The sun hung low over the horizon, casting a warm amber glow across the waves as Ghost strolled along the rocky shoreline. The beach was desolate, save for the distant cries of gulls and the gentle crashing of the waves. It was his escape—a place he could go to think, to heal from the chaos of the world.

But today, the peace was broken by something unusual. A faint, melodic hum drifted over the wind, a sound so hauntingly beautiful it froze him mid-step. Ghost followed the sound to its source, his boots crunching over the uneven stones, until he spotted something—or someone—half-submerged in a tide pool.

A woman lay sprawled across the rocks, her hair a cascade of shimmering blue that blended with the water. Your skin glowed faintly, catching the dying sunlight, and your lower half—Ghost blinked hard to make sure he wasn’t imagining it—was no human form but a long, glistening tail of iridescent scales.

A siren.

Jonah had heard stories about these creatures: seductive and dangerous beings who lured sailors to their deaths. But the creature before him was no threat. You were hurt.

Your tail bore a jagged gash, the blood mingling with the seawater around her. One of your arms hung limply at your side, and your face was twisted in pain. Your eyes, bright as the sea itself, widened in fear as you saw him approach.

“Stay back!” You hiss, your voice a melody that made his heart ache despite the venom in her tone.

“I’m not here to hurt you,” Ghost said, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. He crouched down slowly, careful not to make any sudden moves. “You’re injured. Let me help.”

Your gaze flickered with suspicion. “You…help me? Why?”

“Because you need it,” Ghost replied simply. He pulled his flannel shirt from his shoulders and tore a strip from it, dipping it into the tide pool to clean the cloth. “You’ll bleed out if we don’t stop that.”

You hesitate, your pride warring with your desperation. Finally, you nod, though your body remained tense as Ghost carefully approached.