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Mermaid
By
Mike Coatesworth

The first day, being new to this part of Cyprus, we decided to explore Protaras and see if it was different to the other side of the island? My son Stephen, his partner Pamela, and my daughter, Lesley had joined us on our anniversary holiday. Together they joined Betty band I on our exploration. We found that in most aspects, it has virtually the same warm and friendly atmosphere that we had experienced previously in other towns of the idyllic sun-drenched isle. But compared to the other holiday resorts, Protaras is a very quiet place, ideal for people to retire to, where a person can be virtually guaranteed not to be disturbed while relaxing under the hot sun. On our visit to the town centre, even though it was winter, the majority of shops there were still open, though most closed around two o'clock in the afternoon and didn't open again until the following morning. Even though a lot of the shops closed in the afternoon, there were still the local attractions to see, including a monastery high up on a mountain that could be clearly seen from the main road below. Although there was no way that I could get my wheelchair up the hundreds of steps built into the side of the mountain, nor by the long trek around the mountain road, I could still enjoy the beauty of the magnificent well-built structure as it silhouetted against the background of a clear blue sky.

After lunch we had decided to relax on the beach and do nothing but listen to the gentle lap of the waves as they caressed the sandy beach of the private bay. While the others were sunning themselves, I took a look around the cove that was to the most, wheelchair friendly, and as I stopped short of the incoming tide, it was here that I was to get the first surprise of my holiday. As I sat back and relaxed, looking out to sea deciding that this was a good place to get some fishing in the following day, I heard the magnificent voice of a woman singing. Casually, I looked from side to side trying to find where the singing was coming from without interrupting the most beautiful sound that I hadn't heard since my last visit to this great paradise island. There was no one around, and I looked behind me, but my family were still on the sun beds, so I guessed that they hadn't heard the very pleasing musical sound? I searched as far as my eyes could see, but there was no one in sight, and the other strange thing was that the singing didn't appear to be coming from any particular area, it was as if it was all around me, then the singing stopped as suddenly as it had begun, followed by a gentle laugh, not mocking, but a laugh from someone who is happy. I sat at the beach for another hour still relaxing but waiting and hoping that I would hear the melodic voice again, but at t he same time I was trying to work out why I was the only the only that appeared to have heard it? Readers who read my last story of my visit to Cyprus will remember that the last time I heard such a sweet harmonious voice was in Paphos, and it was a warning for me to stop my driver from going any further along a mountain track, which saved all our lives, as we were only feet from a "five thousand" foot drop!

I search around the immediate area, but I couldn't see what danger any of us were in, and the weather didn't appear to be a problem? No, I guessed that it could have been my mermaid welcoming me back to the place that I would like to class as my second home. But I decided that I would be careful for a while, just in case?

*******

The following morning, after breakfast, I prepared my fishing tackle and ran my fingers over my new fifteen-foot rod that I had purchased in the town on the previous day for a fraction of the price that I'd pay back in England. I had taken my own rod with me, but it was very small compared to my new one. I was taken to the beach by Stephen and between us we picked out what we considered the best and safest place to be. We had already spoken to one of the locals who informed us that he had fished there most of his life, and the best place to be was right on the edge of the rocks, that jutted approximately twenty yards out to sea. After due consideration, there was no way that I was going that far out, therefore placing myself in any unnecessary jeopardy. The local did inform me that the only bait that he and others ever used, was bread. I thanked him for his help, and shortly I was settled in a safe area where I basked in the morning sun after being satisfied with my long cast into the calm sea. All I had to do now was wait and hope for the fish to bite, but I wasn't too bothered if they didn't, as I closed my eyes and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere. I checked every so often to ensure that the fish hadn't sneaked up and taken my bait.

Stephen was relaxing with Pam on sun beds not far away, and for a moment I was envious of his youth, and then I thought of all the things that I had done with my life and I smiled to myself as I knew that compared to some, I'd had a great life so far, and I would not have changed one thing, except maybe to go on more adventures. For almost two hours I was sat in the volcanic rock cove that looked out on to the clear blue/green calm sea where the occasional ship passed on the horizon, and occasionally, Stephen waved to ensure that I was okay and I waved back. I checked my line again after having had several fish nibble at the bait, but so far had been intelligent enough not to take the whole titbit. I sat with my hat over my eyes breathing in an ambience that I never wanted to leave when I suddenly heard the exquisite singing voice again, at first I was tempted to sit up and search around, but the tranquillity that I felt very strongly around me, gave me no cause for alarm, so I just listened and enjoyed the sweet voice that appeared to be singing just for me. I smiled as curiosity got the better of me and I pushed my hat back on my head and looked around. Stephen and Pam were still relaxing and slowly I turned my head out to where the singing now appeared to be coming from? Was that someone waving to me in the far distance of the expanse of water? I took off my sun glasses hoping for a better look, but then I couldn't see anything with the glare of the sun in my eyes, so I put my glasses back on, and although I could still hear the sweet singing voice, all that was in front of me was a calm inviting sea. I had thought of telling the others of my new experiences, but decided against it. The way that I looked at it was that if the others were meant to know, then they would have heard the tuneful sounds that I was hearing? As before the singing stopped as suddenly as it started and this way followed by a short happy sounding laugh. I decided to pull in my line, I was getting lots of nibbles from the fish, but I think that on this particular day, they were too smart for me, besides which I had allowed myself a couple of hours in the morning, as I took into consideration that I wasn't the only one on holiday and it would only have been selfish of me to remain fishing any longer, so calling to Stephen, we returned to the hotel where after getting changed and having a cuppa, we went out to the shops, which was what Stephen and Pam enjoy on holiday.

Over the following week we hired a tour guide on the days we were going out and were shown around different parts of the island that we hadn't seen before including having a very delicious home made lunch in one of the remote villages in the mountains of Larnaca. I hadn't heard the woman singing again since that morning when I was fishing in the cove, so I guessed that the melodious sounds were for my pleasure after all and not a warning, but I shouldn't have been so presumptuous.

One morning after a week on the island, I was as usual, fishing in the cove. I guess we should have taken notice of the clouds forming in the oncoming grey skies, but so far despite having been down almost every early morning, I still hadn't caught any fish, and to cap it all, my son Stephen, who had borrowed my smaller rod the previous day, had to his delight caught two! Of course he had asked me to gently undo the hook so that he could place the fish back in the sea, as he didn't like handling the fish.

On this morning, instead of sitting in my usual place, and completely ignoring the warning signs of the elements around me, like the waves of the sea being higher than normal at that time of the morning, I was a few yards further up towards the sea in the hope of changing my luck and catching something. At best I expected a small wind, but when I had been sat for half an hour, I heard the wonderful singing voice again, but this time it was much louder than it had been on previous occasions, much so that it caused me to sit up and take notice, and what I saw made cold to the bones, a tropical storm was heading in my direction, and after shouting to Stephen, he raced over and got hold of my chair and we raced for the safety of the hotel. I had managed to grab my equipment before Stephen had got to me, and somebody musty have been watching over me, because it was only after we had reached the shelter of the hotel reception area that the heavens opened up and the rain fell heavier that I have ever experienced in England, in fact the last time that I saw rain so heavy was when I was in "Hong Kong" for eighteen months.

All that day the winds bent the palm trees almost double, and the rain fell so hard that the automatic doors had to be locked when they kept opening and closing do to the pressure of the downpour. Guests were racing for the safety of the hotel as sun beds and canopies were blown freely across the swimming pool area, some to actually land in the three pools. This was the first time that I had seen all the guests in one area at the same time, and they all had one topic on their lips, the storm. The locals who worked in the hotel didn't appear over nervous, and they stated that they needed the rain, as the reservoirs in the resort were less than half full. From the lounge we had a clear view of the bay, and I remarked as I pointed out to Stephen, the place where minutes previously I had been fishing, 'look at those rocks!" The place where I had been sitting moments ago was now being pounded with fairly high waves as they crash hard against the rocks completely submerging it. My chances of survival out there would have been nil and if I hadn't trusted and acted on my instincts when I heard the woman's song, I don't think I would have been quick enough to call Stephen to get me away from the impending danger.

The tropical storm, mild by some standards that I have previously encountered during my tour of the islands in the Far East, lasted all day and into the night. The hotel put on entertainment for the guests, and there was a pool table for the children, or adults if they wished, and there was a novelty games machine for those interested in computer games. Nobody was in any danger in the hotel, but I was surprised that being so close to the sea, the windows didn't have shutters.

A couple of days after this storm, there was another one, but no where near as bad as the first one, and it only lasted a few hours. Then the sun came out again and in hours there was hardly a trace that it had rained at all, but I still waited for a few days of sunshine before I went back down on the rocks, fishing, and this time I stayed well in the safety zone and took no chances. For all my fishing, I didn't catch one single fish, but not to worry, as I thoroughly enjoyed my whole holiday despite the initial problems.

The night before I was due to fly home, I went down on to the cove hoping to hear the woman singing again, but save for the sound of the crickets, and the gentle lap of white foam as the sea of tranquillity reached out on the beach as if wanting to shake my hand in farewell until my next visit, there was only the sound of Stephen moving around at my side. As I expressed my wish to return to the hotel, he was about to turn my chair and head in the direction of the well lit up area.

'Goodbye!' called out a voice behind me, and I turned my head so fast I thought I was going to wrench my neck, out to sea, just visible to the naked eye, was a small light.

'Can you see that light?' I asked him pointing approximately a hundred yards out to sea.

'What light?' Stephen asked in reply as he peered along my arm trying to glimpse what I was pointing to.

'It doesn't matter,' I stated as I waved my arm in farewell. I was sad that I had to leave that place, but knowing me, I would be back soon enough; well I hadn't caught a fish there yet.

Or was my wanting to return something to do with a special kind of swimming creature?

Time for a cuppa!

Mike Coatesworth

Note: No part of this story can be reproduced in any way without the author's written permission. All rights remain with the author.

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