The Ocean's Regards

It happened a few years before I got married when I was still an insane backpacker, who enjoyed her adolescence by travelling the world. In those glorious days, I worked as a freelance for some magazines. I wrote articles and took pictures, but my strongest desire was to write a book. I also had my own blog about travelling and all things about writing. I thought that by taking those little steps, someday I could become a great writer producing good books. 

As a journalist, I liked to get lost by my own as I could enjoy myself and get brilliant ideas without any distractions or influences. On the other words, I wanted to give my genuine writing for people. Another fact of me was that I did not believe in romantic stuff since I had some unpleasant history related to that thing. Moreover, I was too young and too naïve at that time. Even so, I was keen on listening to love songs and watching romantic dramas because they seemed so enchanting as a fantasy rather than a reality. After all, things I needed in life were travelling and writing. 

It was a beautiful sunny day on the east coast of Italy. I was collecting a lot of information about beautiful beaches around Europe. That beach was the second beach I visited after the one in Greece. I could not forget that beach and a spectacle which occurred there. In spite of the crowd, I indeed relished the atmosphere. I took a deep breath when I first arrived. The fresh air built up my good mood on that day. I could see there were a lot of children and their parents playing in the transparent azure sea. I decided to join the party and experienced the joy. As I walked barefooted to the sea, I was able to feel the sand rubbing between my toes. I brought my waterproof camera so that I could capture some stunning photos for my articles. 

While I was taking some adorable pictures of the beach, one boy splashed me with salt water. I was annoyed, but then I realized that that day was so beautiful that I did not want to ruin it. Instead of being in anger, I ran after the little boy in laughter. We did not know each other, but we ended up playing in water together until something awful happened. As he was chasing me in the water, abruptly I lost my balance because I missed my footing undersea. All I knew is that I sank in the sea with no skill at swimming. I was panic and afraid when salt water hurt my both eyes and filled my lungs. I could neither breathe nor open my eyes, but I kept fighting to survive. 

Nevertheless, I gave up as I was out of breath. In the last minute, I dared to open my eyes and saw that actually I was lying on the shore. I was wet from head to toe. I was very grateful that I was still alive, but I noticed that the day had already turned into the night. I saw nothing, but someone caught my attention. The little boy whom I played with earlier was walking slowly to the sea without looking back. I called him, but he did not respond me. I was not sure to go back to the sea, but I worried that he would drown. He was totally like a sleepwalker. As a result, I braced myself to follow him and helped him avoid drowning. 

When I managed to wade closer to him, I reached his shoulder and tried to take him back to the shore. However, it was not the end because the worst was about to come. Out of blue, I felt something pulling us into the sea. I looked at the sea aghast as a whirlpool emerged in the calm sea. I was extremely dumbfounded that I could not think clearly how to free us both from this whirlpool.

The little boy brought me back to reality, “Miss, what should we do now?”

I stared at his little eyes and I knew that I had to save his life, no matter what. As the whirlpool was still weak, we took the chance to run as fast as we could and let him lead. In the middle of struggling, something distracted me. There was a beam of light from a lighthouse standing on the rocks which made me squint. I doubted at first because I could not recall that the lighthouse had been there since I first arrived. I did not care with those trivia anymore because of my threatened life. I waved my hands and shouted to ask for help. 

I was relieved to know that I successfully attracted anyone in the lighthouse. The light was directed toward me, but I could not see any help coming.

“Miss, keep running!” the little boy exclaimed from the shore.

I thought that it would take too long time to wait for any help so I kept running since the whirlpool grew much stronger as well. It slowed me down. The light from the lighthouse was still in my direction and it started to block my sight. I was so tired that I surrendered. I was sure that there would not be the second chance. 

I blinked slowly until I really closed my eyes and knew that I was already swallowed by the whirlpool. I was not afraid anymore as I was ready to die, but I could still hear the little boy calling out and the light afflicting my eyes. Besides, I could feel my body shivering so badly. A moment later, everything went dark, silent and gloomy. Suddenly, I felt that something hit my belly. It was really suffocating that it forced me to gasp and open my eyes.

“Miss, are you okay?” I could not see anything, but I heard a man’s deep voice.

“I don’t know. Am I dead?” I replied and tried to blink my eyes so that I could see more clearly.

“No, you are safe now. You just suffer from short blindness caused by the sun because you abruptly opened your eyes,” he comforted me.

Gradually, I was able to get my sight again. I saw there were lots of people around me and they looked concerned. After I was back to life, one by one left me and seemed relieved. Then, the last person who left was the lifeguard. He smiled and warned me to be more careful.

The little boy came and hugged me, “I’m sorry.” 

“For what? You don’t have to be sorry. I’m happy that you’re also safe,” I hugged him tightly. 

“You have to worry about yourself. You are the one who was in danger,” the man who talked to me earlier looked at me in anxiety.

“Sorry, but how did you save me? I mean like I was pulled by the whirlpool and the lighthouse there,” I stopped as I saw that there was no lighthouse anywhere.

“What are you talking about? There is not any lighthouse here,” he snapped.

“Yeah, but I’m sure that last night I was here and the little boy went to the sea,” I kept bombarded him with my absurd statement.

“Relax! Let me get it straight,” he began to explain.

“You were playing with my nephew in the sea until you tripped and fell into the sea. You drowned for some minutes and became unconscious. My nephew then took me here and the lifeguard to save you. After that, we gave you some first aid and actually we were afraid that you would die because you did not breathe for almost seven minutes. We kept trying though until you suddenly gasped and opened your eyes. That’s all,” He said it all without any pause.

I froze and became speechless for a moment. “So, did you just say that the little boy is your nephew?” I attempt not to look stupid because of my story by changing the subject.

“You mean Max? He is my sister’s son. His mom is very busy in town so I often take him with me,” he answered me.

“Oh, his name is Max. Hello Max! I’m Samantha. Samantha Brooks,” I grinned at Max.

“Hi, Samantha!” he smiled back at me innocently.

“Well, it seems that we also have to introduce ourselves to each other, don’t we? My name is Ethan Cooper. Glad to meet you, Miss Brooks,” Max’s uncle interrupted our little greeting.

“Nice to meet you too. ‘Miss Brooks’ sounds too formal for me. Just call me Sam,” I replied casually.

“Okay then, Sam. What are you doing here?” he wondered.

“I’m going to grab some towels and dry clothes if you don’t mind because my body starts being sticky with salt water. In addition, I’m starved to death,” I confessed.

“I’m hungry too,” Max supported me.

“Oh, sorry. I almost forget about it. Let me help you,” he gave me a hand.

“After you get some dry clothes, join us. I know a good place to have fish and chips around here,” he invited me.

We spent the rest of our day eating and telling about ourselves to each other. I discovered that Ethan was a marine biologist. He was the most intelligent young man I had ever met in my life. Through our conversation that day, I found out that I was captivated by his charming attitude, but I tried hard to hide it just for myself. 

That was not the happily ever after yet because another ordeal which would change our lives was waiting for us. Our fate brought us together not to end the story, but to change the story.