she knows he is yelling: profanities.
shouts intended to shake her
get louder
louder.
closer.
his face face is contorted with rage. his hands in the air as if strings attached them to an invisible pupeteer. aiming to hit her. missing.
she stares into his face. unflinched. into the lines made by his anger. notices the foaming of his mouth.
when mermaids die they turn to foam. a mermaid dies whenever a love is lost.
he never loved her.
the thought of a saved mermaid consoles her and she smiles
at the same time his hand reaches her face,
she wonders if mermaids can cry underwater.
