirena blinked several times. Merlinasea was not ugly, far from it. The mermaid had heard whispers that the sea witch's voice had once belonged to a mermaid, her tiny ears to a selkie, and so on. Which feature of hers would soon grace Merlinasea's face? Her eyes that changed color depending on her mood? Her small nose? Her bow-shaped lips?

  Before she could agree, the sea witch added, "And you do realize you will never be able to return to the sea again."

  "Never?" Sirena gaped. Now that was a steep price. "But selkies can go on land as humans and still return to the sea."

  "Selkies are powerful creatures with magic of their own. Your daddy may have power, but you don't. If you change your fin into legs, you will not be able to return to the water. You will not be able to swim in the oceans or lakes or streams. It would cost you your life." Merlinasea said this matter-of-factly despite having to realize how devastating this was to hear.

  To never sing with her sisters as they did every night before supper. To never dance again with Ula. To never see her sisters again, never see her father again…

  She closed her eyes. The little boy's face appeared in her mind. The utter hopelessness in his eyes, the dejected slump in his shoulders — how could she break her promise to him?

  How unfair life was! Selkies could have the best of both worlds, although the sea was their home — they did not belong to the land. Sirena had met a selkie once. She could only recall bits and pieces of their conversation, but she did remember that the selkie had said that the entire time she was in her human form, in the back of her mind, she always thought of swimming in the sea, being one with the waves.

  "Well, Sirena? Will you slay the zombie?"

  Sirena hung her head. After a long moment, she nodded.

  Merlinasea cackled, her glee at Sirena's decision giving the mermaid pause. The sea witch's hands shone a brilliant orange, her tendrils purple. They wrapped themselves around Sirena's fin. Serious pain filled her, and she hissed. Oh, the burn! Agony, ripping, tearing, destroying… She prayed she would pass out from the pain, but she was not that lucky.

  Chapter Ten

  The stench of death surrounded him. He sniffed, breathing it in, soaking it up. This was what he lived for.

  Another sniff. Rotting flesh. Where was that coming from?

  Oh, him.

  A snicker resulted in coughs, and he hacked violently.

  When he quieted after a long while, he heard a faint noise. A heartbeat. Someone was nearby.

  His stomach rumbled.

  He was hungry.

  Always hungry.

  After forcing his legs to cooperate, he lumbered to his feet and walked toward the sound of the living. Screams filled his ears. The chorus almost sounded like singing to him now.

  His arms outstretched so he could grab her, he ran toward her. His legs didn't cooperate the best, but she ran with such reckless
haste she fell down.

  He was on top of her and began to enjoy his meal. It wasn't long before the screaming stopped.

  Chapter Eleven

  Sirena stared at her two legs — alabaster white with five toes on each. Before she could admire them, the pain she felt shifted to cover not only her legs but her entire body, which glowed a neon green color.

  Merlinasea stepped back and released her. She waved her hand in a circle, and a funnel formed in the water. The vortex sucked Sirena into it and spun her around so many times she got sick. When the water stopped, she was spat out onto the beach.

  Sirena couldn't move at first, but when the water came back onto the beach and touched her legs, the searing pain came back. An inch at a time, she used her arms to pull herself out of the water's path. Tears ran down her face, not from the agony but from her inner turmoil. No good could come of dwelling about her lost family. If only she'd had time to say good-bye! But then she would have never had the nerve to leave them. And they never would have allowed her to.

  She dragged herself over to a rock. Using her arms so much was tiresome, and she leaned against the cool stone with her eyes closed. A shadow crossed over her. Sirena opened her eyes, but no one was there. Closing her eyes again, she almost fell asleep when a voice said:

  "Here, take this. It was Momma's."

  Sirena opened her eyes. A young boy stood with his back to her, a plain dress on the sand in front of her. She struggled to put it on, as the dress was a rather tight fit.

  Glancing down at her body, she realized she had put on some serious weight. Dark spots covered her once pearl-like hands. She touched her face and felt warts and a long, beak-like nose.

  "Are you hungry?" the boy asked.

  Sirena cocked her head. He was the same boy she'd made her promise to. Why didn't he recognize her? Then she remembered. Of course — because her looks had been stripped away.

  She shook her head. The boy was so thin himself. He should eat all the food he had access to. Unfortunately, her stomach didn't cooperate with her mind and growled.