Nicky and Kara were sisters and outdoor enthusiasts. They both loved hiking, camping, snowboarding, water skiing, scuba diving and any other adventure they can get their hands on. These two pretty ladies were most fond of the water. They loved swimming or being out on a boat. Laying on the beaches and sipping some cold brews with a campfire was home for them. These two lived in Montana but were visiting the Black Hills for the summer. They had a cabin  in the woods not too far from Sheridan Lake. They’d heard the tales of what lived in the lake. A creature in the water that had been there for centuries. Some people had gone missing and some tried to get proof that it existed, but this “thing” was always too sneaky. The creature that lived under the water at the lake was a mermaid.

Mermaids, like Ariel, have always been shown as loving people. Happily swimming around in the water. This isn’t always the case. Yes, some mermaids are like that, but there are some who have been abused, tormented and have turned evil. There are a few mermaids around the world who have a dark streak in them that only comes out when provoked.

Nicky and Kara were excited to go camping at Sheridan Lake. They packed up all their scuba gear and had called ahead of time to rent a canoe. They weren’t big on spending a lot of money and always tried to be conservative. Plus renting a canoe meant they could get some exercise in. They were quite into fitness and enjoyed showing off their bodies. If you saw them at the lake you can bet they’re in a bikini. Once they arrived at the lake, they found their campsite and set up the tent. They heard reports  this mermaid came out during all times of the day. She was easiest to see during sunrise or sunset. Rumors were everywhere about what she looked like, the horrible things she had done with people or even how she ended up in this lake. At the end of the day they were just rumors and people still swarm this lake every day and every summer. The people who have died at Sheridan are less than ten and that’s counting the lakes entire existence, or at least that’s been recorded.

Most people died, from what were ruled, accidents or natural causes. Some of them most likely did, but a few were of something else. An outside hand played a role in more than one death. Nicky and Kara didn’t want to upset the mermaid or even torment her. They hoped that she would let them see her. Maybe they could help her in some way or have a better understanding of why she was there. The two girls had a campfire going and were cooking dinner. They wanted to go to bed early so they could be on the lake first thing in the morning. The girls were hoping they could see her swimming around. They brought a camera just in case they needed to get some pictures. Nicky and Kara crawled in their sleeping bags after dinner and rested for their big morning.

Nicky set her alarm for five in the morning, but she was already up before it went off. She had the canoe packed with water, camera equipment and some snacks. Kara didn’t take too long to get up after the alarm rang. She was never a morning person but with a couple cups of coffee that would quickly change. Each girl had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast and filled their mugs with coffee. They hopped in the canoe and pushed it out into the water. They paddled about fifty feet out into the water when bubbles were coming up in the distance. Kara tapped Nicky on the arm and pointed out in the distance. They steered their canoe towards the bubbles. Once they were on top of where they had seen the bubbles rising, everything was calm. Both girls decided to continue paddling further into the water and maybe something would happen again. They were right. About five minutes after they began moving again, more bubbles were coming up out of the water. This time they were completely surrounded.

Off to the right of their canoe popped up a head. This mermaid had light brown hair and dark blue eyes. She had, what looked like, fish scales on the side of her face but they almost sparkled like glitter. The water was clear enough that they could the fin she was using to stay afloat. Her hair was long and trailed out behind her in the water. She looked at both of the girls in the canoe. Nicky was a little scared and nervous. They knew the stories of this mermaid killing people, but she didn’t look like that type. Every person has a dark side. Kara put her hand out the canoe and reached it towards the mermaid. She was also scared, but knew if they were going to make any progress she needed to show they were there to help. Kara said to the mermaid, “We aren’t here to harm you. We like to adventure and we love the water. Is this your home?” The mermaid looked at her with a puzzled look at first and then nodded her head, yes. She pointed all around the lake and then back at herself. It was clear she probably couldn’t talk, but they would do their best to understand her.

Both girls smiled at the mermaid. Nicky built up enough courage to extend her hand as well. The mermaid looked at the both of them and then down at the water. She was motioning for them to come in. This made them a little uneasy, but they complied. Nicky and Kara took off their clothes, luckily they had their swimming suits on underneath and jumped down in the water. The mermaid grabbed both of their hands and began giving them a tour around the lake. The mermaid started off slow and then began moving faster and faster. Nicky and Kara were beginning to be frightened and suddenly the mermaid whisked them under the water. They went down and down. Deeper into the dark water. Both girls were avid swimmers and could hold their breath for quite some time. The mermaid stopped and at the bottom of the lake, her house that she lived in lit up. She smiled at the two girls and then swam back towards the serface. The mermaid had never been able just to be with someone else. Most people wanted to get her picture, or tease and torment her. These two girls just wanted to be her friends and she had never had that before.

When they came to the surface both the girls took a deep breath and began laughing. They’d never experienced anything like that. It was an adrenaline rush filled with a sense of fear. A underwater roller coaster ride. They climbed back into the canoe and the mermaid leaned up against the side of it. She was smiling at both of them. The mermaid then spoke two words. The first she said, “friends?” Nicky and Kara lit up with joy and simultaneously said, “Yes!” The mermaid then let go of the canoe and floated a little ways out and said, “thank you”. She went back down into the water and then came jetting out and up into the air. She did a flip and then a twist and dove back down into the lake. The girls felt like they had just dreamt all this. Shocked and amazed, they were wondering if this could have been real. They did the classic pinch on each others arms to make sure they weren’t two dreams deep. Both girls were wide awake and what had just went down was very real.

In some aspect they were happy that they didn’t get any pictures of the mermaid. They were happy there wasn’t any real evidence that she existed. It keeps this very special just between these two. Something they can carry with themselves the rest of their lives. Maybe she wasn’t as bad as people made her out to be. I’m sure she has an evil streak in her, but hopefully this experience brought a sense of comfort to her. Not all people are bad. There is some good in this world. We just have to search and dig deep enough to find it. Nicky and Kara went back to their campsite and packed everything into the car. They jumped inside and drove out. Once they hit the highway, both girls could see Sheridan Lake in the rear view mirrors. They smiled and looked at each other. Sometimes…just sometimes scary beginnings have happy endings.

The End