The grey skies reflected off the lake as many watched the fishes swim about whilst they drank their strongly smelled alcohol. The bar known as the Harbour Hangout held a somewhat busy afternoon of friendly gatherings and watching football on the TVs. The bar never seems to run out of business due to its beautiful setting that many love to look at. It became a place of rest and joy. On a table held a group of 5 men all talking about their lives whilst joking with each other. The quiet one of them all had light brown hair and a small beard, his peaceful eyes watching his friends get along but with a mind drifting afar. His mind drifted too far, his ears couldn't pick up on the calls of his mates on the table asking if he was alright.

"John?"

"John, you there?"

Soon enough he shook with embarrassment at the realisation he was too deep into his thoughts, his mates laughed at his sudden distance and his jumpiness. From there the conversation was based around him, many asking how his father was.

His father was known to be a loving fisher who had a big boat. When they all were kids they were excited to get on his boat to either fish or just to be on a boat. They always referred him respectfully to 'Mr Haulton' which would make John's father smile. It was because of his father he got into marine biology to learn more about the creatures that live in the ocean and not just fishes that would be caught and sold at your nearest fish shop.

John's mates would see John as the most successful one, not just for his career but he's a family man with a wife and baby girl at home napping in peace. His wife Samantha Haulton is a doctor working at their local hospital, thankfully due to maternity leave she is able to get some more time with her husband and child that she would never want to be at work to be with them. She's a blonde woman with dark brown eyes that sat on the same level as her husband's. Her long legs were praised many times for being the support of her tall body, her husband loved her legs, he loved her hands, her face, the way eyes smile, the way her lips complement her, the way her voice is strong even in weak times. He loves her with his whole heart that it became a meme with his friends as they teased him repeatedly for the way he responds to her during phone calls, a man with his heart taken care of and drunken by the love of his life.

The men enjoyed poking fun at John even at his wild imagination, they laughed at the way he told them as child that he saw a sea monster that saved his life, they would never stop mocking him over it no matter how many years passed. He described the monster to have a blend of human and fish features that had saved him from drowning, his father nor his friends believed it. His encounter was blamed to be from his head and no one took him seriously.

"Did you even find the monster, John?" laughed James

"You work as a marine biologist and never found it, welp!" and with that the whole table burst into laughter with John slight chuckling never forgetting the sight of gills on a semi-human looking body, the way it peered into his eyes, the way it held him and swam close enough to the surface of the water for it not to be seen but his head to be out enough for him to scream for help, how it held him like a mother holds her child towards the sun watched the child smile. He couldn't pass up the event to not be real because everything felt real.

With the jokes getting louder and the laughter filling up the bar many attention and ears were grabbed till the bartender politely asked them to quiet down. But one may not forget what they just heard turning their heads to look at the poor man shrinking in his seat and the open mocking.

The jokes were shortly cut as the group discussed life issues and just managed to be happy due to their reunion after so long of not being able to see each other. Their smiles met each other only to watch the lake together remembering their times as children playing around, when their parents were younger, when bills weren't their issues, when waking up early for work or staying up all night doing work wasn't an issue for them. Oh how much they missed those times knowing the time to get back to work was just ahead of them, their families were waiting for them at home but at least they could go home with peace in their minds and happiness.

A few more hours had passed and it was time to head home. The men wished each other well before saying their goodbyes, thankfully they had not drank overly and had a moderate drink to be able to go home safely. As John arrived at his flat his mind couldn't help but to wander back on his childhood memories. Memories of his father, he wondered how his father had not seen what he saw, his hand stopped on the door handle trying to shake the thought off that his father is hiding something, he opened the door to watching his wife and child giggling as cartoons played on the TV, they both glanced back at him with eyes beaming with gladness and excitement seeing the man the missed so much being home. Watching his baby's gummy smile warmed his heart that he swore to protect her at all cost, to never lose her and that he'll be a father she can be proud of. He stared at his wife's beauty, still bewildered at the fact that with her messy hair and tiredness she can still be so beautiful and blessed, he'd give her the world 1000 more times if he could. He sat her down and made her a warm drink before changing clothes and enjoying playtime with his child so his wife can get proper sleep as well as do what she couldn't with their daughter awake. He looked deeply into his Amelia's eyes and watched how her beautiful light shined brightly, he couldn't ask for more. His smile widened at her giggles feeling his heart become more and more complete in joy. He nearly cried at the love from his daughter but noticed his wife watching him with a smile and peace. It was just them falling in love with each other all over again. However, their daughter wanted more attention so she slapped his face then showed him her gummy smile then laughed at his tiny kisses all over her face.

"Alright it's our bed time, my love." Softly said by Samantha

"I'll be right there." His lips met his wife before he muttered those words softly to her

He walked into his office seeing all the papers he left on his desk, all the pictures he took at the ocean bed of a weird structure that held an unknown language, a language he cannot decipher due to it not being recorded in human history.

The structure was a large stone standing up straight with a circular disk in the centre of it that looked like it could spin, it held carved symbols on it as well as a hole in the middle that could fit an arm. He pondered on what it was that he discovered, wondered if he could get any answers from anyone or anywhere, he searched online and found nothing. 'Why was it so deep in the water?' 'What could have made that?' He pondered but was left with no clue, no hints except the creature that he witnessed as a child, he thought that if it was real and smart enough to save him from drowning then something like that could have made it, but with what tools? It felt like it was driving him crazy to then leave it for the next day so he joined his wife and daughter to bed cuddling the family his heart longed for.

It became the next morning and his alarm rang for work, he was quick to turn it off, not letting it wake his baby up and putting stress on everyone. He quietly got ready for work, letting his wife and child sleep in peace, then kissed their foreheads before grabbing his notes in his office and leaving the house. A few hours passed and he couldn't get it out of his head. He already had gear ready for the next time he goes diving into the deep. If his thoughts were right that stone should be a hotspot for those mythical looking creatures, he got his boat ready with his map that marked the spot of where it was as well as images and drawings prepared. It was like he couldn't think right until he was sure that they existed. Deep in his thoughts ready to head off the location he was pulled out with the voice of a random woman.

"Going somewhere?" She asked with a smile on her face. Her dark brown eyes and toned skin tone made her appearance really known.

"Do I know you?"

"Why are you here?" John asked with lots of curiosity.

"No you don't know me. I know of your work and wanted to meet you." The random woman stated.

"Well that sounds nice and all but I am very busy and need to go, so can you please leave?" John hurried asked.

Her eyes scanned the boat seeing the portrait of a mer-looking woman and then her eyes widened at the images of the stone. It seemed that her eyes read it and knew what it said.

"You've met them haven't you?" She stopped him with those lines

"What are you talking about?" He tried to shut down.

"Her. For a marine biologist you seem to need to discover the deep-end." She continued

He tried to shut down the talk until she translated what was on the stone tablet.

"It's a story, about a child that'll bring a new age to them. Somewhat of a prophecy, you see that there, it translates into 'cursed child', 'Mother of war'... 'Doomed sisters'"

She explained that it was something her mother was aware of that she too had met a creature like the one he drew but this one was a child.

When she was 8 there was a mermaid that seemed around her age who learned to speak with her, she became best friends with it. The mermaid would tell stories about the ocean so the child went to her mother to learn more about them, their language and slowly learnt it till she was able to speak to the mermaid in her native tongue. It was till the child had to move away she wondered till she could see her best friend again.

"May I ask what's your name?" John stoked to have her hop in.

"Just call me Fina, and may I join you? I want to learn more about this and help you get to know them. Just know this the deeper you go the more hostile they are. They're not always friendly, they can kill easily." She warned.

"Look I can stay on the boat as you inspect the stone seeing how you don't seem prepared for a ride along."

He agreed to have her on, of which was the beginning of a friendship made by mermaids.