In Brother's Grimm-fashion, this piece of flash fiction is rather dark and twisted. Please note that it has some graphic violence and may not be suitable for my sweet readers, which is why it has the NSFW label. (Not Safe For Work)

Belisama, The Lady of the Inlet

picture attribute: Pixabay (creative commons)
From the watery depths of the deep inlet, Belisama, goddess of fresh water, had the freedom to swim, frolic, and do as she wished. A beauty with no comparison on land or in the water, she had alabaster skin like moon glow, her long, flowing hair the finest black silk.
She surfaced to sing to the flora and fauna; her voice soft and pure, alluring and haunting, a sigh in the night. Even the trees rustled their leaves to accompany her. Belisama often went ashore to frolic and play with the creatures who took to the lake for sustenance as they basked in her purity and pulchritude.

One terrible night, the sky gods appeared to be having their own version of a shit storm. For beast and mortals, the skies turned purple black as ear-splitting thunder rumbled. Lightning strikes zig-zagged, illuminating the air with an electric aura. Belisama tread the choppy waters enjoying the magnitude when suddenly she heard muffled cries for help. Blindsided by the storm’s quick onset, a young man found himself in peril when his small sailing vessel capsized. Keeping her distance, she could tell the air breather would succumb to his plight. His cries into the roaring night fell on deaf ears where the sky gods were concerned, but his desperate pleas spoke to her heart.

Belisama was familiar with the watercraft that traveled her inlet, but she had been taught from a very young age to stay away from the humans for they were nothing but trouble. She knew this man. In fact, she often found herself swimming camouflaged alongside his vessel in order to gaze upon him. Surely he couldn’t harm her? She cautiously approached.

His head dipped underwater several times; each time longer than the last as the fight for life escaped him in the cold, choppy waters. Eyes despairing, he spied her and became terribly still.

“Am I dead?” he asked.

She quickly shook her head to reassure him.

“Please, kind miss,” he implored, his blue eyes sparkling like sapphires in dark water. “Please help me to shore safely. I will do anything - sacrifice everything for your grace.”

She mesmerized him with her sing-song voice and watched him sink beneath the surface. Holding him close, she thrilled at the touch of his flesh; the smooth skin with soft patch of hair on his chest. She listened to the steady beat of his heart then stole a kiss from his cool, soft lips. His enchanted coma would not last long. Holding him close to her body, she swam to shore, depositing him on the beach. She waited for him to open his eyes and smiled when he cradled her cheek in his large palm. Belisama could swim in the dark pools of his eyes forever.

“I’m alive,” he murmured.

She smiled and nodded. "You promised to do anything if I got you to shore safely."

He smiled, "Indeed, beautiful water nymph. I am in debt to you for my life."

"Be my prince. Come with me into the lake and we will build a life together, you and I."

With the slightest hesitation, he said, "Sweet deliverer, how can this be? I am a land creature and cannot go with you."

"You can if I allow you to," she promised, then ran her fingers through his soft hair.

"My lady, I swore that I would do anything and I will keep my vow, but I beg of you," he began, "kindly let me get my estate in order and I will meet you in this exact spot tomorrow night."

"Then let us seal it with a kiss." Her heart skipped a beat and she quivered in desire and expectation with his responsive kiss. With joy, she dove back into the water. "Until tomorrow," she smiled.

The next evening she arrived at their spot and waited, but there was no sound of him. Suddenly, she heard a rustling in the woods. Excited to see her love, she called out, "Are you there?"

How strange that even the forest beasts remained quiet when they should be rejoicing with her. It was then that three strange men appeared, fetid with the smell of cheap ale. Confused and disoriented, she did not realize they had lassoed her and pulled her further up the beach. The man who obviously seemed to be in charge approached her.

"Ah, she is a beauty!" he exclaimed as the other men leered, exposing blacked out, rotting teeth. One of them squirted black chewing tobacco through the hole where teeth once used to be.

"The prince was right. Her hair is like the finest black silk and will fetch a great price."

Horrified, Belisama struggled to get away. The harder she tried, the tighter the tethers pinched against her skin, bruising her. The old man straddled her, rubbing her hair between his calloused fingers. “The finest indeed,” he murmured softly; thoughtfully.

Winding her hair around his fat fist, he yanked at her hair, tugging painfully at her scalp. Seemingly out of nowhere, a blade appeared in his other hand and he began hacking away her beautiful tresses. When she cried out, he muffled her with the thick, rank snake of his tongue. Belisama didn’t know if she choked on his invasion to her mouth or her own vomit. Her cries prompted a cacophony of distress from the land and sea creatures of the night.

"Why don't we have a bit of fun with her?" said the one bandit, working at his britches.

“Fuck off, boy,” said the leader, "the prince only wanted her hair and that we let her live. But I’ll have a go at her first."

With knife to her throat, the old man penetrated her with his sausage fingers, first two then three. She felt her virgin flesh ripping. Her screams sent him into a frenzy; his tongue violating her mouth then tasting the soft smooth skin of her cheeks and throat as he shrugged off his pants and raped her.

Her throat dry from silent screams and bile, she lay helpless as one after the other took turns abusing her body through the night. As the sun began to rise, the men finally took their leave, laughing and clapping each other on the back for their virility; not one thought about abandoning her to the elements or humanely ending her life.

Belisama, her alabaster skin defiled, now black with bruises, her hair shorn to the scalp - a beauty no more. She slowly, painfully clawed her way to the water. The crystal blue inlet turned ink black, matching her now dead heart. From that moment forward she never sang again. No fish swam the inlet and no land creature visited the shore. Sailing vessels often sank, losing souls and merchandise. But Belisama was not done.

She trolled the shores of the inlet every day and every night. Years passed. One evening, she spied a young boy making a sand castle on the beach. She could smell his youth and innocence. She vaguely remembered what it was like.

"Come here, little boy," she called, her voice magical, soft, and compelling.

The boy smiled and waded toward her. "Who are you?" he asked.

"I am not important," her voice tinkled, "but I think you are."

He puffed his little chest and with great pride said, "I am the son of a prince!"

"Then, Little Majesty, it would be an honor to teach you how to swim."

"My father told me to stay away from the water. He said it was dangerous."

She laughed. "Oh, dear boy! Do I look dangerous to you?"

He shook his head. "No, miss. You look beautiful."

Indeed, her hair had grown back but her smooth skin still reflected the black of her heart. "Come then," she smiled, holding out her hand, "Let me give you a swimming lesson."

Laughing with delight, the boy took her hand and they swam and splashed for a time.

"You see?" she began, "I would never hurt you." And in one swift move, she held his head under water and took pleasure in his death struggle. "I only want your innocence."

"NO!" cried the prince, running toward the beach.

She lifted the boy by the hair. He sputtered and cried out to his papa before she dunked him again, chuckling at his little fists fighting against her. She felt the burst of panicked energy; heard the little prince breathe in water. His struggle soon acceptance and soon death.

"What have you done? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"

She remembered those sapphire blue eyes and felt nothing but detachment. "A sacrifice for the life that I saved so long ago."

"Give me back my son!" he cried, as she swam further away, holding the boy just above the surface so the prince could watch as the boy's pink skin slowly turned blue.

With a soulless laugh she breathed in the scent of the little boy's hair and sighed. "Ah... Do you smell the purity and beauty of this child? He's mine now, for the innocence I lost." She swam deep beneath the water's surface cradling the boy's lifeless body next to hers. Small bubbles rose and popped on the water, the only indication of where they dove.

Deep into the cold, black water, Belisama wrapped the child in a blanket of lake weed knowing full well that he would never be found. She knew no one dared try.

Rising to the surface again, she heard the mourning cries of the prince echoing across the inlet.

The prince stood at the water's edge. "Oh, dear lady! How can this be undone?"

Mildly disgusted that he made no attempt to enter her domain and rescue his own child, she asked, "Would you do anything - sacrifice everything to get your son back?”

“Yes, miss. Please! I will do anything.”

"I will meet you in this exact spot tomorrow night," she smiled and blew him a kiss to seal the deal before diving into the murky depths.

THE END

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Meredith Loughran blogs at ScribblingBandits.com | Follow her on Twitter & SnapChat or LinkedIn

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