Chapter Text
The ocean can get quite lonely sometimes. There's only so many times you can talk to sharks and seaweed before you go insane, and only so many times you can sink a ship before it gets boring.
Sirens don't talk to other sirens much, except when it's crucial. Hiding in the dark, deep endless waters makes one wish to stay alone.
Or at least that's what they are told to want. In the old myths, sirens would be together. Work together, but since then the population has considerably decreased.
Which is why Annabel has grown quite an interest for a particular human. She has seen other humans in the past, of course. However those humans would have spears and would be in the process of hunting her.
She knows how dangerous it is to get close to the shore, how much danger she puts herself in daily. Just to get a glimpse at her.
Her shirt black hair, her ocean eyes, her beauty marks. No one can compare in her opinion.
She waits in the evening for her to return to the shore. Does she even know Annabel is there?
Everyday she's tempted to call for her, using her song to lure her in. Just for her to notice Annabel, but she knows the dangers of a siren's song. Sure it's easy to lure a human in, but then the thoughts enter their heads.
A siren's song isn't just a pretty song to attract anything that hears, it's a weapon. A very deadly one at that. If someone listens to it for too long they will find a way to die. It's odd.
It's like they cannot be in control of their bodies anymore, alas not even Annabel knows what humans hear in a siren's song. She can only theorize, some say they hear their worst fears, or the secrets of the universe which leads them to become so mad, they do irrational things which lead to their death. Like a fly getting stuck in a spider's web.
Annabel blends perfectly into the waters, she hides behind a sizable rock and simply observes. Most nights Annabel notices the woman being a book to read in the quiet. Or sometimes a sketchbook. She gets curious on what she would be drawing, or perhaps writing. She wishes she could see her thoughts.
However this time, as if the stars aligned in Annabel's favor. The woman brings a small boat this evening, it's much safer for her to reveal herself when she is far in the deep waters.
The woman pushes the boat into the waters, and paddles far out into the sea. There is no moon out tonight, so no waves will disturb her. She perfectly planned this out.
Annabel observes from a few feet underneath, carefully not creating waves that could cause any unwanted attention that could scare her. She doesn't have a book or journal this time. She just observes the moonless night.
Because there is no moon out, it's much darker than any other time. She typically wouldn't come out when it's this dark, Annabel has noticed that. Unusual, but entertaining anyway.
The woman takes out a small lantern and a match and attempts to light it, Annabel supposes she got tired of the endless dark.
She lights it with ease and sets it down on the wooden boat, she continues to stare out into the waters.
After a few more minutes, Annabel hears a voice in the distance. It's not coming from the woman, no, it's farther away.
“Blazes....” Says the woman
Annabel loves her voice, but before she can process it. The woman grabs the paddle and goes farther into the water, like she is trying to run away from someone.
Annabel follows carefully, making sure to not cause any out of the ordinary waves. Annabel notices the little orange light, flickering and moving far too much for her liking.
It's not the light, it's the lantern. The woman is paddling too quickly to notice the lantern about to tip over. Yes some of the boat is in the water, but the dry part can catch on fire very quickly.
Just as she thought that, the lantern tips over and starts to burn the wood.
Annabel doesn't think, she jumps. Into the air quickly and grabs the woman and drags her into the water.
In hindsight there could've probably been thousands of other reasonable solutions to the issue, however Annabel wasn't trying to be reasonable.
The boat burns, the oil used for the flame causes smoke to emerge due to the contact with the water.
Annabel brings her deeper and deeper into the water, also a completely stupid idea. She forgot an important piece of information.
Humans infamously cannot breathe under water, and have completely different body temperatures. If they get too cold, they will die.
The woman fights back with brute force. Which makes Annabel remember that humans can't breathe under water. She lets go of her and the woman quickly swims back up to the surface.
Annabel follows, when the woman gets to the surface. Annabel is behind her.
“Are you alright?” She asks
The woman gets startled and turns around, she doesn't respond and instead tries to swim in the other direction.
“Wait! I didn't mean to! I forgot humans can't breathe in the water, I wasn't attempting to harm you!” Annabel says hoping to have a rational conversation.
“Human…?...what?....What are you on about! What the devil are you anyway!” She yells through breaths.
The woman swims over to a broken wood panel from her boat and clings on to it. She takes in multiple deep breaths.
Annabel approaches her.
“I'm a siren, pet” Annabel tells her
“What?! No! I gotta be hallucinating…” She coughs up some water
“You are perfectly sane, you were about to catch fire…. I had to intervene, you understand..” Annabel said with a gentle tone
“Uhm actually I don't understand! Why was I being watched by a siren!” The woman yells
“I had no malicious intentions! I was just…observing…” Annabel pleads
They lock eye contact. The woman's expression softens up slightly.
“I knew I wasn't going mad…” she says quietly
Annabels eyes widen in curiosity.
“Now whatever do you mean by that? I am real.” She says
“I kept seeing a person in the waters, or… I guess a siren now I suppose….” The woman tells Annabel
Annabels smile widens, and she swims over to the woman. Her tail softly entangles the woman.
“You've seen me! I was waiting for you to notice!” Annabel says in joy
An idea pops into the woman's head almost immediately.
“You know, it's quite cold here. I'll tell you all you wanna know if you can get me to shore.” She says to Annabel
Annabel doesn't bother to respond, she grabs Lenore's hand, and swims her exponentially fast to the shore.
Once the woman can put her legs on land she gets on the sand, and takes in the relief of no longer being in the water. Annabel says in the water, however she does try to reach out for the woman.
“So about, the whole seeing me…” Annabel says once the woman relaxes a bit
“Well, there's not much to tell… I saw you, and I kept seeing you… when I told someone about it, they thought I was mad.” The woman says
“Most people refuse to believe in our existence… it's expected” Annabel admits
“Can you sing?” The woman asks
“Yes… but you would be forced to go into a permanent madness which would lead to your premature death.” Annabel says nonchalantly
The woman nods her head slightly
“I should've expected that..” she says
“What is your name?” Annabel asks the age old question
“Lenore.” She says
Annabel repeats the name in her head… it's perfect, it fits her appearance, and her personality.
“I'm Annabel.”
“Well Annabel, how about we meet here tomorrow evening? That's if I don't get caught first.” Lenore says
“Are you a criminal?” Annabel asks
“No, I'm just not supposed to be out at this hour…” Lenore revels
Annabel nods her head.
“Tomorrow evening, I can tell you all you would like to know about siren's.” Annabel says
“In exchange for?” Lenore questions
“There's no price, consider it an apology for almost drowning you.” Annabel jokes
“I'll take it…” Lenore smiles
She gets up, takes her soaked blazer off and walks away into the dark…
Annabel returns to the dark, lonely sea.. however she has a smile on her face, tomorrow evening…