The ocean was something that I had always found solace in. It’s clear blue-green waters were an accurate representation of what goes on in my mind: sometimes still and calm, void of disturbances, completely blank and blissful; other times raging with the storm, waves violently crashing and the current too strong to control, just like the thoughts that plagued my mind at times.   I lived near the ocean, so close that I could hear the waves wash over the shore all day long. Most of the time, you would find me bathing in the cold water, letting all the worries and the many, many thoughts in my mind just flow out to sea. When I was younger, I would always hear stories of dark and cunning creatures that lurked deep in the ocean. Their appearance was said to be like that of a young man, only with webbed hands and feet, pale skin that had a slight blue tinge, gills adorning the sides of their necks. Some stories say that these creatures only preyed on young women, some say that they would show themselves only at night under the full moon, and others say that they had hideous faces and that their method of luring young women into the depths was via hypnosis. They were called mermen and I have yet to encounter one, thus my belief in them was nonexistent.   I was never one to believe these stories, thinking that they were merely old wives’ tales. Now I’m 20 and still, the ocean was a place of escape from reality for me.    As I sat in class, listening to a lecture, I stared nonchalantly out the window at the beach and the wave that crashed on the sand, losing myself in it’s rhythm, when suddenly a flash of black and pale ivory caught my eyes. I looked towards the right of the beach where a rock formation was situated, and saw an abnormally pale man quickly dive under the water. I watched that spot for a few minutes, waiting for him to come back up, but he never did.    “Miss Min… Miss Min. Miss Min!” my teacher called my name loudly, snapping my attention towards him. “Please answer when you are being called. Now, translate the second passage on page 32.”   “Sorry, teacher. I will pay more attention from now on.” I said as I stood to read my translation out loud.   Class ended for the day forty minutes later and I gathered my belongings to head home. I had assignments that needed to be completed, and being the studious type, I wanted to get them done as soon as possible, the man at the beach earlier on totally forgotten.   I worked in my bedroom for most of the early evening, only stopping when my friend called me for dinner. It was now late in the evening and I had gotten one assignment done. I had prepared myself for bed, trying to keep myself busy to prevent my mind from wondering. Donned with a light grey night gown, my hair fell in waves down my back after being freshly washed and dried