retelling of the little mermaid: chapter 1

When I wake up, the ocean floor is cold. The sunlight shines through the dark water and shines onto me. I lay flat on my back in the sand, surrounded by many small fish and some coral. The morning sun begins to slightly heat the water. I sit up and stare down at my fish tail that begins at the waist down. I feel disgust and thick tears fill my eyes. Or at least they would, If I were still human. I run my fingers through my long, thick brown hair. My hair is the last part of the old me that i have. I guess that is why I cherish my hair so much.
Over the other side of the reef, sleeps my mother. She is not my real mother, But she raised   and protected me from the day I was cursed into a mermaid. She was once human too, but she has been a mermaid far longer than I. I start this new day by swimming to the top of the reef, waiting for mother. I wait only a few minutes and she appears. She hugs me, which, in this case, means "Good morning" But only right now,while we're under water. We speak like average human beings on our rock. I notice she has her hands behind her back. I give a puzzled look and she holds out her hands. She has collected breakfast. Seaweed, small fish, and clams. She points to the surface to signal for us to go to our rock. It surfaces on top of our underwater cave-Which we hide in when scared or in danger. We both rise toward the surface, humming to each other with the stereotypical mermaid voice.
We reach the surface and climb onto our rock. The morning breeze is cool and gives me a slight chill. While we eat, we have our usual conversations. Mother seems quite cheerful today though. And now we see it. A giant Pirate ship sailing with the sun behind it. My mother panics and leaps into the water, but I stay. She rises her head above the water and says "Anata, dear!? Come on!" "But mother, I think they are making someone walk the plank!" I reply. And I'm right, though I wish I weren't. A man, blind folded, and a rope tied around his hands behind his back. Mother is breathless. Staring at the ship with fear in her eyes. "To the cave, Now!" she demands. Then the man jumps off the plank and sinks into the ocean. I ignore the order my mother just gave me and dive into the water. I don't know why, but I have an urge that's eating away at me. I must save this man from drowning...