The waves tossed our ship violently. Crewman flew across the boat, shouting. I swung down from my place on the mast. “Men!” I shouted over the thunder and shattering rain. “I can see the end of the storm!Head left and straight onwards!” There were shouts of agreement and acknowledgment as I ran about, assigning orders. 

My wife, Alessa ran towards me, catching the telescope I tossed in her direction. “The men below deck are unharmed. A little jostled and seasick, but they're fine. What can I do?” She huffed, the wind blowing her wet hair across her face. I pointed towards Peter, who was desperately trying to steer the wheel towards the direction the left. Alessa nodded and ran towards him, before I even got a word out. She grabbed one side of the wheel and wrestled with him, trying to pull it to the left. Lightning illuminated the ship as it struck in the water near us. 

“Come on, men!” I screamed above the bedlam. I ran towards the wheel and yanked it to the left as hard as I could. The wind howled and lurched our ship forward towards the patch of sunlight, seeping through the dark clouds in front of us. There was a loud crash, that sounded like a cannon firing. The boat jerked forward, everyone falling to the ground. A flash of lightning illuminated the sky before everything went black. 

I moaned and sat up. My face felt raw from laying on the rough deck of my ship. How long had I been out for? My head spin as I blinked the sleep from my eyes. 

I looked around. Crewmen laid splayed out all over the deck. Alessa and Peter were next to me. They were still out. I stood up and looked around. The sky was streaked with clouds. The water around us was calm and still. There was a small island just a few yards away. The island seemed to just be a mound of rock and flowers. Something about it was beautiful. My heart sank as I realized where we were. 

Crewmen around me began to stir and rub their eyes as they sat up. There were cries of alarm as they realized that they had no idea where we were. 

“Quiet!” I yelled above the confusion. They silenced. “I know where we are. It seems we've wandered into the Siren’s Realm.” The men looked at each other. Alessa put her hand on my arm. 

“Our first order of business should be getting out of here.” I stated. The men looked at each other and spoke in hushed whispers. 

“But, Captain Cyrus, no one has ever made it out of here before.” Shouted a young man. I nodded.

“I know...we’ll just have to be the first to do so. We can start by turning around and sailing away from this isl-” 

“There's something moving in the island!” Someone screamed. I turned around and watched as the top of the island split opened and mist poured out. 

“Men! Avert your eyes! Don't look at her!” The men and I all turned to look away. I grabbed the ships wheel and began to turn us away from the island. “Alessa, I need your help!” I shouted. She didn't respond. “Alessa!” I yelled again.

I put my head up and saw her. She stood on the edge of the ship, her hand on a rope to keep her balance. Her eyes were fixed on the top of the island, where a woman stood at the top of the island, staring back at my wife. “Alessa...step down. That's an order.” I said, softly, stepping towards her.

Alessa kept staring at her, completely transfixed. “She's...she's so breathtaking.” She breathed. She reached her hand out. The woman smiled and reached her hand out, inviting her forward. My wife smiled. 

“Alessa, no!” I screamed, running forward. Alessa lept from the ship, too fast for me to grab her. I looked over the edge and watched as she disappeared below the murky water. There was a flash of blue light and a loud scream. I turned around and sank to my knees, my head in my hands. 

I leaned over the edge of the ship. “Alessa!” I screamed, hoping my voice could reach her. But I knew it was useless. She wasn't going to hear me. 

The men were silent as Peter stepped up to the wheel and began to steer us away. There was another flash of blue light. I put my head up and stood up, spinning around. Alessa has taken the woman's place on top of the island. She looked at me, smiling. Her grungy ship clothes were gone and replaced with a flowing white dress. “Alessa…” I said quietly. She nodded, reaching out her hand, beckoning me to come. I shook my head. “No...no...you're not real. You're not real.” I said, trying to shake the image from my mind. She laughed.

“Cyrus, of course I'm real. I look real, don't I?” She smiled and spun around for me, her dress splaying out around her as she spun. I stared at her. 

“Yes...but…” I stuttered. Someone was saying something behind me but I could hear. She laughed and held out her hand again. I smiled. When had I climbed onto the ship’s edge? She laughed and beckoned towards me again. “Just jump!” She shouted, playfully. 

Of course! That seemed easy. The island was only a little jump away! And if I landed in the water, I could just swim over.

“No!” Someone yelled as I lept into the air, laughing as I soared closer to Alessa. She disappeared as I plummeted towards the water. I tried to swim up towards the surface, but something pulled me down. 

I watched and struggled desperately as the sun became further and further away, and the water around me became darker and darker. I needed air. My head pounded and I began to feel dizzy and I was dragged lower and lower. I saw a brilliant flash of blue light, before everything went black.