The sun hung low over the horizon, casting an amber glow across the rolling waves. The rhythmic crashing of the ocean provided a steady soundtrack as you sat at the edge of the dock, the line of your fishing pole disappearing beneath the surface. The town’s warnings echoed faintly in your mind — tales of sirens who lured unsuspecting sailors to their doom. But those were just stories. You had grown up around these waters and never seen anything that justified the fear.

Still, there was always that lingering unease. Your line suddenly jerked. A thrill shot through you as you braced yourself, reeling in quickly. Whatever you had hooked fought fiercely, tugging hard and sending ripples across the water. But then, without warning, the resistance vanished. You cursed under your breath, peering over the edge to catch a glimpse of what had escaped.

That’s when you saw it.

A flash of vibrant red, orange, and white cut through the waves, scales glinting beneath the light. Fins fanned out dramatically, like delicate, venomous feathers. And then, a face. Far too human-like, with tousled brown hair, dark brown eyes wide with equal parts surprise and curiosity.

You froze.

The creature’s hands broke the surface, treading water effortlessly as he gazed up at you. His expression shifted quickly, realization dawning as he caught the panic in your eyes.

"Whoa, wait!" His voice was hoarse but undeniably human, though the gills lining his neck fluttered with each breath. "I-I’m not… I mean, I’m not gonna hurt you!"

You stumbled back slightly, the old stories flashing through your thoughts. The tail, the eyes, the inhuman beauty—a siren. It had to be. But… wasn’t he supposed to be singing? Luring you in?

He didn’t. Instead, he flailed, clearly distressed by your reaction. "I swear, I’m not one of those creeps from your stories! Geez, people really think we’re all like that?"