Guiding light

Monster

Tyler

We fall asleep with Perdita on top of the light tower, the thunderstorm ended and she was cuddled up next to me holding onto the old hoodie I put it on.

- Perdita... - I've whispered to wake her up carefully. I didn't want to scare her, but suddenly I've heard a loud noise.

- HEY! WHERE ARE YOU, YOU USELESS MONSTER?! - I felt my teeth grunt. Who would call such a sweet girl a monster?! Maybe it's that fucker who put the collar on her. I was about to go down, but I felt Perdita's small hand on my shoulder. She gave me a weak smile and put the collar back on quickly, hiding the missing lock under her hair. She motioned me to keep quiet and rushed downstairs.

- THERE YOU ARE! - Bam... I've heard a loud noise as if something got hit. Then I heard a rumbling noise, similar when you accidentally knock a chair off.

- HAVE YOU BECOME DEAF? I'VE CALLED YOU. - Bam! Another hit. I headed down but caught Perdita's glance at me. She shook her head slightly and got grabbed by the hoodie. The man who came threw her against the wall and grabbed her face.

- So, what do you say? No one wants a monster like you anyway. You might like it... - that moment Perdita spit the guy between his eyes and kicked between his legs with her knee.

- YOU UNGRATEFUL b***h! - he screamed and pulled a knife out. Perdita stared at the blade as he hit it into her shoulder. She pulled it out and I don't know what she did but the guy hit her again.

- STOP IT YOU MOTHER FUCKER! - I shouted and ran downstairs. I've grabbed the guy around my age by the neck and started hitting his face. I've never been a violent type, but what he had been doing was utterly disturbing and disgusting. God knows how long she had to endure this treatment! - Perdita grabbed my arms to hold me back. She shook her head and mouthed "Not worth it".

- Who... Who are you? - the boy asked laying on the ground.

- I'm a fisherman from Floks. Perdita saved my life last night. I'm not letting you to treat my savior this way! - I was trembling in all my body. She was a weak, short, gentle looking girl. She was only around fifteen and this fucker wanted to have his ways with her!

- An outsider. Don't meddle into someone else's business! - he said and I rolled my eyes. I wish I had the strength to knock some common sense into this trashcan!

- Go back to your little island and don't return. You don't know who you are protecting! This monster killed all those people ten years ago! - I heard Perdita taking a step back and our eyes met. Her beautiful eyes were filled with tears.

- Is this true? - I've asked and she sniffed without making a sound and nodded.

-See? One good deed won't annul all those lost lives! Also, you better get as far away from herr as possible and from her!

- If she is so dangerous, why have you tried to f**k her?! - I wanted to hit him more. He started to laugh like a maniac.

- We are all doomed on this Island! I don't care about my life anymore, so why not? - I looked over my shoulder again, Perdita trembled and her hands were clenched into fists in front of her chest. The rays of sun that escaped through the thick storm clouds finally illuminated the light tower's interior. Shattered furniture, old stains of blood everywhere. Perdita's cheeks were red and her hair a mess. I grabbed her hand and pulled her after me passing by the dude.

- Hey! What do you think you are doing?! - he shouted.

- I'm saving you from this monster. - I've said looking into Perdita's eyes without giving a single f**k about the angered guy in the lighthouse.

- You can't take her away! - he shouted and I grinned.

- Watch me! - I flipped a bird to him and pulled Perdita to the door. I swung it open and there were at least five grown-up man on the other side.

- Remy! What the f**k have you been doing here again?! - their leader screamed at the injured guy.

- Come on dad! I wanted to have some fun!

- Go the f**k home before I shove a stick up of your ass, just for fun! - the guy named Remy ran away and the leader turned to me. He was a huge, muscular man with thick beard and a big scar over his face.

- Outsider, leave before I change my mind. - his voice was deep and angry. I covered Perdita with my body.

- I'm not leaving without her! - they started to laugh and the leader pushed me away. He grabbed Perdita by the neck and shut another collar on it. This one was made by metal and had a long chain attached.

- Come and see it for yourself what you are trying to protect! - two of his companion grabbed me under my shoulders and dragged me along while the leader pulled Perdita to the shore as if she was a dog.

- STOP HURTING HER! - I've tried my best to escape but they were stronger. The leader laughed and ripped Perdita's clothes off, throwing her down a smaller cliff near the shore.

- NO! - I shouted seeing the piercing stones sticking underneath the water. Perdita fall and in matter of seconds, the chain got pulled with a brutal force. The remaining two men helped their leader to hold the chains.

- Go, look down boy. Check it with your own eyes what you are trying to protect! - I looked down afraid of seeing Perdita's dead body but instead I saw her unharmed. She had a weird skin color on her hands and arms as well as her chest. It was a greenish, goldish sparking color. Her eyes seemed even more intense and instead of her legs there was a huge fishtail, in the same color as her chest and arms.

- A mermaid? - I've asked amazed and the leader laughed.

- You wish! - he said and pulled a pistol out. He shot Perdita before I could've do anything and after the bullet hit her shoulder, Perdita's beautiful face distorted. Her teeth grew into long fangs, she grew claws and her tail now had spikes all over. The scales also changed color. The three man pulled the struggling Perdita out of the water and threw her to the ground.

- That's what you tried to set free boy. A monster, cause of dozens of lost lives. Now get back on your boat, and leave before I change my mind and feed you to her. I stared at Perdita in disbelief and she turned back into the fragile girl. Her wound healed and she looked into my eyes with a sad and guilty look on her face. This can't be happening. I've probably lost consciousness or fall asleep and got caught in a heatwave. I stumbled back and headed straight to my ship. One last time I stole a glance at her and saw Perdita reaching out to me before she got brutally dragged back to the lighthouse. I got back on the ship and headed home with many swirling thoughts and feelings inside of me. A mermaid... No a siren... Could it be that she is really a monster? I thought on my way back home and her smiling face came into my mind again. No, how could someone so sweet be bad?