Forbidden: A modern-day retelling of 'The Little Mermaid'

Chapter 2
Muse: Alice in Chains (My favorite band:) The album, Black gives way to Blue.

To pass the time I planted more flowers, and practiced my singing. My sisters thought that I had already practiced enough, for my voice was the best in the sea. Or at least that is what they tried—and failed—to tell me. I sang the opening lyrics to a song I had been working on, since that argument with my father, but it wasn’t that good right now. Practice makes perfect though, writing was really never my strong point. I did things that came natural to me, such as gardening and singing. Sapphire was the creative one; she had such a way with words.

Sapphire was such a rarity in the sea kingdom, she spoke her mind, even against our king—our father—which is never to be done. She loved to argue with a person; you were for something, she was against it and vice, versa. Most days I wish I could be like my beautiful sister: smart, unafraid, opinionated, and beautiful. I’d been told once or twice I had some self-image and insecurity issues, an annoying tendency, for others. At least I don’t think I’m amazing though, like Ruby. I was never a conceded merman; I have never thought I was that great. According to Opal though, I need to have a positive view on things. No one really got me though, maybe I should spend more time with Onyx; she’d probably understand.

I don’t see how she can do it though—be alone. She rarely leaves the castle and she rarely talks to us, twenty words a week if we are lucky. Maybe I am a bit judgmental, because when it comes down to it I really know nothing about Onyx. She was deeply upset when our mother died though, me not as much. I was only three when she passed so her memory was vague.

Who knows why my sisters are the way they are, my father and grandmother never did encourage their behavior; I suppose it’s a mystery to us all.

My flowers bloomed beautifully, no surprise there. I loved looking at them, all the different colors made me feel different ways. The dark blue made me sad for a reason I am unaware of. I love those feelings though, the ones I have no control over, the ones that are just there. I think its bad to have so much control over your life, maybe you are just supposed to go on the path you were intended to by God.

God, a shady subject in the sea, we all had different views; not one the same. I knew for a fact that there as one, how else would the world be here? I just can’t grasp the fact that after we’re gone, we’re gone. We have to have some spirit. Yes, we have to. If I had not a spirit why would I be different then the other person. We are all different, so that must mean there is something else in us, something special.

My father and Grandmother turned away the idea of an otherworldly force right away, claiming they would state their reasons of doubt when I was older. I don’t understand why everything we merman do is about age. You must be a certain age until you can do this, see this, and hear this.

Why is that? What exact formula tells the merman that once you are eighteen that we are all mature? As I said earlier, we are all different so some may be mature by the time they reach twelve years of age, while some may not mentally grow up until their twenty-some. I don’t think my father should be able to tell the young ones they are not to be trusted until they are eighteen years of age.

“Jade!”

“Yes, Opal?”

Oh, Opal, most innocent. She could be a little mischievous at times but we all knew she was just kidding; she has the brightest personality of anyone in the sea. She had the longest blonde hair, I had ever seen. It reached nearly mid way her tail!

We all try to keep our hair as long as we can but it has proven hard. For example, just three weeks ago I was planting in my garden when some fish swam right through my hair and got trapped in my long, black waves. My father cut it down to my shoulders, a large change I was still getting used to. It was more convenient however, and I can tell you my head weighed loads less. I think my hair was much too thick for a length so great.

“Have you been thinking about your upcoming birthday?” She sat her self right beside me, admiring my garden. “These are beautiful by the way,”

I mumbled a thanks and answered her question, “Yes, dozens of times in the day. I want to see the skies and the land animals, everything.”

“It truly is beautiful, sister. Well worth it, the humans are so fascinating.” She paused, “Don’t tell father I said that.” She laughed.

“Will do.” When my giggles died down I said, “How far away were they when you viewed them. Just tell me everything about them!” I ordered.

“Ruby was right in the way that they are much more average looking then us merman, some ugly some beautiful. But even the most beautiful would never compare to us,” I didn’t argue because she had been so sincere when she said that, something that didn’t happen too often with her, “The floating wood was interesting though, we have many down here that crashed. Boats.” Yes, I had seen many boats in my days in the ocean. “Their dressing is so comical; they all dress so differently than one another. I see men in long… cloth that covers their…legs?”

“Yes, legs.” I reassured.

“The woman sometimes wore those, but some had shorter cloth covering their legs. And oh my, the hair! I only saw one man with long hair and it was barely longer than yours, and the woman had strange hair too. The colors so….dull. At least the brown and blond hair of the merman shines with beauty.”

I took in everything she had said for a moment. The humans ugly but some beautiful? Dull, but interesting? Long hair, but some with short hair? It all seemed quite strange to me but I’m sure they thought we were even stranger. I suppose that’s just how it is; every specious thinks they are the normal one when in all truth no one was normal.

“Thank-you for telling me that,” I said graciously.

She nodded and smiled.

The next few hours I was left alone going over the lyrics of the song I couldn’t get right. Onyx—much to my surprise—came to me at nearly sunset.

“Hello, Jade.” She smiled a slight smile.

“How are you?” It felt strange talking to her, as if she were a stranger.

“I’m fine.” She floated to the floor settling down beside me, “Well, its eight sunrises until your birthday, so its my day to give you your gift.” We only receive gifts on our eighteen birthdays and the way my family—not the entire merman population—did it was that the eldest sister would gift, going down the list. Last year when Ruby came of age I gave her my gift and then my father did followed by my grandmother.

She opened her palm and handed me a beautiful green jewel with a slender string like thing attached. She came up behind me and attached it to my neck.

“Wow, thank-you.” I smiled.

And for the first time in my life I saw her smile back at me.