"So this is what it means to drown."
I thought to myself as the water began to fill my lungs. Much to my surprise, I found myself calm at that moment, when death came knocking at my door. I always imagined that panic would've set in but an overwhelming sense of peace has somehow invaded me.

My heart shattered into a thousand as I watched my father's lifeless corpse floating just a few feet away from me. I couldn't look anymore. Why hadn't I died already?

I originally did not want to come in this trip but after seeing how excited my father was to go fishing with me, I caved.

The sky had darken quite a bit when we went out to sea but dad said something along the lines of "We'll be fine."

We rode out for over an hour until he decided which spot was the best spot for us to fish. I'm not sure how he could tell but he was right. We had just thrown out lines into the water and we were already catching fish. Thunder shook the sky signaling to the mortals that roamed the earth that rain was soon coming.

That was when my dad decided to head back apparently he was satisfied enough with the time spent with eighteen year old daughter and having got over half a dozen fish. We sped off towards the beach, my dad driving the boat and I was reading one of my favorite books for the third time this month.

Unfortunately, not long after the rain came, the water turned from tranquil to raging in what seemed like a matter of minutes. My father tried to push the boat on further but the engine stalled causing us to suddenly become stranded and in serious danger.

The waves began to topple over, the boat swayed from side to side in an unnatural way. I looked up in that moment to see a wall of water facing me. Before I could fully comprehend what was about to happen the huge wave hit us from above, completely destroying the boat and throwing us into the sea with the debris.

I reached with my arms and pushed with my legs trying resurface but it as no use. My body grew weary of the fight and the ocean claimed two new victims that day.

I shut my eyes waiting for death to take me completely. I had nothing else to live for. My father was the only thing I had and now he was gone. I didn't want to fight anymore so I relaxed and let the water take me deeper into its depths.

That was two years ago.

I'm still here in the sea. The ocean had become my home, my safe haven and my nightmare as I recalled that fateful day. When I had awoken from my slumber, I was at the bottom of the ocean but somehow I was breathing. I was confused until I looked down. Shock and fear filled me as I stared at the changes my body had received.

My legs were no longer present but in its place was a translucent blueish purple fin that lead all the way up my waist. My chest remained bare causing me to cover myself with my arms. That was at first but after spending the past couple of years learning of the sea and it's inhabitants, I learned how to make it my home and make it work for the best.

I had taken some seaweed and twisted into what resembled a braid weaving the plant to make a sort of wrap to cover my bare chest.

It did not take as long as I thought to get used to the fin and how to use it. I quickly accustomed to using it to explore corner to corner of the ocean and even using it as a weapon against predators.

I had for a underwater cave not far from the beach that had once been my home. It felt nice to stay near where my father and I once lived, I guess it my way of coping with his death and the fact that I had somehow survived.

I gathered soft sea moss to create a makeshift bed on the far corner of the cave. I was hoping this would keep my covered from any dangers as I slept through the night. It was hard at first to really sleep but I got used to after a while.

My days usually consisted of finding food to eat and more exploring. I had gain some friends with a family of dolphins. We would swim and play together just to pass the time.

Sometimes I swim up to the surface and climb up on the rocks to enjoy the sunset. I watched the boats passing in the distance and listen to soothing sound of the waves crashing against the rocks that I sat on.

This day was different somehow, I could feel the air around me changing somehow. I couldn't explain the feeling but I just knew that today would change my life forever.

I lowered my body into the water as I watched the dark clouds begin to gather in the sky. Thunder roared and the waves began to climb high as the storm grew stronger and stronger.

I swam deep into the ocean away from the waves, away from rain, away from the darkness but something began to pull me in the opposite direction. I pushed myself forward but the force continued to grow stronger sucking me into a vaccum.

My body was swept into a tunnel that carried me to somwhere that I had yet to figure out. All of sudden my body was thrusted into the air, out of the water and onto the land. My body resembled a fish out of water as my fin started flopping around trying to get me back into the water but I was too far from the water's edge and could not reach it.

After several attempts, I knew that death had come to finally claim me. It was confusing and frankly it was bullshit. Why did the gods or mother earth or whatever/ whoever made me this way do it if I was just going to die anyways? Why were the playing around with me? It was cruel. Why had they chosen me? It made absolutely no sense.

I layed against the sand, feeling the roughness against my skin. My fin as not drying out since it was still raining from the storm but now it was more of a light drizzle as if a way to keep me alive.

I thought the end would come but it didn't. I looked up at the sky practically begging someone to put me out of my misery. Then suddenly I felt a pair of strong arms lift me into the air. His hands faltered a bit as he tried to grab hold of my slick skin and pulling me against his chest.

"Are you okay? Don't stop breathing, I'm almost to the water." He said. His smooth baritone voice flowed into my soul. It had been so long since I'd spoken and even longer since I'd heard someone speak.

"Please, don't leave once I put inside the water. Please." He whispered. He was speaking to me but in a way you spoke to someone when you weren't sure if they understood you or spoke the same language.

He lowered me down into the edge of the water and released his hold on me when half my body was inside the water. I looked up at face for one last look before I swam away. He was beautiful. His deep blue eyes reminded me of the waters that had become my home. His auburn colored hair complimented his smooth ivory skin. My eyes roamed over his bare chest, water ran down the surface of it which caused me to involuntarily suck my bottom lip into my mouth.

He opened his mouth to say something but the words muffled as I sank into the water not wanting hear what he had to say. I swam for a few minutes but then stopped when an ache began to develop in my chest. It resembles the feeling you get when you miss someone you care for. You know that feeling like you can't breath without them. There's no reason to exist without that person but how can I be feeling such emotion when I don't even know this guy.

I couldn't ignore the feeling. My heart was racing at the thought of losing him. I swam back to where I had left him but he wasn't there. Fear began to shake my body at the realisation that I most likely lost the one chance at love again.

I kept my head above the water for a while in hopes that he would come back but he didn't. I decided to wait for him on my spot on the rocks. I had a clear view of the beach from there.

As I turned around to swim towards the rocks, I heard his voice. It warmed me to hear him talk, he didn't have to say anything of importance I just wanted to hear his voice again.

"You came back?" He looked astonished at the fact that I was there in front I him. I simply nodded my head in return not wanting to speak since I was unsure of how it would sound after years of not speaking.

"I'm glad you did." He said with a toothy grin. "I was afraid you wouldn't come back. Um, Can you tell me your name?" He asked as he rubbed the back of his neck. It seemed like he thought he was asking too much of me just by asking my name.

I thought about it and decided to tell assuming that eventually I'd have to try to talk anyways. "My-" I started but it came out raspy and hoarse. I cleared my throat and tried again. "My name is Jade."

I turned around to face away from his staring eyes. He was making me even more nervous. I was already embarrassed due to how ugly my voice sounded but he began to talk again which began to feed my curiosity. I wanted to know more about this man that I had fallen in love with just one look.

I had known the moment my eyes landed on his, that this was the stuff of fairytales. It didn't happen in real life but it was happening to me.