The Little Mermaid

Beneath the waves, I dreamed of the human world—of sunlight piercing the ocean’s veil and the laughter of mortals. My sisters spoke of it in whispers, but I longed for it with every pearl in my shell. When I glimpsed the prince’s face above the foam, my heart fractured into starlight. I traded my voice to the sea witch for legs, each step a dagger’s kiss. The prince called me "silent shadow," yet his touch felt like a tide pulling me ashore.For him, I endured shells piercing my flesh. But when his bride’s veil swept over the sand, my sisters slit their hair to forge a blade. "Kill him, and reclaim your tail," they wept. I stood at dawn, the knife cold in my palm, but let the waves take it. As the sun rose, my body dissolved into seafoam. Yet I did not vanish. I became a spirit of air, learning that love is not chains but wings. Now I drift where oceans meet sky, guarding those who dare to leap beyond their depths.