This is a piece I wrote for a book submission last year. It was inspired by my trip to Labuan Bajo and Komodo Island, and weaves together the beauty of the place with elements of local folklore and a little bit of magic. Enjoy!

The Sea Comb

By Melissa Tang

It was a cold morning, and Abby was reluctant to go out to sea. School break had just started, and she’d rather stay home and play the latest game on her phone.

“Abby, it’s time to go, or you’ll miss the tour boats!” Grandma reminded her.

Abby grumbled. She didn’t understand why she had to keep doing what she’d been doing since she was ten. Together with her little brother, Joseph, she would paddle over to larger anchored tour boats to sell souvenirs, snacks, and drinks to tourists.

It had been four years now. In her hometown of Labuan Bajo, a fishing town on the island of Flores in East Nusa Tenggara, it was common for children to help their families this way after school. But over the last two years, more and more tourists had been visiting Labuan Bajo. Even during school breaks, Abby still had to work.

“I’ll go, I’ll go soon!” Abby finally decided. The sooner she was done, the earlier she could go home and play Enchanted Warriors.

And off she went with Joseph, carrying two white containers filled with handmade shell bracelets, manta ray figurines, local fridge magnets, and more.

They paddled in the usual direction, heading west, where the tour boats were typically anchored to catch the evening spectacle of bats.

As they paddled, Abby recognized one particular spot—a place where the water suddenly turned darker shades of blue, and the temperature seemed to drop.

She had always been curious about it.

“I wonder what’s down there,” she said.

She had guessed that the area was rich with sea creatures and coral, and secretly, she had always wanted to dive in and explore what lay beneath.

“Joseph, have you ever wondered why the water is colder and bluer right here?” Abby asked.

“I wonder too—but remember what Grandma said. A place like this could be dangerous. There might be sirens,” Joseph responded softly.

“Sirens! Do you believe they still exist? I’ve never heard of anyone encountering sirens!” Abby exclaimed.

Joseph shrugged. “I don’t know. But Grandma says the sea remembers what belongs to it.”

Before Abby could reply, Joseph pointed ahead.

“Hey, we’re getting close. Hand me the ropes!”

They anchored themselves to a big tour boat. The tourists were getting ready to snorkel and dive, and the captain of the boat knew them well.

Somehow, that morning, he offered them a chance to dive.

Joseph hesitated.

“Are you sure it’s okay? Grandma always says to just sell souvenirs, never to participate in anything else.”

“Oh, come on, Joseph. How often do we get offered a chance to dive? Look, they have extra equipment!” Abby said excitedly.

Joseph reluctantly agreed.

Minutes later, Abby was greeted by the cold waters of the sea. She knew how to dive, of course, and soon realized that the group was heading in the direction of the mysterious spot.

It’s time to discover what lies underneath, she silently whispered.

Sure enough, it was the most beautiful underwater world she had ever seen.

Beautiful and colourful corals swayed gently in the water. Schools of fish darted between them, flashing silver and gold in the sunlight. Everything looked magical.

Abby was thrilled.

She swam further away from the group, taking in all the sights. Then, among the sea moss, something caught her eye.

A golden comb.

It was the most intricate comb she had ever seen, covered in delicate golden details that looked as though they could have come from a long-lost ship.

Abby picked it up.

The comb was strangely warm despite the cold water.

For a moment, she thought about putting it back.

Grandma would probably tell me to leave it alone.

But she looked at the beautiful golden details again.

She had never owned anything so beautiful.

“No one has to know about this,” Abby thought.

She slipped the comb into her pocket.

Since that morning, Abby had been using the golden comb to brush her hair. She was mesmerized by its beauty.

Then something strange happened.

Her hair began to grow.

At first, Abby thought it was simply a coincidence. But within days, her hair had become noticeably longer. She began brushing it more often, fascinated by how quickly it grew.

Sometimes, while she brushed her hair, she thought she could hear something.

A faint singing voice.

It seemed to come from far away, like a song carried by the waves.

But whenever she stopped brushing, the singing disappeared.

Abby never told anyone about it.

Then one evening, she noticed that her voice sounded different.

The next morning, she could barely speak.

At the dinner table, Grandma immediately noticed.

“Abby, what happened to your voice?” she asked. Then she looked at Abby’s hair. “And your hair—it’s growing so fast. Are you using something?”

Abby lowered her head.

She was worried. She didn’t want to upset Grandma, but she knew she had to come clean.

“I found a comb beneath the waters the other day,” she confessed, her voice hoarse. “I’ve been using it since.”

Grandma’s expression changed.

“Oh, good heavens!”

She stood up immediately.

“Don’t you know we must never take what belongs to the sea?”

Abby looked down at the golden comb.

“But it’s just a comb,” she whispered.

“No,” Grandma said firmly. “It belongs to someone. Or something.”

Abby remembered the strange singing she had heard.

“Is it the sirens?”

Grandma was silent for a moment.

“I don’t know,” she finally said. “But the sea gives us many things, Abby. Food. Shelter. A living. That doesn’t mean everything in it belongs to us.”

Abby felt a knot in her stomach.

“I’m sorry.”

“Then return it.”

And so, the next morning, Joseph and Abby took a small boat and headed out to sea.

When they reached the familiar spot, Abby looked down into the dark blue water.

She took a deep breath and dove.

The water was colder than she remembered.

She swam towards the familiar bed of sea moss, holding the golden comb tightly in her hand.

Then she heard it.

A voice.

Soft at first.

Then another.

And another.

They were singing from somewhere beneath the waves.

Abby looked around, but she could see no one.

She held out the comb.

“I’m sorry,” she tried to say.

But no words came out.

The voices grew louder.

Then, from beneath the waves, came a haunting song:

“You cannot see us from the shores,
The golden comb will never be yours.”

Abby dropped the comb.

It disappeared into the darkness below.

She quickly swam back to the surface and climbed into the boat.

Joseph looked at her worriedly.

“What happened?”

Abby tried to answer, but her voice was still gone.

She looked back at the dark blue water.

For the first time, she understood.

The sea was beautiful.

The sea was mysterious.

And the sea was not hers to own.

From that day on, Abby never took anything from the sea again.