I grew up in Scotland, a wonderful place for mythological creatures to roam, you may have grown up with some myths as well; my mam, grandmam and I, would sit around a fireplace as grandmam told her stories. My mam always told me it was important to listen to grandmam's stories, no matter how fantastical.

When my little sister, a glowing young lassie named Lainey, was born, my grandmam told us about the kelpie. Its name literally meant "waterhorse".

"Arran, Lainey, the kelpie is especially dangerous because it can get to know you, it shows up in the form of a handsome young lad on the beach and gets to know you. Eventually, the kelpie grows bored of the land, and takes the form of a beautiful black horse." This part was especially creepy, because my family ran a small horse ranch, how many kelpies could live in our backyard without us knowing?
"Then, it waits for the beautiful maiden, and when she climbs atop, her hands are stuck. And, the kelpie takes off, taking the maiden off into its sea palace, until she dies."

I always wanted to protect Lainey from the creatures my grandmam's stories told, I was the older one; the wiser one. Lainey was merely a young girl.

We'd go to ponds holding chubby, small hands like cherubs and dance.

Growing up, I soon realized I was gay, and that too, protected me from the creatures. After all, most creatures didn't go for men. Nor, for men that liked men. I was safe, and I could protect Lainey from the creatures. (And regular boyfriends who were just douchebags.) My dating pool was small, but safe.

​

One day, when I was in my young twenties, I had gone to the beach. That was when I first met him. There was a beautiful man, he had flowing black hair and sea-green eyes, I felt hypnotized. I didn't walk over that time, but I did notice the kelp and seaweed stuck in his hair. It didn't strike me as that odd, that day.

It was about a year later when I met the man again, this time near the pier. His hair was clean this time, and his eyes seemed dull. When I asked why, he had replied sadly; "Me and my girlfriend...broke up." I consoled him, and we quickly became friends.

​

It was when I was twenty-four, we became more than friends; Muir told me that he wished to be more, and I agreed, I could see nothing wrong and there was plenty of chemistry.

On our fourth month of happy dating, my grandmam had made me agree for her to meet Muir, and so, that was how we had a family dinner.

When we arrived, grandmam stared at Muir with judging eyes, and Lainey smiled and congratulated me, her fiance standing by her side.
"And, thats how we messed up our fourth lasagna of the night." I told Lainey, our smiling faces almost identical.

"I can't believe you and Muir are bad cooks!" Lainey laughed, her fiance smiling at her, he was a quiet sort. But, very nice and gentle. (And, not a douchebag.)

"We're not bad! The lasagna gods just hate us." I argued, a playful grin had been on my face.

"Sure." Drawled mam, "You can't even get microwaves to work, Arran."

I leaned over to Muir, "Defend me, beloved."

He slung an arm over my shoulder, and said; "Arran, you know its true. I'm the only one that can cook for shit."

I faked a cry, "I've been betrayed! Betrayed I tell you!"

That was the last happy night with my family, I couldn't help but see how grandmam judged Muir so darkly, like he had killed her last horse.

​

Later that night, grandmam pulled me away before we left.
"Arran, you're blinded by love. That man...he's not a man at all. He's a kelpie. Please, my grandson, leave him before its too late." My grandmam had begged.

"What? Grandmam! He's not a kelpie. He's just a fisherman." I argued, my arms crossed. I couldn't believe my grandmam would want to keep me away from my love, my beloved.

It was as if I was hypnotized, as if I couldn't see outside of Muir being the wonderful man I knew, usually I would always believe my grandmam; there was truth in "respecting your elders" for my grandmam held so much knowledge, and I held so much less.

Yet, I was blinded by that love I held.

​

I told Muir about it later with a smile, telling him about how silly my grandmam was.
"She thinks you're a kelpie, Muir!" I had laughed, not noticing how my beloved's eyes grew dark.

He laughed with me.

The next day, when I went to fee the horses, I saw something in the distance.

A beautiful stallion; pure black in colour, with a flowing mane that appeared curly. Like a friesian.

I walked closer to the stallion, hands up, slow. The horse neighed, and I couldn't help but grin. And, as I pet that silky coat, it felt oddly sticky; I took no notice, hypnotized by the stallion's eyes. They looked oddly human.

And, I climbed atop the stallion, the stallion let me with ease. And, with terror I realized that the stick coat wouldn't let my hands free. I tried to pull my hands away, pulling, pulling.

It didn't work, I screamed, trying to call for Muir, but I was leaning so far forward that when the horse began galloping I fell flat on the horse, and my face too, was stuck on that silky coat. I tried to pull away, terror gripping my body as I smelt the sea.

I could do nothing, I'd heard stories of people cutting off fingers to get away, but I couldn't do anything. I had no scissors and was face first on the kelpie. The terror pulsing through my veins made it hard to think, but all I knew was that I was going to die.

And I would never see my mam, my grandmam, or Lainey ever again.

I tried to pull away again, the terror gripping deeply, pulsing through my every vein. But, it did nothing, the kelpies sticky fur kept my body on tight. I could do nothing.

It was the worst terror I'd ever felt.

​

The kelpie quickly made it to the sea, and I could do nothing to stop it. Not even as the feel of the water surrounded me, the quick swim of the that beast made it so I was alive, and I wondered why it didn't just kill me already? Was it preparing for torture? To tear me apart?

It took only a few minutes to reach the kelpie's destination, a glistening palace.

That's where I currently am, hiding, hiding in a closet with a lock with Muir banging on the door, yelling that he'll remove every single lock until I've learned my lesson.

I can only hope you all learn your lesson about the strange men and women at the beach, for kelpie have been known to be both. I just hope I've saved a few lives.