Challenge #04692-L308: There's Always a Catch

Below the waves is a shrine. Those who lay upon the alter join the sirens, gaining a new form and an enrapturing voice. And Arbin had best learn to use these new pipes, for the sacred duty of sirens is to ensure at least one is always singing a lullaby. For if the song ever falls silent, something lurking in the darkest depths may awaken at last…
Inspired by BKF's comment below this previous tale: https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04657-l273-uninhabited -- Deathshead419

They were beautiful, and their voices were enrapturing. Arbin was waist deep in the surf before he thought to wonder what the hell he was doing or why. They were going to eat him!

He half-stumbled back towards the shoreline, unable to run since the water was slowing him down.

One stopped her singing. Well. Changed her tune. "Come, come down. We want you around. Join us all, out of hail or squall. No need to starve nor for tools to carve. Take your ease under the seas."

Another sang, "Become us, then. We need men."

"No harm, no harm... we desire your charm."

He fell into a pit, hidden under the surf. Half-gagged in panic as water rushed into his nose and mouth. Then one of the Sirens locked lips with his. Gave him her breath. No teeth dug into his flesh. No nails clawed him to pieces.

Arbin only found welcoming hands and soft bodies. They lead him away from the island, all smiles. Lead him down into the depths, breath by donated breath, where a sunken altar to a forgotten god waited. Glorified by corals and sea creatures.

They lay him on it, and chanted a different song. His body, already stripped of his clothing on the journey, changed. Legs merged into a tail and fins. Lungs opened and split into gills. His eyes could see clearly under the water now, and had no further need of his glasses. Arbin left them on the altar with other little keepsakes. Watches. Old mobile phones. Religious medallions.

"We must keep singing," said the Siren who saved him first. "And there must be more of us. You must serve both purposes."

Singing took some lessons. Making more merfolk was the easy part. Relatively easy.

The only drawback was that merfolk were a lot like seahorses, when it came to the next generation.

[Photo by David Clode on Unsplash]

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