It’s eyes were like diamonds, cold and dim.

Much like it’s tail.

It never understood a word I said when I found it, but I’m talking to it anyway, watching the translucent ears twitch against its skull.

“It’s okay. We’re almost there.”

Truthfully, it’s more shark than mermaid, so gender is useless here. I found it after a storm, laying still by the side of the road, luckily in a fairly deep puddle and still breathing.

I thought it was perhaps some rare fish, and found a container to transport it in.

But the moment I turned it over I saw it’s little long fingers that tapered into claws, it’s tiny row of razor teeth, and a distinctly human face that sent me reeling.

But as I was about to scream, or run, it’s eyes opened. White, glittering, like uncut diamonds that seemed to lock onto mine.

I was breathless as I picked it up, placing it in the container and started walking.

I had no car, but knew the way to the beach like the back of my hand. So on I walked hiding from my one that could see the horror that I carried in a plastic tub.

Eventually, the little one stirred in its container. I had stopped for a break, flexing the feeling back into my fingers after hauling the heavy container down backroads.

It’s eyes swallowed me as it lay at the bottom of the plastic tub. I sucked in a breath.

“Let’s get you to the sea, little one.”

But as I reached to curl my fingers around the handles it lunged.

Like diamonds in the rough, sometimes beautiful things need to be hidden, because when they are found, they are sharper than you’d expect and find a way to cut you down to size…