Sea Screechers

This story is about four animal behaviorists scientists who go out in the Tyrrhenian
Sea to research why the Mediterranean Common dolphin have been dying off for
natural causes, and while they're out at sea they run into a bigger issue.. losing
two of their dearest friends

Summer afternoon, June 06, 2006.

Susan Reporter 1: There have been two severed bodies lying on the shore of
Sorrento by the Tyrrhenian (teh-re-ni-an) Sea, just off the coast of southwestern Italy
near the Paestum (peh-stum) and Capri islands on the southwest coast of
Campania. Investigators are still looking for what caused this accident and are still
at the scene now. Jamie, can you tell us clearly.. what was found?
Reporter 2: Yes, Susan, it appears two young men, age nineteen were both
found dead, after what looks like a tragic shark attack. Many limbs from the bodies
are missing, and investigators have not yet identified the bodies of the victims
because their faces are not recognizable from the severe wounds. On the south side
of the island, nearly two hundred kilometers away from where they were found,
their yacht was washed up onto the island's cliffs.
Reporter 1 Well, thank you, Jamie, for that information, and we will get back
to you after this commercial break.
That's why these oceans are very dangerous, my grandma said, turning the
television off.
Yes, I know grandma, I responded.
I mean, God knows what's out there: Loch Ness monsters or Krakens could
still be out there eating or tearing up their victim's bodies into pieces, so you better
be careful when you're out at sea, my grandma exclaimed.
I didn't bother to reply because my grandma and I always argued about what
animals really exist and which ones dont.
The next morning I took a flight to Italy. Funny enough, the shark attacks
occurred thirty minutes from where I was staying. I was going to Italy for research
study purposes. I usually traveled to different parts of the world with my colleagues,
Karina, Pablo and Nya, depending on what it was we were researching. For example,
about a half a month ago, we went to Canada because the population of platypus
were going extinct, and our job was to figure out exactly why. In this case, there has
been a heavy increase of the Mediterranean common dolphin dying for natural
causes. So I guess you could call my team animal behavioral scientists. And those
shark attacks could possibly be connected to the decreasing population of dolphins
in that area.
My crew and I met up at the Sorrento Docks in Italy, only a couple miles south
from where the bodies were washed ashore. This is also where it is rumored that the
Greek mythological creature, known as the Sirens, roamed and lurked within these
seas.
Pablo is the type of person to end up making love to a Siren Nya joked.
Very funny Pablo ended. We all laughed.
 We decided to take a cabin cruiser, which is a boat with one room and a
fishing dock. We headed to the Tyrrhenian seas for a couple nights to track the
activity of the Mediterranean common dolphin. The weather was very clear until we
headed past the Capri islands. That's when the heavy clouds came in. I was in
charge of watching the seas for any dolphin activity. Pablo was in charge of the
radar and listening for any dolphin frequencies. Karinas job was to organize any
equipment we were going to need, such as swim gear, flippers, oxygen tanks,
fishing nets, blades, bait, etc. Nya rested in the miniature cabin until it was time for
her to take one of our rolls. Every couple hours, we would switch off so everyone
had some rest.
It was around 6:30 p.m. when the sun started to settle behind the ocean. The
suns orange light shimmered across the oceans rippling waves and you could see
the clouds gathering right above the suns crest. We decided to pack up and jam
ourselves into the compact cabin before the rain hit. We all made ourselves
comfortable and fell fast asleep because it had been a very long day.
Hours later, I suddenly woke up by the sound of the radar beeping. It was
around 3:00 a.m. I guessed that the radar detected some kind of movement around
our boat, and as I thought that, I saw a flock of dolphins swimming from the rocky
cliffs towards us, as if something scared them off. I thought I saw some kind of
human silhouette jump off the cliffs rocks into the ocean, just 16 feet away. Then
again, I couldn't be too sure because it was pretty dark and thick layers of fog
covered the ocean, the only thing that illuminated the ocean was the moon.
I heard some kind of crying in the caves of the rocky cliffs. It was an odd cry.
It sounded very much like a dolphins cry. It echoed through the cliffs reaching back
to us. After about 30 minutes the crying completely stopped. There was an eerie
feeling about this, and I couldn't just go back to sleep. I had to do something about
it. Nya must've heard the noises as well because she jumped out the cabin
wondering who or what had been making that noise.
We woke up Pablo and Karina, letting them know what had happened. Pablo
quickly rushed to turn the boat towards the cries. We kept our distance from the
rocks because one small wave could get us closer to the surface and could cause
destruction to our boat. Karina released the anchor so the boat would somewhat
stay away from the cliffs.
By the time we got there, it had already been too late. The carcass of a baby
dolphin was caught on one of the rocks. I grabbed a net and pulled in the dolphin's
body to further investigate. The dolphin was opened up nearly to the bone. Multiple
teeth markings, not of a shark but what appeared to be those of a human mouth,
pierced its skin. The teeth incisions were not as deep as a sharks. The jaw length
was a lot smaller than a shark's mouth would have been.
That is definitely not a shark bite I said.
What could it have been? asked Karina.
What about a baby shark? Nya wondered.
See the teeth markings? They only have one row of teeth, sharks would
have many rows I replied.
 Moments later, we heard something behind the giant stones that were ahead
of us. It was a sweet voice, actually many sweet voices. They were harmonizing so
perfectly that the hairs on my neck stood up. All of us were very confused.
Do you guys think its some kind of playback recording in the rocks? Asked
Nya.
Nah, that couldn't be it because it sounds so clear and attractive. Karina
responded.
It sounds like a live orchestra except.. replacing the instruments with sweet
and soft voices. Pablo observed.
We reeled in the anchor and headed closer--too close--just right around the
rocks, fifteen feet away from the cliffs. And there they were. Three women were in
the water, sharing a brush. They passed it, around untangling their long, wet,
delicate hair. Their skin tone was very pale, and they were not wearing any type of
clothing. One of the women slithered up on a flat rock. The other half of her body
was not human like. She had a tail that split into two long, scaly flippers. The other
two remaining women jumped on the rock with her as if they were trying to show off
their flippers as well.
Ew what are they? Karina asked.
They're mermaids, Nya whispered.
Or sirens, responded Pablo.
They noticed us getting closer, and they moved closer as well.
I don't know how I feel about this, Karina mentioned. The women gently
disappeared in the water, popping their heads out seconds later, surrounding our
boat. Their eyes looked like pitch black marbles. One of them reached their webbed
hands out at Nya, and she looked at us before she reached her arm out at the
creature.
I wouldn't do that if I were you! said Karina. Nya ignored her as she held the
Sirens hand. The creature tugged at her arm, and Nya tried to get her hand away.
The other Sirens made this weird screeching noise. The Siren that had a hold of
Nyas hand yanked her in the water.
Nya! Pablo yelled. Pablo stripped his clothes off and jumped in towards the
Sirens. One of the sirens went under the water as the other sirens dragged Nya to
the cliffs. I grabbed the harpoon we kept for emergencies, while Karina stood in
shock.
Moments later, Pablo went up gasping for air. And was pulled underwater as
he struggled to swim upwards. I aimed the harpoon to one of the Sirens that was
holding Nya by the wrist. Both of the Sirens tugged viciously at Naya's arms. I shot
the harpoon landing on one of the Sirens tail. I started reeling in the Siren. It
yanked out the arrow and swam towards our boat. Our boat started rocking back
and forth. Karina lost her balance and was on the verge of falling out the boat, but
luckily got a hold of the boats edge. I held my hand out to pull her in. The Siren that
swayed our boat was now pulling Karinas leg. I told Karina to hold on while I rushed
to grab a pistol that was sitting on the cockpit of the boat. I shot at the Siren that
was at Karinas legs. It let go and I took no chances and pulled Karina on the boat. I
gave Karina the gun for protection and I grabbed the Harpoon. By the time I looked
back at Nya her limbs were being torn off by the Siren and Pablo was floating above
surface face downward to the water. I was too late to save them. The Siren that I
had shot at laid on a rock while it slowly bled to death.
The waves were getting bigger and were moving us towards the rocky cliffs. I
looked at my wristwatch and it read 5:15 a.m. knowing the police department were
going to look for us soon, because the plan was to sail back to shore around 6:00
a.m. and if we weren't there by that time, they would send a search team to look for
us.
Shoot at the if the Sirens come any closer. I told Karina. One Siren was
feasting on Nyas thigh, the other dragged Pablo across the water. They both saw
the boat moving away from the cliffs. They swam underneath the boat and pushed
it towards the rocks. I turned the boat the opposite direction and switched the
boats propellers on full throttle. The control board beeped giving me a warning on
the engine getting too hot. Just moments later the engine made many popping
noises and sizzled. The engine completely turned off and the Sirens were able to get
us closer to the rocks. There was a big wave developing and gave the boat a final
push. The boat was being ripped apart from the giant rigged rocks. The two
remaining Sirens were approaching us. Karina said there were only a couple bullets
left so I swiped the gun from Karina and shot one Sirens in the head and the other
on the neck. The police department stent out helicopters to find us. Picking us up on
the Capri Island. It was a tragic moment for us since we lost two good friends. As we
flew above the Islands I looked back at the wreckage, pieces of our boat floated
along the island's rocky cliffs and that's when I knew I should've listened to my
Grandma.

MONSTER PIECE Rubric

EXPRESSION OF PERSONAL/SOCIAL ANXIETIES. The story clearly 5/5

reflects a current personal or social (societal) anxiety.

PROTAGONIST. The writer has provided enough details to make the 5/5
protagonist relatable and someone we want to root for. The protagonist
should have a flaw/fear that gets in the way of fighting the monster.
His/her life (and the lives of others) should depend upon him/her
defeating the monster.

MONSTER. The writer has provided enough details to make the 5/5
monster easy for readers to picture. The writer provides
reasons/motivations for the monsters actions. The monster represents
a current personal or social (societal) fear.

SUSPENSE. Includes ordinary/everyday situations from the 5/5

characters lives to serve as contrast to the moment when the monster
is introduced. The story begins with relatively normal events that
become increasingly strange, unexpected, or supernatural. The
protagonist should face obstacles throughout the story. The writer
foreshadows the ending in at least one part of the story. The climactic
moment of the story includes a moment when the protagonist and the
monster must fight one another.

STYLE. Writing style is plain, direct, and to the point. If the story takes 5/5
place in one setting, then that setting may be described in great detail.
The mood is dark and foreboding.

INCLUDES REQUIRED ELEMENTS. Selected opening line, red tennis n/a/5

shoe, Jamie, the Subway-sandwich-loving, surfing artist.

/30