The young mermaid surfaced trying to find the light which flashed above. As she did the lightning arched through the skies lighting up the dark clouds. A single bolt flashed and struck the water nearby. She was stunned by the force of electricity flowing through her body.

The swells of the ocean tumbled her closer and closer until she was onshore. Passed out with her dark hair matted, her body rested in the surf. The clouds rolled away and the skies returned to blue.

A young boy, about age 14, found the mermaid entangled in seaweed as he walked along the beach. He unwound the sea grasses wrapped around her teal blue tail and shook her shoulder.

Her eyes fluttered, looking about. Her purple eyes looked into his as she came to. “Thank you,” she whispered to him.

“What should I do now?” he asked. He had never met such a beautiful creature.

“I am okay, but I need to get back into the water.”

He found a way to lift her in his arms and waded into the water with her. When he got waist deep, she was able to float.

She moved out of his arms and swam around him. She stopped in front of him and gently kissed him on the cheek. “You’re cute,” she giggled. “Thanks again!”

With that, she dove back into the ocean and swam away. The boy watched her as her tail fin flipped in the water, until he could no longer see her.

He returned to that beach each time he was in town on vacation as he grew up and would watch the waters in hopes of seeing her again one day.

The mermaid did the same.