The Mermaid's Sad Song

“No! Don’t hurt my sister!”

With eyes burning red, my little brother fought back with everything he had and sank his teeth deep into Jill’s wrist.

But before he could even pull away, Sam stormed in and kicked him hard across the room. I watched, frozen, as his tiny body hit the ground near me—his teeth shattered, blood mixing with his tears.

Sam cradled Jill in his arms like she was made of porcelain, rage burning so brightly in his eyes it nearly scorched the room.

“Nerissa. You made my parents disappear and now you want to hurt my wife too?”

I was already crying, shielding my brother with my body, my voice trembling.

“I’m sorry… please… please kill me instead. He’s just a kid… Please, let him go.”

“Oh? You want me to let him go?”

Sam’s glare cut through the air like a blade.

“Then tell me—where are my parents? You give me that answer and I’ll spare his life.”

That again. Same question over and over. 

My knees gave out, every ounce of strength draining from my body. For the first time, I looked at Sam not with guilt—but with pure hatred.

“You know nothing! You understand nothing!” I snapped.

“I already told you—when the time comes, you’ll know everything. Why are you still hurting my family?”

I hate you, Sam Wilkins. I hate you.

He averted his gaze, refusing to meet my eyes.

His tongue pushed against the inside of his cheek as he let out a cold laugh.

“Fine. If you won’t talk—then your brother will pay the price.”

Everything after that happened so fast.

In one swift motion, Sam plunged the dagger straight into my brother’s heart.

I think I heard something crack, a sickening sound that would haunt me forever. My brother’s soft face turned pale and cold. Without his mermaid pearl, his body went stiff, the warmth draining from it too quickly.

I sat there, motionless—numb, no longer able to beg or plead. I didn’t care anymore.

Jill, now heavily pregnant, tried to hobble over to help me up, but before she could reach me, she tripped and fell, landing just half a meter away.

She cried—those pathetic little sobs, like a kitten.

“Nerissa, they were just sea creatures. Who cares if a few die? But I... I have a baby inside me. A human baby. Are you trying to kill my child too?”

Sam had never believed me and this time, I didn’t bother to explain.

“Yeah,” I said through gritted teeth. “I want all of you dead!”

He trembled with fury, ready to strike me, but then Jill screamed. Her water had broken.

Sam cast one last furious glance my way.

“I’m gonna deal with you after the baby’s born.”

I gave him a weak smile. He wouldn’t get the chance. I was already dying.

They locked me in a storage room—no light, no warmth. Just shadows and silence. I curled up on the floor, my body trembling as my temperature kept dropping.

Above me, the floor shook with commotion. Jill’s screams echoed through the cracks—she was giving birth. She cried all day and all night, until finally, the baby was born safely.

Sam let out a breath of relief, leaning against the door as he lit a cigarette.

Then—an urgent knock.

His assistant came rushing down the hall.

“Mr. Wilkins! There’s someone at the front gate!”

Sam barely looked up. “Who?”

“Your parents, sir. They’re here!”

He shot off like a bullet.

When Sam reached the gate, he expected hugs, tears—an emotional reunion. But instead, the first words out of their mouths were filled with panic.

“Is Nerissa here?! You have to take her to the ocean—now! Without seawater, she’ll die!”

Sam froze. His heart dropped, but he forced a casual shrug.

“She hurt Jill, so I locked her in the storage room. Come on, Dad—she’s a mermaid. She can’t die.”

“Let’s not talk about her,” he tried to redirect. “Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

Like a thunderclap on a clear day, Mr. Wilkins’ hand whipped across Sam’s face, a loud slap ringing out.

“What the hell have you done?!” he demanded. “Where’s the storage room? Take us there now!”

Sam dragged his feet as he led them to the door, swinging it open like it was nothing.

“See? She’s fine.”

But one look—and his parents collapsed into sobs.

Sam turned around to see what they were looking at.

Half my face had already turned to foam.

And then, something I never thought I’d see happened.