Siren song

“Jeffery! Stay away from that water, Jeffery!”

Jeffery wrinkled his nose at his mother and turned back to the puddle on the ground. There weren’t that many people in this puddle. It wasn’t like the ocean behind their house. Jeffery couldn’t remember when he started hearing the people in the water. It was after they moved to the new house on the beach. Mommy had said it would be fun. He could play in the water all day if he wanted. But Mommy didn’t know about the people in the water.

Sometimes they scared Jeffery. Mostly he was just curious to see what they wanted. He reached his hand down to touch the puddle, but before he could, his mother had him by the arm and began pulling him towards the church.

“I told you to get away from the water, Jeffery.” She sighed. “You’re going to ruin your nice clothes.”

“But Mommy, I don’t want to say goodbye.”

His mom knelt down in front of him, smoothing the lines out of his vest. Her eyes were wet, as she said, “I know, baby. But Daddy will always be with us.”

Then she took him by the hand and led him into the church.

Four Years Later

Jeffery looked out over the ocean, watching as the waves crashed loudly against the cliff. You would think he would hate the water. After his dad died from drowning when he was four, his mother had moved them from their beach house to a house more inland. But you can’t completely escape the sea. And for Jeffrey, there was an invisible string pulling him always to the water.

Jeffery couldn’t remember when he first started seeing the people in the water. He only knew that they never changed. The creatures were humanoid with cracked black skin and wispy white hair. They had no eyes or nose, only sunken, hollow holes in their skulls. Their fingers were unnaturally long and tipped with inch long claws. When they opened their mouths to cry out, black teeth, broken and sharp, were visible.

He looked down to the base of the cliff where several of the creatures tried to claw their way toward him, but they couldn’t leave the confines of the sea.

He finally stood when the sun began to set. He picked up a red bike and began walking it home. He was so absorbed in his thoughts, of trying to come up with a suitable story, that he didn’t notice the black sedan parked in the driveway until it was too late.

“Jeffery Alexander Jones!”

He winced at the harshness of his mother's voice. When she was angry, Lydia Jones could rival even the strongest wave, and Jeffery did not want to be awash in her current.

“Where on earth have you been all day?”

“I was with Billy--”

“I called Billy’s mother. She hasn’t seen you all month, it seems.”

Lydia’s eyes were hard as ice.

Jeffery scuffed the toe of his sneaker in the ground, creating a little pile of gravel. “Well Billy’s a butthead anyway.”

“Where were you?” Lydia demanded again.

“I was looking.”

“Looking at what?” Even though she already knew the answer. Her son was as obsessed with the sea as her late husband had been.

“I was on the cliff watching the people in the water.”

“We’ve talked about this, Jeffery. There aren’t any people in the water.” Lydia said exasperated.

“Yes, there are! I always see them! They call my name!”

“No they don’t!”

“Yes they do!”

Lydia pinched the bridge of her nose as she closed her eyes. When she spoke her words were so quiet Jeffery had to strain to hear them, “We will talk about this later. Go wash up for dinner.”

The next morning, Lydia set two bowls of steaming oatmeal on the table. It was Jeffery’s favorite, but he still wouldn’t look at her. “It’s not a bad thing, sweetie.” She cooed.

Jeffery frowned into his bowl, adding copious amounts of cinnamon. “You said I was crazy.”

Lydia let out a sigh, trying to hold in her frustration. “I did not say you were crazy.”

“You said I needed to see a shrink.” Jeffery dumped sugar into his oatmeal.

“I said I think it would be a good idea.” Lydia spooned sugar in her oatmeal before adding cautiously, “Seeing people in the water isn’t...normal. I’m just saying it may be a way of manifesting your feelings about missing your dad.”

Jeffery slammed his spoon on the table, “It’s not the same thing.” He stood up abruptly and headed to the door. Before he went outside, he spun and locked eyes with his mother, “I’m not crazy.” Then he slammed the door behind him.

He didn’t bother with his bike this time. He stuffed his hands into the pocket of his hoodie and walked sullenly through the copse of trees. The cliff he liked to sit on was a twenty-five minute walk from their house, but he wasn’t going to the cliff today. He was going straight to the beach. He doubted his mom knew it, but the beach was practically in their backyard. You couldn’t tell from the road either. He had stumbled upon the beach when he was playing with Billy. They were running through the trees, seeing whose airplane could fly better, when they found the beach. It was the last day Billy played with him, but it didn’t matter. He was just fine on his own.

It was detached from the larger beach, more like a tiny cove with a cave in the cliff face. There was a half moon of white sand that gave way to the tumultuous sea. Jeffery didn’t come here very often because the people in the water scared him. They had never hurt him, but they were always asking him for things. Their voices hurt his ears.

Jeffery was so consumed in his thoughts that he didn’t notice the little girl sitting on the beach until he was beside her. He frowned. “Who are you?”

The little girl turned around and smiled at him. She had a pretty face with long blonde hair and deep blue eyes. “My name is Rosie. Wanna play?”

“I ain’t seen you before.” Jeffery replied.

“I just moved here.”

Jeffery nodded.

“Do you like the water?” Rosie pointed to the waves crashing against the beach.

Jeffery shrugged.

“Can’t you swin?”

“‘Course I can.” Jeffery mumbled.

“So then what’s the problem?” Rosie was looking him up and down.

Jeffery looked to the water and to the girl. If his own mom thought he was crazy because he could see people in the water, he sure wasn’t about to tell some girl he had just met.They stood there staring at one another for a long time, then Rosie said, “So you wanna play?”

“Play what?” Jeffery asked.

“Oh, I like to play lots of stuff. Hide and seek and skipping stones. Sometimes I like to find things that washed up on the beach. Seashells or glass.” Rosie jumped up on a log and began walking across it, holding her hands up on either side to help her balance. “We could play pirates.”

Jeffery’s face broke into a gap-toothed smile. “Really? You like to play pirates?”

Rosie jumped down from the log. “It’s the best! Argh!” She picked up a stick and pointed it at Jeffery. “You’re gonna walk the plank, matey.”

Jeffery covered one of his eyes with a hand and picked up another stick. “Argh! Not afore you do, mate!”

They giggled as they chased each other around the beach, each taking turns making the other jump from the log.

By that afternoon, he felt as if he had known Rosie a long time. They sat on the log watching the surf come and go.

“I should probably go home soon.” Jeffery said.

Rosie nodded. “Yeah.”

But neither of them moved. They just watched as the waves crashed lazily on the beach. Jeffery didn’t even notice that the waves were quiet. There was no sound as they hit the shore. There were no people calling his name.

Jeffery eased the door shut behind him. It was dark outside and his stomach was growling. He didn’t even realize how late it had gotten or that he had been gone since breakfast. Behind him the light flickered on, but he didn’t turn around.

“Where were you all day?” His mom’s voice was soft. Not angry-soft either. This made him turn around. She looked tired. And sad.

“I was playing with a friend.”

“I called Billy’s mom. You weren’t there.”

“I made a new friend. Her name is Rosie. She said she just moved here.”

“Oh.” It seemed to take his mom a minute to register this information. Then she smiled a small smile. “That’s great, dear.” She moved across the kitchen. “Are you hungry? I bet you are since you missed lunch.”

Jeffery took off his jacket and hung it by the door. “I’m starving!”

His mom laughed. “Alright then, how about a PB&J for now and I’ll order us some pizza?”

“That sounds great!”

“Well go wash up for dinner. I’ll make your sandwich while you’re gone.” Lydia pulled her cell phone from her pocket the moment she could no longer hear her son’s footsteps. She turned her back on the door and kept her voice low. “Yes. Dr. Evans, please.” A pause. “Hello, Doctor. Yes. I’m fine thanks. Well, it's about Je--my son.” She cast a furtive glance behind her. “I think he’s getting worse. Yes. Yes. I will meet you first thing tomorrow morning. Thank you.”

“Who’s that?”

Lydia nearly dropped the phone.”N-no one, dear. Another client wanting to view a house.”

She quickly smeared some peanut butter on a piece of bread and followed with grape jam. She handed the sandwich to Jeffery. “Milk?” she asked as she turned to retrieve a glass from the cabinet.

“Mom?” Jeffery chewed his sandwich slowly.

“Yes, dear?” She handed him the glass of milk.

“Why do you think dad drowned?”

Lydia stood very still for a full minute. They had this conversation before, but Jeffery was younger. He didn’t fully understand. So she sighed, pulled the chair from under the table, and sat down. “I don’t know.” She answered truthfully.

Jeffery looked very intently at his sandwich.

“But…” She paused. Sighed. “Sweetie, there was something in the autopsy report. I was going to wait until you were older, but…” Her eyes glazed over.

“I’m older now.” Jeffery said. “I’m eight, mom. I’m not a kid.”

Lydia’s mouth twisted into a small smile. “Really? Being a kid isn’t so bad, is it?”

Jeffery took another bite of his sandwich and waited. His mother sighed. She looked at her son for a long moment before she said, “Don’t worry about it, sweetie.” She got up and grabbed her phone off the counter. “I’m going to pick up the pizza. You can find a movie for us to watch tonight. ‘Kay?”

Jeffery frowned but nodded, knowing no argument would change his mother’s mind.

“So what do you want to play today?” Rosie threw stones into the water, counting how many times they skimmed across the surface.

Jeffery watched her, occasionally taking turns too. It had been a week since he first met Rosie. Everyday they met and played together for hours at a time. Some days it was pirates. Other days they collected sea glass and shells. Today, though, they had mostly sat on the log and stared at the ocean. There was a storm in the distance. It would probably make landfall in a few hours.

“Jeffery? We’re friends aren’t we?” Rosie hugged her knees close to her chest.

Jeffery smiled. “Course we are. I like playing with you.”

Rosie smiled, “So if I tell you something, would you promise not to tell anyone else, ever?”

Jeffery nodded solemnly. “Sure.”

Rosie sat on the log for a minute. Then so quietly, he could barely hear, “I see people in the water.”

Jeffery started. “You what?”

Rosie jumped up and waved at the ocean. “I see people in the water. But only sometimes. Do you not want to be friends now?”

“What? Are you kidding?” Jeffery smiled. “I see people too!”

“Really!” Rosie laughed. “I was so afraid you would think I’m crazy.”

“No.” Jeffery said. “I see them too. I didn’t want to tell you because I thought you would laugh at me.”

“Never.” Rosie said solemnly.

Jeffery picked up a large stone and cast it over the waves. “My mom thinks I’m crazy.”

“I would never say that.” Rosie said.

“I think she thinks I do it for attention.”

“Why?”

“Well…” Jeffery paused. “My dad died a few years ago. He drowned in the sea. I think my mom thinks I say so because I miss my dad.”

“But that doesn’t make any sense.” Rosie threw a stone.

“That’s what I said.”

They stood in silence for a while. Then Jeffery said, “I wish my dad was still here. I think he would believe me.”

Rosie squeezed his hand in hers. “You really miss him, huh?”

Jeffery wiped his eyes. “It’s just not fair. I mean I know it was an accident or whatever, but he’s gone. And my mom treats me like a baby all the time.”

Rosie looked at him with those blue, blue eyes. “What if I said I knew a way you could see him again?”

Jeffery wiped his nose. “That’s not possible. He’s dead.”

Rosie smiled like she knew the biggest secret ever. “My mom and dad can help.”

“I don’t know,” Jeffery said doubtfully. He paused. “Anyway, I got to go. My mom will be home soon.”

“Okay. See you soon.”

Jeffery walked away leaving Rosie to stand alone on the white sand of the beach. It could have been the oncoming storm, but her blue eyes seemed to grow darker.

Jeffery wasn’t surprised to see his mom’s car already in the driveway. She had been coming home early the past week. He quietly let himself into the kitchen. He heard his mom’s voice coming out of the adjoining room. He was going to tell her hi, when he caught a part of her conversation. “It’s not natural, Dr. Evans. I mean he says he can see people in the water. Then the other day, he told me he had made friends with a little girl who just moved to town, but I asked around the office. No one has sold or rented a property in the area in the last month. I’m afraid the delusions are getting stronger.” A pause. “Yes, sending him away for a while might be best.” Another pause. “No. No. Nothing like that. He isn’t violent.” A sigh. “Are you sure it has to be so soon?”

Jeffery felt numb. His mother thought he was crazy and she was going to send him away. He didn’t believe him about Rosie or anything else. Without thinking, he ran back outside, slamming the door shut behind him.

He ran as fast as he could, ignoring the water stinging his face or the branches that ripped at his clothes. He didn’t care it had gotten darker a lot sooner than it was supposed to. All he could think about was that his mom didn’t believe him. She didn’t want him.

He wasn’t surprised to see Rosie still sitting on the beach. She stood up when she saw him. There was something different about her, but he couldn’t tell what. “Did you mean it?” He wiped at his face. “Did you really mean you could take me to my dad?”

Rosie smiled and took his hand. “I told you, my mom and dad can help.”

She led him by his hand to the edge of the water. Jeffery sat terrified as her skin started to turn black, peeling away like ash. When she opened her mouth an unearthly loud wailing came out.

Jeffery clamped his hands over his ears, but he couldn’t look away as two more of the beings came forward. These are my parents. Rosie’s voice spoke inside his head. They claimed your father four years ago. Now it is time for them to claim you.

Jeffery stood still, terror filling every ounce of his body. The smaller of the two creators came forward, eyeless holes assessing him. You miss your father, little one? The voice that spoke inside his mind was lyrical.

Jeffery nodded his head slowly. You have nothing to fear from us, child. The taller creature said gently.

We can show you your father. The mother said. Come.

The sea opened up before him. The two beings held out their arms. In the distance, Jeffery saw a man, tall and handsome. He was smiling happily, glasses askew on his face. Jeffery’s face broke into tears. “Daddy?”

The man looked up and upon seeing Jeffery smiled wider. He opened his arms. My son. Come to me.

Jeffery ran forward and suddenly there were creatures everywhere. They reached for him with their blackened hands and pulled him down, down, down.

Lydia had followed her son as soon as she realized he had overheard. She stumbled through the woods, calling after him, but he didn’t hear her. The rain pelted her mercilessly as the thunder rolled overhead. The forest finally broke out to a sandy beach. The ocean gaped open in front of her like a great black mouth.

She stepped from the tree-line just in time to see her son swallowed by the waves.