The Pendant

“Captain may I have a moment?” James knocked and walked into the helm before receiving an answer. “We are having a problem.”

“James please come in.” The captain chuckled, “What seems to be the problem? Between you and her I have never seen a more serious bunch.”

“Can I see the maps of the route? Can you point out where we are?”

“Sure. We are here.” The captain pointed to a spot in the middle of the vast blue Atlantic. James dug in his pocket and pulled out a worn aged piece of paper. He laid it next to the map the captain had shown him and studied the two.

“So, on this map we are about here correct?” He pointed to the location on his map that corresponded to the one the captain had shown him. The captain nodded. “Can you tell me when we get here?”

“What is this about son?”

“You know the particulars of Jade’s needs correct?” James looked up at the captain and waited for a response. When the captain nodded again he continued. “She is out of food. Normally that would not be a big deal had she been completely full when she ran out. She could have gone days, a week even but she had gotten sick before we left and then again just now. She’s literally running on empty and when that happens…” James paused and sighed.

“I get the idea son. What do you want me to do when we get there?”

“Stop the engines.”

“Are you crazy?”

“Maybe. There are legends surrounding that area. Based on my research and the lore of that area I may have found a way to save her and us.”

“Is she a danger?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. I keep telling her and myself that she isn’t but we are losing her.”

“To what?”

“You really don’t want to know.”

“Fine. I have lived long enough on these seas to know when to just accept what I have been told son. We should be there in an hour.”

“I am going to need a net and two of your crew, Ken and Greg. They know or at least have seen what she is.”

“And the rest of the men?”

“Keep them in chambers. What I am looking for isn’t anything they need to see. I don’t know that I want to see it.”

The Captain nodded again, he reached for the microphone for the loud system. He called Ken and Greg to the helm. He looked at the door until the two men burst through the door.

“Yes Captain?” Ken asked as Greg stood silently beside him. They both stole a glance at James as they waited for the Captain’s orders.

“We are going to need your assistance in about forty-five minutes. Mr. Pratt here is going to need a hand here for fishing something. He hasn’t been clear on what but while you are helping Mr. Pratt here he is in charge is that understood?”

“Yes sir.”

“Captain, thank you I am going to take that time to get the things I need to catch us a something big enough to feed her.”

“But we are in a stretch of the Atlantic where there is very little fishing activity.”

“Don’t have to worry about that. I am not hunting a fish. Look you boys have seen more than the rest of the crew surrounding the situation pertaining to Jade. I know you have. Greg, Ken am I mistaken?”

“James, what the hell is she?” Ken asked, his eyes sparkled with wonder. “I have been meanin’ to ask ya’ that since the night I went over.”

“I doubt you would believe me even if I told you.” James said as he shook his head. “I need to go get ready.” James walked out of the helm and down onto the main deck. He could hear Jade’s anguished snarls and howls from below. He sighed and hoped his plans would work. He only had knowledge of myths to go on and no real proof. If he found what he was looking for Jade may last long enough to get to the dock.

James grabbed a fishing pole from one of the storage areas and removed the reel. He tugged on the line before removing his pocket knife and cut about twenty feet of the wire. He reattached the reel and headed for the kitchen.

He ignored the strange looks aimed at him as he pulled open the cabinets and cupboards around the small kitchen. Stainless steel pots, pans, and large spoons started to gather in a pile in the center of the room as he went from each cabinet. Every few seconds he would turn and count the items on the ground then continue to rummage. The crew that had gathered for an evening meal filtered out quietly and let him continue on his rampage.

James stopped his frenzied rummage and sat cross-legged on the floor next to the large pile of stainless steel cookware. He pulled the length of fishing wire from his pocket. With nimble fingers he thread the wire threw the hook holes on the handles pulling the object to the other end of the wire, quickly tying knots to hold them in place before starting the process over again. The last thing he attached was a small bell that he had found hanging near the kitchen door. James smiled at his masterpiece.

By the time he was done he had a long line of shinny noisy babbles on a string. James stacked them quickly, heading for the deck, in time to hear the announcement for all of the crew to head to chambers. James watched silently, holding his creation, as the men left the deck and the engines stopped. Ken and Greg stayed on the deck and waited for James to give them their orders.

“Hey guys do you have a large net and a flashlight?” James asked the two remaining men as his eyes focused on the hatch to the cargo hold. The hatch was shaking, the growls and snarls just below the hatch. James dropped his creation and ran towards the hatch. He pushed one of the smaller boxes over the hatch, he could not have her getting out before he had something for her to eat.

“Got the net and the flashlight man.” Greg smiled and held up their finds.

“Good tie the long end of that bate to the top of the net. Then we will drop the net over the side of the boat.”

“Bate?” Ken looked around the deck not seeing any thing that looked like bate.

“Yeah the string of pots and pans. Make sure the bell is above the water we need to hear if it rings.”

“Dude, man what is this? This really isn’t like any kind of fishing I have ever heard of.” Greg grabbed the string of pots and pans, his agitation was drawn out by a feral roar from below the deck. “What the hell was that?”

“That is the reason why you need to stop asking questions and get that net over the side of this fucking ship and hope to hell that bell rings.” James stood by the hatch watching as the crate shook and the latch started to crack away from the wood.

Ken and Greg tossed the net over the side with the string of babbles. Grabbing the flashlight, James leaned over the side of the boat. He flashed the light, making sure the light bounced off the steel.

Visibility was low in the dark kissed waters of the Atlantic. The light only shone a few feet below the calm waters, illuminating the small flecks of oceanic debris. The light bounced off the steel and reflected into the net. The area around the net grew darker with indiscernible masses, the light barely reflecting off of emerald scales.

“James what the hell are those things?” Ken asked, his voice sodden with fear.

“What we are looking for. We will only have one shot, we need to trap one and hull it on deck.”

“Anything we need to know man? Like, I don’t know, will it try and eat us?”

“Yes. It has razor sharp teeth, a dorsal fin the can cut through steel, finger nails that have been recorded to be as sharp as diamonds, and a cry that is said to turn a man’s blood cold.”

“You have to be shitting me. Are you telling me that those things down there are fucking mermaids?”

“Man there is no way those things are mermaids.”

“All stories originate from somewhere. Do you two honestly believe that there have been that many sightings and that many tales for them not to be real?”

“All I’m sayin’ about this is I hope to hell what we pull out of here looks like Ariel.” James laughed and clapped Ken on the back with his free hand. He gestured for the two men to get ready to pull the net.

One of the larger masses swam close to the hanging pots, stopping for only a moment to gaze at the shinny object. For the first time the men were able to see the creature fully. Thin wiry arms kissed by emerald skin ended in frail fingers connected with translucent webbing. Long green finger nails shimmered in the light like the scales that covered the bottom half of the creature. Plates the size of small seashells covered the fish like lower half and ascended up most of the beings back. Along its spine was a shape solid dorsal fin. The serrated edge glistened in the waters. Its stomach, chest, neck, and shoulders covered in the green tinted skin. Instead of beautiful flowing hair, a fleshy mass cascaded around the creatures head. It had lifeless almond shaped black eyes that were slightly recessed into its face. Two small slits were a nose should have been protruding and a large down turned mouth. Long jagged teeth, like wicked branches of a wild tree, were visible between its dark green pouty lips.

The creature flicked its tail and swam away, the men on the deck to shaken to react. The banging on the hatch grew louder, pulling the men from their shock. The creature circled back and grabbed hold of one of the larger pots.

“Now!”

The two men closed off the net and started pulling the heavy bundle towards the deck. James jumped back out of the way as the men heaved the net. Within moments the net lay in the center of the deck, the creature slashing and screaming within its confines. The men covered their ears as the creature continued to scream, the sound echoing into the empty night like a siren. The mermaid ripped and tore at the net with its teeth and claws, its fin slashing with every flick of its tail.

The men were dangerously close to the angry creature, sitting on the deck, backs pressed against the side. Their hands pressed firmly against their ears and their eyes clenched shut. The smell of dead fish emanated off of the creature turning their stomachs.

James was the first to open his eyes. The creature had gotten free from the net and was pulling itself towards them. Its large fin smacked angrily against the deck and its screaming was replaced with a hiss. The creatures black forked tongue shot out between its large teeth as if testing the air. Thin gills along its neck work feverously to pull air into its body.

As the creature neared them the hatch finally gave way, splintering and sending the crate into the air. Jade landed feet from the creature, a feral roar leaving her lips. Her bare arms were covered in red, swollen bite marks. Her frail body swayed a bit as she surveyed the area. Her scarlet eyes met the creatures black ones as it turned and hissed at her. Jade bared her enlarged teeth before lunging at the beast.

The animal reared back propping up on its thick fin. Its sharp nails dug into Jade’s pale flesh. Jade screamed and dug the heel of her boot into the flapping fin. The beast released its grip before throwing its full weight onto Jade.

Jade fell hard onto the deck as the creature’s jaws snapped at her face. Jade dug her fingers into the fleshy mound of hair pulling the teeth away from her face. Her free hand pressed against the beast’s shoulders. Her fingers pushed down into the flesh, her pupils dilated, and a smirk spread across her pale lips. The thing above her screamed in agony, the sound sending bolts of pain through Jade as blood trickled from her ears and nose.

She roared again and used the rest of her strength to flip them over. She slammed the creature’s head down onto the deck, bared her fangs, and bite into its emerald flesh. The mermaid thrashed about below her, its claws dug into her pale flesh. Its sharp dorsal fin cut deep gouges into the deck but Jade kept drinking. She jerked its body against hers pulling the cool blood over her lips. She leaned back and roared, emerald drops of blood dripped from her chin, before plunging back down into the chilled flesh.

The mermaid’s movements slowed and its cries weakened. Jade jerked the body against hers again, desperately trying to pull the very last drops of blood from the being beneath her. She moaned in ecstasy as the blood filled her long empty stomach. The bite marks slowly closing, the nail wounds on her back visibly receding, as she continued to feed. Deep, loud gulps filled the silence on the deck as she jerked the body once more before dropping it to the damaged deck.

She turned her head and looked at the men on the deck, her lips a dark green smile. She let her tongue dance along her swollen lips taking in the last of mermaid, her demon features slipping away to show the pretty woman that had almost been lost to the hunger.

“Uh sorry you had to see that but um thanks.” She said as she got off the large dead body. She walked over to the three men and offered a hand to James.

He smiled at her, taking her hand. She easily lifted him to his feet. She offered her hands to the last remaining men on deck. “Guess my secret’s out now.”

“Man that was cool. Scary but cool. You were really cool!”

“That thing was no fucking Ariel. Think it’s safe to eat?”

Jade chuckled and shrugged her shoulders. The wounds on her body had almost completely healed. James ran his hand down her arm to check for any wounds that may not be healing and gasped. Jade looked at him only to see concern creased in his features.

“Jade you… you’re green!”

“What? Holy shit! Do you think it will go away?”Jade looked down at her arm and cocked her head.

James pulled a handkerchief from his pant pocket. He handed it to Jade, motioning to her chin. She smiled as she accepted the offer. She rubbed her chin clean of the left over blood and studied the handkerchief.

“I think it will. The mermaid’s blood is green and since you live on borrowed blood as you start to empty out your pale tones should start to come back. Sorry it was the best I could do since you wouldn’t eat me. Speaking of which why didn’t you go for me or the guys when you burst through the floor? We were the easier target.”

Jade smirked as she tossed the dirtied rag back to him, “My demon likes to hunt for its food. You boys were just too easy.” She walked off leaving the three men in shocked silence as she headed for the helm to let the captain know they were good to go.