Prince Eau, Mermaid Killer

(Prince POV)

I swam around the ship, examining it from every angle. It was so grand and beautiful, so much better than the ones that I found at the bottom of the ocean. What I wouldn't give to be running around on there, with the boy called Will, Willheim Grimsby.

I had talked to a real life human!

I laughed and splashed my tail about. This was wonderful! I closed my eyes with a happy smile on my face and lay back in the water.

Then there were screams…

Wood splitting apart…

Crashing…

Splashing…

Crying…

I opened my eyes and saw that the ship had smashed into a rock.

"No!" I screamed out helplessly as the humans fell to their deaths from the broken ship. I watched, my heart aching for them. Then I remembered Will.

"Will! Will!" I cried, swimming towards the ship, dodging the falling planks of wood and people. Where was he? I listened to the moans and shrieks, trying to pick out his voice.

"Will! Where are you?" I hollered, listening in vain for a reply. Hearing nothing, I dove under the water, looking around for him, swimming between the wreckage and people sinking to the bottom of the ocean.

I saw him.

He was caught underneath a chunk of the ship, passed out. I grabbed him around the waist and tugged him out, swimming up to the surface with him.

"Will! Will!" I shook him hard, helplessly. What happened to humans when they were in water? I had never seen one survive before… but Will had to!

"Come on, Will, hold on," I pleaded with him, struggling to swim with him over to the shore, "You got to hold on just a little longer, okay?"

Somehow, I managed to pull Will over onto the sandy shore, and pushed him up onto the beach. I had beached myself, but I had to try and help him somehow! I shook him hard, helplessly, hoping my theories about humans had been right all along. Suddenly, a strangled sort of cry came from Will's throat and he coughed up water. He blinked up at me, his eyes focusing.

"Prince?" he murmured, and coughed.

"Yes, it's me. Are you okay, Will?" I asked anxiously.

"I think so," he said up, his hand on his forehead, "what happened to the ship?"

"You hit a rock," I replied, "You scared me, Will! I thought for sure you were going to foam."

"Going to foam?" Will echoed, "What, like get rabies?"

"Rabies? What's rabies?" I asked, "I mean, go to Poseidon. Live in the eighth ocean. Pass away. Die. Doesn't that happen to humans?"

"Oh! Yes, humans die. Only, we don't go to foam, or Poseidon, or the eighth ocean," Will smiled.

"What happens when you die?" I asked curiously, "The sea witch says that humans have this thing, a soul that lives forever, even after you die."

"Sea witch?" Will exclaimed, wide-eyed.

"Yes, the sea witch," I said matter-of-factly, "Do you have a soul then?"

"Yes, humans have souls that live forever," Will said, composing himself, "don't mermaids- I mean, mermen?"

"No, but we live longer," I shrugged, "and besides, we have spirits that are inside of us that go with Poseidon to make the foam and watch over us."

"Your spirit… that's kind of like a soul," Will hugged his knees to his chest thoughtfully, "Where are your brother and sister?"

"Oh! They must still be watching the ship. I'd better take them home before Mama loses her mind," I said, glancing at the setting sun.

"How are you going to get back into the water?" Will asked curiously.

"Ugh... I kind of didn't think this through," I said sheepishly. Will laughed.

"I'll carry you. It's the least I can do, since you saved my life and all," Will picked me up unsteadily and stumbled over to the ocean.

"Is here far enough?" he asked, when the water was waist-deep for him.

"Yes, thanks," I said and he let go of me.

"Thank you," Will replied, "It must be so much fun being a merman…"

"I'd rather be a human," I replied enviously.

"Do you want to meet me here tomorrow?" Will asked then hastily added, "It's okay if you don't want to, or are busy-"

"No! That'd be great!" I beamed at him.

"Great! I'll see you then, Prince," Will smiled widely.

"Good-bye," I waved, swimming back from him.

"Bye!" he replied, waving. With that, I dove under the ocean, swimming over to the rocks as fast as I could. But where were Carmen and Triton?

"You guys! Come on out, we have to go home!" I cried out into the silence.

Then I saw the blood.

A huge smear across the rock that made my sick to my stomach. The blood ran into the water, and I followed it mindlessly, praying that I was wrong about what had happened. The trail got darker and thicker, leaving me back to the cavern.

Carmen and Triton's blood.

I swam inside as fast as I could, eyes wide. The first thing I saw was Mama sobbing, the most heart-breaking sound I ever heard. Triton was beside her, pale and shivering as he cried silently, rocking himself back and forth. On the floor in front of them was a mess. Golden hair streaked with blood, tail twisted and torn, her little body broken.

My sister.

Carmen.

A sob escaped my throat as I realised what had happened. What I had done. Triton looked up and saw me. I could see it in his eyes.

Betrayal.

This should have never happened. I should have been there. It should have been me. Triton opened his mouth to speak, but I turned and fled the cavern.