Janus Muse

HER

The water splashes cold past my face.

It feels like I have been coasting along all night. Each stroke of the water passing through my hands is leading me closer to the twinkling lights, closer to the booming sounds. I should conserve my energy for the task ahead, but the excitement is pressing me to swim on. I know I have to be close now, I am sure that soon enough there will be far more than passing flotsam and rocks to rest my head on. Another pass of my arms through the water and I begin to see a mass in the distance taking shape. 

Warm, low, flickering from the twinkling lights begins to take shape, as the long place above the water starts to materialize on the horizon ahed of me. I have heard this is where the strange structures that float upon the water are kept, that this is the place they come to meet. I see what looks like knotted traps made of rope, they all lie dangling along the sides of the floating ovals that all huddle together atop the water.

This is it, no mistaking.

Mother had always insisted: 

“Nothing of this peculiar nature is for our kind!” 

Enough of that thinking, I just have to see for myself. All these years beneath the abyss, feeding on whatever happens to fall… There has to be something more to life. I am hoping for forgiveness when I come back from the surface with a fine trophy for our family. 

I am upon the structure now, however it is not floating at all. I see now, large wooden pillars plunging downward from every corner into the darkness; they seem to be all over to hold this structure above the waves. The long place is a very odd shape too, with many sides reaching out on top of the water. I find a nice corner to nestle myself into toward a darker end, between two of the ovals tied in place there. I lower myself deeper into the icy waves so as to make sure I go unnoticed until I am prepared. Slowly creeping forward my head is barely peaking above the structure now.

I can see the warm lights twinkling on sticks, lining the structure platformed over the water. In the distance past the structure I can make out tall dark shapes, the kind that don’t sail above, but rather stay in place on the other side of where the land meets the sea.

Faint sounds of music and deep laughter come sailing through the air. Slowly I clutch onto one of the pillars thrust into the harbor. So strange, do these beings not know how to swim ? On the structure now above me, I reach out to take one of their knotted ropes. Carefully, I pull it into the water, wrapping it around myself. Now ready; I begin my low song. 

🌙🌙🌙

HIM

The night is a frigid cold. Colder than hell. Is hell cold?

I know I chose a sea-fairing life, but being at sea as much as I am? There seems to be no true home for me, aside from my ship. All these damned whores look the same, all the songs sound the same, and yet nights without a real companion seem to grow longer and longer.

Nights like these, I find myself missing my woman’s soft hands, her silky skin, her loving gaze… I don’t blame her for choosing to leave, and still the pain stays as a reminder of what could have been. It cannot be easy to love a man such as me, the nights of heartache; lying awake in the darkness trying not to imagine the horrors befalling me, wondering when or if I’ll ever return. I hold her no fault, many a night I gaze at the stars with thoughts of her beautiful green eyes; eyes that will always feel like home to me. A home I’ll never return to. 

A cool breeze blows softly past my face from the taverns back door. The smell of the sea air brings me promises of a sour stomach I shall surely feel in the morning. I see no point in staying here to drown my sorrow and my liver any longer. I make a quick slight for the opening into the night. Nowhere near enough coin in my pocket for this tab, hopefully the barmaid has forgotten my face by the time we make this port again.

My vision isn’t as fair as it could be, I just have to keep my wits about me long enough to make it to the ship and i’ll just sleep in the galley. Let’s see the rest of the crew try to leave without me again. I am aware it is bad form to oversleep, but they’re no better to not monitor my ale! A good captain should always partake in the finest parts of bounty, and for me that is ale. Ale will leave a woman as docile as you need, but also help you forget anything you did to make her that way. Gold and coin are fine, though nothing holds my eye line like the promise of ale. 

It’s too dark on this goddamn pier. How is the sailor supposed to get his bearings in a place like this? As I advance further down the alley the familiar slaps of waves hitting the dock begin to catch my ears. But yet, another softer unfamiliar sound catches them as well. Almost low enough to miss it if I weren’t listening, a female voice ; singing. Where could this be coming from? There is not a decent woman for miles to be at these docs after dark, yet I am sure that is a woman’s voice, and she sounds beautiful. Trying to keep from stumbling along the crooked docks, I make my way closer to the pier. Maybe I will have a lucky night and the fair songstress will join me in my ship.

🌙🌙🌙

HER

I sing in my most soft, inviting tone.

Looking out over the moonlit waters, the twinkling lights give a perfect guide of the strange vessels all around me. Keeping my song low, to make sure I am scarcely heard over the waves slowly caressing the structure. One of these beings will hear me but I need to stay vigilant not to attract more than I can handle. As I continue my thoughts drift once again to the words of my Mother, 

“Surface dwellers are only safe to observe from a distance, no exceptions”

Always being aware of how dangerous they are cannot keep my curiosity at bay any longer, I must see for myself. Singing from such a short distance has never been done before, will they even be able to hear my song?

It seems like I haven’t been singing for long when a figure emerges from between the large structures. Excitement fills my throat with lumps, I try to swallow them and keep singing. Surely, they will hear if I keep my tone consistent.

Watching the figure advance down the structure stumbling slightly, it appears that they might hear me and now they are trying to find the source of my song. I grow slightly louder then softer, so as not to give away my location too soon. It is a thrill to almost be seen but not quite, a new feeling creeps over me and makes my scales shudder in anticipation.

Still singing, I know I can get them to come closer, growing louder my words become clear and inviting. I contemplate stopping, this is the closest anyone has been to a live one of these beings, no one will believe I was ever this close. As my thoughts keep racing, the figure turns their head in my direction.

Heavy stumbling steps echo out into the night as the figure advances toward me. The flickering lights now reveal the figure to be a man, with two legs and all, just like the ones that float on the vessels above us back home. And just as the stories always told us, they move completely above the water! Although this one seems to have a tenuous grasp on movement at all. As he becomes closer, a smell begins to drift toward me. A smell that makes the scales perk up all the way to the back of my neck. Something that smells far greater than the surface dwellers that float down from their wreckage in pieces.

I am unsure exactly what will happen when he approaches, but my stomach begins a deep rumble. There is a haze of emotion in my mind about what I am going to do, I clutch down onto my pillar wrapping the rope deeper around myself and continue singing. When he is upon me, I will be ready.

🌙🌙🌙

HIM

As I advance down the dock, the singing becomes so beautiful and clear, I want to reach out and grab it from the air; wrap it around me to have this feeling forever.

I can’t help but keep stumbling as I search for the source of the sound, now I can see the entire pier, bathed in moonlight. Aside from a few torches lining the way, I can see every ship that has made berth around me, and there is not a soul in sight. I sober slightly and try to get ahold of my bearings. Maybe the ale has gotten the better of me. There is no way a woman is out here, not singing that enchantingly. Still almost entranced I stumble farther down the dockside. So beautiful and loud now I must be upon the source. Too focused on the sound, a barrel at my feet breaks my stride, tumbling me to the hard planks below. I take a deep breath, rolling to my hands and knees. I am parallel with the dock and water now. 

“Are you alright?” whispers a soft female voice.

I sharply look to my left for the source, only to behold two gorgeous green eyes peering at me from just atop the water. An ethereal face that seemed like smooth porcelain in the moonlight.

“Just lost my footing,” I gaze in disbelief for a moment but in my drunkenness still want to give an air of confidence, “you don’t seem as though you’re in a position to provide me any assistance either” I reply, slightly taken aback. “You must be freezing, what in god’s name are you doing out here?” Looking out across the pier then moving her gaze across the water toward the horizon she takes a deep breath,

“I went for a swim, farther than ive ever been before”

“You must be cold then?” I retort, confused at her calm demeanor. 

“Oh, not really. The surface is always the warmest part of the water.”

“Surface?”

“Why yes, especially at night.”

Her eyes almost seem to glow green against the darkness of the sea around us. As she emerges farther I begin to see her endless mane of onyx hair cascading over her shoulders down into the water. I try to shake my head slightly, closing my eyes briefly, as if to snap myself out of the entrancement of her beauty. “Were you the one who was making all that noise?’ 

“I was singing for help” she says sheepishly

“Singing for help, how do you mean?”

“You see as I stated, I did swim farther than I have before and in doing so I managed to get myself all caught up.” 

She pulls herself upward closer to the dock, now exposing her bare chest against the light of the evening. Her dark hair daintily placed down around her breasts. I barely notice on her left shoulder, a net. It now becomes visible that it is wrapped down around her waist and possibly her legs down in the darkness of the water. My mind races with images of freeing her from the water and returning with her to my ship for the night. I’m sure she will want to thank me for my assistance.

“As you can see” she continues, gesturing to her soft naked body in the chilling night air “I have lost all my adornments trying to free myself.”

“Why didn’t you just call for help?” I ask as I begin reaching for the knife on my belt. “Someone could’ve come and cut you loose a long time ago” I reach for her shoulder and carefully begin to cut the first of the rope away. 

“Well, with my current predicament, I couldn’t have the wrong type of man find me. I had to be sure I would fall into the right hands.”

“So you thought singing would be better?” 

“Oh yes, I was confident the right man would hear my song and well, here you are.” The rope finally gives around her shoulder.

“Now” I begin, “If you put your arms around me, I will lift you higher and I can cut the rope around your waist.”

“You’ll have to kneel down closer,” she whispers hastily “I can’t reach.” I lay down on my stomach now, extending my arms out into the freezing water as she embraces me. Her body is cold, far colder than any woman I have ever held. I’d better hurry, she must have been out here for a while. As she embraces me hear a low growl come from her stomach.

“What is that smell?” her voice sounds deep and less inviting now. “Is that coming from you?”

“I suppose so?” I reply, a little confused now.

“Come down closer so you can lift me out of the water.”

I begin to feel strange and try let go, I want to stand up, but her grip grows tighter around me. 

I quickly push with all my strength to pull away, though she is somehow stronger. Terror begins to overtake my mind as a searing pain pierces my neck. I try to fight her off and drop my knife in the struggle. I thrust my hand into the water, searching for my fallen tool before it is too late, I instead reach out to find smooth scales where her legs should be. The feel is slimy and cold against my terrified hands. A sharp pain slaps my arm as the bottom of what now appears to be a sharpened tail strikes me over and over. 

I can feel my senses becoming duller by the second. I try to raise my arm in some sort of defense, but my effort seems to be of no avail. Surges of nausea and fear begin to run my veins with ice cold pain, and I come to reality. The legends are true, Sirens are evil.

Briefly she raises herself from my neck, but a cracking sound emerges from her mouth as she exposes her long sharp teeth from a nearly unhinged jaw and plunges them into my neck again. 

I try viciously to pry myself free. 

Nothing I’m doing seems to matter. Nothing more than a fish caught on a hook.

I begin to lose my grip on the dock as she pulls me into the waves with her. I think of the irony of those beautiful green eyes, for they still will make me think of home.