Prompt: Song
The siren who sits on the rock and sings her song
It can tempt the soul and warp the strong
But while they come at her beck and call
The pointy rocks end their thrall
Eventually, she became numb
To the bodies becoming chum
So she promised to never sing
Knowing the horror it would bring
So she painted on the rocks
And floated bottles to the docks
And in both, she made a plea
One from sea to shining sea
“Be with me, but avoid my song
Be with me the whole day long
I hope that you undertake this endeavor
Please don’t let it take forever”
She waited there for a hundred days
Under the sun’s pounding rays
Until she heard a soft splish splash
And then a giant wave did crash
From the depths arose a girl
She popped right out of the water’s swirl
The siren gasped and covered her lips
Keen to not draw in ships
“I saw your note and heard your plea”
Said the mermaid from the sea.
“My ears are designed for the deepest reef
So let me hear your leitmotif”
The siren nodded and started to sing
And saw the most peculiar thing
As rather than impale herself on the stone
The mermaid happily heard her tone
“It was the best I’ve ever heard
Why you sound exactly like a bird!”
Said the mermaid from the sea
Her smile happy and carefree
“If you want, I’ll stay all-day
Until the sun finally goes away
But I’ll return when morning comes
I’ll bring you shells to use as drums!”
The siren smiled and nodded her head
Her cheeks going utterly crimson red
“If you wish, then there is space for you
There is enough room on my rock for two”
So the mermaid did come on land
And with a splash of watery sand
The jagged rocks were no more
Just two women on the shore.
Jonathon Greenall is a freelance writer, artist, and tabletop roleplaying game designer who has written for CBR, Polygon, Nintendo Life, Gayley Dreadful, Enbylife, and many other publications. They have also published several popular and highly-praised tabletop roleplaying games including “You Have One Ability….The Ability To Fuck This Up,” “Macarons, Milkshakes, And Magic,” and “Wander Wizards.”
Jonathon has always been fascinated by media, from the big hitters to the small, obscure, and often overlooked titles that linger on the sidelines, capturing both the on and off-camera stories that make these shows so fascinating.
Jonathon is also a major anime fan, having been exposed to the medium through shows like Sailor Moon and Revolutionary Girl Utena. Since then, Jonathon has maintained a passion for anime, watching most new shows each season and hunting down overlooked gems from previous ones.