3After a minute of staring at each other's eyes, Syrena finally spoke to Philip.
"You know Philip, I was the only one under the sea who heard your beautiful singing voice." She said smiling.
Philip grinned and said, "Thank you, I used to sing at my church when I was younger."
Syrena's eyes lit up with interest and said to the missionary, "I can sing as well, but I only do it by myself."
Philip asked her, "Could you please sing me a song? If you want to, I mean." He replied hurriedly.
Syrena blushed and looked away for a few seconds. Then she gave him a small sweet smile and said, "Yes, Philip. Of course I can sing for you. And I promise you, I'm not going to put you under a trance like the other Mermaids do."
Philip stroked her soft wet cheek gently.
"I know you won't, Syrena. I trust you." He told her kindly.
"And I trust you." The Mermaid responded. Then she opened her mouth and started singing in a very beautiful, soft, gentle, and quiet tone of voice.
SYRENA: (Amazing Grace, How Sweet The Sound,
That Saved A Wrench Like Me,
I Once Was Lost, But Now I'm Found,
Was Blind, But Now I See.)
The song that Syrena was singing was "Amazing Grace."
Philip's heart was so warmed up by her beautiful voice, that he started to quietly sing along with the beautiful young Mermaid.
PHILIP: ('Twas Grace That Taught My Heart To Fear,
And Grace My Fears Relieved,
How Precious Did That Grace Appear,
The Hour I First Believed.)
While the Christian man sang in his own good singing voice, Syrena smiled at him and continued singing her part.
SYRENA: (Through Many Dangers, Toils, And Snares,
I Have Already Come,)
Philip sang his part.
PHILIP: (This Grace That Brought Me Safe Thus Far,
And Grace Will Lead Me Home.)
Then both the Missionary and the Mermaid sang together in a duet.
PHILIP & SYRENA: (When We've Been Here 10,000 Years,
Bright, Shining As The Sun,
We've No Less Days To Sing God's Praise,
Then When We First Began,
Amazing Grace, How Sweet The Sound,
That Saved A Wretch Like Me,
I Once Was Lost, But Now I'm Found,
Was Blind, Now I See.)
After finishing the song, Philip told Syrena, "Wow, you really have the most beautiful singing voice I have ever heard, Syrena."
Syrena smiled and blushed at the same time, also having a look of gratitude, before saying "Thank you, Philip. That means a lot. You also have a great singing voice, too."
"Thank you." Philip said, smiling back.
Both of the the young Christians stared at each other's eyes once again, and stroked each other's cheeks and arms, being very tender and gentle.
Philip played with Syrena's gorgeous long dark brown hair, twirling them around in his fingers.
She grinned and giggled, also playing with his lighter brown hair.
The man gazed into the woman's beautiful blue eyes and said, "Such beauty. Moonlight. In a Mermaid's eyes. A Woman's eyes. The mystery of the depths is no longer a mystery. You are lovely beyond measure."
Syrena continued to smile up at Philip, the moon reflecting in her twinkling bright blue eyes.
"Thank you. You are different." She replied sweetly.
Philip smiled back at Syrena.
Before he could say another word to the beautiful young woman/Mermaid, the Christian missionary spotted something in the water behind her and sat up with an alert expression on his face.
Syrena noticed it too, and turned around her eyes also alert.
In the water, a small ripple. Nothing much, then it's gone.
Philip and Syrena relax. But then Syrena's eyes widened in fear and horror as she sees something on the other side of the longboat. Right behind the dunked Scrum. Syrena points behind Philip, getting his attention.
At the bow of the other side of the longboat was another smiling luminescent MERMAID.
Like Syrena, just the creature's upper body was out of the water as it leaned on the edge of the wooden boat; it was also naked, with golden hair covering its bosom, its eyes a sea-gray, with pale skin blue-tinted by the light of the moon.
The Missionary and the Mermaid's hearts sank at the sight of the beautiful mythical creature. Philip saw that the half-woman-half-fish was beautiful but heard that it was DEADLY. Syrena had seen these creatures before and saw what they could do.
"Oh, no, we're in big trouble, Philip." The Christian Mermaid said.
"Why, Syrena?" The Christian Missionary asked.
"These are the REAL true mermaids. Beautiful, but deadly ones. That one must have heard the both of us singing." She replied.
Philip turned Syrena's head around gently and told her to hide while he woke up the pirates and zombie. She did not want to leave him and only agreed to hide from the other men and creatures.
"Be careful." The beautiful and pure Mermaid told him earnestly.
"I'll try. You be careful too." The Christian and pure Missionary told her even more earnestly.
After Syrena ducked her head back down under the ocean, Philip woke up Scrum.
"Hey, man, look, look there!" He told him, shaking the drunk man awake.
Scrum jumped and looked where The the missionary was pointing and saw the still-smiling mermaid.
"Lord save me!" Scrum exclaimed.
The other pirates woke up at the yelling and see the sight; their swords drawn, glinting in the moonlight. The mermaid feints back, still smiling and not afraid, unlike Syrena, who was still hidden, very afraid of both the pirates and mythical creature.
Unfortunately, Scrum didn't know.
He pushed the pirates back behind him, including Philip, who was pushed into the very back of the group. He grunted as he hit the bottom of the wooden floor.
Syrena saw this and gasped in concern. She quietly swam back over to the handsome Philip and checked him while the pirates were distracted and not looking in their direction.
"Philip, are you alright?" She asked in a worried whisper, laying her hand on his forehead.
"Yes, I'm okay, Syrena." He replied, holding her hand and smiling reassuringly.
The young woman smiled, relieved.
Meanwhile, the drunk pirate, Scrum was yelling at his fellow pirates. So both Philip and Syrena turned around to watch quietly.
"You're scaring her off!" Scrum yelled in anger.
"Good riddance!" Said one of the other men, Ezekiel.
Scrum pushed him away and looks back at the mythical creature.
The mermaid hesitated, then to Syrena's utter fear, she/it swam back to the longboat and pulled its woman-like body out of the water. Exactly where it's body meets the surface, the creature TRANSFORMS, from scales and fins to skin.
The half-woman-half-fish kept smiling at the men. Her olive green tail switching back and forth underneath the ocean.
Philip could see that the mermaid was trying to look as innocent as Syrena, but he could also see that its smile was forced and not genuine.
Scrum leans forward and asks the creature, "Do you talk?"
"Yes." Said the mermaid, in a Australian accent.
"You're beautiful." Scrum says mesmerized.
"Are you the one who sings?" The creature asks him, in musical voice. The mythical creature's voice sent shivers down Philip and Syrena's spine. And not in a good way.
"Aye." Scrum answers the woman-like creature. The mermaid seems to be putting him in trance.
"Are you my Jolly Sailor Bold?" The mermaid asked the drunk pirate.
"Aye! That I be!" Scrum answers in a wide stupid smile.
The pirates behind him groaned and pulled him back hissing, "Scrum! Comport yourself!"
The drunk man fights free of them. He looked annoyed.
"Boys, there ain't much been given me in my brief, miserable life, there's the truth of that. But by God, I'll have it said, that Scrum had himself a kiss from a proper mermaid!" He yelled.
Syrena nudged Philip urgently and whispered in his ear, "Philip, that mermaid is gonna start singing. Cover your ears."
Philip nodded and covered his ears with his palms and saw that Syrena had quickly covered her ears too.
Scrum glared at his companions and crawled to the mermaid. She smiled and began to sing in a beautiful and hypnotic voice.
MERMAID: (My name is Maria, a merchant's daughter fair,
And I have left my parents and 3,000 pounds a year.
My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold,
There is nothing can console me, but my Jolly Sailor Bold.)
Philip and Syrena watched in horror, then noticed the other pirates glancing at the water.
Syrena ducked her beautiful face underneath the sea and saw to her utter horror that a half dozen mermaids were swimming beneath her and coming up to the surface, flashing back and forth, the longboat above them silhouetted by the moon. They glide smoothly, with movement similar to an otter or eel, with each individual having a different colored tail: (red, blue, gold, green, and other colors.)
They break the surface of the water behind Philip and Syrena. Faces, beautiful smiling faces from different countries:(Australia, India, China, Africa, Brazil, Europe, and America) appear around the whole wooden boat, one mermaid to each entranced pirate. Even Ezekiel falls under the spell. Philip, who still had his ears covered, tried to get their attention.
"Men! How chear ye fore and aft? Men!" He yelled.
The pirates didn't listen.
"How chear ye! Men!" He screamed loudly.
But the swashbuckling rouges seemed to deafened by the singing mermaids, who all joined in with the first one who started.
The only one who wasn't joining in the song was Syrena, who also still had her ears covered.
MERMAIDS: (Come all you pretty fair maids,
Whoever you may be.
Who loves a Jolly Sailor Bold,
That ploughs the raging sea.
While up aloft, in storm or gale,
From me his absence mourn.
And firmly pray, arrive the day,
He home will safe return.
My heart is pierced by Cupid,
I disdain all glittering gold.
There is nothing can console me,
But my Jolly Sailor Bold.
Scrum gets closer to the waiting mermaid that had started the song, who leans in singing softly with the voice of an angel.
At that point, Syrena temporarily uncovers her ears and quickly told Philip, "Philip, in a moment these creatures are going to attack. I want you to take hold of me. Don't let go."
"What? Why, Syrena?" Philip asked confused, as the beautiful Mermaid closed her eyes and placed her small delicate hand gently on his chest. He felt a tingling sensation in his body as she touched him.
At that point, behind them, Scrum was transfixed by the blonde mermaid, puckering up for a kiss.
Syrena opened her eyes, looked up at Philip and said to him, "Trust me."
Philip thought for a second, then he nodded, and gently wrapped his arms around Syrena. Her aquatic body shivered a little at his warm embrace, and the Mermaid blushed a pink color, but she gave the missionary a small hint of a smile and wrapped her arms around his neck.
While the young Christians held each other, the drunk pirate Scrum had fallen completely into the blonde mermaid's spell still waiting for the mythical creature's lips to meet his.
Instead, the mermaid pulled Scrum underwater, and revealed its real terrifying form: scale-covered bodies, razor sharp fangs and eerie fish-eyes!
Scrum screams in horror as the creature's seemingly lovely smile turns into a horrifying bite.
Philip and Syrena saw the frightening sight at once.
"Hold on tight to me, Philip." The Mermaid said to the Missionary.
And before Philip could say another word, Syrena pulled him into the water. This did startle the man for a second, but he reminded himself that he should trust the beautiful half-woman-half-fish and God. He held his breath as his head ducked under water. He didn't resist in any way. Syrena, who's lovely face hadn't changed like the deadly mermaids, noticed this and said to Philip, "Open your mouth."
Philip hesitated for a second before opening his mouth. He was very surprised to find that he could breathe.
"How am I...?" He wondered.
Syrena answered, "I prayed to the Lord to let me give you the chance to breathe underwater temporarily. So you can breathe underneath the surface for a while. It's just enough time for us to get away from here."
"Thank you." Philip said.
She smiled.
"Where do we go?" Philip asked.
"Where you go, I'll go." Syrena answered him.
They smiled for a moment, until the Whitecap Bay mermaids attacked. The Christians dodged the deadly creatures and watched in horror as the mythical creatures pulled some of the pirates into the sea and dragged them into the depths, drowning them. Crimson blood blossomed toward the surface as the helpless men are torn apart.
The Battle Of Whitecap Bay had begun!
"Hang on, Philip!" Syrena said to the man.
"Okay, Syrena!" Philip said to the woman.
Both of them entwined themselves together, and the Mermaid flipped her long tail and swam with the missionary away from the longboat, which was being ripped apart by the deadly mermaids.
"Maybe we should head to shore away from this mess." Syrena offered, with one hand on Philip's shoulder and the other on his back.
Philip agrees and the Christians swam together towards the shallower waters.
Philip was kinda surprised to find that the mermaids that attacked the pirates didn't attack them. He even noticed that when some of them swam close enough, they fled shrieking at the sight of the Cross around his neck. They seemed to be afraid of it. Syrena noticed that too.
Then they felt in their hearts that God was protecting them from the danger. They silently praised Him and continued to swim for shore.
Meanwhile, the pirates however were not being protected. They tried their best to defend themselves against the mermaids by jabbing their faces with oars, but to no avail. Derrick is dragged underneath the surface and drowned by a few of the strongest creatures and devoured.
Some of them survived and made it to shore. Blackbeard forced the rest of his crew to set out heavy fishing nets in the tides and then controlled his ship Queen Anne's Revenge to burst out fire to scare the mermaids towards the shallow waters. A moment later, pirates are pulled underwater again as the deadly sirens of the sea use their seaweed to wrap the helpless men and drown them in the water. Blackbeard killed the men who tried to retreat to safety.
A few yards away, Philip and Syrena had reached the shore.
"We made it." Philip gasped as he gulped fresh air. His ability to breathe underwater had run out just in time. Syrena also gasped for oxygen.
"You breathe air?" Philip asked in amazement.
"Every living thing God created can breathe air." Syrena answered him.
She takes her hands off the missionary, letting him go.
Philip does the same.
The Missionary and the Mermaid sat in the shallow tides, panting with exhaustion and thanking God for keeping them alive, silently listening to screams and wails of pirates and mermaids as the battle went on in the night.
"I think we should wait until either they catch one of those creatures and leave or if the creatures killed the crew and decide what to do." Philip said to Syrena.
Before she could say something to him, there was a loud horrible...
(BOOM!)
Philip and Syrena jumped, startled, and looked up to see the Whitecap Bay lighthouse exploding, a spectacular concussion, lighting up the whole night. The brightness blinded Philip in the eyes, making him turn away.
Debris flies everywhere, some of them headed in the Missionary and the Mermaid's direction.
Syrena eyes widened in fear and jumped out of the water to push Philip out of harm's way.
"PHILIP! LOOK OUT!" She screamed.
They hit their heads against the rocks and then lost consciousness.
To be continued in Chapter 3...
Please leave comments!