The King of the Sea

Legends never lie. I always believed in that, and now I exactly know it's true.

When I was in primary school I lived in a nice place with my mom and granddad. Our house was located not far from the sea, that's why every day after classes I went there and walked along the beach. My school friend, Bobby, didn't understand the sense of such occupation. He was usually playing basketball with other boys while I was watching sunsets at the sea. I didn't really understand myself too. Once I asked my mom why I was so keen on watching big water scenery. She said my dad was a sailor and my love to sea had come from him. I told the same to Bobby when he again asked me what brought me to the sea. My friend just shrugged his shoulders and asked if I was going to become a sailor like my dad. Next few days I was thinking about Bobby's question. Did I want to become a sailor? I didn't know. A young boy like me could hardly know what he really wanted. But I was absolutely sure that I couldn't live without sea. Only there I felt freedom and unbearable lightness of being.

One day I was sitting on the sand with my legs put in the water. The sea was unusually pacific and silent that day. When I looked at the horizon I noticed a very big fish which jumped out of the water and returned back to the sea. I was surprised because I've never seen such a big one. The fish was sized like my height. I rose on my feet and came into the water. That fish jumped out again, and despite a long distance between us I saw something I couldn't believe in. It wasn't a big fish; it was a girl with long green hair and a fish tail instead of legs. I saw her for only one moment, but this moment cardinally changed my life.

Bobby was the first person who I told about the girl I had seen. At first my friend didn't believe me but then he accepted that my story could be true, especially because I had never lied to anybody. Bobby even forgot his "big basketball games" to be able to sit with me on the sand and watch the sea. I wanted Bobby to see that girl too, but she didn't show up again. After two weeks of waiting we lost any hope to see her. My friend returned back to basketball, and I continued walking at the seaside in evenings. Once my granddad walked there with me. We were talking about sea. I didn't understand what made me do it but I told granddad about the girl with a fish tail. To my surprise he didn't say that I was crazy or just imagined the girl. Instead of it granddad asked me to sit down, and for next two hours he was telling an ancient legend he had heard from his dad.

The legend was about mermaids and a charming and exciting underwater world. The legend said that if a mermaid fell in love with a human and if she brought him to the underwater world he would become the King of the Sea.

A couple of years passed since then. I had become a high school student, and Bobby was still my friend although he went to other high school. It were only my mom and me in the house because my granddad was already gone. But I remembered in details the legend he had told me. And I didn't give up my hobby to spend time near the sea. It was such a beautiful day when I again saw that green-haired girl with a fish tail. She didn't jump out of the water far from me but swam closer to the seaside and smiled. I said, "Hi". She didn't answer, only smiled again. I asked, "What is your name?". She took a small stone and wrote on the sand word "Reiki". Then she stretched her hand to me. I took it, and she pulled. Everything was so fast that I even didn't have enough time to realize what was going on. We were under water, and the mermaid was pulling me deeper and deeper down until we swam to a wonderful city. We were passing around it and watching. Frankly speaking, I was looking at it with my mouth open. All the buildings and streets were various forms and colors, some of them were very high, others were so small that they, probably, were suitable only for little fish and mollusks. Besides, the city was shining, and waves were spreading this bright light in the water of the sea. Sometimes it was so bright that I had to close my eyes for a moment. As soon as I closed my eyes the third time and opened them I found myself lying on the sand near the sea. Reiki wasn't there. I sat down and looked into the water. In five minutes I finally understood that I was all wet, so I went home. Next morning I had got my nose running and stayed in bed all day. In the evening Bobby came to me to find out if I was OK. I told him I had seen the mermaid. He was shocked because he didn't believe in any supernatural thing. And, by the way, it was easier for him to say that I was crazy or delirious than to say I lied to him. He knew I was always honest. I saw his problem of choice and decided not to make him disappointed, so I said it, maybe, had been just a hallucination. Bobby was happy with such explaining. I recovered in few days and, of course, I turned back to walking at the seaside. I knew I had no chance to meet Reiki again but I couldn't forget about the journey to the underwater world. I also remembered what my granddad had told me about it. According to his words I was going to be the King of the Sea. But it was just a legend. All those routine things which I faced with every day were much closer and much more real.

Another couple of years passed. I was on a new stage of my life. I couldn't live without sea, so I became a sailor just like my dad. Mom was totally against that. She was afraid something could happen to me. Maybe, because my dad was drowned in the ocean during a storm. But her arguments didn't change my mind. I started to work on the ship which transported oil. I loved my job, especially when I was on watch. I could admire water scenery for hours. Even when I was on leave I missed sea. I went at the seaside every time I was able to do it. But it would be wrong to think that my job and my hobby were my whole life. During the vacation I usually met with Bobby. He had already become a basketball coach and worked in a high school. I went with him to his work several times. While his basketball boys were running around with a ball we were talking, recalling our childhood and high school years and discussing latest news. I also visited my mom. She liked when I was at her's. At that time she usually used me to help her with repairs. It was her new occupation in free time. She was plastering and painting walls, laying a parquet floor, moving the furniture, etc. So, my life was pretty diverse, especially on leave. I was always busy with something. But as soon as I fell asleep I saw Reiki and the colorful underwater city.

Some years of good working made me a captain mate. The salary of a captain mate was different from an ordinary sailor's salary. So, I could let myself live a bit better. One of my vacations I was spending in a luxurious hotel which was located not far from the Pacific Ocean. Every day I went to a beautiful Californian beach and walked there. During one of my walks I suddenly noticed a young woman with green hair. She was sitting on the sand and watching the scenery. She looked like a mermaid except the fact that she got no fish tail but usual human legs. I came closer and sat down next to her. She looked at me for a moment and turned away. That moment was more than enough for me to recognize her face. I was absolutely sure she was the mermaid who had showed me the underwater world. But now she behaved like she hadn't met me before. I asked, "What is your name?". She wrote on the sand word "Richie". I asked, "Do you like the ocean?". She nodded. "Why don't you talk? Can't you?", I asked. She wrote, "I don't want to". "Do you mind having a walk along the beach?". She smiled…

I'm the captain of my own ship. And my ship is our house where Richie and I live. It's already two years since we married. When Bobby saw my bride he said she was a true mermaid. But every time I tried to ask Richie if she was a mermaid she answered that she didn't get what I was talking about. Frankly speaking, I guessed she lied but I didn't care because I was happy just to live with her. And I am happy to live with Richie now. I must only add that a week ago I found a note under the pillow. There were words, "First time we met I had written "Reiki", but it wasn't my name. At that time I just didn't know how to write "Richie"".

After that I decided not to ask Richie any more. I already knew everything I wanted to find out. And now, staying at the stern of the ship with my wife-mermaid I feel like I'm the King of the Sea. This is truth. Legends never lie.