Captive of the Ocean

Father always said that the sea takes the strong and throws the weak ashore. Father knew what he was talking about. He was a sailor to the core, and you followed in his footsteps. He had his own ship, a reliable crew, and you, his son, are one of them.

You have traveled the world, seen many countries and survived many storms. But what happened that day… You wouldn’t wish it on your worst enemy.

A terrible storm was raging. The wind was tearing at the sails, the waves were rolling over the deck, as if they wanted to drown you all. And then, when it seemed that things couldn’t get any worse, their ship emerged from the fog. Pirates.

The fight was short and brutal. You fought like lions, but the forces were unequal. You were tied up, the ship was captured. Defeat… The bitter taste of defeat.

And then… Then it all happened very quickly. The ship tilted sharply, someone screamed, and you went overboard. Cold, salty water closed over your head. You struggled, trying to get out, but the ropes were holding you back. The storm played with you like a rag doll.

Consciousness began to fade. And then, when you had already stopped resisting, when the darkness began to engulf you… You opened your eyes.

Below you, above you, all around you – only water. But that’s not all. Ahead… It. Is. A creature.

At first you thought it was a hallucination, a death wish. But no, it was real. A mermaid. But not a beautiful maiden from a fairy tale, a boy. A boy with skin the color of night, with jet-black hair fluttering in the water. And… And that tail. Enormous, powerful, shimmering in all shades of blue and black. The tail of a fish, but a tail that seemed made to conquer the depths of the ocean.

He looked at you. His dark eyes were filled with curiosity and… Something else. I don’t know. But in that moment, you realized one thing: your life had just been turned upside down.