The water was very clear and multi-colored sea plants undulated in the currents. Bright blue and orange fish swam around a bloated corpse that had gotten snagged on a coral tree. They were attracted to a shiny necklace with a glittering crucifix and a glittering silver belt-buckle that read “TEXAS”.

Two young mermaids discovered the body and inspected it with curiosity. The necklace caught the first mermaid’s eye. “Dare me to take the necklace?” she asked her friend. “Minna! That’s disgusting! His face is coming off!” Her friend replied. The flesh on his face was puffy and did appear to be detaching from the bone.

Minna swam over and tugged the necklace. Then she gave it a good yank. When she did, it pulled straight through the neck and the head floated upwards, away from the body. The other mermaid shrieked. A school of tiny silver fish swam out of the neck-hole.

“Look at this,” Minna said as she admired the crucifix. When she turned back to her friend, she screamed- the friend had taken the head and held it right in front of her face. The eyes were bugging out and it had a crooked smile. “Get that thing away from me!” Minna screeched. The other mermaid laughed.

And they both swam home, laughing, each with a new prize- the one wearing the necklace, the other cradling the human head.

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