Fisherboy who betrayed Mermaid : 'The Close Up "Fire-Freeze" Challenge - what's your story?'

Have you ever had an unforgettably magical moment when you felt two strongly opposite emotions? Love/Hate? Elation/Sadness? Anger/Sympathy? . The following story is for a contest sponsered by
Close Up with collaboration from Indiblogger 'The Close Up "Fire-Freeze" Challenge - what's your story?'

It was early morning in winter. He was still dreaming the same dream, when mother's continuous call wake him up. In the dream, the girl was again there, the one whom he saw once when his boat was capsized in the sea storm and he was drowned in the violent waters. Though his mother says God saved him, he believed that  girl saved him from drowning and pulled him out from water to shore .  Sometimes  when he went  for a swim he got feeling that she was swimming with him. In the sea, when he sailed  alone in his boat, sometimes he could hear her whispers. He has not told about this to his mother .  But after that escape from death, he has found a reason for living , of thinking about her. Though existence of her seems as fragile  as it can be , it is a worth a reason for him to live for

He took mother's blessings and started his journey to the sea . There was nothing left to eat in house. Since last one week sea has been unkind to him. And being a novice in this job made the matter worse. He is a young boy who has donned the role of fisherman since his father was lost to the sea.


Today he has to find good catch of fishes so that his mother and two younger brothers do not have to go hungry again. It has been two days since they had anything to eat. He made a silent promise not to return from sea till he finds something

He started into the sea. Morning wind was helping his boat to sail smoothly over the waves. It seemed sea is helping him in his quest. But when noon arrived, and he has not found anything even a single crab in his net , frustration turned into anger. He started to sail further into the sea , to place where he has never gone before.

The hot sun overhead started to take toll on his body. And the empty stomach made him cry in pain. And before he knew, he passed out on the boat.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself lying on his boat . And someone was sitting beside him. Her dark hairs creating a pleasant shade on his face. He sat up startled and found the same girl sitting beside him. She was a mermaid , half human , half fish.

He started to speak. But was unable to utter anything. He wanted to thank her for saving him twice and how he remembers her every single moment in his life. She wanted to tell that she was not just saving him, she was saving herself as they are part of same soul. Not a single word were spoken. But by some magic they can listen what other one wanted to tell. The silence, the sea, the setting sun were all testimony to the emotion called love they felt for each other.

It was already late afternoon. Sun has already started downward movement in the horizon. He has to return home. But he has nothing to take back from sea. She knew that and that is why she has not disappeared in sea like last time when she saved him.

She took the oar in his hand and started to guide the boat towards shore. He was crying. A helpless human caught in between webs of love and betrayal. The encumbering responsibility towards his family weighing him down to act as traitor to its own heart.

In the evening when the boat reached shore, his heart has already become numb from the confusing emotions.

The mermaid became a part of state zoo attracting thousand visitors from all over places. And the fisherboy lived as a rich man with a empty heart for rest of his life, which was not long, with nothing to lose, nothing to win.

Both of them died in a single night. One part of soul died with rejoice of sacrifice and the other with regret of betrayal of life.