Beyond the Song

When I close my eyes, can I pretend that this world is a fairy tale that will always end happily ever after? When the Heroin meets the Prince Charming or the hero, or whatever it is, that will help me and ends up on a aisle? Getting married like a dream come true. That all the hardships that i did will be repaid with a definite happy ending? Unfortunately, life is not that easy.

Life is not about someone being born and signing a happy contract at the end of their life. Life is not that simple. Sometimes they'll die before they're even born, or moments after they've seen the world, but haven't had a chance to say a single word, or... become one with the waves and the ocean. As in what is currently being shown on television.

The cigarette that I lit was only half gone. The cigar fell to the floor, but I only inhaled it once. My attention was too focused on the unfortunate people jumping off that cliffs, or the sinking ships in the ocean. Like their lives worth nothing.

Too many deaths in the ocean in the past month.

The news reporter on the television was explaining what the hell is happening in that place, based on the results of the interview with the local police, when Aiden grabbed my chin and took me in a demanding kiss. His hand reached for the remote and turned off the television, making the quiet room silenced.

He stopped kissing me, but I could still feel his breath on the corner of my lips.

"Let's not waste our time with that sad news, Vynnia!"

I chuckled. "Too much death, Aiden. Too close."

"Really?" He muttered skeptically.

Aiden was not one to mourn. He was not one to stand at a funeral and speak favorably of his dead acquaintances, and talking about sweet lies about them. Especially when the news involved people he had never met. The only thing that would catch his attention was when it had an impact on his business.

I don't blame him. Most humans are like that.

Greedy. Selfish.

They will devour everything in their favor. They will destroy anything that stands in their way.

Aiden Russ is living proof of all the mortal sins that humans can have.

It doesn't matter. It will only make things better, because I won't have to feel guilty when all of this lies over.

I gently reached for his chin, feeling the soft skin of the chin that was neatly shaved every morning, feeling it with my fingertips until it stopped under his lips.

Aiden smiled.

I mumbled a chant.

Slowly, I got up from my seat. The half remaining cigarette fell to the floor. Forgotten.

I didn't stop the intoxicating murmur of singing. Aiden took my hand and kissed my knuckles gently. His expression slowly changed as if I had just choked him with slugs of vodka. His eyes lost what humans call consciousness. Only focused on me. Desiring. Drunk. Stunned.

Losing himself.

I smiled.

I could order him to slit him own throat, and then he would kneel down and do it happily. Asking me the approval of what he did. Like i was his Goddess.

I am.

I slowly pushed him onto the sofa and sat on him lap. Slowly kissed his chin, cheeks, and the tip of his nose. The man just sighed without being able to say anything.

"Aiden," I murmured. My singing echoed. "Do you love me?"

My heart is beating too fast. I need this. I want him to melt and murmur intoxicating words of love. Love that feels a poison that i will happily take.

"Yes."

My hand clenched on his shoulder. "Then give me your wealth, Aiden."

When in the end, I left with a wad of money and a new car, I knew my ability had not faded at all. The ability to bring people, especially men, to their knees. To my singing.

Siren.

That's the word that first popped up in my google search ten years ago, when I first realized my singing could get people drunk and ultimately happy to do anything for me. To pray to me, like i'm sort of goddess who descended from the heaven.

Today, I'm 24 years old and I use my singing to live.

In Greek mythology, in the Odyssey, Sirens were depicted as half-bird women who lived on the steep rocks. They would sing and tempt sailors to take their ships to the rocks and sink.

Other tales say the Siren is a half-fish woman. She is similar to mermaids, but while mermaids are depicted with incomparable beauty and pearls, Sirens are cruel creatures who will drown sailors with their intoxicating songs.

No matter where the legend comes from, the Siren is a cruel and evil creature that will tempt humans to their death.

I am a cursed creature that will lead humanity to its destruction.

My hands gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white.