[ WP ] People that die in the ocean become mermaids

Stars permeated the midnight blue sky above The Sundmaður as it rested on the still waters of the Norwegian Sea, as the Northern Lights danced to their own ethereal tune, painting swathes of neon from horizon to horizon. To the South, the tip of Iceland marked its presence by means of a lighthouse. Astrid stood on the bow, her eyes stung in the cold air of February, what little of her face that was open to the elements framed by a mass of fur on her hood. Her breath created clouds beneath her chin, and she stared out at the picturesque scene before her. 
 
 Warmth engulfed her from behind, two arms folded across her waist. Kristian's voice broke the sound of water lapping at the boat. 
 
 `` Such a beautiful night.'' 
 
 `` I just wish papa could be here,'' Astrid replied. 
 
 `` He's painting the sky as we speak,'' Kristian gestured to the art above their heads. 
 
 Astrid sobbed, she turned and buried her face into Kristian's chest. Ten years had passed since Astrid's father had died whilst fishing out here, a rogue wave had capsized his vessel, and there were no survivors. Kristian had hired The Sundmaður to bring Astrid out to the place where her father's ship sunk, to mark the ten years of emptiness she had felt and to try and bring closure. She had to move on. He held her and stared out into the distance, they had arrived at the last known location of the Sjó Mær, and would have a small ceremony in the morning to remember Papa. 
 
 Something disturbed the water. 
 
 `` Was that a dolphin?'' Astrid leaned over the side, eager to see one. 
 
 `` We're a bit far north for that, are n't we?'' Kristian replied, `` Perhaps a narwhal.'' 
 
 There was nothing in the waters around them, much to Astrid's disappointment. She sighed, and leant against the railings. 
 
 `` I just wish I could tell him I'm sorry.'' 
 
 `` He knows.'' 
 
 `` But I have n't told him! I wish I had told him I'm sorry before he left. I wish I had n't told him I hated him. It was just a silly argument!'' 
 
 `` Astrid, you were thirteen. Every teenager and their father falls out.'' 
 
 `` I ca n't shake it.'' 
 
 Something disturbed the water. 
 
 `` What *is* that?'' Astrid peered out into the darkness. Again, nothing. 
 
 `` Just fish,'' Kristian dismissed the matter. 
 
 `` It's bigger than fish!'' 
 
 `` There are some big fish...'' 
 
 `` Oh shut up.'' 
 
 Kristian turned the floodlights on, illuminating the black water. 
 
 `` See? Nothing.'' 
 
 Something disturbed the water. 
 
 `` There!'' Astrid pointed. A circular ripple travelled across the water. 
 
 `` It's probably nothing!'' Kristian was starting to get agitated by this. It's the ocean, there's bound to be things jumping in and out of it! 
 
 Something disturbed the water. 
 
 `` Kristian! It's a person!'' 
 
 Kristian threw himself at the barrier and leaned out to see. Has someone fallen overboard? He stared at the ripples. There was a head and two arms. The person was n't screaming or making noise... they must be drowning! 
 
 `` Man overboard!'' He shouted, and signalled the alarm. Crew roused from their stations and amassed on the railing, one threw a life ring out to the person, another group headed to one of the boats and prepared it to be lowered. `` Grab the ring!'' the crewman shouted. 
 
 The body did n't respond. 
 
 `` Get in the ring!'' 
 
 The body looked at the ring, and laughed. The body then disappeared under the surface. 
 
 `` He's drowning!'' Astrid screamed. 
 
 The boat was being lowered. Spotlights focused on the spot the body was seen last. Moments passed in silence as the boat sped over to the location and crewmen raked around beneath the water to find the body. Nothing. 
 
 Something disturbed the water. 
 
 The body was now ten feet in the air, the man glistened, naked, underneath the stars and the aurora borealis. His body dripped, only, something was n't quite right... The torso was unmistakably human. There was a head, two arms, shoulders, a chest, a penis, a rear, and an abdomen. But the legs... they were stuck together, undefinable from each other, wrapped in flesh. You could still see they were once legs, you could see the bend in the knee, the bumps of the kneecaps, and the fact that there was an indentation running between them down the centre of this flesh. The feet had rotated to be at right angles with the body, and were elongated and flattened. 
 
 Everyone watched in awe. 
 
 `` A mermaid..?'' Kristian gasped. 
 
 The body disappeared beneath the water. Everyone clamoured to get a better look, phones were out and people were snapping photos and filming videos. This was the stuff of fairy tale, surely! 
 
 Something disturbed the water. 
 
 The body was beside the ship, beneath Astrid. Its eyes fixed upon her, and her's upon it. She knelt, and stuck her head under the railings. 
 
 ``... Papa?''
