Sunday Walk.

"Do not be afraid. My name is Mary." Even though the voice was gentle. So unexpected was the intrusion, to my Sunday walk, I heard my breath rush out with an, "Ehh."1

Being four miles into the walk, had taken its toll. Now added with the startling release of what little air I could hold in my lungs, I stood gasping. My embarrassment at being so jumpy in the middle of the day, only adding to my gibbering state.2

"S-Sorry, I didn't, see you, there." I squeezed out with a deep breath between each word.  She was standing about twelve feet away from the path. Smiling she slowly started to walk over.3

"I'm Mary." She repeated.4

"Robert," I replied as I straighted to full height, and attempting to slow my breathing.5

As she emerged completely from the undergrowth, for the first time I realised how stunning she was. Not stunning as in beautiful, but stunning as in she had an irresistible attractiveness about her. The thin gown she wore did little to help my breathing, and did a lot to keep me looking at her face.6

"I didn't mean to startle you." she said, with eyes that would put any puppy to shame."I was looking for someone."7

Something inside me snapped, releasing a tension I was aware I felt until its release. The thought of her looking for her boyfriend, (some strapping hulk of a man, no doubt,) drew me back to reality.8

She stood directly before me now, still smiling. And for the first time, I became aware of her agelessness. Not in the way that she still looked young for her age. But in the sense that I couldn't tell if she was eighteen or forty. One minute she was young, but with a tilt of her head she she aged thirty years, but still that attractiveness remained.9

"Who are you looking for?" I asked.10

And her smell, her scent was intoxicating. Not a perfume, HER scent. That scent you find when you bury you face into the hairs on the back of a lovers neck. A personal smell, it seemed to soak into me, filling me with a longing.11

I could feel myself drawing deeper into myself. The forest and the girl were becoming more distant. The ground beneath my feet seemed to sway. The exertion had obviously been to much in this heat.12

I could see her lips moving before her voice reached my ears. "It is hot isn't it?"13

Had I said it was hot whilst I thought it? I wondered.14

She pulled provocatively at her thin gown.15

"I'm going swimming in the lake,"16

"Who, who are you look- looking for?" I mumbled17

She smiled and moved even closer, grabbing my arm.18

Oh the smell, 19

she was walking me towards the forest.20

"Not far now." she said.21

I tried to look around, all the trees were blurring into one, the forest becoming one massive tree. 22

It's her scent. It was working like a drug, the full reality hit me, but it was too late. I knew it, but no longer cared. I closed my eyes to try and ease the giddiness, my legs were already to numb to feel the brambles which snagged my skin.23

The sudden chill snapped me from my own absence. We were both standing chest high  in the cold water of the lake. Mary, only inches from my face, slowly opened her mouth and moved in for the final contact. The kiss, her scent filled me once more, and mingled with the water which had started seeping into my own open mouth.24

"Do not be afraid. My name is Mary." muffled now, " The last of the fresh-water sirens...."25