She Came from the Sea

Here is a very short story I wrote based on a picture put up on the writing community Society of Fantasy Writers.

Enjoy.

FROM THE BACK

From the back, her hair looked beautiful, just as he'd remembered it. When he'd met her swimming near the shore, she'd seemed the answer to his dreams. She too seemed deeply struck by him for she'd swam alongside him, teasing him about what she considered is maladroit swimming.
"I live on the shore," he'd told her.
"And I," her beautiful smile upon him, "live in the sea."
"I love you," I'd said. And meant it.
"As do I, you strange version of a merman," she'd answered.
"Come with me," I'd pleaded. "To the land where I live for I'll drown if I stay in the sea much longer."
"But there's a curse on the land. All creatures who dwell in the sea know that."
But he'd pleaded with her. And in her love for him, she'd relented.
They hadn't gone far inland and settled together beside the ornamental pool with its little pedestal and water lilies, their gaze back upon the silver sand and beyond, the rippling azure sea.
"I cannot linger long," she'd told him.
"Please," I'd pleaded. "A moment longer to gaze into your eyes. They are such a beautiful green."
"Of the sea," she'd explained.
I had an idea and went and fetched the glass orb with its tiny green spark to show her how her eyes sparkled in the sunlight.
"How beautiful," she'd said. "She held it up. "It's like the sea, isn't it?"
"Like your eyes," I avowed. Then I'd had an idea. "Wait here and I will find the looking glass so you can see how beautiful you are.”
I rushed into the house and grabbed the mirror and raced back.
I stopped when I saw her. Tears flooded down my cheeks. Her hair was as I remembered it. But now it was hard stone.