A Merman's Valentine

Today I got her letter in a bottle. She only writes to me if she must want to say something important. It always makes me shiver to open the bottle. The feeling builds up when I read the first line.

After reading the letter, I make my way to the seashore, hoping to find her. I wait, hiding behind the huge rocks in the shallows. I wait from the time the sun comes out beyond the mountains until it's above me.

I must now transform into one of them. I need to reach her and postpone what has been planned to do. She told me stories about her village and I think I could find my way to where the wedding would happen. It breaks my heart to think of it. So, I go back home to Mother. I ask her the sacred silver powder. It's forbidden, but I insist. I think I will die if I don't have it.

I swim in the deeps carrying the sacred silver powder inside a shell of a clam. Upon reaching the seashore, I look around to make sure no one will see me with my tail. I open the shell and sprinkle the powder on my tail. In a moment, my scales metamorphose into two human muscular legs. I stand up, naked. I'm not used to walking so I practice in the shallows. Once I could feel I'm ready, I walk unsteadily to the nearest hut and find some clothes hanging on a fence. Then I race to the village and look for the chapel.

The bell sounds like a whale call. I run to where the sound comes from. I find the chapel, at last. I walk inside, never minding the people sitting in the chairs. I see Maria, kneeling beside a guy. She is in a beautiful long white dress.

"Maria!" I shout when I'm in the middle of the passageway.

All of them turn to me, amazed.

She rises and abandons the guy. She runs to me and embraces me. "I'm sorry, Inso."

"Come," I say. I take her hand and we move outside the chapel. We race towards the cliff. I take a quick look at my back and see them coming after us. Some of them have long guns.

Upon reaching the cliff, I tell Maria to clutch at my back. She's nervous to jump. "Trust me, Maria," I say.

We jump to the sea. My legs transform back into a fishtail. We swim far ahead and stop at the part where they couldn't go after us. We look back at the cliff. We look to the seashore which is now swarmed with villagers.

"I love you, Maria," I whisper.

"I love you too, Inso." She kisses me. "They threatened to kill me if I don't do what he wants." Her tears mix with the seawater.

I know she can never live in the deep sea. So, I bring her with me to an island in the middle of the ocean. I'm sure they won't be able to find us. They won't bother us anymore.

The next day is Valentine's Day, a celebration of love for the Christian world where Maria belongs to and lives in. She's told me stories about it several times. Maria has allowed me to celebrate it with her. She is with me now and we're in the firmament.

"I promise to stay with you on this island, Inso," she declares.

"If that's so, then all my days would be Valentine's Day."