The sharp scent of rotting fish corroded the dank, stone space around her. Above, she could hear the calls of men and stomps of boots against the wooden floors of the upper deck; the chorus of noise only worsened her growing headache as she searched her mind for a plan of escape, only to be left empty of an idea yet again.

Her chains clung tight to her wrists, pinning her into the wall to be hung like the other marine life splayed across the room as if decor—they were barely visible in the darkness, but their putrid smell made up for what her eyes could not see. She supposed, in that sense, she didn’t differ greatly from the deceased fishes displayed; after all, she, too, had been stolen from the sea. She flicked her long, scaled tail to the side, uncomfort unavoidable as the arid area left her once luminous scales dry and withering—she could still move as of now, but she knew that ability too would soon cease the longer she was kept away from her home.

The only noise that kept her calm was the soft thrum of her voice as she hummed a melody as well as she could. The vicious humans had gagged her with rope, fearful of her songs, but she still found sanctuary in the soft noise she could produce from within the restraints. She sung songs of her childhood, songs of grief, songs of love, any rhythm that could drown out the pain of her entrapment.

The crashing waves beneath the cold wood floor acted as instrumental to her multitude of music, a sound that, though discordant, intertwined with her voice in a wondrous harmony. To her surprise, as she continued her hum, she realized her voice had been joined by another.

She ceased her music, listening in wonder as her song continued from the ocean beneath her. The hum was faint, almost indistinguishable, but she could regonize her sister’s voice anywhere. Hope eased her in spite of the discomfort she was in—if her sister were following the moving vessel, that must mean these brutes were still near her home. With this knowledge, the plan she’d failed to procure finally flourished within her mind.

Joining her sister, she raised her voice against the restraints that held her—the soft hum becoming a yell of melodic sound as she strained against the ropes tying her mouth. While she sung, she listened as the sound of footsteps fell from the top deck and down into the room she was held.

The door opened in a loud _bang, _light flashing her eyes as a glimpse of the outside world was finally revealed to her.

“Shut yer mouth up or else I’ll kill ye myself,” the tall man grumbled, yet it didn’t stop her from continuing her euphonious tune.

With an annoyed grunt, the man stepped forward to reach for the rope around her mouth, untying it presumably to remake it tighter. Taking advantage of the foolish man’s lack of judgement, she lurched her head forward and bit down onto his hand, her sharp teeth puncturing bloody holes in the man’s flesh.

“Damn siren!” The man cursed as he lunged back from her touch, caught off guard by her sudden movement. Before he could race to tie her up once more or, at worst, kill her, she added lyrics to the hum she’d been murmuring before.

The man fought against the hypnotizing melody, pressing his palms against his ears, for only a brief moment before his eyelids were forced shut, his world warped once he reopened them.

It was silent for a moment before spoke up once more.

“Marisol—yer here? How?” He blinked as if he couldn’t believe his eyes at the sight.

She gave him a warm smile. Marisol must be his lover, she assumed. No matter her identity, though, in his eyes, the woman’s visage was now

_hers_.

“Yes, it’s me. You must help me, _please_.“

“Aye,” he answered without a second of hesitation. “Whatever ye need; I’ll do anything.”

“Carry me to the deck, I’ll let you know what to do after, my love,” she spoke in a sing-song voice, the melodic tone strengthening her allusion.

He nodded, any little sense he previously had melted away. He swiftly unchained the metal holding her captive before lifting her up, tail and all. She kept her hands around his neck as he lifted her, staring toward him as if he was her world—which, to this Marisol woman, she guessed he likely _was_.

When the man carried her to the top deck, it was eerily silent, not a crew member left in sight. The man, though delirious from her song, still held fear in his eyes at the desolate deck. “Where are they?” he questioned, his eyes wide at the sight.

In the distance below the waves of water, she could still hear her sisters lingering symphony—she’d have to thank her later for being her savior from these ruthless beings.

Keeping her steady smile, she ignored his question and continued her demands. “Bring me to the edge of this wooden island where I can see the ocean.” He followed her orders once more, though his actions were noticeably more strained; his consciousness was trying to fight her.

As they stood above the edge, her eyes squinted with pure glee at her home which loomed below the watery surface. “Now, drop me.”

“What?” He whipped his head from the ocean and back to her, his confusion and reluctance prevalent even through her mirage.

“Drop me, I beg of you.”

“I could never—you’ll drown, Marisol!” His voice broke as he spoke the words, his anguish clear at even the possibility of such a thing.

“Oh, my love, do not fret, for you will be joining me!” she reassured him joyously before giving her last command.

“Jump in the water.”

Before he could protest, she pushed herself from his arms and fell to the sea, the man quickly following in suit. After they hit the sea’s surface, the man tried to take her in his arms, save her—or save Marisol, she should say—but she entrapped him instead. Under her sea, her strength returned; it only took a few moments for her to hold him tight to the suffocating sea, mere minutes for him to draw his last breath, left to float up and join the rest of his crew who laid floating face down on the surface of the water.

Her mouth twisted into a smile as she watched the floating bodies from above. With the humans’ brutality removed from this world, she was at peace at last.