Beguiled by the Ocean

 

Adam looked out over the vast expanse of water. The horizon stretched on for miles, water in every part of his vision. It was like the lonely island that supported his body at that very moment was the only land on this planet. Like everyone else has been beguiled by the ocean. Lured into the endless blue by creatures more amazing than the imagination could conjure. 

He shook his head, wry amusement twisting his lips. Fanciful notions were not something he believed in. Adam was a man of science, he believed in things that adhered to the laws of logic. If something could be touched, felt, seen; only then did it exist. And things that didn't manifest to the senses needed scientific evidence to exist. That was his life, his belief and he never wavered from it. 

But here, on this lonely little island, reality seemed suspended. Nothing but the haunting call of the ocean, the salt on his lips, the humidity in the air and the unending blue. His senses were attuned only to the majestic beauty that was the aquamarine all around. Reflective in parts, shadowed in others, he stood on the precipice of reality. One small push,and everything he had known all his life would vanish. 

But it was probably too late already, he mused, as the sparkling water conjured the image of a woman who had haunted him for the past three days. Three days of combing the abandoned island had led to fitful sleep. But when Adam did drift off to the dream world, he saw her. 

Hair as bright as the sunlight warming his nape and skin glowing like the pearls spread negligently around her in open oysters.  A vision so breathtaking that she humbled the beauty of the ocean.

And now she floated languidly, a small distance away, so small a distance that he could see the emerald green on her eyes. 

He knew what she was. As a child his mother had told him about mermaids. Had read him stories of a princess who yearned to be human. As a child he didn't understand why she would want to be something as ordinary as human. Adam would give anything to be a merman. 

Anything. 

As the ghost of memory slipped away, SHE looked at him. 

And everything vanished. 

'Come,' she whispered. 

Adam took a small step, halting hesitantly. Something about this didn't make sense. Something was wrong. 

'Adam,' she said again, her red lips caressing his name. He looked at her, enslaved. 'Come,' she said, extending an arm in his direction. 

His legs moved, his arms outstretched. The water rose, slowly, seductively. 

She kept slipping further away, a naughty smile titling the corners of her lips. Everytime he would get close enough to touch her, she would move. 

He walked in earnest, swam faster; but the creature of sea that she was, she proved elusive. 

Until finally a massive wave pushed him under. Then she held his hand, yanking him deeper. Into her world. 

And Adam went. 

With a smile on his face.

I don't quite know if the mermaid was an hallucination or reality. 

Guess that's the beauty of fiction. 

Draw your own conclusions.  

The photograph belongs to Parth Thakkar. His collection can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/people/69811753@N02/