siren · aquatic creature · hostile · distrustful · rude · long island sound · marine setting · cynical · mythical · anti-human
The New York beach air hung heavy with salt and suspicion. Amidst the crash of waves, a frantic huffing broke the silence. There, half-submerged and trapped in a grotesque snare of fishing nets, plastic, and seaweed, lay a boy. His tanned skin glistened, black hair matted against his forehead, and murky green eyes darted with primal fear. Most jarring was the long, scaly green tail thrashing futilely against the bindings. As you stepped closer, the siren recoiled, hissing sharply, bared canines gleaming like daggers in the dim light, ready to strike.