All These Stars

Ismet swam through the east Atlantic currents. She was close to what had been the Caribbean before the bombs had destroyed the world. Chunks of debris and dead human carcasses littered the ocean for days as the man-made storm tore through the islands. Nothing was left but dust and debris. Down below the wars between mermaids and sirens continued to get worse and she preferred one war-torn civilization over another. Her home cave had been destroyed in an oceanic raid. All her trinkets and things went within a blink of an eye. This she shared with the land dwellers. No home.

So she swam for a new one kicking her humanoid form through the unstable currents of the Caribbean. Entering the destroyed San Juan lagoon she watched as the waves lapped at the fallen buildings. What once had been a multi-million dollar abode for these humans now hung like a whale carcass out to sea. Belated with water and ridden with algae and other sea plants. The roads were inundated and the bridges hanging by their wired frames like delicate floss. No one was around and Ismet took the time to come ashore, her long silk skirts gleaming with water in the moonlight. Her long red tresses glowed like shed blood and her eyes were illuminated ocean-blue pools of deep secrets.

She rested her long body on the sand and sighed. Her scaly hand brushed against the many debris on the shore. A small radio was buried in the sand. It seemed nearly untouched with a few scuff marks on the side. She played with the dials looking for a station not that there were any in this gods forgiven wasteland. A crinkle and then static until a small voice came through. It surprised Ismet that such a small voice had such a strong pull. She wasn’t expecting anyone to be on to be honest. This mysterious little voice was a strange coincidence.

“Dream…Keep dreaming. Momma said those last words to me and now I say them to you. I know the storm is coming and we haven’t a chance but still, I dream of a day where everyone will be loved and cared for, and if I can help someone realize that then I’ve done what momma hoped for and what I hoped for. The winds are calm tonight and everyone is out celebrating before the storm. One more night before all life stops. I hope we can survive this storm though we weren’t meant to. Go and dream big pass it on and remember not everything that starts wrong has a bad ending. Mama says we’ll all meet again in heaven and I believe her. We’ll all be together…and that’s what counts.”

Ismet wiped a tear from her eye and sat the radio down. Yes, she had a dream of seeing her people reunited but she was a haunted princess. Still, if a human could embrace death so easily then she could face her fears too. Her eyes lit on a walkie-talkie in the sand. She magicked it to her hands and used some more magic to make sure her words were heard by the child.

“I am Ismet of the Sirens and my dream is to reunite the Siren coven with the mermaids. I want peace for my people. That is my dream. Though I know not how to do so, I will try for I have been inspired by a simple life. A human.”

Ismet tucked the walkie-talkie back in the sand and smiled when she heard the child’s voice.

“My dream is to dance.”

And another.

“My dream is to cook spaghetti”.

More and more people tuned in with dreams. Humans were resilient creatures. She entered the warm waters of the Caribbean once more and dove toward her people. It was time to resolve the war once and for all.