Mermaids

Tale number three of the collection

Faustina caught a mermaid at dawn.

She had been right to come to the banks in front of Lauretana after three days of constant rain.

The first time she had spotted one was a month ago. That time, she was jogging right after six in the morning. As she had reached the residences, she spotted something bobbing just out of the water. She thought it was sort of a frog or a bird taking a bath.

Yet, what kind of animal had two arms like a human.

She chased it.

She watched as it wriggled underwater.

Well, that sucks. She had leaned near the edge. Maybe another one will appear.

So she did, squatting at the edge. The only movement had been from her eyes to and fro from each tunnel. She had felt her legs and arms numbed. Even the sun had the same symptom. Even after how much time had passed, the sun hadn`t dawned. A large hand must have kept it down. She had slowed her breathing. Faustina was now a rock.

That was when they had arrived.

They looked like a school of goldfishes with their orange tails and pale fins. The only difference were their long hairs that covered their head. In addition was their circle-shaped mouth.

I want to get one, Faustina had stretched her arms near the surface.

Too bad they shrivelled up when she took them out of water.