The Siren Read Online Free PDF Page B

water, the last horrifying and beautiful image of their lives. I always wanted to look back, to somehow convey my apologies. There was nothing to do though. I couldn’t save them, I couldn’t explain, and no look would ever do.
    I had never seen anything like that, and based on Marilyn and Aisling’s reactions, I would say that wasn’t something normal. How was this supposed to be explained away? There was no reason or excuse. A boatful of people had just disappeared on open waters. Their families would never know the reasons, would never stop wondering. I would have sat there in sadness and let that wash over me again and again, but She spoke.
    We were to stay together a little longer. She would explain it soon enough, for now we were to let Her guide us away.
    This wasn’t normal. Usually She let us go in peace. It was the kind thing to do, considering we all had different ways of consoling ourselves. Aisling retreated into her solitude. Marilyn had a glass of wine. We couldn’t feel the effects of it, but she said it calmed her all the same. I would sink into my daydreams. I would imagine the life I would lead one day that would make this all worth it. This night had been so abrupt and cruel that I couldn’t wait to get away from Her. But obedience, absolute obedience, was imperative. So we went where She told us to. It wasn’t a long journey.
    When we got to the beach, I looked for signs of a location, but didn’t know what any of the things I saw meant. There were no signs and the structures I saw in the distance weren’t in any book I’d seen. It was evening and almost pretty. Almost.
    Miaka cried, and I held her while she wept. I wanted to cry myself, but now I had someone to be strong for. If I broke down, how would she cope?
    “I-I hurt those people,” she managed to get out between sobs.
    I wanted to contradict her, but wasn’t sure I could. It had been our voices that drew those men into their final moments, but I didn’t want for my baby sister to feel that ache.
    “Listen to me, Miaka. You only did what you had to do. The Ocean is the one who takes the lives. The dangers are always there, we just make them seem less perilous. You haven’t done anything wrong.”
    As the words came out of my mouth, they tasted like lies. There had to be some truth in there somewhere, but I couldn’t feel it. Still, I tried to will Miaka into believing it. I refused to let her suffer.
    I felt awful for Miaka. Not only was it far too soon for her to sing, it was the most shocking ending we’d ever imposed. I couldn’t get past the lack of an alibi. No concern at all. We were supposed to hide Her secret, but where was Her effort in this?
    Earlier I had felt immeasurable gratefulness to the Ocean for giving us Miaka. Now I was fiercely upset with Her for hurting our newest sister. How could She be so unkind?
    Aisling paced up and down the shore. The waves looked better now, stronger than they had been. I could see Aisling’s eagerness to leave. She kept looking out over the Sea as she paced and then looked down to the sand. She seemed more frustrated than usual. I wished she would calm down; her angry strides made me nervous. We all wanted to get out of here, but we had to wait. What did she have that made her more important than the rest of us?
    Marilyn stood silently and gazed out over the open waters. She took measured breaths and let her arms fall at her side. I only saw her profile, but there was no sign of anxiety in her expression. She had already made her peace. I hoped that I would find that one day, too.
    We were as quiet as the open sky. Only Miaka made tiny sounds here and there with her sobs. We waited. Who knew how much time had passed? Time was something we never ran out of, so there was no point in trying to count it.
    Finally, once She had absorbed everything She needed to, the Ocean came to us. Her cadence was slower and stronger now. The calm tempo of Her speech helped me release some of the