〰🐚Siren Series🐚〰

Demure Siren: Chapter 2

"I tell you she was real!" The orange silken scarf was pushed into his hands as the men laughed at him.

Keiji brushed it softly letting the memories of that day flood his mind. But it had been so many years ago, only a few drops painted a dream-like picture. A woman, blue eyes, the scarf and his seashell necklace that came with a name, but what name?

Still, he knew he wasn't crazy. He knew what he saw that day and he would prove it to all who made fun of him.

"Of course she was real. She was in my bedroom last night." One of the men joked.

With a loud thud, Keiji had him pressed up against a wall, "You take that back you son of a-"

"Enough! Keiji, you should be on your way, now." His father broke the two up.

"I'll find her, just you wait." Keiji hissed through his teeth, before leaving the farm and proceeded to walk past the rice fields, leaving all those years of mockery behind him. He had always been an outcast, but now that he was grown-up he could finally escape that provincial town and go to the city.

Sho-Kyōto was a busheling coastal city, with people rushing from one end of the markets to the other, shouting louder, selling more. Keiji looked around with much amazement at all the treasures the street vendors offered him. But he didn't have the money to buy such treasury and he never would if he didn't find a job quick.

"You are crazy you old men, find another fool to do your dirty work! Because I quit!" A young man screamed as he bursts out the door of a tavern.

An older man followed him closely, fuming. "Fine, you always were good for nothing, land-dweller. You warugaki!"

Suddenly, the old men turned to faze a stunned Keiji, "What are you looking at boy?"

"Nothing, sir," Keiji bowed deeply, apologizing.

The old men circled him, spewing some nonsense about his build and clothes. "Strong back. Good muzzles'. Not bad, not bad at all."

Keiji backed away from this increasingly awkward situation, but the men grabbed him by the shoulder. "Say, boy, you aren't by any chance looking for a job."

"Yes, I am, sir."

"Perfect! I'm looking for a fine sailor to help me and my crew. And you are the perfect, loser- I mean man, for the job."

"Really? Oh, thank you so much! When do I start?"

"Right now," The man laughed. Keiji looked up to see that this man had led him to the harbour.
They were now standing in front of a medium-sized fishing ship, with three other men on board already binding up the fishing nets. Keiji was pushed aboard without much instruction and handed a bucket and mop by the old man. "Just make sure the deck is clean, I don't want any fish guts on my ship."

"Yes, sir." Keiji obliged before seeing one of the other sailors approach him.

"Welcome aboard, kid" the other sailors padded him on his back, showing his crooked smile.

"Thank you, I'm Keiji."

"I'm Garuku. Say, you're not from around here, are you?" Squinted eyes observed his clothes and knapsack, scoffing at the sight of Keiji's embarrassment.

"I'm from a village in the north. I came to Sho-Kyōto because-"

"Spare me your life story, kid." Garuku scoffs as he secures the sail, "I hope they thought you about the dangers of the sea at home, because once we're out there," he points to the sea as his jaw tenses, "It's every man for himself, remember that."

Keiji observed dark looming clouds roll towards them with bouldering warnings," I know about Funayurei and there was this woman who-."

"Funayurei, are the least of your worries. We've recently had some trouble with a nasty siren. Most fishers don't even dare to sail out." Garuku mocks, shooting angry side-glances to the captain.

Keiji was surprised to hear that someone, other than himself, actually believed in the Funayurei ghosts, but the moving ship pressed another question to his mind.

"So why are we sailing out?"

"Because we," Garuku flicks a finger between the two of them, "need the money."

It wasn't long before the clouds made good on their warnings and engulfed the ship in a rainfall so heavy it was as if an ocean in the sky was emptying itself on top of them.
Keiji tried his best to tie up the ropes, steadying himself against the railing as another wave knocked against the boul of the ship. His legs felt like noodles when his sight spotted a human shadow over the railing, floating above the waves. His ears rang when he heard a woman singing all around. Fog enveloped the ship, waves kept crashing against the boul, making the ship dance over the water.

Clutching the seashell in his hands, Keiji thought of the woman, praying he could see she one last time.

His thoughts were knocked out of him when the next wave send the ship capsizing, taking its crew along to the depths of the ocean.

Keiji felt his lungs filling with water as he desperately tried to swim back to the surface. His limbs got heavier, his body filled with water as a song echoed throughout, so eerily peaceful.

His mind painted the picture of the woman from the necklace underwater. Sea blue eyes, pale skin and long black hair dancing in the waves. Her long skirt the same orange as the scarf and she was singing.

So beautiful, so pure, like lilies on a lake, a pearl of peace in the endless depths.

"Sayuri," Keiji spoke as his mind gave way to the ocean to take his body.

In his mind he could still hear the song, he almost felt it like a tug on his arms, notes brushing against him like hair brushing against his cheeks. Silky skin was pulling him closer, he wrapped his arms around it, giving himself over to the song.
Until it no longer felt like a song, but like a woman.