Bewitched By the Siren

<p><strong style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>I don't want to be famous. I <em>can't </em>be.</strong></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>When I sing at Memaw's Bar every weekend there's one hard and fast rule: no recording of any kind. It's not a bar rule it's a </span><em style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Hali </em><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>rule.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Because if people were to post videos or audio clips of my performances word would get out and this tiny island off Georgia's coast would be overrun with people trying to meet me. To </span><em style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>discover </em><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>me and bring me into the limelight.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>And that's not my ego talking. It's a fact. The crowds that come to see me aren't just captivated by my talent. They're enthralled by my </span><em style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>magic.</em></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Only my mother knows the truth--I'm not human. I'm a mermaid and my siren's song is all-powerful. Mom found me on the beach when I was a toddler and she took me in. Raised me. Loved me. Kept my secret.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>And now that she's sick it's my turn to take care of her. And that means risking my secret for tips every Friday and Saturday night. And even though no one has ever recorded me word of mouth is a powerful thing. </span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>That's why </span><em style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>he's</em><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)> here. Brendan Howser. Talent agent and temporary next door neighbor.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>He thinks he can wear me down and get me to sign with his agency but it's not going to happen. It can't. But Brendan doesn't give up easily. </span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>And neither does the stranger who's started following me and snapping pictures from behind bushes. When he shows up at Memaw's wearing noise-cancelling headphones and screaming about siren magic I realize the truth--</span><strong style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>he <em>knows</em></strong><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>And he's determined to prove it to the world.</span></p><p></p>