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Wounded Mermaid

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Poor girl...
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© 2013 - 2024 Lucastorquato27
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minorfictionbythomas's avatar
A story.

I am ashamed to say that, at first glance, I thought that she was a wounded seal. A poor creature impaled by a fisherman's harpoon. A sick sort of punishment for the animal's interference in his work. But as I drew my craft closer and closer to the reef the truth became all too clear.
"A...a....mermaid!?"
As incredible as it seems, as improbable as it sounds there, on the tide battered rocks of the reef lay a wounded mermaid. Her green scales tail, which was still oozing blood, was pinned into the rock by the harpoon and was thrashing wildly about in a vain attempt to break free. She had her back toward me when I approached but as I made land fall she turned...
Her face, framed by long luxurious locks of a fiery red, was as fierce and as strong as it was lovely. Her eyes red with tears fixed upon me. An accusingly, and yet desperately pleading look in those eyes.
Her human half was unadorned and her bare flesh was exposed to both the ravages of the sea and the cruel unforgiving surface of the reef. Patches of bright crimson rose from that satin like skin and the haunted, tormented look in her eyes filled my heart with a painful remorse.
I took a few uneasy steps toward her and, in fear, she tried to pull away wincing in pain as the harpoon harshly reminded her that, for the moment anyway, there was no getting away. I took the first aid kit from my raft and lifted it up for her to see.
"I don't want to harm you." I tried to reassure her as I gestured to the red cross upon the white plastic bag. "I only want to help..." I paused as I saw a confused, puzzled look cross over her face. It was clear that she had no idea what I was saying.
I looked out at the beach that lay ahead. The tide was rising and the reef would be claimed by the sea once more. I could not leave her there. An easy prey for the sharks that were known to roam the area.
So I decided to improvise. I pointed to the harpoon and with booth hands made a mock tugging gesture.
"Free!" I said as I continued pretend to pull at the harpoon. "FREE!"
The mermaid stared at me than at the harpoon.
There was a long moment's silence as the water continued its slow and steady rise upon the reef.
To my relief she smiled and nodded as she clasped her hand pleadingly together.
I went to work right away. I applied the lineament to her wounds, and though she winced she did not move. With a small electric saw I carefully sliced the upper half of the harpoon away. The moment she was free I hurried to inspect the wound. It wasn't bleeding, so I applied some lineament and then the bandaging.
I had only finished when she leapt into the air and dove right into the churning wave...
...and was gone. I continued to stare at the crashing waves long after she had vanished.
It was a miracle...she was a miracle. That chance had brought us together. A mermaid and a doctor. As I climbed back into my raft and headed back to shore I had no idea that my simple act would have long reaching consequences or that I would see "my little mermaid" again...