The sea quietened down but the atmosphere became uneasy. The men looked around them cautiously as the waves lapped upon the edge of the ship. It was then that a sweet song began to fill the air. It was harmonious and temping but all the men feared it. Alvar walked slowly to the edge of the ship and looked out, over the water. Female figures swam beneath the surface as they surrounded the ship. Alvar listened to the waves and the gentle calling of the sea, it was calling him home. The sirens began to surface and the slaves drew their eyes upon them. The sirens called softly to them and the captain ran to the ships bell. It rang out loudly and the slave’s eyes darted to him.
“Under the deck, now!” The captain cried out and the crew followed his instruction, fleeing from the sirens. The sirens’ gaze turned now to Alvar, who remained on the deck, watching them over the side. The captain watched Alvar, this boy who had an intimate connection with the sea. He had fascinated the captain ever since he had come aboard. He both longed for the sea and yet he was afraid of it, like it held a memory of beauty and death for him. Alvar watched as the sirens as they gathered around him, their hair floating peacefully on the waves and he stretched out his hand towards them, just as he would to his sister. “Alvar!” The captain cried out. “Stay away from them boy, they will tear you apart should you touch the water!”
“We are the sea,” A siren whispered softly as she took hold of Alvar’s wrist and he wrapped his hand around hers also.
“Foolish Avery,” The captain cried out as he reached for Alvar but the siren pulled him overboard and they vanished under the waves. The captain fell upon the side of the ship and stared at the water. “If you wish to claim him, do so now,” The captain whispered before walking away. There was no doubt now, Alvar was doomed to a watery grave.
//
Down, deeper and deeper Alvar went. His body cut through the water as the sirens swam deeper with Alvar in their grip. It grew colder and Alvar forced his eyes open through the barrage of water. The sea dimmed to almost pitch black but Alvar was not scared. The gentle grip of the siren reminded him of his sister. Perhaps she had become one of these sirens?
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The siren holding Alvar began to slow and began swimming in a more careful path. Alvar blinked but the darkness here meant that it was hard for him to see his surroundings. More sirens appeared around them but they appeared scared and unsure of Alvar. Usually, when a man is dragged under the water by sirens they do not hesitate to dig into his flesh but something about Alvar made the sirens curious and hesitant. As Alvar was pulled by the siren, the objects around him began to become clearer. The seabed was littered with shipwrecks and jewellery which still lay upon the wood where they had come to rest. The masts of the ships towered high into the ocean above Alvar as he was lead through holes in the hull of the ships. Soon the shipwrecks opened out and they entered an ocean trench. The sirens packed inside and for the first time Alvar felt how cold the water had become. Sirens swam past his skin, some brushing against his body. They were cold also. The siren leading Alvar stopped and waited. In the darkness, Alvar could only see a half a meter infront of him, if that. Shapes began to move and a figure swam into Alvar’s view. His vision slowly focused on the siren before him and something within Alvar recognised her. The sirens green eyes gazed inquisitively at Alvar. Her cyan hair drifted in the water around her head and she raised a cyan shaded hand up to Alvar’s face. The siren carefully placed the hand upon Alvar’s cheek as she inspected him. Alvar wrapped his arms around the siren to keep her close as a current began to drift them through the trench. They drifted together in the water and Alvar watched the siren carefully. Their eyes met and the siren’s hands fell onto Alvar’s shoulders.
“Amber?” Alvar whispered silently, releasing small air bubbles that floated out of the trench and towards the faraway surface. The siren rested her head against Alvar’s chest and he held her closer. He was at peace.
They remained there for a few moments before the siren noticed something on Alvar’s arm and moved her arm to pull up his shirt. Alvar watched her movements as she revealed his water droplet tattoo. The siren then screamed in a pitch that so piercing that all the siren screeched at the sound. Alvar’s body became icy cold and he began to gasp for air as the siren began viciously attacking his arm. Alvar tried to scream but instead, he swallowed water and gurgled. Within moments all the sirens were descending upon him, pinning him to the seabed and tearing into his arm. Blood soaked into the water around Alvar as he stared upwards, praying for the sky to come and pull him out of the cold depths of the sea. Then everything went black.