Mermaids

Photo by Annette Batista Day on Unsplash

NY Times has released the following information about a recent discovery by scientists into the mysterious Bermuda Triangle. Have we finally discovered why so many people have gone missing in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean?

NY Times: The Bermuda Triangle is generally known to stretch from Miami, Florida to Puerto Rico to Bermuda, creating a triangle of tragedy in the North Atlantic Ocean. Scientists have studied the mysterious disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle region and their possible causes for decades. While there are many theories such as extraterrestrial and paranormal activity that have caused these tragedies, it has been discovered that is neither.

Instead, it is the beautiful creatures found deep in the sea that comb their hair with forks, as some may be familiar with from movies like Disney's The Little Mermaid. We were wrong about them. They are not beautiful and they are not a myth. In many cultures, mermaids symbolize life and fertility in the ocean. In others, they symbolize the destructive nature of the water. A mermaid is most popularly portrayed in the Walt Disney classic, The Little Mermaid. What is less well known is that mermaids are a presence in many cultures' mythologies. Now we know what we do: the mermaids residing under the Bermuda Triangle's rough surface are like Thessalonike in Greek mythology, luring sailors to their death.

Here's how the scientists were able to get a peek into the destructive nature of these half-fish, half-woman creatures. Using advanced technology, a professional diver disguised as a mermaid dove down to the depths. The scientists knew this was a dangerous mission into the unknown. An unknown that many had lost their lives to previously. The scientists' boat floated as close as possible without putting themselves in danger and then the diver jumped into the deep. Using a hidden camera, he swam into the Bermuda Triangle, never expecting what was found.

Luckily, the scientist fooled the mermaids. They took her in like an old cousin from a faraway land. She was told stories and even saw remnants of the Navy aircraft that had gone missing in 1945. The lead mermaid, Rosaline, who resembled that of the legends of Brazil's Iara with green eyes and brown skin, explained how the mermaids are able to make the Bermuda Triangle a disaster zone. She said that all the mermaids in their city, which was made of coral buildings and homes, were not born mermaids. Rather, they suffered horrible deaths that were caused by some form of water. They were not at rest and made it their lives' mission to lure young men to their deaths.

In the case of Flight 19, the mermaids came to the surface of the water, distracting the men of the flight. They were able to do this with their captivating eyes and voices, which had a tone that could even reach the pilots in the aircraft. The mermaids that the scientist encountered under the sea were not beautiful in a traditional way. Instead, they looked like something from a nightmare, described as having green hair and piercing eyes. Rosaline explained that they were able to transform their looks into that of captivating beauty. This along where their beautiful voices were able to cause young men to crash or sink or drown, whichever it may be.

While there is still so much unknown about this underwater city, some of the mystery is now revealed. These hybrid creatures lurking beneath were not that of fairy tales. They were horror movies. Nightmare fuel. Even though the scientists were able to uncover this part of the mystery, this issue is far from resolved. These women are not to be messed with. Those who enter the ocean must proceed with a bit more uncertainty and fear.

Author's Note:

While I initially wrote a story based on The Little Mermaid, I felt that it did not include enough folklore and mythology but rather focused on Disney's Ariel. I changed the story to show the dark side of mermaids and the role they played in a mysterious part of our world, the Bermuda Triangle. The Bermuda Triangle is infamous for causing ships and planes to crash and disappear. Most famously, the Flight 19 disappearance in 1945, which lost contact with the base and was never seen again. Here is a list of disappearances in this region of the ocean.

I was loosely inspired by a Trinidad mermaid tale. In this story, twin sisters swam on Easter Sunday, an act that is highly discouraged in Trinidad culture. One sister swam too far causing the other sister to lose sight of her. The twin who had disappeared finally appeared again, dragging the other sister back to shore and telling her to leave the water. The mermaids were unaware that there were two of them, so the twins were separated, one to live at sea forever and one to stay on land. This story has a sinister tone. By incorporating this aspect of folklore, the story seems more authentic and believable.