Cursed to the Sea

The Curse

I burst from the water once I had found the island.  It was a series of caves that were like a labyrinth full of misty fog with strange eerie shadows that cast on the water.  I dragged myself up onto a rock and stroked my hands through Will's hair.

"Please wake up,"  I whispered to him and gently let him lay there as I guarded like a hawk to make sure no one came to harm either of us.  I had an objective though, and it was to find the hidden treasure in the island.  I also needed to keep Will safe, both us knew I would never be free, not even after this.

"Where are we?"  Will mumbled groggily.  I shot around to see that he had cracked his eyes open and was scanning the premises.  

"It's an island.  Apparently I'm supposed to find the treasure for them, but I wanted to take you to keep you safe," I exclaimed.  He reached towards me and ran his fingers down my tail, his hands cold to the touch.  

"I've already found the treasure," he whispered in a seductive tone.  I pulled away.

"Please stop, I must find the treasure," I warned him and slid back into the water.

"Do not leave me Syrena, I wish to be with you."  I shook my head negatively.  

"Just stay here, I'll be back," and before he could say anything, I sunk back down under the water and began swimming with the current.   I ducked down and slithered through a tunnel that connected to a huge room made of stone.  The walls had been engraved with stories of ancient heroes and pictures of beautiful princesses and goddesses.  The floors were in levels and lined with glittering gems, silver and gold.  I stared from a small pool that was lit by the moon that shone in through a volcano crater above.  I was speechless.

"I see you've found the treasure," The raspy snarl of Captain Black echoed through the room.  I found him and the rest of the crew standing in a cave entrance above.  "We've already claimed it, years ago really."  He smirked.

"How do you mean?"  I yelled nervously up to him.

"You see girl, we needed a mermaid.  And this was the only way we could truly trap you.  We be cursed little missy, and we need the pure blood of a mermaid to lift it.

"What is your curse?"  I began to back away towards the the entrance but it was now blocked by a thick slate of concrete.

Captain Black nodded towards a pirate who held forth a golden hourglass that was lined with rubies.  The sand at the top was already halfway to the bottom.

"It was midnight when a hurricane picked up off the coast of where we were sailin', the waves were so high that it was sure that we would all die.  But one of us found an island in the middle of the ocean where a cabin sat, tearing at the hinges, on the highest cliff.  We sailed there swiftly and climbed until we reached the top.  When we entered the cabin, we found nothin' but gold and gems, all of this is what we found.  It was like wine spillin' out of a goblet as we opened the door.  But none of us knew, as we sat there sipping down rum and laughing drunkly while wearin' jewels and crowns, that this gold belonged to a voodoo witch.  We woke in the morn' to find these tattood on our skin and the hourglass pacing away on the table, all the gold was gone."  I squinted to see what was written on Black's outstretched arm.

You were warned...

Now you shall pay...

You have one year to mix your blood with a mermaid's, and retrieve every last piece of my gold,

otherwise, you shall turn to dust when my hourglass runs out...

It was written in swirled calligraphy and even reading it sent shivers down my spine.

"Now come along and be a good girl." 

"I shall not, you have six months anyways," I folded my arms and turned away.

"If not, even your little lovebird will be swept up by the curse,"  he shoved forward Will who grabbed on for his life and tried not to fall to his death.

"Let him go!"  I warned.

"Ah, so this boy is 'yer lover?  Don't you want to save him."  I didn't answer.  "Come on, let's get back to the ship, you'll change your mind, after you see what we've planned to do to him,"  Captain Black winked before sauntering back into the entrance. 

I gasped and dove under the water, punching my fists to the concrete that would barely crack.  I thought for a moment before turning around and pounding my tail against the concrete.  I pounded again and a thin crack stretched through the middle.  I pushed back and swiftly pushed forward, letting all my energy go into my tail until it crushed the concrete.

I swam as fast as I could through the water, exiting the island and finding the ship beginning to sail away to the North.

"Let me up!"  I screamed.

"Grab the net!"  The boy who had commented on my eyes before ducked over the rail and tugged onto the adrk nets to signal where they were.  I grabbed on and waited for him to pull me up. 

"Thank you," I whispered, then turned to see the crew watching in a circle.

"Glad you returned, you're just in time for the show," 

Captain Black backed away to reveal Will, his fists tied to the side of the boat and his shirt torn from his body.  Two larger pirates snickered as they took turns slashing him across the face and back with whips.

"Change your mind Syrena?"  Black laughed.  I began to cry and shook my head.

"Leave him be, he doesn't deserve this,"  I watched as the one of the whips slahed his cheek and left a bloody red mark. 

"Take her away, we'll continue this tomorrow, stubborn mermaid," Captain Black muttered gravely as two crew members grabbed me by the wrists and dragged me back to the dark room.  Back to the helpless case where I would be forced to stay once again.