We told her to avoid the beach before the Harvest Moon. She went anyway to do nighttime yoga, half-moon her favorite lunar phase. She was never heard from again and the search dogs found nothing. When the full moon rose, we went looking. The wind kicked up. Boat chains clanged against the dock as a dark shape rose from the water. The monster held a small person in his arms. He placed her upon the sand. She turned to him, water dripping from her newly formed gills, and said: I had a lovely time. Thank you for bringing me home.
[This story was awarded Third Place in our SpecFicWriters Drabble Readers’ Choice Awards announced in February 2026]
