#418 — DEAD OR ALIVE | DISCOVERED LURKING IN MY ARCHIVES 2017 — SHORT FICTION
The Lure of the Siren Sea
Ignoring her call is not an option
I watched as his yacht sailed around the point and was gone forever.
The allure of his other mistress, the sea, had been too great for him to resist for long. I could understand his fascination; a breathtaking mistress, beautiful beyond words, tempestuous and uncontrollable. The word ‘mistress’ was deceptive, however. The Siren Sea surrendered to no man.
How could a mere woman of the world compete?
Well, she could have him and she could have me, a threesome, a ménage à trois from which there was no return. Perhaps, in time, she would claim his life as she was about to claim mine and we would all be held close to her salty bosom, forever as one.
Her waters were tepid, welcoming, as I slid from the craggy rocks into my new grave, carrying with me the budding life that he would never know was lying within me, until the Siren tired of his advances, returning him to my arms again.
From my archives (2017), now lovingly applied as a prelude to the story, “Spawn of the Siren Sea”.
But First,😁A Summary and Analysis of the Myth of the Sirens
The Sirens were half-woman and half-bird, although they are sometimes wrongly associated with mermaids (so half-woman and half-fish), probably because of their proximity to the sea (although they were strictly land-based, they tended to hang about down on the shore so they could attract the passing boats full of hapless sailors). They were enchantresses whose song lured sailors onto their rocks so the Sirens could devour them.
Spawned by my mother, the sea, I drifted alone until my heart quickened and I had grown enough to begin my mission. When that time arrived, Mother disposed of me by washing me onto the shore; a complete (almost) human. I am blessed with a body and voice that men cannot ignore. My glorious seagull wings enable flight when danger threatens my existence.
My purpose is revenge; to punish those who sail upon Mother Ocean with disregard for her powers, pollute her with their garbage from both land and vessel, and suffer the false belief they can tame her.
I am merely a consequence, bred from the human bodies of those Mother claimed and tossed aside.
My human host was carrying me within her body when she surrendered herself to the ocean in a jealous rage. My host never reunited with her lover because he has, up to now, evaded Mother’s embrace. And Mother never sets free those who have succumbed to her call. Instead, she utilizes the gifts they bring, hence the Siren Sea creatures of which I am one.
I am doomed to live on my isolated beach, feeding from fish in the shallows, and drinking from rock pools — but seafood alone can never satisfy my hunger.
Twice a day, at sunrise and sunset, I am compelled to rest upon the rocks, waiting for vessels to answer my sweet siren call. When the doomed boats meet their end upon my jagged stage, I take flight over my prize, choosing my delicious human prey.
I dispatch the carcasses to Mother; she appreciates the gifts I send.
I hope one day that my human father will fall prey to my sweet voice. Perhaps my dulcet tones will sound a familiarity he can neither explain nor resist. How ironic would that be?
On that day, I will feed and dispatch him to the break where my human mother and Mother Ocean will finally unite him into their family.
I have a plan for that event. I will throw myself into the swirling brine. Wings are useless when wet and when my head smashes ferociously on the treacherous rocks, I will return home.
After all, no family is complete without their precious child.
Will Hull prompted us with this ocean gem while I was in the middle of creating my post. Mine’s a bit longer than his ten-word story, but I think they belong together.
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