The Merman

~{2}~

In the centre of her dimmed living room, Birdie hunched over the glowing screen of her laptop with a steaming cup of tea in her hand. She took a quick sip and divulged in the taste of the herbs on her tongue before swallowing harshly. What had happened on the beach had plagued her mind throughout the evening. The stuff of legends, the characters in questionable fanfiction and curling pages in leather-bound books had grabbed her ankles. Just thinking about it caused Birdie to massage the blooming bruise above her foot. 

Teddy hadn't fared any better. The sharp talons of the merman had cut through his skin and drew blood - something which angered Birdie. How dare anyone, tail or not, harm her sweet wolfhound. 

She had trolled the internet, searched the most questionable pages and dived deep into the world of the mentally insane but came up with nothing. There were no reliable first-hand experiences with a merman on any of the websites she had visited. Birdie was always being told that the internet held all the worlds answers but tonight, it had let her and Teddy down. 

She just couldn't shake those penetrating aqua blue eyes, the translucent skin and veins threading his arms. It was so unreal yet Birdie had never experienced something more lifelike. She had almost drowned, brushed the black coat of death but was yet to knock on his door. The Merman had let her go, effectively letting her live.  Why?

She had strolled that beach many times in the past, even had picnics on it for god sake! But never had the pearl tail and a mop of coal hair joined her. In the morning Birdie would check teddy's paw again and if the mark was still there - it was confirmed. 

She wasn't mad.

**~**

When the morning came, the gulls squawked in droves and Birdie settled on her sofa with a bowl of cornflakes. The early morning sun filtered through the latticework windows and warmed her rosy cheeks. She started every day like this; a warm bowl of cereal and watching the boats leave the harbour for a decent catch. Many people didn't like the seaside lifestyle but Birdie couldn't get enough. The gentle hush of the rolling waves, the chatter of the gulls and fits of mirth from the seamen woke her lumbering spirit. In Birdie's mind, the world couldn't get any better.

Apart from one thing.

"Teddy, come here boy." Birdie called out, clicking her fingers to draw the wolfhounds attention. 

Like the faithful dog he was, Teddy lumbered up to Birdie while trying not to put weight on his back paw. She slipped off her seat and kneeled beside him, ignoring the ache in her own foot. Birdie ran her hand towards the paw and momentarily stopped breathing when her fingers brushed a bandage. She delicately undid the tight wrapping and sighed at the sight of a fresh scab.

She wasn't mad. 

Birdie fell back on her bum - defeated. There were very few times in her short existence were the idea of being sane seemed insane. What had happened on that beach, in those waters, was not a figment of her delusional imagination. It was worse. 

It just couldn't be real! It couldn't!

But it was.

She had truly seen a Merman. She had fought a Merman to protect Teddy. It was the sort of tall tale Birdie would tell all the old fisherman in the pub over a frothing pint, or maybe two more. She wondered if anyone else trawling the seas had seen him or perhaps caught him in their nets. Maybe they too were fearful of the unknown and kept quiet.

By saying what she saw, Birdie was putting herself under immense criticism and backlash. Half the population of Chapstone were decrepit and old anyways, her running door to door and yelling about half-boy half-fish wouldn't settle well. She would be the village looney. People were already wary of the girl's presence, the last thing she needed was 'madman' to be stapled to her watchful back.

"What am I going to do, hey?" She whispered to the dust settling on the mantlepiece.

**~**

Teddy wouldn't sit still. The leather lead hanging by the door was constantly taunting the Irish wolfhound and his incessant barking was driving Birdie mad. 

He wanted to burn all the pent up energy tearing up the shingle beach but she was against it. The possibility of the Merman making an unwanted reappearance set Birdie on edge and her palms would sweat. She thought that avoiding where it happened, despite Teddy's insistence, would obliterate the image from her mind.

But you can't avoid it forever.

And when a dog up to her waist wanted to walk, it was hard to resist.

"Calm Teddy!" Birdie called from the kitchen as she heated a pan of soup on the hob.

The dog barked vehemently in response.

"Teddyyy!" Birdie warned.

Another string of snarls ensued. He refused to accept that Birdie's stubbornness would abrupt his walking schedule, Merman or not.

He barged into the kitchen, knocking over a jar of sugar in the process and caught the back of Birdie's top in his jaw.

"Will you ever stop!?" she chided.

Teddy tugged Birdie back and away from the hob, causing her to topple over him and fall heavily on the tiles.

"Fine! Fine! But avoid the water, please." she pleaded breathlessly.

Teddy released his clutch and licked her face - a canine sign of affection. Or so Birdie convinced herself, anyway. 

**~**

Birdie strolled along the beach, as far away from the water's edge as possible. Teddy tried to break loose from his lead but she refused and kept him close. The powder blue cloudless skies and glowing sun proved useless in boosting Birdie's mood. She was constantly scanning the horizon, waiting for the flash of scales.

A deep set part of her wanted to see the toned, pale torso of the mysterious Merman but she batted those images away. Yes, it would make yesterday as clear as polished crystals but Birdie didn't want that. 

She wanted it gone.

"Hello, again."