Mermaid Rhapsody

“Dad, today I don’t want to go to school either,” said David

“Sure …” responded his dad. He was looking at the newspaper and didn't even look at

David.

David ran and left the house. His father doesn't care about him. It was said that before

his mom passed away, his dad was an outgoing person. He can’t remember her appearance,

voice, and favourite food although he likes his mom.

David ran to the dock. Mr. Joseph was going to fish at the sea.

“Good morning! Uncle Joseph !” yelled David.

“Hey, David, you don’t go to school again?”Joseph responded,” be careful of the

mermaids!”

Mermaids… even textbooks don’t have it … Just like humans eat pigs and chickens.

Mermaids eat humans, however, I still want to see mermaids. David thought. Because … My

mom seems to be a mermaid. David jumped into the sea. He swam in the clear and blue sea,

then he reached the bottom of the sea. There was a piano that was surrounded by fish and

seaweed. It was made by mermaids, so it can still make sounds in the sea. It is David’s treasure

David sat on a piece of rock, he put his finger on the keys, and beautiful pieces of music

came out. I will play piano here until I can’t breathe , because it seems I can only remember

things about my mom when I am playing this piano. My body shares the same blood my mom

has, so I can stay in the sea for a long time. This is the only connection between me and my

mom. David thought.

David looked around, there were fish swimming around him, then he saw a big fishtail. It

was a mermaid! David was shocked and he drank a big sip of water and then he drowned. The

mermaid rushed out and brought David to the beach. And helped him to wake up.
 With a severe cough, David woke up. He saw a girl, she seemed similar to him in age,

her skin and hair is white, just like the spray of waves, Her eyes are blue as the sea. She was

holding her emerald green tail and sitting beside him.

“Though I think you will drown sooner or later. However, human beings are really weak.”

the mermaid looked at David, “Fool.”

The mermaid and David sat together and talked for a few minutes.

“Oh! So you always hide and listen to me playing the piano?”David asked.

“Yeah, because mermaids who can play piano do not exist anymore,” the mermaid is

floating on the surface of the sea,” I thought humans are useless animals. But I think your music

is good. So I rescued you.”

This is my first time seeing a mermaid. David looked at the mermaid curiously. Does she

use this mouth to eat humans? He stared at the girl's mouth. Terrible … but she seems more

pretty than I think. The girl’s eyes were glittering under the sun.

“Hey! I want to give thanks to you for saving my life!” said David.

“Thanks?” the girl seemed surprised, “I save you just like saving a cat or dog. You don’t

need to thank me.”

“No! Let me thank you!” David responded loudly, the mermaid astonished, “Let me teach

you to play piano. You said that there are no mermaids who can play piano right? It is a waste

of the piano.”

“Human beings are supposed to be afraid of us. You don’t afraid of me?” the mermaid

stared at the boy, “I eat humans too.”

“I'm afraid!”David stared at the mermaid sincerely, “But you are so beautiful so I think it

doesn't matter if you eat me.”

The girl’s face turned red and she had a few dry coughs, “ … My name is Lucy. Actually,

I want to learn piano.”

He held out his hand to her.

From then on, David didn’t go to school. He taught Lucy piano under the sea every day.

Even when he was not teaching piano, they stayed together all the time.

Lucy’s fingers flip and flop on the keys of the piano, and beautiful pieces of music flowed

in the sea. Lucy looked at David and asked for an appraisal. David gave a thumbs-up in

appreciation. During this half year, Lucy became good at playing piano. They swam to the

surface and played in the water.

“Amazing! Really amazing! I just played it great!” said Lucy.

“Hm! You are so great that frightens me!” responded David.

“Though I can’t be as good as David now! But I will definitely be beyond you!” said lucy

“That will be impossible in your whole life!” said David.

“Hum! What's so arrogant!”Lucy used her tail to splash water on David.

Lucy seems shining under the sun, her eyes look like bright blue jewels, glittering. The

mouth is smiling in a good-looking shape. David stared at Lucy and got in a daze.

“What you are looking at!”Lucy said loudly.

David still stared at Lucy, “Because Lucy’s smile is beautiful … I got really involved in

it…Actually I was a little bit afraid of you” said David, “But now I don’t afraid of you anymore.

Now when I see Lucy, I feel warm in my chest. What is this feeling?”

Lucy blushed, “I don’t know!”Then she dived into the sea.

A few minutes later. Lucy came back, she seemed anxious.

“Lucy?What happ …”

“David! get back to the land right now!” shouted Lucy, “Hurried!”

……

David woke up, he was lying on his bed. Uncle Joseph was sitting beside him.
 “Oh, you wake up,” Joseph was peeling apples, “What would happen if my boat didn’t

pass by you…David, don’t get close to mermaids again. They will only think of humans as food.”

David sat on his bed and tried to remember what had happened. It’s really bad luck …

It’s not the time for sharks. At that time, the shark bit my leg and my arm. And Lucy ate my ear, I

can’t forget her face at that time. Her instinct is fully revealed … it is because she smells my

blood, right? The warmth in my chest disappears. I don't want to go to the beach again. David

thought.

Under the sea, Lucy was talking with her other mermaids.

“Lucy, I heard you attacked a human child. We shouldn’t eat humans if they don’t get in

our place. From now on, you can go to the beach.” said the leader of the mermaids.

“No! That’s not right! I didn’t mean to hurt him! It was because …” explained Lucy.

“You seem to have become good friends with a human, however, humans and

mermaids will never understand each other.” the leader paused and then continued talking,

“You attack the human because of your instinct right? That’s the answer.”

“No…I didn’t think about it that way … Even if I think so…” Lucy‘s eyes are full of tears.

”I have to apologize to him!” Lucy rushed away.

“Lucy! Wait!” the leader stretched out her hand “Sisters! Let’s chase Lucy! She wants to

go to the beach!”

Meanwhile in David’s house, David’s dad was talking to David.

“David, you didn’t go to school this half year. You played piano under the sea right?”

David’s dad had a try at the soup. “It is your mum telling you there is a piano.”

“What?” David was surprised. “Oh…I thought I found it by myself… Mum is a mermaid,

right? Dad isn't afraid of her?”

“I'm afraid.” the father responded. “We love each other deeply, but she still attacked me

because she smelled my blood.”

“Why did you marry her… even if you were afraid of her?” asked David
 “Because your mum’s smile was very beautiful. It makes me feel warm in my chest.

Incredible… I thought it was mermaid magic before.”The father looked at the sky. “But it isn’t

magic. Though your father is afraid of your mother. If she is a person who has this beautiful

smile. It doesn’t matter if she eats me. ‘Cause I love her so much.”

David stood up from his chair. He had made his decision.

“David.” The father said loudly. “Remember to come back before dinner.”

“Sure!” David ran to the beach. I am the same as my dad. Although I am afraid of Lucy.

But what I am more afraid of is that I can’t see her anymore. That’s why Dad married my mum.

David jumped into the sea. If I play the piano again, I may meet Lucy again. Therefore, play until

I can’t breathe. David thought. He put his hand on the key, and music flowed in the sea again.

“David…” Lucy was a few meters away from David. Other mermaids were holding her.

What does it sound like in Lucy’s ear? David thought. He was still playing the piano.

Mermaids stopped and listened, and fish were swimming around him. Every creature was

amazed by the music.

“How can that human play this kind of music…” “Amazing! Wonderful! What’s this

sound?” “This is my first time hearing this … Is this the sound of a Piano?” “There is such a

pleasant sound in the sea.” the mermaids whispered.

David played piano for a long time and he is about to run out of oxygen. Suddenly Lucy

rushed out despite the obstacles and delivered oxygen to David by mouth. Afterward, David

played piano until morning. His fingers became so stiff and because oxygen was delivered too

many times his lip felt pain. Of course, he didn't eat dinner and it was the first time he was

scolded by his father.

At the end, David’s dad asked him to go to school every day, but after class, Lucy

brought him to mermaid territory and taught them pianos. Though David was still a little bit afraid

of mermaids. But thought of Lucy and his mum’s smile. He thinks he can like them too.