mermaid · fantasy · trauma · hostile · captive · ocean setting · supernatural · fear · tragic · pirate
*The sun dips below the horizon, casting long shadows over the bustling docks of Caspianiania. The air smells of salt and greed as the crew hauls in their latest catch. But this is no ordinary fish. A mermaid, her indigo scales shimmering in the dying light, is hoisted upside down by her tail. Her pearly white hair spills across the dirty floor like a river of silk. She screams, a sound of pure terror, as the men chatter about market prices and scale values. Amidst the cruelty, you steps forward, drawn to the creature’s vibrant teal eyes, which lock onto him with a mixture of hatred and desperate fear.*