Before I am Famous

literature is something we infer after the story is told

The Fisherman’s Daughter

Posted on | November 9, 2007 |

For years since she was a child, Amygdala listened to a girl on the land, a girl who grew to be a woman. Amygdala listened closely to Heather, to all her problems, her hopes, her fears. Heather talked as if she knew someone listened. Amygdala never showed herself to Heather but she seen Heather at night when Amygdala walked on land and looked in her window.

Fear on Amygdala’s part kept her from meeting Heather face to face because Amygdala was a salinoceania, a creature who lived in the ocean and can be only seen as a silver pool in the water but at night she could take any form and walk the earth. She always chose to be human.

The sun began to set and Heather came to the dock. Amygdala floated to her, Heather always came to the dock at sunset. Today she brought flowers. The salinoceania knew tonight was the anniversary of Heather’s mother’s death. Heather tossed the wildflowers in the water and sat on the dock. “Oh mama, I wish you were here. I miss you so much,” Heather sniffled. Amygdala’s heart broke. She hated to see Heather upset.

Heather continued, “You told me to marry for love but papa has agreed to a marriage with the prince. He says it is in my bets interest because the Prince can give me a life I deserve. Mama, the prince is boorish. I do not love him at all. There’s no one for me. No one that I love,” Heather buried her head in her hands.

Amygdala watched her blonde curls fall around her face. She had a beautiful sadness about her. Although Amygdala always thought Heather to be beautiful; she agreed with Heather on the prince because she knew of his activities well. Prince Paris enjoyed killing the sapphire sea serpents. When he’d kill them, he’d rob the serpent of the sapphire in its head and let the carcass go. She hated him.

The sun set and Amygdala decided the time had come for Heather to meet her. When Amygdala walked from the ocean, the moon lit her silvery fluid like human from. Typically, she walked the earth naked but didn’t want to frighten Heather. With a sweep of her hand she created a dress similar to Heather’s. Her heart thudded as she walked to the docks.

“Hello,” Amygdala said finding her human voice.

Heather turned and their eyes locked. Amygdala saw the infinite sky in her eyes. “Mama,” Heather said hoarsely.

“No. I am Amygdala,” she approached. Heather’s eyes burned her soul not with hate but with something more. Amygdala waited for this moment for her whole life.

“Where did you come from?” Heather asked, “did you resettle here?”

Amygdala wasn’t sure how to answer she only knew the truth, “I’ve lived here for as long as you. I am a salinoceania.”

Heather came closer, “I thought your kind was legend, the things dreams and fairly tales are made from.”

“I am real,” Amygdala said.

“Can I touch your skin?”

Amygdala held out her hand and Heather grabbed the semi-solid fluid hand, feeling the slickness and coldness, “you are real.” Heather didn’t let go of her hand. “Why are you here? I thought creatures like you never showed themselves to humans.”

“No, not normally but you are different. I know you. When you come to the dock, I listen to you.”

“I thought I talked to myself.”

“I listened. I don’t think Paris deserves you. He does horrible things to life in the ocean.”

“I hate him so.”

Amygdala and Heather sat on the dock together and talked until sunrise. Heathers watched as Amygdala descended into the waves. The following night as the sun sunk into the trembling ocean, Heather appeared at the dock. Amygdala grabbed sea flowers and ascended to the land. Heather had a large sapphire ring.

“Look, Paris gave this to me today,” Heather said, eyes downcast. “He keeps pressuring me for a date.” Amygdala gave her the flowers. “Thank you, they are beautiful. Nicer than this stupid ring.” Amygdala smiled. She looked down at the ring and slid it off her finger and tossed it in the ocean.

“I’m sure he’s got plenty more as much as he kills for them,” Amygdala said.

“Can’t you kill him?” Heather asked.

“I am not supposed to use my power for bad. It is against our code.”

“That is too bad.”

Again they spent the night talking with one another. Their meetings continued day in and day out. Amygdala knew she loved Heather deeply and she felt Heather had the same feelings because they exchanged flowers every time they met.

A couple of weeks later, Heather came to the dock with tears in her eyes. Amygdala rushed to her.

“What is wrong, Heather?”

“It’s Paris, he’s forcing the marriage. He chose the date. I have no choice.”

“When?”

“Two days from now. I hate him Amygdala,” Heather cried into Amygdala’s shoulder. Circling her arms around her, Amygdala squeezed her tight. Heather locked her eyes with Amygdala. Slowly Amygdala joined her lips with Heather’s. Heather warmed her body.

“I love you Amygdala.”

“I love you, too.” The kissed again. “I won’t let Paris marry you, I promise.”

The following day, with Heather’s kiss still fresh in her heart, she spied Paris and his goons. Amygdala considered her options and decided on killing him with out magick. A sapphire sea serpent swam close by. Paris raised his arm high above his head, ready to throw the harpoon. Amygdala rushed over to the boat and dumped them in the ocean. Finding her target, she forced herself in Paris’s mouth. With all her might, Amygdala sunk the prince as he stopped gasping and his eyes glazed over. She released him and his body rose to the surface.

Murmurs from the living ocean surrounded her. Hearing about Amygdala’s crime, they sentenced her with no trial. She broke the code and she received the appropriate punishment. She swam to heather’s dock to tell her the bad news.

Once the sun set, Amygdala ascended from the water. Heather ran to her and they embraced.

“Oh Amygdala, he’s dead. Thank you so much,” Heather said.

They walked to the dick and sat. “Heather, I have to tell you something. Tonight is our last night.”

Heather frowned, “why?”

“My love, I have been banished from the ocean because of my crime against Paris. When the sun rises, I will crumble to silver ash.”

“I don’t understand, Amygdala. I’ll grab a pail and fill it with ocean water and then you can live with me. We can be together forever,” Heather suggested.

“It will only prolong my life only by days. I need the ever changing waters of the ocean to survive.”

“I love you so much. You are my best friend,” said Heather.

Amygdala grabbed Heather’s hands and peered in her eyes, “you are my kindred spirit. Promise me you’ll let love come to you after I am gone. I want you to be happy forevermore. Promise my love.”

“I promise,” Heather whispered.

They lay together in each other’s arms. The sun reached above the trees. Amygdala weakened. Heather’s eyes widened. Amygdala crumbled, a breeze blew the dust and Heather heard, “I love you,” in the wind. Tears spilled from her eyes, remembering the sacrifice her true love, Amygdala did for Heather and her happiness.

A special thanks to Liza at Vanilla Soup for help with this story!

comment from blogger

Liza S. said…
This is such a nice, sad story. Thank you for writing it. I was so hoping Amygdala didn’t have to die in the end, but the death made the entire story so much more powerful.

Category: weekly shorts

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  1. Pretty Beautiful » Blog Archive » Weekly Shorts
    February 25th, 2008 @ 3:35 am

    [...] people. I read through some of the stories and the story that impressed me the most has to be this The Fisherman’s Daughter. If you love romance, you are bound to love this story. Although the ending is quite sad, but it [...]

  2. berryblitz
    February 25th, 2008 @ 5:42 am

    I like this story. I just hope Amygdala didn’t die. But this is a story of sacrifice for friendship. Ilove it.

    Actually, I hate reading books. But I do read, just some selected pocket books. I do read short stories like yours that are of horror stories compiled into one book :)
    It’s nice I discovered this site. I’ll be coming back to read more.

    By the way, I think you should check:
    paragraph 6 = “from”
    paragraph 20 = “Heathers”
    and there’s this word “dick” that may be it should be “dock”

    berryblitz’s last blog post..Win a “Twisted 8 : The night of the living twisted” by Jessica Zafra!

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