Did you see her?

"So you are saying a mermaid lives in the lake?" Richard asked his eight-year-old brother as they walked back towards the guest house where they were staying.

"Yeah, a very beautiful one," replied the confident Jimmy.

"And you claim you have seen her?" Richard had an amused smile on his face now.

"Oh yes, I have," said Jimmy, his small eyes shining with excitement, "She has dark blue sparkling eyes and long red hair, and her tail is of baby pink color. She is very fair, just like the one I showed you the other day in my fairytale book."

Richard gave a small chuckle. "Little bro, mermaids don't exist," he said.

"But Ric, I have seen her," Jimmy insisted, "She lives deep in the lake."

"Jim, you read too many fairy tales you know," Ric said.

Richard was a sixteen-year-old boy, with curly dark brown hair and brown eyes. He and Jimmy, along with their parents and a four-year-old sister, Rose, were staying in the village of 'Fairy home' for the holidays. It was a small, beautiful village, near the busy town they lived in, and it was an ideal place to spend holidays. "Fairy home" was not its original name, but it was called that by most of the people. Some people believed the rumor that many centuries ago, this land was owned by fairies, elves and all sorts of other magical beings. However, most of the people believed another, and more logical reason for this name. 'Fairy home' was a very beautiful village, a perfect one to inspire fairytale writers.

High snowcapped mountains surrounded most of the area, and clean streams with cool water could be seen at various streets. Flowers of all the colors covered the many small gardens and vases outside the small brightly colored houses, and the twitter of many small birds felt quite pleasant to the ears. The most beautiful place in the village, though, was a lake, a little away from the crowded dwelling places. The nearest house was situated on only ten minutes walking distance, and that was the guest house.

The lake was very beautiful. High mountains surrounding the village were visible very clearly from the far away end. The water of the lake was smooth, and sparkled as bright as its base was made up of brightest diamonds, when the sun rays hit its surface. Soft fresh grass covered its boundaries, with many tiny flowers. According to Ric, it was a very likely place to let Jimmy's imagination run wild, since he was so fond of reading fairytales.

No matter how beautiful it was, Ric could not believe there was any chance of merpeople living beneath the depths of the lake, as Jimmy was so determined to believe. He would long have forgotten about this mermaid had Jimmy not continued to chatter about it to little Rose.

"And I am sure she lives in a marble castle, deep beneath the lake," Jimmy would tell Rose, who would look at him with her big bright eyes, probably believing every single word, "Or otherwise in a house made up of pebbles. And all the fishes and water creatures must love her.." To this point it will be too much for Ric, who would pick up his magazine and take refuge in another room, leaving Jimmy happy with telling tales to Rose.

However, no matter how much he found Jimmy's tales of mermaid irritating, Ric was really fond of the lake. It was very peaceful for mind to spend time there, and he would stay there for hours, enjoying the enchanted beauty and solitude.

The last morning of the holidays seemed to arrive too soon. Ric was once again sitting by the lake, looking its smooth surface for the last time probably before the next holidays. He wished they could stay there for a bit more time. But even as the thought arose in his mind, he heard his mother calling him back from distance, as it was nearly time to leave. He sighed and stood up and was about to turn around. It was then that something happened. He saw it out of corner of his eyes, and he was sure he had not imagined it. Moreover, the splash he heard was loud and clear, and there was no way what he saw has not happened.

A figure had jumped out of the lake, and had dived back in it. He was definite he had seen a cloud of long red hair, and a light pink tail. But as he ran forwards, more near the lake, he could see no ripples, and the surface was as smooth as ever. However, he was certain the figure was not his imagination. He stepped more closer to the lake water, and peered inside the clean water. He felt his heart skip several beats and his eyes blink. A pair of inky blue eyes were staring at him out of the depth of lake, glittering like gems, vanishing the moment he had blinked. He knew it was not hallucination. The eyes were really there a second ago.

Slowly, he turned round, and for a second was startled to see Jimmy standing there, who was sent here, probably by their mother, to fetch Ric back to the guest house. The smile playing on his lips had something understanding on it.

"It seems I forgot to mention they swim really fast," he said.