Bride

The bonfire was fiercely burning reflected on the water. The sea was calm that night, there was almost no breeze. They had been swimming in the sea and were drying by the heat of the fire. She was a bit closer to the heat than him, trembling at times. They had chosen that beach because it was small and secluded, and because next to it there were some impressive cliffs that turned red during the summer sunsets. Above them millions of stars twinkled. She was lying on her back staring at them when he called her. She stood up and looked at him, his hair still wet from the swim, his eyes reflecting the fire, his shy smile. And his hand holding a shell, and inside the shell a ring. White opal instead of diamond. He bit his lip and raised his eyebrows before asking. 

-Will you marry me? 

-Yes!- she jumped into his arms not even letting him put the ring on her finger. 

As they kissed they didn't realize they weren't alone in the beach anymore. A pale figure with long black hair wearing a long white gown had appeared out of nowhere. Only when it was almost next to the fire did they realize they were not alone. She jumped behind him as the figure continued approaching. They could see her clearly now, as it was clear it was a woman, she was drenched as if she had just got out of the water, her skin was very pale, her lips were blue, and her dark eyes were sunk. Tangled in her long dark hair, seaweed took the place of the flowers. Her white gown had been torn up in some places and starfish had stuck on others. It was a wedding gown. A bride. A dead bride. 

-You shouldn't have come here.- the bride spoke in a whisper, her voice was coarse like the wind that blows from the sea.-Now I have to take him. 

-What?! No! Why?!- The couple screamed at the same time. She clung to him to keep him forever. 

-A long time ago I was also in love like you are. The love of my life had asked me to marry him, and I couldn't wait for the day I was to become his wife. He decided that we had to marry on top of these cliffs, he said that we would be like the cliffs and the sea, together forever, and thus we needed to marry there. I thought it was a good idea, it's a beautiful place, isn't it? Our wedding days was perfect, it was sunny, there was a light breeze. I couldn't have asked for more. We said our vows facing the sea, and afterwards we walked around the edge of the cliff alone for the first time as husband and wife. And he flung me off the cliff.- she stopped at that moment, and stared at the top of the cliff as if she were trying to find the exact place where that happened.- I fell, tumbling, my long hair and my dress tangling with my limbs, my eyes full of tears since I couldn't believe what he had just done. As I fell I could hear him laugh and shout at me that he had never loved me. Those words buried deep in my heart and are the ones that are keeping me alive even if I'm dead. Those words are the reason why I must take someone who is able to love with me down under the sea. Only getting someone to truly love me will make me free. 

After saying those words the bride took the young man by the hand and dragged him to the shore, oblivious of the fact that she was also carrying his fiancée. They kicked and fought and shouted, but in the end all that was left was a young woman kneeling by the shore at the light of the dying bonfire crying because she couldn't save her love.