I sat with a mermaid by the edge of the sea. We talked about the tides and why she turned tricks for a living. She chain smoked Pall Malls and didn't want to talk about her mother. She asked me if I wanted her and I said, "I do, but I am afraid I would drown in your beauty."
She bubbled up a laugh and said, "That's a good one, sailor."
The day disappeared with a green flash of light across the horizon and we made promises that we knew were too heavy for either of us to burden.
Return to the Summer Fiction index. Send comments to [email protected]
