A Siren's Call

I've always had a connection to the water, so to speak. As soon as I was 6 years old, I was swimming in open water, at 8 I was diving, and by 10 I was able to hold my breath for 3 minutes. Once I reached high school, I did what any kid with a love of water did..joined the swim team.

The swim team did what it could to satisfy my need to swim. I went to my fair share of meets, competitions, and free swims with the team. After graduation, I didn't really have a strong connection with my parents, so I left home and found a place near Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. Lots of nature, beautiful sights, and..open water.

The move wasn't too bad, and I had all my boxes in within a few days of getting the keys to my new house. The neighborhood was nice, I was surrounded by friendly people, but there was one person a few neighbors warned me about.

"She keeps to herself mostly. Mostly only leaves her home to head up to the lake. She's a forager, too! Fishes in the lake, and gets mushrooms and what not from the forests around."

Months pass and everything goes pretty normal. There was something a bit strange that I started to notice. After a few swims in the lake, I started having dreams of something living there, and I heard singing coming from underneath the surface. That sounds strange, anyone would call me crazy, but they didn't feel like dreams.

One night I couldn't sleep and felt something beckoning me to the water. I packed a small pack and a few blankets to put in my car. I drove up to the lake, and set up a simple camp. The whole time I was setting things up, I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. The same singing from the dream could be heard too, but it sounded closer...too close.

At that moment, I heard a shift..like a splash in the water. Quickly, with my knife in hand, I turned to see ripples in the water.

"Must've been a branch falling..or a fish?" I thought to myself changing into a wetsuit. I went into the water, and it was strangely warm..and it felt like I was floating. The singing started again, drawing me under the surface of the water. Breathing in and plunging my head beneath the water, I frantically looked for what could be causing the singing when I saw her. The reclusive neighbor..but she looked different.

Fingers webbed like ducks feet and a tail like a fish, she circled me in the water. Scared, I struggled to get to shore, but I couldn't break the surface. Something was keeping me under. The singing grew closer and closer. Multiple figures were swimming around me. It had been at least two minutes..I could only hold my breath for about 2 more minutes.

Tightening their circle, they all started singing in unison...my eyes began feeling heavier and heavier...my muscles relaxed, and I began to float. My neighbor swam in front of me and took my face in one hand and drew me in for a kiss. There was a sharp pain in my side, and it all went dark as I slowly grew colder..sinking deeper..and the singing grew quieter.

I awoke tied to an altar-like table confused.

"Wh...where am I!? My leg..I can't feel..What have you done..."

I looked around and all the figures were around me, lowly chanting. I was approached by who I thought was my neighbor.

"You. You're special. We wait many moons for someone with a love of water quite like yours to enter our waters. You're easier to trick. Easier to trap under the surface. Like everyone else..we get...hungry!" She cracks a smile that sends shivers down my spine as I look down to my feet..one leg was missing.

I opened my mouth to scream only to be hit one the head..chanting growing louder. Last image I saw was the reflection of light off a blood stained blade.