The Captain searched feverishly for the one that killed his father. He stole ship after ship to sail all the oceans looking. The Captain lost hundreds of crew members but it didn’t stop
him. He’ll lost a thousand more if it gets him closer to avenging his father’s death. The Captain didn’t know what the killer looked like. All he had was a name; ‘Neris’. The name appeared to him in a mirror he saw in a tavern. The name was etched into the mirror. Anytime a name is given from a mirror, it follows a warning. Blinded by revenge, The Captain set off. The crew knew The Captain had gone mad but they knew better to cross him. One early morning, The Captain was looking at his map when he heard a bell. They were miles from land so he couldn’t figure out where the bell was coming from. The fog was so dense, the crew couldn’t see past their noses. A chill in the air made The Captain shudder. “We’re here,” he whispered. He could make out a small island in the distance. He could feel it in his bones that they had arrived. He finally found Neris. The Captain and the crew set off on row boats to the tiny island. Then something strange took place. The men could hear music playing. It was the most beautiful sound the men had ever heard. They were mesmerized by the sound. The Captain was also taken by the music. As they got closer, the music turned into singing. Before they reached the island, The Captain heard a yelp and a splash. He turned around and didn’t see anything. He heard it again and again. He looked down at his map and dropped it in shock. They had come upon ‘Mermaid Island’. The land mermaids weren’t the problem. The Captain looked around and noticed he was the only one on the boat. He drew his sword and stood up. The the boat rocked and The Captain fell back down. To the right of the boat was a mermaid. She was beautiful. “You are a long way from home.” Her voice had an echo that barreled through The Captain’s ears. “I am looking for someone, mermaid. I am here to avenge my father’s death. I’m seeking the one they call, ‘Neris’.” The mermaid leaned on the side of the boat and smiled. “Where did you acquire such information?” The Captain explained to her about the mirror in the tavern. The mermaid laughed and a low echo followed. “Silly man. You were so blinded by finding your father’s killer, you failed the one rule of a mirror warning.” The Captain could hear other mermaids beginning to giggle. “I have searched all over the world to find this person. I have no time for your games. Return my crew and be gone with you demons!” The mermaid laughed and replied, “If you had listened to the mirror, you would have survived the day. You were a fool to come here. Good for us but bad for you. The mirror will give you a warning but you must
remember one crucial detail; the warnings are backwards.” The Captain froze and all the color drained from his face. The mermaids were closing in on the boat. The Captain shook his head and could hear the screams and wails of his crew as they were being ripped apart. The Captain looked at the mermaid and said, “Siren!”