Loralie and the Mermaid

    By T.j. Alligood

    Loralie and the Mermaid cover image

    15 Jun, 2024

    a girl walking on a beach with seashells and a shell in her hand and a blue sky with clouds, fantasy art, a storybook illustration, Clarice Beckett, storybook illustration

    Loralie was collecting seashells on her favorite beach, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she found one unique shell after another.

    a beautiful young lady with long hair standing on a beach next to the ocean with a shell in her hand, fantasy art, a detailed drawing, Artgerm, highly detailed digital painting

    Suddenly, Loralie stumbled upon a mermaid trapped in a fisherman's net. The mermaid's long blond hair shimmered in the sun, and her scales were a dazzling mix of pink and green.

    two girls sitting in a bathtub with a green tile wall behind them and a green tile wall behind them, pop surrealism, a storybook illustration, Evaline Ness, comic cover art

    Loralie took the mermaid home and made her a comfy bed in the bathtub. She took care of the mermaid's wound, treating it just like her mom did when she got hurt.

    a cartoon mermaid sitting in a bathtub with a fish in it's hand and a fish in her hand, pop surrealism, a storybook illustration, David Paton, highly detailed digital painting

    The mermaid, grateful for Loralie's help, thanked her with a soft smile. Loralie was overjoyed and couldn't wait to show her friends the beautiful mermaid on Monday.

    a girl with long hair walking down a path with other girls in the background and a playground in the background, danube school, a storybook illustration, Elinor Proby Adams, comic cover art

    Monday came, and Loralie couldn't contain her excitement. She shared her secret with her friends, who were in awe of her fascinating tale.

    a cartoon of a girl with pink hair and a blue shirt and a pink backpack and a crowd of people, vancouver school, a storybook illustration, Diego Gisbert Llorens, rossdraws global illumination

    However, Loralie’s friends were skeptical. They asked for proof, to which Loralie promised she would bring them to meet the mermaid after school.

    a cartoon of a mermaid sitting in a bathtub with a window overlooking the ocean and a bird flying over the water, fantasy art, a storybook illustration, Elinor Proby Adams, storybook illustration

    After school, Loralie hurried home, only to find the mermaid looking sad. She was missing her home in the sea and wished to return.

    a cartoon mermaid sitting in a bathtub with a window behind her and a fish in her hair,, fantasy art, a storybook illustration, Cliff Childs, kinkade

    Loralie was in a dilemma. She wanted to help the mermaid return to the sea, but she also wanted to show her friends the mermaid. After much thought, she decided to help the mermaid first.

    a beautiful mermaid with pink hair and a green dress on the beach at night with stars and moon in the sky, fantasy art, a character portrait, Edwin Georgi, highly detailed digital painting

    Loralie, with the help of her friends, managed to transport the mermaid back to the sea. The mermaid, overjoyed, thanked Loralie and her friends for their kindness.

    a beautiful young woman with long pink hair standing in the ocean with a starfish in her hair and a green dress, fantasy art, a detailed painting, Anna Dittmann, rossdraws global illumination

    As the mermaid swam away into the deep sea, Loralie felt a pang of sadness but was also happy for the mermaid's freedom. She waved at her new friend, promising to keep her secret safe.

    a group of people standing in a hallway together with a backpack on their back and a backpack on their shoulder, vancouver school, a comic book panel, Artgerm, comic cover art

    The next day at school, Loralie and her friends shared their incredible adventure. Some didn’t believe them, but that didn’t bother Loralie.

    a group of young girls standing next to each other on a sidewalk in front of a building with a group of people standing around, vancouver school, a storybook illustration, disney, rossdraws global illumination

    She knew what she had done was right. Loralie realized that no matter how beautiful or unique, every creature belongs to its home. And for that, she was proud.