The Cursed Doubloon Read Free

storm.”
    “You can’t be serious. Don’t you think you’re drunk enough already?”
    “There be no such thing, Grace. Now drop the anchor, we be dancin’ the hempen jig tonight.” His smile consumed his face and pushed his beard high up on his cheeks. I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of his happiness, even if it was because he was on the verge of getting belligerently drunk.
    I threw the anchor overboard as we approached the shore. Once we hit sand the crew followed my father off the boat and into the nearest tavern, singing with merriment the whole way there.
    “What a bunch of idiots,” I couldn’t help but whisper as I watched them disappear one by one into the tiny building. I was irritated at their antics, especially my father’s. There I was drenched and cold and he didn’t care at all. He just wanted to get drunk and sing songs all night long. “Oh well,” I gave up. “I guess I might as well take a swim.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Two: Merman
     
     
    I was soaking wet and freezing, but I welcomed a swim in the sea. I left the ship and hurried around its side, hiding myself in its shadow as I took off my dress and underclothes. The water stung at first but turned to a comforting warmth as my body became accustomed to it. The ocean never scared me much. Sure there were plenty of creatures in there to be afraid of, but I figured if a whale was going to eat me then he would eat me. The curse would be sure of that.
    I rolled onto my back and floated on top of the water while staring up at the stars. “I miss you Mother. One day I will see you again.”
     
    “ Oh come to me oh my beauty,
    And lay your head on my chest;”
     
    “Oh no, the fisherman!” I dropped my feet below me to cover over my naked body with water. Hoping he hadn’t seen me floating so openly, I sucked myself to the ship’s side and listened to the rest of his song:
     
    “ I’ll prove to you that my love is true,
    And I’ll lay your sorrow to rest.”
     
    I couldn’t see him anywhere. The fog had cleared but I could find no man on shore and no boat was close enough that he would be on. A cloud passed over the moon and muted the sky. The singing turned to humming. I slid my arms gently through the water and pushed myself to the back of the ship, trying to find the direction in which the magical voice was coming from. Once I made it to the stern I peeked around the side and tried to see through the darkness. When my eyes finally focused I saw what seemed to be the silhouette of a man sitting on a rock that was protruding out of the sea.
    “There he is. What a crazy fisherman, positioning himself on a lone rock with no boat to get him back to shore.”
    The man quieted and turned in my direction, making me duck back behind the ship, hoping he didn’t see me. After a short moment his humming returned and I continued to watch him in the darkness. His voice entranced me; it was so smooth and enchantingly beautiful. I had never heard a man sing like that before. All I was used to hearing was the graveling chanteys of the crew.
     
    “ Come swim to me oh my beauty,
    And show me your lovely face;
    I’ll hold you now and forever more,
    Come here my beautiful Grace.”
     
    My breath caught. “How does he know my name?”
    Just then the cloud moved away from the moon and completely illuminated him. It was easy to see that his chest was bare and firm and that his skin shimmered wildly like silver dust beneath the moon’s glow. My eyes quickly darted to his side as he flipped a scaly tail out of the water and waved it in my direction. “Hello, Grace.”
    “Mermaid!” I flipped around and swam as fast as I could to shore. Within seconds he popped out of the water in front of me, stopping me from going any further.
    “Grace, please, wait a moment.”
    “No! You’re a mermaid! You’re going to kill me!”
    “I’m not going to kill you! And I’m not a mermaid!”
    “Father help! Help