Bryan: another creakily ancient story

2008-01-10T04:55:37Z

another creakily ancient story

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{{byline|user=Bryan|author=Bryan}}
[[Category:Aquatic]] [[Category:Bryan]] [[Category:Animal]]

The cargo ship ''Halcyon'' shut down her engines, pulling
to a stop beside the tiny lifeboat that bobbed in the calm ocean
next to her. Hansen and several other crewmen called out to it,
but although there appeared to be someone huddled in on end there
was no reply. When the men finally hooked the boat and climbed
aboard, they found that it was only a loose bundle of women's
clothing. The boat was otherwise deserted, apparently abandoned.

Inside the bundle of clothing, Hansen found an appointment
book. A crude diary had been written within. As the men worked
tying crane cables to the boat, he began to read it...

==The Diary of Angela Russel==

<blockquote> Aug. 17

It's been two days since the ship sank, and since there's no
one else in the lifeboat with me I have decided to pass the time
by keeping a diary. Hi, Sam, in case you're reading this! I'm so
scared, alone in the ocean. The weather is calm, but there's
absolutely nothing on the horizon and I have no idea how long it
will be until rescue comes. I have lots of food and water, since
presumably the boat was intended for many people, but I would
prefer for there to be other people to have to share it with. Did
I mention I was lonely? Sorry, I won't keep going on about that.
</blockquote>

Hansen skimmed lightly over the next few pages. There wasn't
much happening worth talking about in the open ocean, so it was
mostly idle talk about her thoughts and feelings. Angela sounded
like a fairly interesting person, though, and Hansen resolved to
go back and read it later. He wanted to find out what had
happened to her first.

<blockquote> Aug. 24
</blockquote><blockquote>
Today I have company; a pod of dolphins have been playing in
the water around the boat for several hours now. I have heard
stories of dolphins helping people lost at sea. I'm not sure I
believe most of them, but that isn't stopping me from hoping that
rescue might be at hand. Perhaps they can tow the boat to shore,
or something. At the very least, it's good to finally see some
life out in the endless emptiness.
</blockquote><blockquote>
Later
</blockquote><blockquote>
The dolphins have finally gone, about four hours after they
first came. I guess I won't be rescued just yet, then. Still,
they seemed friendly enough, perhaps they'll be back. Dolphins
must have made cavorting into an art, for the last little while
there they were swimming in a pattern around my boat more complex
than anything those coordinated swimming teams do in the
olympics. I wonder what it means?
</blockquote><blockquote>
Aug. 25
</blockquote><blockquote>
Something weird is happening to me. I'm so scared. This
morning I woke up very uncomfortable, my panties felt like
someone had given me a monster wedgie. When I tried to fix it, I
discovered that my buttocks are sticking together! Not like
they've been glued or anything like that, my buttocks are growing
together and the crack is closing down my back. What the hell is
wrong with me? It's restricting my legs a little, but so far it's
not debilitating. I hope I'm rescued soon, I really need to see a
doctor.
</blockquote><blockquote>
Aug. 26
</blockquote><blockquote>
It's worse today. It's like my legs are fusing together like a
zipper, fusing from the top downward. It's halfway to my knees,
and I can't walk properly. It's like I'm wearing a really tight
short dress. But it isn't something wrapped around me, it's my
flesh! Have I got cancer or flesh-eating virus or something? I'm
having trouble thinking straight, I'm so scared. I'll try to
document this rationally, though, in case the doctors need to
know. I was worried at first that I wouldn't be able to go to the
bathroom, but my legs started closing at the back and my anus can
still be accessed from the front. Not that I need to go, I think
it would be rather messy. I can't wear my pants, so I've had to
strip from the waist down. God, I hope this is some sort of
sunstroke hallucination or something.
</blockquote><blockquote>
Later
</blockquote><blockquote>
No good. It's getting worse before my eyes, though not fast
enough to actually see it. My legs are fused down to my knees,
and the crease between them is filling in. I guess I'm in shock,
looking down at my lap; it doesn't look human any more. As the
crease filled in, my anus has pushed forward so that now it's
just below my vagina. My butt has shrunk, it's getting hard to
sit without slipping. I'm getting tired; what's it going to be
like tomorrow?
</blockquote><blockquote>
Aug. 27
</blockquote><blockquote>
I'm sorry I asked. My legs are fused all the way down to my
ankles, and my feet are changing too. They're growing longer and
wider. I'm struck by a weird idea; am I turning into a mermaid??
My legs could almost look like a mermaid tail, if you added the
tail fin. But I'm a little freaked right now, so I don't think
I'm really ready to face this.
</blockquote><blockquote>
Later
</blockquote><blockquote>
I just had to go to the bathroom. Ugh. I couldn't hang out
over the edge of the boat like normal, since my butt's in
''front'' now. I was right about my feet, I think; They're
even larger now, and flatter, and when I relax they sort of splay
out to the sides. But I think my hair is starting to fall out,
and my breasts are shrinking. Is that normal for mermaids? Holy
shit, am I really thinking all this stuff? I guess I can't help
it, the evidence is too clear. I'm a mermaid. Holy shit.
</blockquote><blockquote>
Later
</blockquote><blockquote>
Something's definitely wrong, as if turning into a mermaid was
right in the first place. Most of my hair's fallen out, and my
chest is virtually flat. On top of that, my arms are
''shorter!'' I wish you were here, Sam. I'm so scared, I have
no idea what's happening to me any more. I can't stop crying, I'm
too tired. I can't put into words how I feel. My own body is
</blockquote><blockquote>
Aug. 28
</blockquote><blockquote>
Fell asleep writing last entry. My God, where to begin? I woke
up lying in the bottom of the boat, since I can't sit up properly
any more. I was lying on my back, ''very'' uncomfortable. When
I tried to get up and roll over, though, I found that my body was
all wrong! My arms are half their normal length, and I can't bend
them well any more. They're thick and clumsy, and my fingers are
starting to fuse. I could barely get myself turned over and pull
myself to the front of the boat. My neck was stiff, too, and I
could barely look far enough over my shrunken shoulder to see
what was causing my discomfort. I have a dorsal fin on my back
now. My teeth are falling out.
</blockquote><blockquote>
This is very hard to write. I'm going crazy, I'm sure of it;
either I'm hallucinating all this, or I'm not and this change
will drive me crazy. How the hell is anyone supposed to deal with
this?! My legs have finished turning into a tail, it even bends
like a tail now. I can't reach or bend far enough to touch it,
but I can feel and see it. My skin is turning a sort of bluegrey
color, and it itches. I wonder if I should try getting in the
water? I don't think so; I'm too scared this is real.
</blockquote><blockquote>
Later
</blockquote><blockquote>
My hands are hardly able to pick up this pen any more. They're
turning into flippers, that's clear now. I'm also having a hard
time seeing what I'm writing, so please excuse sloppiness; my
face is stretching out in front of me and I can't turn my head
down very far. I think I'm turning into a dolphin. I can't speak
any more, my voice is gone. I wonder if they did this to me? When
I prayed for help, did they do this to me? I hate them! I want to
stay human!
</blockquote><blockquote>
Later
</blockquote><blockquote>
Flippers useless. Teeth growing back, now they're pointed.
Can't believe this, my nose is on top of head. Feels weird to be
like this. Can't talk. Help me, please! Feel hungry, burning.
Have to get wet, but can just barely crawl. If I go in the water,
can't climb back out. Don't want to go in the water forever! Have
to. Can barely write. Can still cry. I am still me! Try to find
</blockquote><blockquote>
Bye Sam, love you. </blockquote>

Hansen had no idea what to make of it. Had she gone crazy and
abandoned the boat? That's what it sounded like, all right. It
was the only thing that made sense, and it fit the rest of the
evidence. But Hansen was troubled, affected by the strength of
emotion apparent in the writing. He walked over to where the men
were hauling the lifeboat onto the deck and leaned against the
railing, looking down on the desolate expanse of water.

After a while, he saw it. A lone dolphin, slowly circling in
the distance and watching as the boat was brought on board.
Hansen strained to examine it, the twilight-zoneish feeling
stronger than ever. He glanced over at the other men, wondering
for a moment how crazy they would think he was if he tried waving
to the dolphin. He decided that there wasn't much harm in trying,
and turned back to the ocean.

The dolphin was gone. Had she given up, he wondered, or was
she just temporarily out of sight? But after a moment he realized
exactly what he was thinking, and shook his head. More likely,
his mind was playing tricks on him. Taking one last look at the
water, he turned and went inside.

But as he put the booklet away, he made a mental note to make
sure that 'Sam' got the diary. Perhaps Sam would think he was
crazy, perhaps not.

End

Rescued - Revision history

Bryan: another creakily ancient story