Ocean's Tears

[Ocean]

Bolts of lightning.

Thunderclaps can be heard.

Rain is pelting down in torrents.

Massive tidal waves.

Half of my body was submerged underwater. A single wooden plank keeps me afloat. My thoughts flitted in and out of focus.

What am I doing here? My thoughts wondered.

I have no idea how I ended up in the middle of the ocean. The reverberating sound of thunderclaps had just woken me up.

Looking for something, I swept my gaze over the raging waves colliding with the strong winds. It slammed into the water at high speeds, causing a massive wave to form. As I sped up and down the sea, the powerful ocean beneath my feet was generating enormous waves in all directions. All I could see were floating wood splinters and bobbing barrels on the surface. Everything else was pitch black.

Out of nowhere, a loud creaking noise erupted as the gargantuan mast snapped from the sheer power of the wind. Another bolt of lightning flashed across the sky. It showed a silhouette of a large sinking ship this time.

Where have all the other people gone?

Was I a passenger on that ship?

How come I can't remember?

Had the storm made the ship sink?

Am I the only one who has survived?

As I watched the ship sink into the depths of the ocean, my mind was filled with questions.

My feet wouldn't move as I tried to paddle. It's as if it's been tethered to a heavy lid. My grip on the wooden plank tightened, and I rested my head on it. My teeth were chattering in response to the blasting cold air that was seeping down to my bones.

Am I going to die?

If I make it through the night, sharks will most likely find me the next day. I let myself be carried away by the waves, knowing that as long as my head remained above the water, I would be safe for the time being.

The current beneath my feet has shifted, and it is now pulling me backwards.

Slowly, I turned to see what was causing it. When a huge wave came crashing down behind me, I felt a shiver run down my spine as I failed my one hand helplessly in the water.

It's hopeless, I'm going to be caught in it.

My eyes squinted, and I hugged the wooden plank tightly as it slammed into me. My nostrils were filled with salty water, my lungs were burning as the air struggled to get through, and my body was violently tossed and turned in the water.

I manage to break through the surface to gasp for air, but another wave slams into me, sending flinders of wood crashing into my body, but my hands didn't let go of the plank as my feet scissor back to the surface.

I bob back out of the water, and take a deep breath. But, another wave hit me before my lungs could recover, and I saw a round barrel flying towards me. I tried swimming faster and pushing my body further to avoid it, but the strong wind and waves made it impossible.

It hit me hard on the head before my eyes could blink.

Everything went black after that.

As my body plunges into the abyss, one horrible thought comes to my mind.

I'm going to die.

*****

Why is it so hot? Was death supposed to be like this?

The blazing heat scorched my back, the soft waves splashed on my toes, and my head pounded with pain. My skin was caressed by the rough sandy ground. My eyes gradually opened as they adjusted to the bright light. My head was resting on a wooden plank that I was now strewn across the sand. My hand instinctively found the wound on my head, which was covered in a thick dry substance. As I pressed my hand against a large lump, winching from a sharp pain that struck me.

Does the fact that I'm in pain mean I'm alive?

To answer my question, a wave of memories flashed in front of my eyes.

I was in the middle of the ocean and a raging storm. But, how did I end up there?

My gaze wandered around the area. Ahead, a cerulean sky, blue water, white sand beach, and lush vegetation.

I'm on an island…

I tried to stand, but my knees shook and couldn't support my weight. My face collided with the sand, as I stumbled down causing me to groan, loudly.

Something is strange. I can feel the wind rushing against my body. My gaze was immediately drawn down.

…and I'm completely naked.

How did it happen?

My head throbs as another flash of scenery floods inside my brain.

I breathed deeply, shaking the memories aside, my lungs protested from the sudden inhalation and tried to stand again, and this time I was a little more successful. My feet wobbled as I walked towards a large protruding rock on the sand, shaded by a large tree. Grasping the rough edges, I managed to lean on it and cover my nakedness with my bare hands, despite the fact that it's completely hopeless, and it looks like I'm the only person here.

Why am I naked?

My throat was parched, I tried to swallow my own saliva in an attempt to quench my thirst, but terribly failed. I'm thirsty, and my legs are barely holding up my weight. I tried to take a deep breath while scanning the shoreline, but my lungs constricted again in response.

Fragments of what appears to be a ship washed up on the beach. There was a storm and a shipwreck sunk at the bottom of the ocean.

A loud creaking noise echoed through my head as my body relived the memories from last night.

Was I on that ship?

That was the only thing I remember and here I am, alive. I'm not sure.

Where have all the other people gone?

How come I can't remember anything prior to that incident?

Am I the only one who has survived?

My mind was filled with questions as I watched in my memories how the ship sunk into the depths of the ocean.

My hearing caught something, bringing my attention back to my surroundings. The ground drummed with thumping paws, and it was coming my way, fast. I quickly dashed behind the rock to hide.

By the sound of it, there were many of them, or so I thought. Maybe a herd of animals could be harmless or maybe not. I couldn't take a risk, especially now that I am naked, and my body is completely weak.

Steps stop right in front of the rock, it sniffs the place where I have been. I stood silent, not daring to make any sound or daring to see what it was. It might be a wild animal hunting for food.

“Someone's here. A girl.” A deep husky voice said.

Not animals, but people. There are people on this island.

Wait, how did they know that I am a girl?

Maybe I can ask for help, but I am naked, and the sound of their voices includes a man, they might do something bad. I crouched, hugging my knees tightly, heart beating at my throat.

What if they're bad people...

The sand crunches as they step closer to the rock. Another sniffing sound, like an animal.

“She's near. Her scent led us here.” Another man's voice spoke.

My scent? Can they smell scents? Who are these people? How can they know where I was exactly?

“Probably she's a survivor from a shipwreck. The ship's remnants were scattered ashore.”

… or maybe they're good people.

I'm on an island and there are inhabitants here. I just pray that they were good people or else it'll be the end for me. I squeezed my eyes, gathered my courage and stood up, slowly facing them.

“H-help.” My voice cracks in protest, my throat hurts when I speak. My lips were cut open, and my skin was stinging from too much sun exposure. I'm in desperate need of help.

My long hair fell in front of me, covering my bosom and my hand to my nether regions.

Two men are staring at me. Standing a foot taller than I am, they were both like a sculpture that came to life. One was with deep blue eyes and a bronze skin that was taller than the other with a gray set of eyes and paler skin.

There are only two of them? Where are the animals? I'm pretty sure I heard thumping paws earlier.

“What's your name?” The bronze skin asked, his gaze didn't stray down to my nakedness. As if my state didn't bother them both, which is a good sign that they mean no harm.

But that relief was short-lived.

I was alerted for a moment when he quickly took off his shirt and stepped forward. I prepared myself to flee but stopped when he just handed his clothes to me. I examine the shirt, debating whether to accept it. I can’t help it, but my eyes wandered to his muscular body, rippling with defined lines and hard edges with bumps, which I quickly regretted because I could now force down the heat that was slowly creeping from my neck up to my cheeks.

“Don't worry, we'll do you no harm.” He reassured me by nodding his head in the direction of the shirt. My attention snapped back to him, still tense and standing alert if ever everything went south.

I quickly accepted it and put it on. His shirt was the right size when he wore it, but for me, it hung loosely just above my knees. My nostrils were filled with his musky, warm scent. I don't know, but it was a bit comforting. I was staring at him, he didn’t look threatening, he looked kind and welcoming. Somehow, his presence gives me a feeling of security. Was I only imagining that?

His question popped into my head.

My name? He asked me for my name. What is my name?

(“No!”)

A snip of memory flashed before my eyes.

(A colossal wave swallowed the floating image of myself, a man's voice calling me after me.)

Who was that?

“I—I don’t know,” my voice was barely audible.

My mind is a blank slate right now. Aside from the storm, there were nothing else.

A shot of sharp pain hit my head, as if it were about to split in half. My knees buckled in the process, losing my footing.

“Hey!”

In an instant, the bronze-skinned man was by my side. Getting me in his muscular arms, holding my body before I hit the sand. Careful not to touch me in places where a man shouldn't.

“She's suffering from a concussion. She has a wound on her head and bruises on her body. Something hard must have struck her.” He took me in his arms and told the other guy.

“Go ahead and inform Seraphina that we require medical assistance.”

He returned with a nod and then sprint. I'm not sure if my eyes were playing tricks on me or if I just hit my head hard enough to cause hallucinations, but the pale-skinned man certainly changed into something as he leapt deep into the greenery.

His body is warm against mine, his strong grip on me tells me that I am safe and nothing bad will happen to me.

“It's all right, I've got you.”

That was the last thing I heard, before everything went black.

At the very least, I know I won't die this time.

I hope.