Muirgen, Born Of The Sea

• Shaheni Fonseka, Grade 12
• Short Story
• 2019

The sun had begun to set, casting a warm glow over the Earth. People would soon pack up their belongings and begin the journey back to their homes. Muirgen cautiously peeked her head above the water, just enough so that she could watch the men and women and their children, as they played and conversed together on the Earth. Her breathing quickened as she watched them walk about, some with their hands grasped together, longing to be a part of their conversations, to laugh along with them. Jealousy began to bubble and rise through her body. She yearned desperately to feel the warm skin of another, to feel loved by another. Her heart twisted as she saw two young boys playing together in the distance, their laughter echoed through her ears like a menacing threat. She crept closer to the pond’s edge, hoping to get a better look. Without warning, one of the boys turned abruptly, scanning the pond. Muirgen quickly ducked her head below the water’s surface, watching it, knowing what was about to come. She heard the muffled footsteps as the boy walked over to the pond, peering tentatively into the water. To her surprise, his eyes were full of curiosity and innocence, free of the malice and fear that she so often saw in the eyes of others. She smiled, slowly reaching up her hand and she saw the boy copy her actions. Suddenly, the boy’s mother snatched his arm away, pulling him away from the water’s edge.
“Are you crazy Connor? Do you want to be taken by the Nixie? Never go that close to the pond again!” His mother yelled hysterically.
Muirgen watched as the mother dropped an iron ring fastened to long piece of thread into the water. Pain immediately seized her body, spreading over her limbs, immobilising her. Her throat tightened as if she were being choked. Her mind went blank as the pain increased to an impossible degree. It was not until the ring was lifted that the pain finally began to slowly fade away. This has become a common occurrence, ever since she was discovered, the people of the village had been doing this in order to keep themselves safe from her. She recalled how she had once allowed herself to walk upon the earth, to pretend that for a few moments that she was one of them, a part of their community, so she would not feel so alone. She felt the warmth of the sun beating down on her skin, the softness of trampled grass under her feet. She danced around the pond, imagining a group of people with her, all dancing along to nonexistent music. She remembered the screams of women who caught sight of her. She remembered everyone running frantically like headless chicken back to their homes, locking themselves up. She remembered looking around at the empty village, tears beginning to well up in her eyes as she realised her lonesome fate.