Mermaid Oil

So you've run out of sunblock.  There's no way a fair-skinned beauty is going to stay out in the sun without it.  Fortunately, you remember passing a small kiosk on the way in.  They had an absolutely amazing selection of products for the beach but you'd never heard of any of them.  Since you needed the sunblock and absolutely refused to give up a day of your vacation to find more familiar products, you decided to buy a small flask.  This in itself was puzzling.  Flask?  Who sold things in strangely shaped ancient-looking flasks.  Still, you needed the sunblock so were willing to ignore the strange container.  Besides, the owner assured you, you could return the empty bottle for a deposit refund.  That was good for the environment.

Deciding that a stretch of sea moss would be a comfortable place to sun for a bit, you began the ritual of oiling up.  Starting with the your hips, you worked downward to your feet and then upward to you arms and head.  Seeing several other women topless, you removed your top as well and covered the newly exposed skin.  It was then you noticed that things weren't as they should have been.  

Your spine was elongating, stretching like a rubber band from the base of your hips.  Within minutes, you found yourself in possession of a skinny tail with a small fish tail at its end.  This quickly grew in size while your legs vanished leaving nothing but a pair of fins just below your hips.  The expansion of the tail stretched and then destroyed your bikini bottom.

Lying on the sea moss, you took stock of yourself.  You most definitely were now a mermaid.  You hoped that it wasn't permanent as it would definitely put a crimp in your work life.  Hearing shouts of dismay from farther down the beach, you saw others (men and women alike) with fish tails instead of legs.  At least if it were permanent, you'd not be alone!

Photo Credits:
Woman: Oxygun
Fish: Wikimedia: Andshel