As she stood there on the rocks, Alison knew what she wanted all her life.... It was to be part of the sea. She was reminded of that statue of the girl in Europe, the one in the harbor, reclining so peacefully there looking out at the sea. She imagined what it to be like that.

Alison worked as a supply clerk for the Coast Guard, always wanting to go out on the boats with the crews, standing on the deck as they took a run out to save someone from drowning or catch a modern-day pirate drug runner. But no, that was not to be the life for her, Unfortunately, she failed the physical miserably, being 50 Lbs. too overweight for any active duty.

The day she found it out, she cried for hours, alone in her room at home. Alison had to content herself with being a supply clerk to stay near the ocean.She found herself not really seeking the company of the crewmen, even though she wanted to work with them. It was as if they were only avehicle, a way to touch the ocean in its whole raw power. It became her obsession.

One day....that fateful day. As the first storm of the season made its way inland, She was out on the rocks in the middle of the breaks,reaching out and touching every rain drop, every gust of howling wind, as it was fighting to keep her down.After an hour out there, She became incensed by the power of the living storm! As the rain and thunder pounded and the storm moved in closer and closer, she became more and more overcome by the frenzy the power gave! All of her senses became one with the storm. At some point, She felt her clothes flying off of her body! but all the while she was rooted to the ground, like the rocks that she stood upon.

Alison remembered thrusting her arms out as if to worship the storm and she cried out aloud " I am yours!.... and yours alone!....I have nolover! ... But take ME instead to be the woman of your Sea!" The waves crashed one gigantic final time and Alison felt her hair stand onend for what seemed an eternity of a second, then the white hot flash of the purest lightning struck her! electrifing her all over! Alison couldfeel herself become purer and purer, as if she was melting away, becoming a new creature. And then Alison felt......felt, she felt EVERYTHING in the world in one single huge pulse!..... and then she died.

The next thing she remembered, she stood on the rocks. Sunlight and calm were around her. the storm had passed and cleansed the world,she could FEEL it all. She rose and stood up and saw but couldn't believe her eyes.

She was silver!

She touched her body slowly looking herself all over and saw her reflection in the tidal pool in the rock below..

She was beautiful!

It was then that she knew what she was.

The Mistress of the Sea.

And as she realized herself, she slowly became more and more stiff. Realizing she was becoming a statue she was raising her head justenough before she froze in place to see....... her Lover