He was sure that she was merely a mirage when he first caught sight of her. He could make out little of her from the distance, just a dark silhouette and the hint of her red hair. But the wind carried with it her voice, like silk accompaniment to the ocean's native sounds. It blended into the air like it was a part of it, into the ocean like it was part of the water - but at the same time he knew that it was a voice, that it was a familiar song floating towards him, calling him. And so he walked closer and closer, not even feeling the wind's currants trying to push him back; or the hair on his arms standing up from the cold.
It was as if there were flames dancing atop her hair, the wind tussling the red strands every which way. As she finally came into full view, her lips turned up into a smile and she parted her them, red as blood, to utter one last final note that pierced into the night sky, higher than the cliff on which he now stood. And he thought that if he stretched out his hands, leaned a little further, he would be able to understand how this creature's voice could be so... magical.
He was flying then, as if he had transformed into her voice that was floating alongside the wind and sky. Down, down he fell and she smiled wider and shifted her position and suddenly they had both plunged below the surface of the ocean. Her eyes were glinting emeralds and her smile grew only wider, lips shimmering blood red in the water. He tried to open his mouth to speak but only swallowed a lungful of water, sputtering to try and catch his breath as the water entered his systems. He reached out his arms for the surface - he could still make out the reflection of the moon up above, but her hand reached up to his and grasped his fingers gently. Turning away from the surface, he found her eyes again and she gave his hand a gentle tug and began her descent downwards, towards the darkness, and further away from the surface.
He followed through sputtering breaths. He followed as the water crushed his lungs, eyes glued to her red mane of hair.
FlashFlood is brought to you by National Flash-Fiction Day UK, happening this year on 27th June 2015.
In the build up to the day we have now launched our Micro-Fiction Competition (stories up to 100 words) and also our annual Anthology (stories up to 500 words). So if you have enjoyed FlashFlood, why not send us your stories?
More information about these and the Day itself available at nationalflashfictionday.co.uk. 
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