Scorching, the ship is brightened by the azure sky, reflecting the cobalt complexion of the treacherous waves.
Merciless, they chant songs with their indomitable cries of lapis. No force stops the waves, they only persist, until the shore reaches.
Dancing, dancing, it will never fall as long as the moons orbit.
Humans are truly special. No matter land or water, there always seems to be an answer. However, how significant must one be to conquer the sky, and what's beyond it?
I cannot fathom. Nor can I imagine, but I know. The sky will be ours. One day.
All wearing shorts with flip-flops, the three boys get ready to start fishing.
"Lias are you wearing socks and sandals?" Zayne asked.
"Yeah, something wrong with-"
"Ha! Hey Malik, come look at this!"
Malik chuckled at the sight, as he carries a cooler.
Atop the cooler is three rods with crimson, and indigo shades on the fishing line.
He gently lays down the cooler and he looks around donning a beige bucket hat.
Malik stares out, and collects his thoughts.
This . . . is so ethereal. Seeing the clouds glide above that open ocean it makes me sometimes wish I was a cloud.
Its truly a shame, some people never get to witness the vast smell of a salty body of water corroding your sense of self. That's why I like to stare at the water, it calms me . . . more than anything. What I wouldn't give to watch it all from above.
That warm air that soothes every nerve in your body . . . priceless. The smell of seashells under the surface, cloud your mind as you drift into the endless illusion. If you take a dive, that sinking feel.. like nature's baptism. The recollections that aren't mine, flood out, unclogging the sorrow placed in my head.
For what is the cost of a thousand surreal memories in my head if I do not believe anything is real outside of my own mind because of it? Is this my despairful agony? Or my drowning into solace.
"Say guys, what do you think about the ocean, seriously?" Malik abrupted.
"Whole lot of mystery, but I think you see more in it than I do Malik." Zayne responded.
"Its blue, sad in a way, but consoling. However, I don't like how eternal it is. When we die, our bones will rot as the sea dances. Ships sink, people fall, but waves don't. Least that will be evidence we existed don't you think?" Lias commentated.
"I think it's nature's therapy. I enjoy it." Malik's words drifted away.
"Easy for you to say man, you're biased. And land is a much different experience. I miss it." Zayne said.
"What is it like Zayne?"
"Malik, you really don't know what land feels like?"
"Not entirely, I've seen it, but I've never touched it. Its an enigma to my senses. Dad didn't want me unloading stuff onto the lands, so he made me watch as my old crew greeted people, grazed the land. That's a luxury."
"Has Cap told you why he wont let you out there?"
"Nope, not a peep about it, Its odd, but I believe he has reason."
"Malik, you're damn near an adult buddy. Soon you'll be able to walk it all you want."
Successfully attaching the bait to the rod, he pulled back and shot the line farther than any eyes could catch.
Seagulls gave their high-pitched calls far above the behemoth of a ship.
How ironic. Something as petite as a seagull can soar the skies casually, whilst this ship is bound to sea.
The tiny lights in the sky at night reach out to me with open arms. I hope I can be like the seagulls one day. Careless, flying about without a care in the world.
"I just don't get it." Malik blurted.
"Hm?" Zayne and Lias gave a puzzled look at him.
"So many years, yet I still feel like an outsider. Adults always told me that I'll get it when I'm older, but now that I'm older . . . what was it? What is it that they know that I don't? I feel so behind."
He continues, "So many things people hide from me. But no, the luxury of anything outside the boundaries of this damn ship is too good for me."
Lias gave Zayne a nod, and walked up to Malik like a true older brother giving wisdom.
Placing a hand on Malik's shoulder, "Malik buddy, its good to be behind. What you think of luxury is hell to others. It's predetermined by the archetype of realm that one is born in that decides it." He sighs.
"People die in this ocean. Brutally. Ordinary people only know land."
"Facing struggles that far surpass your knowledge. And what you have here should be cherished. After all, its what you want that matters brother."
Standing near the bow, both arms rested above the azure unforgiving condemner. Malik glances downward at the judge from below.
Can one decide fate even if they are under you?
"It is what it is. Like you said one time Zayne. Remember?"
"Yeah, it is what it is bro. But it'll come." He replied.
"At least I've you two guys." Malik added.
"Good news for you bro, we ain't goin anywhere!" Zayne shouted.
Suddenly, something bit Zayne's fishing rod. Pulling harder and harder with the force of a lion.
Fighting back, the rod pulled with all its might.
What type of beast could have bitten such a bait?
The line was struggling to stay intact at the matter. Zayne acted quickly. He wrapped the fishing line around the bars of the steel handrail, and pulled with full force.
Lias and Malik huddled around and pulled Zayne back as he pulled the rod closer to himself.
Pulling, pulling, they surely must have overpowered it by now haven't they?
No.
It was getting stronger the more force the three pulled, as if it was playing around for a game of tug of war.
They were slipping forward. The force had decided to take it seriously now. With Lias holding on tight to Zayne's torso, and Malik pulling Zayne's right arm back with all his force, they felt unstoppable.
Oh how resilient they are. Have they learnt nothing from nature?
Some creatures are just meant to be . . . better. But what does it matter? The weakest of creature can overpower the peak of humanity . . . unfair isn't it?
Inching, Zayne's feet crept closer to handrail, still cling to the hope of capturing it..
"Zayne! Let go its too strong!" Malik cried as he pulled on his arm.
"I got this! Its gonna get tired eventually!" Zayne screamed with a cackle of pure euphoria.
How is he so confident in the face of the unknown? Its admirable. That's my brother.
Their feet crept until-
Snap!
. . .
The metal steel railing had broken in half.
"Zayne!" Malik shouted, with all the air creeping out his lungs.
It was too late.
Unforgiving, the creature had pulled Zayne and Lias clean off the edge, flipping them over like ragdolls.
Swallowed indiscriminately into the roaring waves along with them.
Soon came the splash swiftly after they had fallen.
Malik's silver pupils dilated, they had felt this before. But when?
The world had frozen.
They're in the f**king ocean!
What do I do?
The unthinkable had occurred: They grazed the ocean. Heart racing, blood boiling, muscles loose. But in Malik's mind, silence; Pure silence. A thought crept.
That water . . . that death trap . . . they'll be eviscerated no doubt.
Rushing rushing, Malik grabbed the emergency flotation ring. Ripped a flare gun and a hunting knife from a nearby box. No hesitation in that boy's eyes.
Something felt off with the knife, like it held a secret, but he persevered regardless.
Without thinking, he leapt.
Everyday, I get more questions than answers. But if I can only do one thing right in my life, I wouldn't be mad if it was this one. Please brothers. Don't fail on me.
Falling—he realized he was submerging.
Into hell.
Splashing, the azure hell grasped his figure like a million piercing wintry hands.
Fighting through that pull, hell had stopped him from pursuing it. Clawing through the merciless waves, he shouts.
The weight of salt and memory flooded into the ocean was coming back, but he ignored it. This is no time for melancholy.
Thinking it was hopeless, he spotted his brothers. Gripping for life on the creature.
What is that? Is it a shark? No, it can't be. Its too large.
Facing damnation, he persisted.
Why the hell does this determine life! I don't accept that! I don't care if I die, deaths not important right now, let my brothers be safe . . . Please!
The monster, pale, like an uncanny shark the size of a small building. Testing him. Its pure charcoal eye opened. Indistinguishable, it was bizarre.
Like a smile with too many teeth.
Lias and Zayne clung to the beast as it slowly strolled the treacherous waters effortlessly. Malik screamed underwater, drowning of noise, but anyone could feel his contempt from all realms.
Inching closer, the eye was gazing into him. Condemning.
Instinctively, unsheathing the dagger from a holster on his ankle, he surged upward like a torpedo.
Breaching the surface, he broke the water's tension, and fell stabbing the beast right in its eye, gouging deep, and twisting his all his might as he yelled with a primal scream of hatred.
It screeched with a bellowing indistinct pain in its eyes. The apex predator had been wounded. It's screech was a horrid blend of whale-song and avalanches all at once.
Naturally, the beast flailed, and had shifted the water, backing off the boys. Then whipping its enormous tail in the ocean to launch the boys near the ship.
The unearthly creature that resembled a shark, had veered, bleeding, and stopped moving.
It had given out.
Malik quickly grabbed his brothers by their collars with scorching and burning arms, kicking the water like a rabid animal.
The ship is so close. So close.
Giving out, everything stopped.
A moment of peace?
Don't be rash.
There's always something. Something to pour salt onto the wound. A vibrating, yet soundless thumping beneath the depths of the sea.
Boiling, something was coming, it's heat was rising. A monstrous shadow eclipsed the blinding light from above, with heaps of ocean and ecosystem falling off of it.
Why.
Rising, Rising . . . It hadn't halted.
A leviathan. Is this the way things were meant to be?
Its cracked maw opened like the mouth of a dormant volcano.
Its towering above the ship.
Kissing the stars, why does it get to see them? How is that fair? It was handed the gift, yet it doesn't comprehend it. If it spoke, I'd ask what it saw up there.
Zayne's eyes went blank in awe. Lias nearly fainted. Malik floated there, in the face of the god that came from below.
"Not again . . ." Malik said in an audibly weak voice. He's tired.
Reaching for his ankle, he grabbed the flare gun, shaking uncontrollably.
"I'm scared, I'm scared. Its cold, please go. Just go . . ." Malik echoed weakly. He bit off the red flare cap with his teeth—ignited it, sparking.
The flare, please . . . please work . . . Somehow.
A red scream of falling judgement from above flew straight into the open throat of the dancing, laughing, bellowing leviathan as it stares in hunger.
Flinching, It hadn't realized what had happened.
Then roared, blowing away the clouds like bubbles, but Malik hadn't flinched.
Desperately, he fired another. And another. And another.
Two had landed into the raging beast's throat again, as it gets angered, It decides to charge Malik.
Then, Malik closes his eyes in acceptance.
All of a sudden—
The last flare had landed into the creatures eye socket. It begins thrashing in pure agony.
Going back to it's intention to eat Malik, It tries to do so. But it slows down, and in obvious pain, It halts.
The leviathan's eyes are lifeless. How?
From below its jaw a noticeable chemical heat was glowing inside of it. Then, its head melted off.
The merciless has fallen.
. . .
Slowly falling, it crashed into the ocean with a tidal explosion of true defeat. Racing, the entire crew had raced above to the top layer in silence.
Awestruck. Paralyzed. They were above the three boys like mannequins as they stared in the eyes of death calling to their name.
A noise escaped Kaya's lips. "Oh . . . oh dear." She echoed.
Malik with his face cut, dripping blood from the flare's recoil, with burns on his arms, legs wobbling, head spinning, had dragged his brothers back to the edge of the ship that was broken.
He lays down in exhaustion, and takes notice of the alarmed crew.
"Malik! Are you okay?!" Kaya screamed rushing toward him as she picks him up and lays his head on her lap.
". . ."
Cyrus quickly orders, "Everyone! Get the boys first aid! Amaya, prepare the gauze, and Kamil, check their vitals!" Cyrus gave a worried expression.
He wonders why he never called for them.
Who in the face of that thing wouldn't scream for help?
My son . . . you're naive. But brave. I'll give you that.
This ship would've faltered in the event that it survived.
"Malik . . . my child . . ." He whispered.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you." He mumbled, as tears escaped his eyes, he remembered a memory that had broken his composure.
He looks up, and "Uncle, is everything okay?" Samir interrupted his thought.
A storm flared in his eye, "Yes Samir, I got dirt in my eye. Hah." Cyrus gave a forced weak laugh as he stared into the sky.
You always stare at the sky, Malik. Saying there's light out there that we cant see.
What do you see son? What do you see . . . are you calling out to him? Your blood?
Where could it be?
The bayonet . . .
. . . .