Song Title Challenge #5: Fools of Damnation – The Embrace that Smothers Part 9 by Epica

It’s time for this week’s Song Title Challenge. (I know it’s later than usual. I was on the beach. (And for some reason I’m not $3000 richer. Must be doing it wrong.))

Write a short piece of fiction, around 300 words, using the song title as your story title but don’t listen to the song. Remember to link back to this post so I can find yours.

If you would like to suggest a song title for a future post, you can do so from the challenge page. You can also leave a suggestion on the Facebook page.

This week’s song is Fools of Damnation – The Embrace that Smothers Part 9 by Epica. Goodness, that’s a mouthful. Thanks to Cain Freeman from No BS Books for the suggestion.

I know I did not refer directly to the title in this story, but this is all I could come up with. Hope you enjoy it.

Fools of Damnation – The Embrace that Smothers

“Why do you think they call it Mermaid Bay?”

“I don’t know, Sam. Will you shut up now? You’re scaring away all the fish.”

“Sorry, Ned.”

Ned cast in his line, thankful for a moment’s respite. He cared deeply for his cousin, but Sam never stopped talking. He had only brought Sam along because his mother had insisted. Sam had never been fishing, she had said. Ned couldn’t let him go home without first teaching him to fish. Ha! She just didn’t want to be stuck with Sam’s incessant chatter.

“Ned! I think I have something on my line. What do I do?”

Ned looked back and saw Sam’s rod bend toward the water. Of course he had caught something.

“Start reeling in, but not too fast, otherwise you’ll break the line.”

He felt a tug in his hand.

“Hang on. I’ve also got one.”

Ned’s own rod bent almost double as he fought his catch.

“Ned, Ned, I think I can see it, I…”

Ned heard a splash behind him. He glanced over his shoulder. Sam was gone. Ned let go his rod and it slipped into the water.

“Sam! Sam, where are you?”

Ned looked over the side of the boat. He couldn’t see anything. His mother was going to kill him.

“Sam! Stop mucking about!”

Something bumped the bottom of the boat.

“Sam, is that you?”

He leaned over the side and tried reaching under the boat. Something bumped the other side and the boat capsized.

When Ned surface it was dark. He was under the boat. As his eyes adjusted to the dark he saw someone was with him.

“Thank goodness you’re okay, Sam. You scared me.”

He moved closer and saw it wasn’t Sam, but a girl.

“Hey, who are you? Where’s Sam?”

She did not answer, but reached her arms around his neck and pulled his face to hers. As their lips met Ned felt his whole body go limp and a strange warmth flood through him. He realised they were sinking, but did not struggle.

She pulled back and smiled, her arms still wrapped around him. Ned inhaled deeply and everything went black.