Electroshock

• Jing Ru Zhang, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2019

Electroshock

There once was a girl who wanted to become a mermaid.
There she stood, eyes transfixed on the shimmering blanket of pond water, ripples gliding effortlessly past. She leant forward a little to witness the swish of a sculpted fish tail performing its graceful dance. A few droplets of water landed on her cheeks, as if she had been crying.
A second later, an ugly, misshaped fish head poked out of the water. So ugly that one’s throat would retch, yet just not enough to evoke a sense of pity in anyone. Its fish eyes bulged, but alas, if only it could see what a beautiful world it was living in.
The girl didn’t scream. Instead, very slowly, bones trembling with each movement, she reached her left hand outwards.
The fish swam closer.
Her fingers were still stuck in a pointing gesture, when, she got the biggest shock of her life.
As they might have said, the surface was not deep enough to account for everything.


There she stood, her face hidden behind two gloved hands. The girl watched as some children ran past, hoping to escape her bounds and someday join them. To her luck, a little boy from the group fell over, landing on his knees with a painful thud. She stretched her hand out hopefully.

“Here.” she smiled. The little boy reached up, slowly, hesitantly. She felt his small, snotty hand brush against her glove. His eyes widened. Very suddenly, he recoiled, rejecting the stranger’s gentle heart and instead retreating to his own. It was as if he’d been zapped.

“Your mermaid gloves are gross.” the little boy spat, eyebrows furrowing. Then, he sprinted to keep up with the rest of his friends, thoughts about the playground, tag, and recess looming in his head.
The girl turned around and headed in another direction, not at all shocked.
Would you be friends with her? Oh, neither would I.

As she was walking, the girl counted the steps. Every burning appeal; burning hope, burning wishes, and burning hate for those stupid fish-ladies; had crumbled just like that. The mermaids stole a chunk of her life, and she was desperate to take revenge.

A silent rage coursing through her veins, the girl waded through the banks of the pond. Water was sloshing up to her ankles. Reeds poked her from everywhere. It was a warning sign, already.
How ridiculous did it look, a teenage girl wearing a snorkel, and trampling straight into a pond! All the local children gathered around and watched, faces creased with both worry and laughter.
Soon, when her waist was submerged, the girl ducked her head under.
The last thing anyone saw were some bubbles floating up from the pathetic pink snorkel.

The eel swam away quickly, eager to find its true home. An aura of electricity silently surrounded it, whispering in its ear.
Its newly formed fish eyes bulged, but alas, if only it could see the cruel world it had just left.