Stories on the high seas. or something
(((Saw some random promptish thing that sparked this. It’s not great but I’m in a writing prompts mood because longer stories just... you know... you get writer’s block))
Was there anything better than being entirely alone, the only person for miles, and being able to do dramatic voices out loud with your favorite book?
Fisher looked on the bright side of being lost at sea in a boat entirely alone. They still had some food, plenty of water and no one to make fun of the acting.
If only they had a second oar.
Storms amIright?
“The fight was heated yet Protagonist fended off their adversaries even as they were pushed to the brink.
“‘Give up Protagonist! You cannot hope to escape!’ the captain called.
“‘Never will you take me alive!’ Protagonist shouted as they fought. Desperate, they ran another soldier through with their blade and stepped back a final step. Looking out over the raging sea, the stormy wind whipping their hair into their deep green eyes, they decided then that they would risk death in order to remain free-”
Fisher stopped mid-sentence. Had a fish just jumped out of the water in their periphery? A shark fin glide by?
Ulf. It made them shiver to think of sharks hanging around. After a moment of listening and looking around, Fisher went back to it, reading some more. Several minutes passed.
“...’Love interest’s heartbeat quickened to look upon Protagonist’s face as they spoke so passionately of the fight to free the people! their hand went to their breast as they listened.” Fisher put a fist to their own chest, “Protagonist was so–!’ Hello there.”
Fisher’s own heart beat just went from normal speed to very very quick as they caught sight of the eyes at the side of the boat looking up at them and the grasping pale green fingers holding the edge.
The two locked eyes. Oh wow it was a merfolk wasn’t it?
Stories of what the sea people did to sailors flashed through FIsher’s head as they stared at each other.
Oh no oh no oh no oh nooooo!
The merfolk reached a hand out, Fisher scrambled to the other side of the boat, rocking it. The merfolk pulled and lifted to rock them back.
“Don’t… sss.. Stop.” the merfolk complained brokenly.
Fisher sat breathing quickly, absorbing what just happened. It spoke? “You… uh.. Like that, then?”
Hope!
“Y… yesss.” the merfolk replied with a smile full of sharp teeth.
“Oh, uh, okay.” Fisher thought about the situation. “If… if you know where land is,” they began, “I can get more of these,” They held up the book, “They’re Books. People write in them so others can enjoy the stories. Would you like to hear more?”
The merfolk nodded, smile widening, “Been listening…” they held up four fingers and then pointed to the sun, “that many.”
“Four suns?” Fisher questioned, “Oh! Four days? Really?”
Merfolk nodded, looking pleased.
“You liked it that much?” Fisher felt both embarrassed and pleased. This was amazing! Someone liked their dramatic reading and appreciated the story. Four days meant they had heard the last bit of the book before Fisher had started over with more confidence in their acting.
“I take…t…to… land… Get… family… Hear m.. more.” the merfolk continued before pushing off the boat and diving back under the water.
Fisher tentatively peered over the side. Merfolk’s head bobbed back up, “Do n.. nnnot m.mmove.” they said before disappearing again.
Fisher sat back, somewhat stunned at the whole interaction.
Time went by. Fifteen minutes, half an hour, two hours. Fisher wondered if the boat had drifted so much that the merfolk lost them, or had a short attention span. If Fisher ever got back home people weren’t going to believe them. To pass the time they made harnesses with the rope they had, figuring the merfolk could pull them along.
If they came back.
Fisher was dozing when the boat tilted abruptly, startling them awake as they rolled to the edge with a squeak of surprise.
“Hiiiii,” the merfolk grinned, face inches from theirs, “Take… you… land.. Now… you … speak that now?” they pointed to the book.
Fisher held a hand over their racing heart.
“Yeah,” they said nervously, “Yeah.”
The merfolk let the boat go and it rocked violently back and forth for a few moments.
Fisher tentatively sat up and saw several heads bobbing in the water, big fishy eyes staring at them.
One grumbled, “See if good… if not.. Eat.”
“No!” the original Merfolk snapped, “Leave if not like. I like!”
Others muttered agreement. Fisher wondered if Merfolk had been trying to repeat the story to them. They sort of looked like they were waiting in anticipation.
“Okay, um.” Fisher took up the rope, then looked at their net, “I guess we have to figure how you can pull me along. You can rest now and then and I’ll read while you rest. Okay?”
A chorus of echoed “Okay”s were the response, and after reading the first chapter over again for the newcomers, they were on their way.
It took days. Fisher was out of food and their voice somewhat raw by the time land was sighted and oh! How happy they were to see land!
A little discussion and they and the merfolk worked out how to get them close enough to call for help while the merfolk hid. The promise was that in a day or two Fisher would return to do their job and read to the merfolk again with a new book!
And that worked out wonderfully. The merfolk, once understanding the use of the net made it a point to help. Fisher became quite successful, and every day they fished, they told the merfolk more and more stories.
Eventually the truth of their success got out and soon anyone who could read was being hired to go out on the boats and read to the merfolk. The area became the safest to fish and travel to, and quite well off for a fishing town, the merfolk now jealously guarding their story tellers from harm.
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