Mermaid by Rabia Lakhani

She had always loved the waves. On beaches, they blanketed the sand, slowly coming to a standstill. Near cliffs, they crashed against the stone, wearing away at it, trying to get through, to break it somehow. Now, as she struggled to keep herself afloat, on the tossing waters of the storming Pacific, her fate etched in the inside of her eyelids, she realized. Water was deadly. Powerful. Dangerous. It was not meant to be loved but feared. The cruise was sinking around her somewhere, her lifeboat seeming like a mere, insignificant piece in the ocean’s rage. With a final, almighty tug, the lifeboat flipped over, sending her into the depths of the monster.

The water filled up her lungs. It sloshed around, delving deeper, exploring herself, trying to become one. She resisted at first. Fought against the pain, then gave up. She closed her eyes, her subconscious screaming for help. “Let it end! Please!” But there was no one. None to listen to her cries. And she sank, deeper and deeper, into the mystical depths of her tormentor. 

For ages, it seemed, she kept drowning. Then, at last, the pain subsided. She opened her eyes, expecting to see anything but the dark murky depths of the ocean which had consumed her, but alas. Despair growing inside of her, she suddenly realized. It felt different. Calmer, friendlier. She felt different. More natural, the water inside her no longer painful, but familiar. As she swam up to the surface, she could feel it whispering to her, “And that, my lady, is how mermaids are made.”

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Rabia Lakhani, a student of X-G, is an avid reader, aspiring writer, and prefers her vivid imagination to the actual world. As someone who loves trying out new stuff, writing is a way for her to experiment with unique styles and ideas. Most of her write-ups are a result of late-night realizations, random conversations, and tons of procrastination. She is someone who would rather spread positive vibes, and focus on the light at the end of the tunnel than to complain about stuff she cannot change. She hopes to spread the same message through her words. 

‘Mermaid’ reflects the struggles one goes through to become a better version of themselves. It is the story of our perceptions; how what we perceive to be the end is just a new, better beginning. It shows that everything happens for a reason, a reason beyond our capabilities, as humans, to understand.

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Cover Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash