The Mermaid In the Water

She stands on cliff’s edge in her skimpiest nightie, not caring who sees. Feeling her connection with the east wind which has always protected her. The shale-like red rocks have settled, they give her a firm grasp of herself. She goes to the edge. Peers down, wondering if she should have brought someone else, so there would be a witness. It is only thirty-two feet to the water, her Dad used to say, before he dove off this cliff. She watched him do it at least six or eight times during his lifetime, he was 78 the last time. She had never tried it, never feeling that her swimming was good enough, but today felt different. She felt invincible today; she had a dream about this, and she knew she had to try as a tribute. In her father’s honor she takes a dive of faith, falling rapidly toward the water below. There is a crack as she hits it, she feels like it has slapped her face. She is coughing and sputtering. Underwater, she feels scared and cold, ‘Just like Dad,’ says a whispery voice, startling her. It is not until she is sitting near a warm fire, in her home that she remembers a sister she never knew. Dad always said the cliff had magical powers, but to develop them, you had to take the plunge. Her sister was killed in a freak accident when they were little; she had been a few months old. She rarely thought of her or the few photos she had of them. Had her sister been the mermaid in the water? She ponders this for a bit, as her toes warm up. The flames nod in agreement. She feels her Dad beside her. She knows she must go back.