Beneath the Waves
By Tamra Aslan Dec 2011
I look around and all I see is beauty. I feel the comforting touch of water hugging my body. I look up and see hints of the surface of this sea. Small droplets hit it, scattering the image of the sky above. Rings array from these drops spreading and crashing into each other. A splatter of light still peaks through the heavens, throwing a couple glowing shafts through the depths of the waters. This light does not glow far, and it dissipates into the darkness below. I watch as small particles dance across these shafts. As the water rolls diligently above me, a small current guides my body. The cool water is soothing as it plays with my hair. A small fish prances by my face; its scales shining with the light above. As I look around myself at this expansive underwater world, I want to see more. I want to find the creatures and the plants that call this paradise their home. Below me the world fades into darkness. The dark depths of this ocean hold secrets from me, and I long to know them.
As I swim down into the adventurous and unknown world, I hear laughter. It is a little boy. My eyes adjust to see the figure of a young boy swimming in the distance. He swims further down, and the longer I follow him, the more my eyes fail me, until everything is black. I can feel the darkness weighing down on me like a blanket. I tear at the envelope that surrounds me, hoping to break free of it. My arm reaches across one last time, and as it pulls at my surroundings it reveals something I did not expect.
I pull the blankets from over my head and see the familiar world. I am in a room on a boat. My little brother is there tugging on my arm to play with him. I realize it was him in my dream; the boy I was chasing in the ocean. We are with our parents on a fishing trip. My father loves deep sea fishing and we will even spend the weekend out in the ocean. Sometimes dolphins and even whales will greet our small boat. I can hear mom in the tiny kitchen preparing breakfast. Already the aroma of the delicious food has taken over the boat. I get dressed and go with my brother to our dad who is steering. Dad has him sit on his lap, and lets my brother steer for a while. Mom joins us to announce breakfast is ready. As I look at all their smiling faces something strange happens. The image of this world begins to ripple and shake. I try to fight it, but the image of my family dissipates leaving an empty ocean in its place. I am underwater.
I am alone bobbing in the waters’ currents. The water holds me down like chains trapping me. Am I dreaming still? Was I ever awake? I try calling for my parents, but the only sound I can make is a scream that pierces through the water.
I am on the boat playing with my brother on the deck. Rain begins to fall and I hear my mother’s voice calling us inside. Unexpectedly a strong wave catches our boat wrong, throwing my brother and me off balance. My father grabs the wheel, and my mother beckons us to hurry in. I have slid across the deck toward the bow of the boat. I am too far near the edge, the boat shifts once more. I find myself holding onto the railing of our small boat, my body hanging off the edge, my fingers gripping the cold, wet metal. I try to pull myself in. My brother runs to my side and offers me his hand. My mother is screaming and running for me. I can feel my brother’s tiny hand slipping; he is too weak to pull me back on board. Another wave laps against the boat, plunging me into the water.
The wave spins and swirls me down and down. I cannot see our boat anymore.
I stop screaming and there is silence. Nothing. My body feels limp. My breath is gone. My eyes remain open, searching for my little brother’s hand.
Darkness.
The sun shines light through the waves. The storm is over. I can see the playful fish swim by my face. I swim, following them, enjoying the cool water against my skin and flow through my hair. I swim into the darkness of the waters, looking for the secrets the ocean’s depths can tell me.
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