Molly trudged along the moonlit beach, her mermaid tail costume swishing around her ankles. She’d cleverly cut holes for her feet, allowing her to walk – albeit awkwardly – in the otherwise restrictive outfit. Sand worked its way into her shoes with each step, a gritty reminder of her disappointing Halloween.

The party had been a disaster. Too much candy and soda left her stomach churning, and the stuffy, overcrowded house had only made it worse. She’d snuck out, hoping the cool night air and gentle sound of waves would settle her queasiness. Now, as she made her way home along the shore, Molly regretted her decision to leave.

The chilly October wind whipped her hair around her face, carrying the salty scent of the sea. Molly shivered, pulling her arms tighter around her seashell top. Her costume, which had seemed so perfect for the party, now left her exposed to the biting cold.

A mournful howl echoed in the distance – or was it just the wind? Molly quickened her pace, her heart pounding against her ribs. The old lighthouse loomed ahead, its beam sweeping across the angry waves.

Splash.

Molly froze, her breath catching in her throat. That wasn’t just the surf.

Splash. Groan.

Her legs trembled, urging her to run, but the tight mermaid tail restricted her movement. She tried to take a step back, but the costume tangled around her legs, nearly toppling her. Panic rose in her chest as she realized how vulnerable she was. Her eyes darted around, seeking an escape route, but the beach stretched empty in both directions. The costume that had seemed so clever now felt like a trap.

Torn between curiosity and fear, Molly slowly turned towards the water’s edge, her movements clumsy and constrained by the mermaid tail.

Pale, bloated hands broke the surface, followed by heads with stringy hair plastered to rotting skulls. Molly’s stomach lurched as the stench of decay hit her nostrils. She clapped a hand over her mouth, fighting the urge to retch.

The creatures dragged themselves onto the shore, leaving trails of slime in their wake. Where legs should have been, fish tails flopped uselessly on the sand. Their eye sockets glowed with an eerie green light, fixed on Molly with predatory intensity.

A scream built in Molly’s throat, but terror strangled it before it could escape. She stumbled backwards, tripping over her costume’s tail and landing hard on the sand. The monstrous beings advanced, their mouths opening to reveal rows of jagged, barnacle-encrusted teeth.

The largest one, with matted silver hair and a tattered blue tail, reached for Molly with webbed fingers. “Human child,” it gurgled, seawater spilling from its lips, “you wear our form. How… fitting.”

Molly scrambled away, sand flying as she kicked desperately. Her back hit rough wood – she’d backed into a piece of driftwood. There was nowhere left to run.

The silver-haired creature loomed over her, its face inches from hers. Up close, Molly could see tiny fish swimming in its milky eyes. It inhaled deeply, as if savoring Molly’s scent.

“I am Coral,” it rasped. “Elder of the Sea Dwellers’ Council. And you, little one, will help us reclaim what was stolen.”

Molly’s voice came out as a terrified squeak. “W-what are you? What do you want?”

Coral’s mouth stretched into a grotesque parody of a smile. “We are what becomes of mermaids when the sea’s magic turns dark. Cursed to exist between life and death, neither fully here nor gone.”

Realization dawned on Molly, her eyes widening in horrified understanding. Zombie mermaids. The creatures from old sailors’ tales her granddad used to tell. She’d always thought they were just stories to scare children away from the water at night.

“The pearl, child,” Coral continued, her voice gurgling like water down a drain. “Hidden in that lighthouse. Bring it to us, or join us in our curse.”

To demonstrate, Coral grabbed Molly’s arm. Where its cold, slimy fingers touched, Molly’s skin began to rot and flake away. She yanked her arm back with a strangled cry, staring in horror at the grayish patch spreading across her flesh.

“Tick tock,” Coral hissed. “Find the pearl before the moon sets, or that rot will consume you. Run along now. We’ll be waiting.”

On shaking legs, Molly stumbled towards the lighthouse. As she reached the door, she looked back. The zombie mermaids watched her with their glowing eyes, hungry grins splitting their decaying faces.

Molly swallowed hard and pushed open the creaking door. Whatever horrors awaited her inside, they couldn’t be worse than the monsters on the beach.

Could they?

Molly’s heart thundered in her chest as she climbed the spiral staircase with difficulty. Cobwebs clung to her hair, and each step groaned under her weight. The beam of her phone’s flashlight danced across the walls, revealing peeling wallpaper and rusted fixtures.

At the top, she found herself in the lighthouse keeper’s quarters. Dust motes swirled in the air, visible in the moonlight streaming through grimy windows. The room smelled of mold and something else – something rotten.

A skittering sound made her whirl around. A rat scurried across the floor, disappearing into a hole in the baseboard. Molly bit back a scream, her hands shaking as she resumed her search.

She rifled through drawers and cabinets, finding nothing but old logbooks and nautical instruments. Time was running out – rot was spreading up her arm, a creeping coldness that numbed her fingers.

In desperation, she upended a bookshelf. A small chest tumbled out, clattering across the floor. Molly lunged for it, fumbling with the rusty latch. A large, luminous pearl lay inside, nestled on a velvet cushion.

When her fingers touched it, a jolt of energy surged through her body. The rot on her arm receded, replaced by smooth, shimmering scales. For a moment, Molly marveled at the pearl’s power. She could keep it, become something more than human…

A distant howl snapped her back to reality. The zombie mermaids were waiting. With a heavy heart, Molly hurried back down the stairs.

Outside, the creatures circled impatiently. Coral’s eyes locked onto Molly’s closed fist. “Give it to me,” she hissed, stretching out a decaying hand.

Molly hesitated. “If I give you this, you’ll leave? You won’t hurt anyone?”

Coral’s lipless mouth twisted into a snarl. “The pearl. Now.”

Steeling herself, Molly placed the pearl in Coral’s palm. The zombie mermaid’s eyes gleamed with triumph as she raised it high.

“Sisters!” Coral cried. “Our suffering ends tonight!”

A blinding light erupted from the pearl, engulfing the beach. Molly shielded her eyes, the sound of screeching filling her ears.

When the light faded, Molly lowered her arm, blinking spots from her vision. Beautiful mermaids now lounged on the sand where the rotting creatures had stood, their scales glittering in the moonlight.

Coral, now young and radiant, smiled at Molly. “Thank you, child. You have broken our curse.”

Ending A:

Coral extended her hand, the pearl nestled in her palm. “A gift, for your bravery.”

Mesmerized, Molly reached for it. The moment her fingers touched the pearl, a searing pain shot through her body. She screamed as her legs fused together, scales erupting across her skin.

Coral’s smile turned cruel. “Welcome to eternity, little one.”

Molly thrashed helplessly as the mermaids dragged her into the waves. The last thing she saw before the dark water closed over her head was the lighthouse beam, sweeping across an empty beach.

Years later, on stormy nights, locals would whisper about a red-haired mermaid seen near the shore, her mournful song carried on the wind – a warning to those who meddled in the affairs of the sea.

Ending B:

As the mermaids celebrated their transformation, Coral turned to Molly with a look of genuine gratitude. “You have given us back our lives, child. How can we repay you?”

Molly hesitated, then spoke up, “I’ve always wondered what it’s like under the sea. Could I… visit sometime?”

Coral smiled, her now-beautiful face radiant in the moonlight. “Of course. You’ve earned the right to see our world.” She plucked a shimmering scale from her tail and pressed it into Molly’s hand. “Keep this with you. When you wish to visit, come to the shore and hold it in the water. We’ll hear your call.”

As the mermaids retreated into the waves, Molly clutched the magical scale, her heart racing with excitement. She looked out at the vast ocean, imagining the wonders that awaited her beneath the surface.

On her way home, Molly’s mind buzzed with possibilities. She had faced her fears, saved an entire race of merpeople, and gained access to a hidden underwater world. As she climbed into bed, still wearing her costume, she smiled to herself.

This Halloween had been anything but boring, and she knew her adventures were far from over. Next time, she’d be ready. After all, how many 13-year-olds could say they had mermaids on speed-dial?

Molly drifted off to sleep, dreaming of coral reefs, sunken ships, and the magical world that now awaited her beneath the waves.

Let me know which ending you would choose in the comments below.

Book 1 in the Merblood Saga, Selena Flowers and the Cursed Ruby, is all about zombie mermaids and you can buy it here: www.books2read.com/The-Merblood-Saga-1

Book 2 Selena Flowers and the Phantom Tides is out in November.