I Sat By The Ocean
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My eyes were wide as I watched the ship’s sail fill with wind and slowly rise, pulling my father’s longboat out to sea. I knew that the men of my family had been sailing ships like this for centuries, but I never expected to see one in person until much later in life.
I was a very young child when we left our village on the coast of northern Kesh. My mother was worried about her only son, so she decided it would be best if I traveled with my uncle to his home city of Sumbria, where he could keep me safe while they continued their journey westward.
It took us three weeks to reach the coast, which is not too far from here. We spent a few days there waiting for the right weather conditions, then we sailed along the coast all night and made landfall at sunrise.
When I saw the ocean for the first time I was overwhelmed by its size and beauty. It reminded me of how vast and powerful my mother must have felt when she gave birth to me. For many years after that trip, every time I looked upon the ocean, I thought back to those memories and the wonder that still lingers within me today.
—From the journal of Larken Al-Kahir, Year 6
***
A Long Day at Sea
The day started off well enough; I awoke feeling rested and ready to start the new voyage. A quick breakfast followed by a warm bath and shave made me feel good, especially since I did not need to wear a coat or jacket anymore!
Then the crew gathered around me, and before I realized what happened, we were already underway. They seemed eager to get underway, and I assumed that meant we would make better speed than usual. At least that’s what I hoped.
As we sailed, the sun began to set over the horizon, leaving behind a brilliant display of reds and oranges in the sky. It was beautiful to look upon, reminding me of my homeland, even though I hadn’t seen it in almost twenty years.
I sat on the deck enjoying the view, and I soon noticed some movement near the waterline. Curious, I went up onto the main deck to investigate. There I found my first mate, Samir, staring down into the waves. “What are you doing?” I asked him.
“Looking for sharks,” he replied. He pointed toward the waters below, and I saw several large dorsal fins circling the boat. Samir told me that these types of fish normally live farther north, so I couldn’t understand why they would come this close to shore.
That is until he explained that the local fishermen often use them for bait during the winter months. Once I learned that I understood the reason for the shark activity.
Samir also told me that he was hoping to find some whales to hunt. This sounded exciting, so I joined him. We stood at the prow looking for any sign of them, but nothing appeared. After a few minutes of searching, Samir called out to me: “Captain, something has washed ashore.”
I walked up next to him, and he showed me what he’d spotted. It was a dead man, who appeared to be dressed in clothes similar to mine. His head was missing, and his arms and legs were severed just above the knees.
Samir said, “He’s been dead for two days now, Captain. He probably fell overboard sometime last week and drowned. Or maybe he was attacked by a shark. Either way, he won’t be bothering anyone again!”
***
Rising Waters
The winds blew hard, and the seas grew rough. Waves crashed against the hull, sending spray flying everywhere. Water flooded the hold, causing the barrels of wine and ale to spill across the floor. As the ship tilted dangerously to starboard, everyone rushed to the railings to steady themselves. In the darkness of the stormy night, I feared we might capsize.
Suddenly, the lights flickered and dimmed, and then disappeared altogether. The sails snapped tautly, and the ship lurched forward. The crew screamed in fright as they tried to stand their ground. Some threw themselves over the side of the ship, while others held tightly to whatever they could grab.
One moment I was holding tight to the railing, the next I was thrown backward by the sudden shift. My head struck the metal wall of the hold, and everything turned black. I didn’t know if I was alive or dead, but I knew I needed help. So, I opened my eyes, only to see a dark shadow standing over me. It moved away quickly, and I lost sight of it in an instant.
I heard someone shouting, “Someone throwing me a rope!” Suddenly, I realized it wasn’t a shadow; it was the silhouette of another sailor clinging to the rigging. The figure reached down and grabbed my hand, pulling me to safety. Together we clung to the ropes for dear life, trying desperately not to fall from our perch.
When I regained consciousness, the storm had passed, and the moon shone brightly overhead. I looked around to find myself on the deck, with all hands gathered about me. I took a deep breath, thankful to still be alive. But I also wondered how long I had been unconscious. Was it hours? Days? Weeks? Time ceased to have meaning when one is trapped inside a body.
”Where am I?” I thought aloud. No one responded, and I was unsure if they could hear me or not. All I wanted was to rest my eyes, but I felt like I couldn’t escape the intense light shining down on me.
Then I heard a voice say, “It’s your captain speaking. Are you awake?”
I blinked and saw a face peering down at me. I recognized him immediately; it was my first mate, Samir.
”Thank the gods,” I said to him, relieved to finally meet my own eyes.
”You’re safe now,” Samir reassured me. “We’ll get you back home soon enough.”
After that, I don’t remember anything else—not even the journey home. I’m not sure if it was a dream, or whether I really did return to my homeland. Regardless, I can never forget that day, the day I met the ghost of my former self.
***
A Ghostly Message
As the sun rose slowly into the sky, a beautiful woman appeared before us. She wore flowing white robes that flowed in the breeze, and her hair was the color of the sea. Her skin glistened as she approached, and the light reflected off it.
She gazed upon the ship with sad eyes and whispered, “My husband is dead. And my son… he died many years ago. You are his father, aren’t you?”
”Yes, I am,” I replied quietly. Then, without warning, I burst into tears. I cried for my wife, whose spirit I’d left behind in this world. For my unborn child whom I would never know.
”How could you do such a thing? How dare you abandon me?” the woman demanded.
I wiped the tears from my eyes. “I loved you more than words can describe! And I’ve missed you every single day since I departed. If there were any way possible, I would have returned sooner.”
”Why didn’t you come to see me?” she asked. “Did you think I wouldn’t miss you as much as you missed me?”
”I didn’t want to hurt you,” I explained. “And I was afraid that if I visited you, you’d ask why I hadn’t brought my family with me. I knew what I must do. I had to leave them behind so they could live.”
The woman shook her head in disbelief. “What kind of man leaves his wife and children behind?!”
”I told you: I love you more than anything.”
”That doesn’t matter!” she yelled. “They mean everything to me! I can’t believe you abandoned them!”
At that point, she began to fade away until she was nothing more than a memory. I watched her disappear until the only thing remaining was the sound of the ocean. I closed my eyes, thinking back to the days I spent sailing with my family. When the memories became too painful, I forced myself to open them once again. I knew I’d never see her again.
***
Dawn broke over the horizon, casting a pale glow across the land. The wind blew gently through the trees, rustling the leaves as they swayed in the breeze. I stood atop a hill overlooking the ocean, watching the waves crash against the rocks below.
It had been three months since I set sail from my hometown, and I was beginning to wonder where I should go next. I had no idea who I could turn to for advice. So far, I’d done pretty well for myself, but I wasn’t sure what the future held.
Suddenly, I heard the faint sound of someone singing nearby. I followed the noise toward the top of the cliff, which overlooked a small bay. There sat a young boy, his back facing me as he sang softly.
He continued singing until the song ended abruptly. He turned around, looking up at the stars twinkling above him. They shone brightly against the darkening sky, making it difficult to distinguish between one star and another. The boy smiled as he stared upward.
His eyes grew wide when he noticed something out in the distance. I followed his gaze and looked in the same direction. What I saw took my breath away.
It was a giant ball of fire rising high into the air, shooting straight up toward the heavens. It disappeared in an instant, leaving nothing but a brilliant trail in its wake. A second later, it reappeared, this time hovering right over our heads. As we stared in amazement, the bright ball of fire grew larger and brighter.
In less than five seconds, the ball of flame was nearly twice as large as the moon itself. It hovered there for several minutes, then began to move downward, disappearing just as quickly as it arrived.
The boy stared in awe at the sight of this fiery ball of energy floating over our heads, wondering how long it might last. I felt like I could feel the heat radiating from the object.
Then, all of a sudden, it disappeared entirely, leaving behind not even a trace of smoke or steam. All that remained was a deep sense of peace as if all of my troubles had suddenly vanished.
Before I realized it, I found myself standing beside the boy on the cliff, gazing out at the ocean. We stood together in silence, staring at the glowing ball of light. I couldn’t help but smile. My heart felt lighter than ever before, and I wondered if this feeling might be the start of a new life—one that included a happy family.
As the sun slowly sank beneath the horizon, I turned to look down at the beach. A small boat lay anchored near the shore, bobbing gently in the water. I walked down the steep slope, carefully avoiding the sharp rocks along the way.
At the bottom of the hill, I stepped onto the sand, glancing around at the rocky coastline. Suddenly, I spotted the figure of a man sitting in the middle of the beach. His back faced me, and he seemed completely unaware of my presence.
I approached cautiously, keeping my distance so as not to spook him. Slowly, I crept closer and peered over his shoulder. I gasped when I realized he was writing in a book, oblivious to his surroundings. I thought about approaching him but decided instead to sit down near him. After taking a seat on the sand, I quietly waited for a while.
After some time passed without any sign of life from the man, I decided to get up and leave. As I started to walk away, however, I glanced back at the man’s face. Something caught my eye, causing me to stop dead in my tracks. He was wearing the most beautiful pair of blue eyes I had ever seen.
For a moment, I forgot why I came here in the first place, mesmerized by those sparkling orbs. But before I knew it, the man had flipped a page in his book and was studying whatever he wrote. He didn’t seem to notice my presence at all.
I watched him intently, trying to see what he wrote inside his journal. Just then, I realized that he must have noticed me looking over his shoulder because he stopped writing and looked directly at me.
“Hello,” he said. “What can I do for you?”
I froze in my spot. How did he know I was here? Was it possible he saw me sitting on the beach? Or maybe he saw me climb the hill earlier and followed me here. Either way, I wasn’t sure how to answer him. I stuttered a bit, unsure whether or not to tell him anything.
“Um…well…” I said. “Are you the only person who lives here?”
The man nodded with a friendly grin. “Yes, I am.”
“And is anyone else coming?”
Again, he shook his head.
“So where are your parents?”
He pointed toward the mountains. “They live in the mountain village below us.”
I nodded. “Well, um, thank you for answering my questions. And thanks also for letting me come here today.”
My words sounded rather stiff. I tried again to sound more casual, hoping my voice wouldn’t give me away. “Bye now.”
Without waiting for a response, I turned around and began walking back to the village.
When I got back home, I told my mother everything I experienced. She listened intently as I recounted the events of that evening. When I finished speaking, she smiled warmly and hugged me. “You were blessed, my dear,” she whispered.
“That’s the first time in a very long time that I’ve felt such peace. I think the gods sent you an angel that day. You’re going to need that gift one day; remember that!”
I smiled at her and nodded. Then, I asked another question: “Will you teach me to read?”
She laughed softly. “Of course! Why don’t you go pick out a book tomorrow after breakfast? I’ll show you how to use your gift.”
The next morning, I went into town and purchased a simple wooden-bound book. It had no title written on the cover. Inside, there was nothing except blank pages.
I took it home and showed it to my mom. “Is this right?” I asked excitedly. “Does it say ‘read’ on each page?”
My mother chuckled and shook her head. “No, it doesn’t. Not yet, anyway.”
I frowned. “Why not?”
She shrugged. “It’s like this, sweetie. Your gift allows you to read thoughts. But the word ‘read’ isn’t really a thought. Instead, it’s just a word we use to describe the process. The same goes for other words too.
For example, if you wanted to know what someone thinks about something, you would have to ask them specifically. That means they might have already forgotten what they originally thought about the subject.”
I furrowed my brows in confusion. “But then how will I learn to read people’s minds?”
Her expression changed to sadness. “You won’t be able to read their minds. At least, not until you become an adult—that’s when you gain the ability to understand and interpret others’ thoughts. Until then, you will still struggle to figure out what people mean even though you hear their words perfectly well.”
I sighed in disappointment. My hope of learning to read minds seemed hopeless.
However, my mother reassured me. “Don’t worry. In time, you will begin to develop a sixth sense that helps you figure things out. Eventually, you will start to feel the emotions behind the words people speak. That’s when you’ll truly understand what people think. It’s kind of hard to explain, but I’m sure you’ll eventually grasp it once you try.”
I nodded slowly. “Okay. Thanks.”
Over the years, I learned that reading books helped me practice interpreting feelings. By doing so, I was able to better discern between true thoughts and mere words.
One day, while I was studying at the library, a handsome young man approached me. He introduced himself as Eli and explained that he lived nearby. We exchanged pleasantries, then he asked if I could help him find some information on the island.
I agreed, then I quickly returned to my desk to get started. After several minutes of searching through old books, I found exactly what he was looking for.
We thanked each other for help, then he walked away. As I watched him leave, I wondered why I hadn’t noticed him before. He was tall and muscular with short, dark brown hair, striking blue eyes, and a dimple on his left cheek.
His face reminded me of a Greek statue, which made me wonder why I never paid attention to him before. Perhaps because I didn’t know him, or perhaps because he looked intimidating. Either way, I decided to avoid him from then on.
After Eli left, I sat down and resumed reading. Suddenly, I heard footsteps approaching. Startled, I glanced up and saw Eli standing beside my table. He grinned, revealing two rows of perfect white teeth. I couldn’t take my eyes off his mouth.
“Are you all alone, beautiful girl?” he asked.
My cheeks flushed red. “Um, yeah, why do you ask?”
He smirked and leaned over the table, causing his chest to brush against mine. “Because you look lonely.”
Embarrassment flooded my mind. How did he know that I was feeling lonely? Did he somehow read my thoughts? Or maybe I was imagining things. Regardless, I tried to hide my embarrassment by turning back to my work.
Eli grabbed my hand and placed it on his thigh. “Do you want to talk about it? Maybe I can help,” he said in a low voice.
I froze. Was he flirting with me? If so, what should I say? Should I agree to chat or ignore him? However, the longer I stared at his lips, the more difficult it became to decide.
“All right,” I whispered. “Let’s talk.”
His eyes lit up, and he released my hand. Then he motioned towards a corner of the room where we’d be less visible from the other patrons. Once we were far enough away, he turned to face me. “What’s wrong, pretty girl? Is it something bad?”
I bit my lip, unsure of how much I should tell him. “Actually…” I hesitated, trying to determine the best approach. “There’s this guy who lives nearby who keeps bothering me.”
Eli laughed. “Well, that’s good news!”
“How is that good news?” I demanded. “I don’t need him bothering me! Why would anyone ever bother me?”
Eli shrugged. “People always have reasons to be bothered. Don’t let one person make you think differently about yourself.”
I furrowed my brows. “But he doesn’t care about me. All he does is harass me.”
“Then why are you letting him bother you?” Eli questioned.
I sighed and lowered my gaze. “I don’t know. I guess I just don’t want to fight back.”
Eli nodded. “That makes sense. But here’s another question: why did you choose to come here today?”
I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I felt like an idiot for asking such a simple question. Of course, I had chosen to come here. Why else would I be sitting alone at the library instead of in my bedroom?
As I mulled over my answer, Eli leaned closer. “Why did you really come here, pretty girl?” he whispered.
The sound of his voice caused goose bumps to rise along my arms. “Umm…because I wanted to learn,” I answered.
A smirk formed across Eli’s lips. “Is that your real reason?”
I rolled my eyes. “Of course not.”
He chuckled. “No, it’s not. You’re embarrassed because of someone else.”
I scrunched up my nose. “Who says I’m embarrassed?”
“You are,” he insisted. “Your face got hot when you first spotted me.”
Heat flooded my cheeks. “Maybe it’s because I’ve been working too hard lately.”
Eli laughed again. “Don’t worry. It happens to everyone.”
I remained silent. My head hurt with questions that I refused to ask.
Eli gazed into my eyes. “It’ll be okay, beautiful girl,” he assured me. “Trust me.”
Before I could respond, Eli reached for my hand once again. This time, I allowed him to hold it as we walked towards our destination. The entire walk, he kept his arm around my shoulder while his free hand held onto my waist. Every time I caught someone staring at us, I cringed. After all, it wasn’t every day that you saw a beautiful woman holding hands with a handsome man.
The End