Category: Short Story

My Little Mermaid Chapter 6 – Stumbling

Bridget Bales1 Comment

The god smirked, his lips curled upward in an irritated smile as he eyed her in silence.

Frantically, she wrapped her skirts around her waist.

“You do not know much about the human world above, do you?” His weight shifted and he rested his head on his other hand, now amused.

Pulling herself up again, Ariel got her feet under her and wobbled back and forth while she tried to stand.

Rising from his throne, his sandals crossed the distance to her and as he did, a thick, humid breeze swirled throughout the cavern. The sands swirled and were blown away into nothing, revealing dark, violet stone below. The walls rose up high and lifted away around them, expanding more and more until they could no longer be seen.

Ariel stepped once and fell forward, his chest catching her again. Hades did not let her go this time. His large hands held her firm against his torso, and the underwater cavern faded away, revealing the large throne room of the underworld, a floating platform with pillars that came down from the ceiling and no end to the bottomless pit below.

Her eyes were large as she looked up and all around. Hades turned her chin to look at him, “Welcome to the underworld, my little mermaid.”

Pushing away from him, she stumbled again, then stood, looking out at the open space and glowing green light that rippled against the cavern walls from the void below. “What is this place?”

“Where human souls come after death, to spend all of eternity.”

Her legs teetered back for a moment, then she pushed forward and rushed to the edge, her arms wrapping around a pillar as she leaned over to look down at the swirling abyss below.

It fascinated him, the way her curiosity drove her into the unknown. Sirens really did live without fear.

“Those are people. Humans. Why are they wailing?”

“Those are human souls. Some rest peacefully, others, those, do not.”

“Am I… Am I dead?” She whipped her head back to look at him, a glint of worry in her eyes.

Hades lips spread into a wide grin, “My dear little mermaid, you don’t have a soul.”

Ariel turned her face away from him, her hands holding onto the pillar. With her shoulders tense, it was easy to tell she did not like the name.

Moving closer, his hand pulled hers from her grip on the pillar, and held onto it. “Unlike them, when you die, you will turn back into sea foam-”

“From whence I came, yes, I know,” Ariel spoke sharply.

His other hand twirled a lock of her crimson hair around his finger, “Sirens may live longer lives, but in the end, they become nothing, compared to the eternity of a soul.”

“… how do I get a soul?”

The yearning in her voice was riveting. He could see the desires in her eyes, all over again, as she reached out of the water for land, the first night he saw her.

Hades could not grant a soul. No, all he did was manage them after their body had reposed.

However, Ariel never needed to know that small detail.

Leaning down, he smoothed her hair behind her ear and spoke into it, “Nothing is ever free.”

As she turned her head to look at him, stone steps appeared off the platform, spiraling up toward the ceiling.

“But… I have no money.”

“Ariel, I am a god. I have no use for money.”

“Then… what do you want?”

He smiled again, then he finally stepped back, giving her the room to move away from the ledge. Hades motioned toward the stairs, then watched her, without saying a word.

Slowly, she stepped forward, tripping and stumbling. She had to hold onto Hades as they ascended the stairs. He let her struggle with her legs as she walked, staying behind her and only keeping her from falling to the abyss below.

She needed him to perform even the simplest of tasks, like standing. This was the way he wanted it. He wanted her to need him for everything.

Ariel fell a few times, landing on the steps, but each time she picked herself back up and pushed on. Finally, they reached the room at the top. The moans and groans of the dead were muffled in his office. 

Hades’ desk and chair were carved from a black stone, and all around were tall bookcases, stuffed with books and scrolls. There were no decorations. He brought her right up to the edge and the smoke swirled around her, forming a chair for him to let her fall in.

Hades did not sit. Instead, he stood next to her, looking down at her. “I want your voice, Ariel.”

Her hand moved up to her throat, “My voice… What are you going to do with it?”

“Do with it? Why, nothing. I want YOU to sing for me. Whenever I desire to hear it. In return, I will grant you your legs.”

Her features brightened. “That’s it? You just want me to sing?”

“Just? Oh, no. You don’t seem to understand.” His fingers gripped the chair she rested in as he leaned down. “I want YOU. If you want legs, if you want to walk on land, you will remain in the underworld with me and sing, whenever I want you to.”

Her eyes slowly became wide, “You… want to keep me here? In the underworld? No,” she shook her head, “No, I want to go to the human world, I want to see my family!” She raised up in her seat, not able to fully stand, but came right up to him. “I will not be your slave.”

“You would rather remain a mermaid?”

“Than be your slave? Of course!”

His mouth turned upward into that slow grin, and the chair Ariel held onto for balance, dissipated into a puff of smoke.

“Ah!” She let off a small gasp of surprise and clung onto his robe instinctively.

The smoke wrapped around her legs, up her torso and to her neck. Letting go, her hands grasped her throat as she began to choke.

Hades watched, a deep chuckle in his throat. The smoke faded and she had been returned to her original form.  The mermaid turned and fought as she suffocated.

“When you are ready to make a deal, Ariel, just say the word.”

Bringing her arms to her chest, her gills flicked and flexed once, then closed. She was holding her breath, when there was no water in her lungs to hold onto.

Hades’ grin slowly faded into a look of contempt. Sirens could hold their breath for up to ten minutes. But without water, she should have been begging for her life.

A thought crossed his mind. Ariel could be stubborn enough to die before she gave in. He had no intention of letting that happen, not when she was so close to his grasp. Of course, Hades would not give in. He always got what he wanted, in the end.

But, the seconds ticked by, one by one.

Thirty eight, thirty nine.

Fog rolled over Ariel as Hades reached his arm down. It lifted her up to him and he gripped her chin, pulling her to him. She looked into his eyes and her gills flexed once more. She had mere seconds. Her gaze has a glossy sheen to it, unable to focus properly.

Pressing his lips against her, his fingers moved through her hair as he kissed her roughly. Her fishlike fangs sunk into his tongue as he pushed it passed her lips. They quickly dulled as they were replaced with human teeth. Feeling the change, she bit his lip one last time, then tore away, still pressing her arms against his chest as her legs wabbled, gasping for air.

“Do we have a deal?”

She took a deep breath, “I never really had a choice, did I?”

“I always get what I want, in the end.”

Her hands moved from his chest to his arms and she held onto them, raising herself up to meet his gaze. There was loathing in her eyes. But, Ariel said nothing. A tear rested on her eyelash. “You promised you would teach me to walk.”

“Did I?” He paused, “So, I did. You didn’t take my hand.”

“I didn’t know you, then.”

“And now?”

“Now…” her eyes searched his.

“Now, you still desire what I can offer. Yes?” He tilted her chin to examine her features, but she pulled away again. Her hands almost lost their grasp on his body, an arm pulled her back against his chest tightly. His nose grazed her cheek. They were so close, Ariel could still feel his breath, no matter which direction she turned her head. “Your curiosity betrays you,” he leaned into her ear, “No matter how badly you want to fight, you yearn for the unknown, more.”

His other hand traced down between her shelled top, to the navel she now had and even lower, to her stomach. “Don’t try and lie. It is my job to see through lies,” he pressed his hand against her tightly, “You can feel it, here, deep within you. That fluttering feeling. And no matter how much you try and fight it, it will never go away, not until you feed it.”

He loosened his grip. Then, she turned and looked him in the eyes, “I want to walk on the shores and feel the sun on my skin,” she was searching for a give in the glint of his orbs, pleading.

“Sing for me, siren. And I will think about it.”

Ariel pushed on his chest again and he let go of her waist and grasp her hand instead. Struggling between her balance and his grip, she shook her head, “I can hear you but I won’t.” She pulled again.

Some look for trouble while others don’t.

There’s a thousand reasons I should go back to my cave

And ignore your whispers which I wish would go away.”

“But you wont.”

“You’re not a voice,” she yanked on her hand once more and he released her hand, “You’re just a ringing in my ear.

And if I believed you, which I don’t, You will just chain me here.”

Stumbling back, wisps of smoke pressed against her back and lifted her arms, to keep her from falling as she fought to stand. “Everything I’ve ever loved is-”

“Here within these walls.” Hades leaned back, watching, learning.

“I’m not your secret siren, and I’m blocking out your calls,” she fought back, balling her fists.

“You crave this adventure.”

“I don’t need something new.

I’m afraid of what I’m risking if I follow you

Into the unknown!

Into the unknown!

Into the unknown!”

“What do you want? ‘Cause its been keeping you awake

Am I here to distract you, is this all a big mistake?”

Her change in tone was surprising, she was twisting this around on him. “There is no one out there who is the least bit like you. You know, deep down, this is what you’re meant to be.”

“Every day’s a little harder as I feel your power grow

Don’t you know there’s part of me that longs to go

Into the unknown?

Into the unknown.

Into the unknown!”

Steadying herself, she flung her arms out to push the smoke away.

“Whoa

You are right here!

Do you know me?

Can you feel me?

Can you show me?

Ooh!” She turned her body away.

Hades walked closer, commanding the tendrils of mist to return to his side and move away from her form. Her legs trembled, but Ariel remained planted where she stood. And indeed, she did stand. Her arms at her side, her hands formed tight fists as she stood still. “Where are you going?”

“Just leave me alone!” She turned and faced him.

“How can I follow you

Into the unknown?”*

As her last notes rang out, he reached a finger up, inches away from her neck, and raised his hand up to her lips, then toward him. As he did, a golden, glowing ball followed, carrying her last note with it.

Ariel clutched her throat, in shock, but unable to utter a single cry.

Hades sneered. holding the orb of light, he brought it to his lips, then held it out and leaned down close to her lips. “I told you, I wanted your voice-“

Whether he was caught off guard, or she still retained her quick reflexes, Ariel slapped him as hard as she could. Then, she grabbed his robe to keep her balance and snatched the orb from his grasp.

Yes, he had silenced her, but the siren spoke wonders through those dancing eyes.

XXX

“Talking”

“Singing”

Song*: “Into the Unknown” from Frozen II.

I love how in the last actual chapter, I’m like, “Yeah! I’m back in the groove of things, you guys won’t have to wait as long for the next chapter!” Yeah…

Thank you so much for all the reviews, guys. They are really inspiring and they help to push me to keep writing. I had to force myself through this chapter, but in less than a week, I was able to finish it. I was not planning on adding a song at the end, but “Into the unknown” just popped into my head and it fit so well.

I don’t want to promise that I will have another chapter up, soon, but I have started on it. I’m diving into so much Greek mythology, I’m so excited.

My Little Mermaid Chapter 5 – Desires

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Stumbling over the Edge

Bridget BalesLeave a comment

The next week I felt numb. My father came on visiting day, but I didn’t really hear what he had to say.

Lover nurse brought me more pudding, and we messed around a few times during his breaks.

But mostly, I smoked. The more numb I became during therapy sessions, the more drugs they gave me. I think that’s what I wanted all along.

It was not until that next Thursday, after visiting day, that he appeared again.

I sat on the rooftop, spending my time making smoke figures when I felt a tingling on the back of my neck.

I glanced over near the door, where he was. “Thought you’d had enough.”

“… Nah, crazy girl…” his voice sounded broken.

“Then, what do you want?” I should have been nice. I should have crushed my blunt then and there, and said to hell with the drug, and turned and apologized.

I faced forward again and started making green smoke rings.

“I’m going to show you what I can do.”

He didn’t move, he teleported, pulled the weed from my lips and crushed it under his polished boot.

Reggie had dressed up.

In my stoned state, I reacted slowly, not able to stop him as he pulled my hand toward the ledge of the three story building, then jumped, taking me with him.

Edge of Hysteria

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I laughed at him. I just laughed, seeing, knowing how much it hurt in his eyes.

I didn’t know whether he was real or not, whether he was telling the truth, or why I didn’t care. I just laughed, dismissing his advancements.

I laughed.

I laughed so hard.

I laughed like I couldn’t control myself.

I would later blame my lack of tack on the herbs, those sweet leaves that turned ceilings into waves. But, I knew better. I laughed and laughed until my stomach hurt. Then, I gripped my chest and laughed some more.

I thought Reggie was going to cry. Reggie Edge, or whatever his real name is.

Revealing his deepest secret to me, I should have been honored, hell, scared, baffled even.

But, I covered that fear with jokes.

Reggie was gone when I opened my eyes. It surprised me, then the guilt set in.

Going back to my bed, I sat there, staring at the wall, with an unopened pudding up in my hand, wanting him to come back.

Twins of Another Kind: Emotionless Ties

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Rhythmic beating, mechanical lights, electronic hums and silent whispers. The bloodiest of war rooms. The ER.

Brian’s temporary “fix” to his best friend’s current slaughter break.

It was far more thrilling watching people desperately save the life of an innocent, than to watch a murderer slowly die on the inside as his body was mutilated on the outside.

No one ever questioned his presence in the surgery viewing rooms. To the staff, he was simply another suit.

This visit, however, would be vastly different.

Her perfume filled the whole floor. A mixture of artificial raspberry and spice. Brian had informed her how awful her perfume was, many times, though she never listened.

Apparently, pregnancy had not deterred her from wearing it, either.

The murmurs got louder, then quieter again. No change.

Opening and closing his flip phone, Brian checked the clock once more, questioning why he was wasting his time here.

She already had the devoted husband, pacing outside as he watched his whole life teeter on her deathbed.

“Take responsibility,” were his mother’s words. She wanted him “to be there for them”. Brian did not understand why, they already had loving families of their own.

Of course, one cannot simply tell their own mother that she was wrong. That only formulated a response like, “Then, why did you plan to impregnate Kira and Ashley, Brian?”

And that kind of question led to Brian standing in the surgery viewing room, making sure his “mistake” did not cause further chaos, because god forbid he was ever allowed any fun without serious, detrimental consequences.

Even if it did go wrong, there was nothing he could do about it. He could not stop the surgeons from pulling the plug, or force them to keep working.

Brian was as useless as Evan right now. Opening his phone, he eyed the empty inbox, then closed it. There was the other option of dropping down two floors and visiting his spawn. A word Drake would use to describe them once he found out. And he would, everyone would.

Brian had not seen them, but the nurse’s station was full of gossip about the two little albino boys that looked nothing like their siblings’ fathers.

The murmurs slowly morphed to whispers, then small chatter, and Brian left the viewing room.

They were finally done.

Exiting out of the left door, Brian circled back around to the main entrance of the surgery, and paused just before he turned the corner, where the husband would be waiting.

“Evan Mitchells?” The surgeon called out.

“Yes, is Ashley alright? Please tell me she’s okay.”

“We were able to stabilize her. Her uterine wall ruptured and caused internal bleeding. Her body and bone structure were not designed to handle giving birth to twins. And with her twisted pelvis, I’m sorry, but she won’t be able to have anymore children.”

“Is she safe?” By the tone of Evan’s voice, it was safe to assume he had a hold of the surgeons shoulders, gripping them a little too tightly from his anxiety, while he tried to remain calm.

“Y-yes, she is stable for now. We will monitor her closely. But-”

“When can I see her?”

“We still need to do some tests, sir, and she needs her rest-”

‘“When can I see her. When can the children see her?”

“Please, go back to your room, I will have a nurse come get you when we have moved her out of the ER.”

Evan was reasonable. But, he would only return once he was able to see Ashley again.

Brian turned back down the corridor, away from the conversation. He had heard more than enough to know this was his fault.

Out the nearest window, and down two stories, Brian slipped into the sleeping patients room, silently.

Ashley would not be returned for another hour or two, and Evan would wait by her side patiently, before returning to his new children.

He stepped past the soundless Daywalker and Kitten’s hospital bed, to the two bassinets, as the room was much too small for any more, and glanced at the strange four half siblings with emotionless eyes.

The paperwork in Vincent’s lap stated that the oldest, his only son, was Aiden, which meant Kira’s porcelain doll was Asher.

Brian scooped up the albino infant in one arm, Evan’s nameless baby girl in the other, and switched their bassinets.

Brian did not possess a single paternal bone in his body. So it came as no surprise when he felt nothing, as he stared down at the two children he had selfishly bore. No emotion at all. No pride, no shame, no joy at the new life that carried his gene.

He thought of Evan, and his fear of losing his wife. Then, perhaps the anger he would carry against Brian for ruining the chance at him and Ashley ever having any more children. The pain that would kill him inside.

Just the thought of feeling Evan’s emotional pain was orgasmic.

That made Brian smile.

Ashley’s little babydoll, Ian, began to stir and wrinkle his face to one of her signature ugly frowns.

Brian would never understand what his mother wanted him to feel by coming here. Guilt was pointless, and making himself apart of these two spawns’ lives was out of the question.

Yet, he still smiled. He pulled a knife from his suit coat and pricked his finger. Then, he placed it against Ian’s lips, so the child would feed instead of cry.

The child latched immediately, his half vampire side shining through from birth.

Perhaps there was some form of entertainment he could derive from these two hatchlings, after all. Of course, nothing even close to parental guidance. But, there would certainly be much chaos in their lives, Brian would see to that.

“Shh, there’s no need to wale. Daddy’s here now.”

Edgie State

Bridget BalesLeave a comment

Stumbling backwards, I reached for the wall behind me, then fell to the floor. “Edge? Your name is Colt.”

“Nah,” Reggie shook his head, “Edge is my real name. Colt is just a cover-”

“The fuck it is,” I responded bitterly. “Tell me what the hell is going on, why couldn’t he see you?”

My friend sighed. He ran his hands through his greasy hair, then rubbed them on his pants again. “… Magic isn’t a good enough answer, is it?”

“No.”

Another sigh, “Alright, alright. Just… Don’t be pissed at me?”

I eyed him, waiting for an answer.

“Okay, so I don’t just do magic, I make potions, too. And then I turn those potions into powder and, well, sell them. Let’s just say… You got a bad a batch. … A really bad batch.”

He was lying. He HAD to be. But, that nurse never once acknowledged him.

“You were less pathetic when you were just a drug dealer.” I snapped, standing back up. That was the way I dealt with things I could not handle. I insulted them.

“Aw, come on, Trini, I can prove it.” He reached out to grab my hand, but I slapped it away.

“No, you can leave. I’m going to eat my pudding and go to bed. And you’re going to leave.”

“Hold on, you’re not even the least bit spooked by this?”

I was terrified. And that fear fueled my anger. “For all I know, you could be another hallucination. And let’s be honest, Reg, you couldn’t intimidate a bunny.” I insulted him again. Up until now, he was always a pushover. Now, he was some supernatural being who could turn invisible? And that was assuming that I had not made him up completely.

“Come on. I really thought I was gonna pull off the whole supernatural bad boy thing.” Reggie rested his hands in his pockets and glanced down.

“Even if you were some wizard who could do magic, you wouldn’t hurt a fly. You don’t have the guts.”

Reggie looked at me. Then, he walked up to me, pretending to be cool as he rested a hand against the door behind me, his arm above my shoulder. “So, come with me, and I’ll show you what I can do.”

Reggie Edge

Bridget BalesLeave a comment

A knock came at the door, and when I did not answer, it opened.

“It’s Bruce. Just coming in to check on how you are doing.” The male nurse called into my room.

I said nothing as I continued to stare at Reggie in disbelief. Bruce waited a moment or two before deciding my silence was consent to enter.

Reggie’s grin only got bigger as the man walked in, paying no attention to the ginger resting in the corner.

“… I-I’m fine,” I answered quickly so he would not call a doctor in concern of my silence, “… Thanks.” I added as well, trying to be polite. I took a breath and looked toward the nurse in white with a nod, trying not to focus too much on the dorky friend he had failed to acknowledge in the corner.

“Okay, good. If you need anything else, just let me know.” Setting a tray down on the table Reggie sat at, Bruce brought over my evening psychotic pill, which I was pretty sure was just made of sugar, and a cup of water. “How is the high? Coming down okay?”

My attention averted from Reggie to the nurse, and I tried to ignore the black eye he was sporting from the week before. “Oh, and the kitchen had some extra pudding cups, so I snagged you one instead of the normal applesauce.”

I assaulted this guy the day before, and now he was being polite? The dude did not seem like the type to cower, so why was he being so nice?

“Uh… thanks…?”

The male nurse smiled at me and held the water and pill out for me to take.

I took the water and pill quickly, and stared at him until I realized that he would not leave until I had taken them. I glanced at Reggie for just a moment, then quickly swallowed the pill and drank the dirty hospital water.

Once Bruce was satisfied that I had taken it, he took the cup back and headed for the door. “Have a good night.” He called out, then waited at the door to see if I would answer him back.

Another moment of silence and the nurse finally left.

Jumping out of bed, I rushed to the door and quickly locked it. “Yeah, he totally wants to bone you,” Reggie commented, nodding with his stupid grin.

My whipped back at Reggie, “What. The. Hell.”

“I know, right? You would think that after you clocked him, he would transfer to a different floor or something. Hm, must enjoy the abuse.”

“Not lover nurse! You! What-! How-! How are you even here?!”

“Meh, its complicated magic stuff,” Reggie waved his hand, then grinned that dorky grin of his. “I’m not a ghost or anything, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“… But… What?”

“I’m still the same me,” he commented. I stared. Standing, Reggie rubbed his hand on his shorts and held it out. “Name’s Reggie Edge, nice to meet you, crazy girl.”

My Little Mermaid Chapter 5 – Desires

Bridget Bales2 Comments

Ariel sunk back under the surface for a moment and took a deep breath. Was it time? Could it not wait? Could he not wait?

Looking into those eyes of darkness, Ariel assumed the god never had to.

His broad shoulders relaxed, his gaze tracing her form in the water, he looked calm, for now. His figure, a dark, wispy outline against the flickering light, felt bold, defined. A clear tone atop a hazy picture.

She had never met a man before, not really, nor a god, for that matter, so she could not describe his stature as such. But, he was commanding.

With nowhere else to go, and unable to stay still, she emerged from the water and came back to the surface’s edge. “Nothing is ever free.”

“Still not trusting me?” Hades countered. He smiled, then raised his hand, creating a path on the wall next to them, both of land and sea. “Come with me, Ariel. Or, is the surface world not worth the risk?”

“But, I…”

“But, you could never fully trust me,” the god repeated her words with a coy smile. He stepped toward the tunnel, and paused, his back toward her. “I won’t offer again.”

Her heart pounded, and she took one final glance behind her, where her escape used to exist.

This dream to walk on land, to explore the world above, was it now or never? She would never forgive herself if she never took this chance, but at what cost? What of her friends and family? Flounder, and Daddy, would she get her chance to say goodbye? Would this even be the last she ever saw of them? And this god of the dead, what would he want in return?

Ariel released the grip of the cloth tablet and let it slip from her arms to the sea floor below. Then, she ducked under water and darted forward, into the path, before that was lost forever, as well.

Ariel would not wait beside him, she continued her swimming along the tunnel, staying underwater while keeping next to the path he mostly likely walked upon.

The further she swam, the darker the tunnel became, until Ariel had to slow down, putting her hands in front of her to find her way.

The liquid felt thick, like wet sand, and swimming became more difficult. She kicked harder and harder, not afraid of hitting anything, just determined to get out. No matter how much she kicked, her body still sludged forward like a snail.

The thickness made it harder to breath, as well. Her hand moved from the front of her to her neck, as she clawed at her gills to get them to open up. Nothing seemed to be blocking them, yet, she could not breath.

Her hands reaching forward again, she grabbed at whatever she could as she began to suffocate under the water. Her fingers touched thick sand, and she clawed at it, pulling herself to it.

Ariel slowly crawled out of the dark water, gasping for air as she coughed up sea water from her lungs. She pulled her body up onto the shore, sliding her knees forward slowly to escape the black river.

She took deep breaths of air, then started to cough and shiver from the sudden cold. She reached up to her gills again, to find the skin on her neck was bare. Her breathing quickened in a panic.

“Do I have to teach you to breathe as well?”  She heard the god ask from above her. Looking up, her eyes squinted through the droplets of water as she continued to cough. Breathe? As in air.

She pulled her legs up to her torso from the cold, thick river, when her heart stopped. Glancing down, her hands reach out and brushed off wet sand from her smooth, creamy legs. Legs, she had legs now.

She felt his hand touch her arm and her body was pulled forward abruptly. There was no time to admire her new limbs, no time to learn to stand. Ariel stumbled forward, gripping his clothes as she leaned against his chest.

Managing short, quick breaths, she could hardly control her heart rate. Before she knew it, she had been granted what she always wanted, and yet, standing in front of this god, she felt an emotion mermaids did not know how to comprehend.

Shame, embarrassment. Ariel was not just cold, she was naked, exposed and unsure how to cover herself to feel secure again.

Carved, jeweled shells that were normally worn as a sign of royalty, and fashion, were reduced to the only piece of clothing that covered her skin from his eyes.

She could not breath, could not think. And as the god held her upright, without holding her for comfort, she felt hot, burning water drip from the corner of her eyes and slide down her cheeks. It was salty and her throat held a tight knot, keeping her from speaking.

Surely, she was dying, her body melting away, unable to make the change.

“Apparently, I do.” Hades slid his hand from her arm, up her shoulder to her neck. Then, he tilted her chin and pressed his lips against hers.

Her whole body warmed from his touch, and she felt the knot melt away. It was like he breathed life into her again.

Ariel pushed on his chest, needing to exhale, until their lips broke away. She turned, then stumbled and fell back down to the sand, coughing up water from her lungs. She took long, deep breaths, now that she knew how, and looked up at Hades, wiping those hot streaks from her cheeks. “I… I have legs… I have legs! You gave me legs!”

Finally, the realization set in, and joy began to fill her whole body. Pushing her hands into the sand, Ariel struggled to get back on her feet.

“I-oh!” Finally putting weight on her new limbs, she felt them give way and collapsed to the ground once more.

“I shall have to teach you to stand, as well,” the God of the underworld spoke from above her.

“Thank you… I don’t know how to thank you.” She turned and reached for his garment, to help herself stand again.

“Nothing is ever free,” Hades replied with a smirk.

Looking up, her eyes met with his and she felt that shame again, that feeling she could not describe as his gaze peered over her form.

“So many new emotions a mermaid is not used to feeling,” He knelt down, holding a folded cloth over his arm, “Your heart beats wildly, your body frozen, not responding to that natural flee response you are so used to relying upon.”

She kept her eyes turned away, her arms covering her chest protectively.

“Relax, Ariel,” his palm touched her cheek and he raised her chin to meet his eyes again, “I will teach you what those emotions mean, in due time.” Pulling the cloth from his arm, Hades draped the blue silk over her shoulders.

Despite her covering her chest, Ariel took the garment and wrapped it around her waist twice, tying it off on one side. He understood her shame, and how to make it go away, but he offered neither knowledge nor comfort in her distress.

Arial slid her legs out in the sand and pushed herself up to sit on her knees. “What is it that you want from me?”

“I want you to sing, Ariel. I want you to sing for me.” The god stood. “When I first saw you, your voice let off the most enchanting melody to ever reach my ears. Want and desire poured through every word,” his steps in the sand circled around her. “Beauty is dull and so vulgar these days. Skin deep and only as thick as the ink that makes it so.”

Ariel felt him touch a lock of her hair and she turned to look up into his eyes.

“But, the sounds of your chords are something even angels are envious of,” he gave a slight smirk at the irony of his little joke, but Ariel only stared up into his eyes, not knowing what an angel was.

“Your voice is something I cannot possess on my own,” he paused as he looked down at her. Then, Hades knelt down again. “I want you, Ariel.”

His fingers touched a lock of her hair again, then moved to brush her lips, before he stood and walked back toward his throne. Hades sat down and stared at her. “Now, sing for me.”

Her hands slid through the sand, and she took a deep breath, testing her new lungs.

“… Nerves, don’t fail me now,

Courage, don’t deceive me,

Wont turn back, now that I’m here.

Merfolk always say, life is full of wonders,

No one ever imagined this.”

Sliding her hands through the sand, Ariel slowly found her balance, placing her weight back on her knees.

“In a world that seems so vast,

I’ll take this journey, don’t let it pass.”

The dry sand felt so different as it slid through her fingers.

“Somewhere down this path,

I know there’s so much waiting,

Years of dreams just can’t be wrong!”

Shifting her legs back and forth, she slowly crawled, putting weight on the balls of her feet.

“Valleys old and wide,

Mountains tall and frosted,

Finally now where I belong.”

With her weight on her new feet, Ariel pushed herself off the ground, holding her arms out to try and balance herself.

“Well, starting now, I’m learning fast,

I’ll take this journey, won’t let it pass.”

Stumbling, Ariel slipped and fell again, her heart beating wildly with wonder.

“Home, sea, family,

Was there once a time they were enough for me?

Home, friends, family

I’m not turning back,

Now that I am free.”

With a new breath from her lungs, she steadied herself again and stood up, resting her weight in her heels.

“One step at a time,

One foot, then another,

Who knows where this path may lead.

Back to who I was,

No, that’s not in my future.

Much my heart still yearns to know.”

Her breath quickened with each successful step, excitement overtaking her.

“Yes, let this choice be mine

Let me control each time

My feelings burst with joy.”

Ariel stood tall, finally able to stable herself. Then, she held her breath and took her first step.

“And set me free

At last!* Oh-!”

She slipped in the sand and fell back on her butt, her legs sliding out from under her. Her cloth skirt was pulled apart from her fall, exposing herself to the god again. Her cheeks heated, feeling embarrassment for the first time for her performance.

Though, meeting his gaze, she could see how pleased he was. Please, yet very unsatiated, as he looked down at her with those black eyes.

XXX

“Talking”

“Singing”

Song*: Journey to the Past from Anastasia

Took me forever to figure out the song, but I finally got another chapter up. I think I am getting back into the groove of the plot, so you may not have to wait as long for the next one. I hope you enjoy it.

My Little Mermaid Chapter 4 – The Lure

My Little Mermaid Chapter 6 – Stumbling

Edges and Waves

Bridget BalesLeave a comment

I laid on my bed, staring up at the white ceiling as it turned different shades of green and blue. A ‘high’ is what they called it. A medical induced one, anyway.

“I thought weed was supposed to calm you, make you feel really chill.”

“Aren’t you chill now?”

I sat up slightly and glanced at the wobbly Reggie, who leaned back in the one chair in the room. Flopping my head back down, I sighed, “I would be if the ceiling would stop moving.”

“Ooh, whats that like?” he asked, the legs of the chair dropping down as he sat up straight.

“Like being in the belly of the beast,” I replied. Then snorted.

Reggie did, too. “Id say its more like floating beneath the ocean,” he nodded.

“Or, above it, as you stare down at the crashing waves below you, just waiting for the moment you fall.”

“You’re so dramatic.”

“This ceiling is dramatic,” I retorted.

I allowed the silent crashing of ceiling waves to fill my head for five minutes. Then, I spoke up again, “I’ve never been to the ocean.”

“That’s ’cause you’re lame like that.”

They started to turn pink and yellow. “Do you think people see monkeys as red when they’re high?”

“Why, are you seeing monkey?”

“No, just thinking about them.”

“I don’t know what people see when they’re high.”

“Haven’t you ever been high before?”

“Nope. I sell drugs, I don’t do them.”

“You’re lame.”

“If I smoked my own weed, Id be out of a job.”

“Oh. True.”

I exhaled. “What day is it again?”

He snorted, “Last time I checked, it was Friday.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s right. My dad came to visit me the other day, Wednesday.”

“Oh? He did? How was that?”

“Apparently, smashing a pudding cup into the table because it wont open is considered violent behavior.”

Reggie snorted. “Really? Is that what those bruises on your wrists are from?”

I raised an arm and stared at the red marks. “Nope. Those are from the male nurse I punched. Apparently, that’s frowned upon too, so they restrained me.”

“Why’d you punch a nurse?”

“Because he wouldn’t give me a replacement pudding cup. I was still hungry.”

Reggie burst into laughter at that.

I smiled a little, too. The ceiling seemed to shake with his laughter.

“I wonder if my dad will visit next Wednesday.” It was the only day we were allowed visitors

“If he’s not too ashamed to call you his daughter,” he snickered again.

“Hey, Reg,” I sat up again and stared at him. He dropped the front legs of his chair and looked at me, a smirk still on his features as he nodded my way.

“Sub, crazy girl?”

“… How did you even get in here?”

Tibby’s list of Happy Thoughts

Bridget BalesLeave a comment

As I race through the infested forest of Belate, a jungle as thick as your amazons, running for my life so this lizard-snakes mother doesn’t chomp its jaws down on my blue behind, I try to run through brain exercises to distract myself from my impending doom.

Think happy thoughts, Tiberia. Think happy thoughts.

Ah, scalpels. Yes, scalpels make me happy. Specifically, my scalpels. Cleaning them in cloric acid, watching the silver shine through.

Money. Money makes me happy. Money makes me very happy. Perchance, if I had some money, I would not be running for my life, with a dead snake head in my sack, and its mother slithering behind me, “Ah!”

I jumped with a screech as the snake clamped down on my tail. The poor thing, I had just grown that back.

With its length, it whipped its head back and yanked me off the ground. In an effort to save myself, I pulled a scalpel from my boot, twisted my body and sliced my own skin, cutting my tail as close to its jaws I could get, and fell back down against the vine floor.

Dirt. I was now really happy for dirt. Nice, soft dirt. For if it weren’t for dirt, I would probably have a shattered collar bone, or worse, a broken spine.

And a tail that grew back. Yes, I was very happy for a regenerating tail. My balance would be off for a day or two, but my tail was a rather resilient limb, in that it would stop bleeding after an hour or two and slowly grow itself back. In fact, as most species would consider it a pest during battle, I cherished my tail, as it could hold the light when I did not have a proper lab with the proper lighting to do my work in.

I huffed and clawed at the ground to get back to my feet, blood spilling from my gaping would. That would need to be clamped soon, though, so I did not attract more ferocious animals.

Running once more while this mother Spiner finished off what little of my tail she had devoured, I scanned the area around me for a plant that would paralyze, or poison the beast. My eyes and nose were of average use to me, I was happy that my thirst for knowledge has trained them in the ways of botany.

There, in front of me were gooberries, a blue carnivorous plant that released a sweet paralyzing goo as it touched your tasteful, before shooting thorns from the fruit to rip an eaters throat and stomach open.

I had never been more happier to spot a carnivorous plant. I snagged the base of the plant and tugged as hard as I could. I was yanked off my feet, unable to uproot the plant with my strength, and fell flat on my back. Oh for the love of science, why did I have to be so weak!

The beast slowed its slithering, reeled its head back and dove straight down to swallow me in one blow. My mono-blade stuck in my backpack, I had no time to retrieve it before I was Spiner food. I let go and rolled away as far as I could, happy for my quick thinking skills. The large snake dug its teeth into the dirt, snapped down on the gooberries and swallowed.

I finally stopped in a pile of ivy, and covered my head counting backwards from  three,

Two,

One.

The Spiner’s stomach bulged out and exploded, shooting its guts twenty feet outward. If it had not been for my weak strength, it may not have swallowed those gooberries. And for that, I was very happy that I had spent my lifetime training my mind and not my body.

As I was a female of science and not religion, I did not put much faith into divine intervention. However, I did believe in luck. And I was very happy of how lucky I had been these past few weeks.

I stood and brushed the snakes guts and ivy from my chest and legs, happy and delighted to be born a Torbe, a species that was naturally resilient to most poisonous plants.

I took a moment to clamp my tail, hissing in pain. Then, I retrieved my mono-blade from my sack, cut part of the Spiner’s head off, the part with the venom, and retraced my steps back to civilization, to claim my reward.

Twins of Another Kind: Should Have Known

Bridget BalesLeave a comment

As for Evan, there was no “memory” of a conception date, rather a cruel nightmare that lingered in the back of his mind of the time Ashley cheated on him, for the last time. But, the moment was buried and never once surfaced as he stared into Ian’s tiny tired eyes.

HIS beautiful baby boy, whether the child looked like him or not, had nothing to do that night.

It had barely been a month into their marriage, and yet…

He should have known that this would have happened.

But, Evan chose to believe the oblivious side of his brain when his phone began to ring. He set his wrench down and reached for his pocket as the phone slipped out and slid onto the floor.

Evan slid out from under the car and sat up. Picking up his phone, he looked at the name on the screen. It was Ashley. She had run out of the house a few hours earlier, yelling about some meeting she had to be at. The woman had given him specific instructions NOT to call.

“Hey, Ashley,” he answered it, with a smile. Evan did not really care why she was calling, it just made him happy to hear from her.

“I need you to come get me.” Ashley’s voice was flat and direct. “I’m at the Hillside Inn. The one on Fiftieth Street.”

“Um, sure. Is everything okay?” he was already getting up and grabbing the truck keys off of the work table.

Ashley had not been to work in the last few weeks. Since they had gotten married. Ashley’s reasoning was that she was starting a family now, and she could not work if she had to worry about taking care of Evan all the time. He should have known something was wrong. No. He should have stopped her from leaving, or at least gone with her.

“Just come get me, okay?” her voice turned to anger quickly, “I don’t want to wait forever.”

Crap. She was angry. And that was very, very bad. “I’m on my way.” He grabbed a coat for her and locked the house up, heading to his truck quickly. “Do you want to tell me what is wrong while I drive?” He got in the vehicle and started it, backing up. He was not going to waste any time.

“Nothing’s wrong, just come get me!” And with that, the line went dead.

Evan floored it. He traveled down the freeway, hoping he would not pass by any cops as the needle on the speedometer crawled over the numbers. It steadied out at around eighty. He drove until he pulled up in front of the hotel, only slowing down when he had to stop. He opened the door from the inside so she could just hop in and they could leave.

Gripping her bare arms, the girl stepped up into the truck, and slammed the door. She placed her seat belt over her lap and pulled her knees up to her chest, slipping her heels off. The hem of her sun dress was pulled down over her legs as Ashley shivered. Her skin was dry, but her hair was wet, and the water dripped down her bare back. “… Thanks…” Her voice was small, almost nonexistent.

And in the palm of her hand, she held her mother’s arachnid pendant up, so it reflected the few lights that were on outside. She had not had it for the past few days. Ashley always made up the excuse that it was put away, or she did not want it getting dirty, and Evan had just listened. Although, why he had done that was a mystery to him. Up until it disappeared, she clung to it for dear life. The young woman had even worn it on their wedding day.

The pendant always meant one thing. Ashley had gone to see Brian.

Evan did not say a word as he drove. He was angry. Not at her, but at the man who could never seem to keep his fingers off the woman Evan loved so dearly. His jaw was a little tight, his grip on the steering wheel too hard. He took the long way home, giving himself time to try and calm down. But, nothing helped.

Pulling up in front of the house, he parked in the driveway. Evan got out and opened the passenger door for Ashley, the silence almost deafening.

She had kept her gaze forward, and away from him throughout the car ride. But, he could see the tears now, from where he stood.

She wiped her eyes, and took a deep breath, still staring forward. “Y-you’re just… going to have to wait for me to get over him.”

He did not know what had happened between the two, but with Brian, one did not have to let their mind wander far before they knew. And Evan stopped his before it even started.

Maybe, just maybe, it was too much to ask of Brian to leave them alone. Perhaps, Evan was wrong to assume that Ashley would stop going to Brian after they got married. Was it really too much to ask for her to stop? Just to stop cheating on him?

The girl had always been different, and she understood cheating in a different way. He always forgave her. No matter how bad it was, he was a sucker, and he forgave her.

Evan was not stupid enough to dilute his mind with the idea that this was solely Brian’s fault. He held his hand out for her, his heart breaking. It did not matter how much he fought for her, he never seemed to win.

Ashley took it and stepped down onto the concrete with her bare feet. She held her shoes in the other hand and followed him to the door.

He did not let go of her hand, and once they were inside, he did the first thing that came to him. Evan pulled her to him and held her. He would not let her go. He could not hold onto any hate, or fear, when it came to her. He closed his eyes, refusing to admit to what he felt inside.

Ashley dropped her shoes, and jumped onto his waist, knocking him down and pinning him against the carpet in the hallway. “Okay, I’m over him.”

Ashley had made everything right that night, and they never once looked back.

And when Evan looked at Ian, he saw only her, and not Brian Scarla.

“You’re going to be just as wild as your mother, aren’t you,” he smiled at Ian as the tiny thing tried sucking on his finger. “We should get back to your mother now, she’ll be waking up with your baby sister, soon-”

“Excuse me, sir. Are you Ashley Mitchells husband?” Evan was interrupted by a doctor rushing up to him.

“Um, Yeah, is everything alright?” Evan glanced behind him when an alarm went off above their room.

“Um, your wife is-”

“What? What’s wrong with Ashley?” Evan did not wait to hear what the man had to say. Holding Ian close, he pushed passed the door and rushed to their room, “Ashley!”

He was stopped by the backs of doctors, hearing their orders as they surrounded her bed. Someone said “Seizing,” and Evan pushed on one of them. “What’s going on. Is my wife okay?” He could not see her, or their baby girl.

“Sir, please, we need you to step back.”

“That’s my wife, whats going on!”

“Her stats are dropping. Please, we need to get her up to surgery.”

“What happened? When I left, she was fine!”

“Sir, please!” Then, little Ian started crying.