My fear of the ocean first began when I was 23. My pop and I were on a usual fishing trip off the coast of Slivera. It was a beautiful day; the winds were on our side, pushing us to where the fish roam the most, the sun was high in the sky, and clouds passed by, giving us shade. Seagulls flocked around our boat as I stared at them in wonder.
“You know, there is a legend that the seagulls were once people who faraway lands, from the skies. Our goddess, Kaletra, sent them down here as an abomination for disrupting the heavens. They were too noisy, aggressive, and greedy. They tried stealing the Kaletran gold but fell to their demise as they fought with each other on who should claim the treasure.” My father, Pop, explained. “They always steal the fishermen’s loot because of their past.”
He leaned closer to me while keeping his eye on the fishing line. “Some say that they have the power to rouse the deep and have powers over storms and weather.”
I seemed to have looked horrified because he looked over and chuckled. “It’s fine, little boy; it’s just a legend.”
My fishing line jumped a little, and I scrambled from my spot to catch it.
“I got one, Pop!”
“Ok, now be slow and steady. Follow the fish and make them come to our boat.”
I started reeling in the fish, bit by bit, till I could see a slight shape with bright green and flashy scales near the top of the water. I grinned excitedly to catch another fish. My pop brought the net, ready to take the fish in as I reeled it in closer and closer. He snatched it, and I yipped like a little boy, knowing this was one of the best-tasting fish on our coast. My pop patted my shoulder as he returned to reel in his fish. I watched as he pulled in a small tuna about the size of my arm.
It was around 6 PM, and we had been out here for a few hours. The wind started to pick up a little pushing us back to the coastline. Clouds were coming in, so I was glad the wind began when it did. Suddenly, something rocked the boat. I ignored it, thinking it was just rock because it made a scraping sound, but I remembered we were about half a mile from shore. There’s no way it would be a rock. I looked at my Pop and down in horror. There was a giant dark shape circling our boat. Not only that, but we weren’t making any progress to the shore. I tried warning my pop about what was happening, but he seemed to realize what was happening. Seagulls were circling and cackling above us.
“Bring the humans down; they don’t deserve our world,” they seemed to say. The wind switched directions, dragging us away from the shore.
I couldn’t help but think to myself, “I’m going to die, I’m going to die.” The clouds loomed over us, sending a blanket of pitch black over us, besides the occasional lightning strike.
When I readied myself for the worst, I saw a pair of glowing yellow eyes deep below the surface. Fish hurried away, leaving a clear path of what looked like a snake head. Rain pattered on my head, making my eyes blurry. My pop was nowhere to be seen, and I scrambled to the sides of my boat, calling his name. I was so busy screaming my throat raw that I didn’t realize that the snake had risen out of the water. Water cascaded down its head and its crown-shaped neck. I turned my body, shaking, almost paralyzed. The sea was a color that was not part of this world, dark, but not entirely black, like a hungry void. Shapes were swimming underneath, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I lay down in the boat as the snake looked down at me, its eyes glaring into my soul. I blacked out from fear.
I came in and out of my trance, feeling cold, wet scales on my back and water washing over me. I awoke on the beach, water washing over me and sand all over me. I groaned, trying to sit up, my body stiff. I sat up, spitting sand out of my mouth. Wait, my Pop! I hurried toward my house, finding my pop sitting on the chair, rocking back and forth. His face lit up as he saw my sand-caked body. He jumped up and ran to greet me with a hug.
“I thought you were dead,” He cried.
“Well, I’m not,” I chuckled with tears.
That’s when I realized the snake had saved my life. He kept me and my pop from whatever underwater creature and swam us to shore. I know that I will never set foot on a boat again, and there is something blood-curdling that resides underwater.
“You know, there is a legend that the seagulls were once people who faraway lands, from the skies. Our goddess, Kaletra, sent them down here as an abomination for disrupting the heavens. They were too noisy, aggressive, and greedy. They tried stealing the Kaletran gold but fell to their demise as they fought with each other on who should claim the treasure.” My father, Pop, explained. “They always steal the fishermen’s loot because of their past.”
He leaned closer to me while keeping his eye on the fishing line. “Some say that they have the power to rouse the deep and have powers over storms and weather.”
I seemed to have looked horrified because he looked over and chuckled. “It’s fine, little boy; it’s just a legend.”
My fishing line jumped a little, and I scrambled from my spot to catch it.
“I got one, Pop!”
“Ok, now be slow and steady. Follow the fish and make them come to our boat.”
I started reeling in the fish, bit by bit, till I could see a slight shape with bright green and flashy scales near the top of the water. I grinned excitedly to catch another fish. My pop brought the net, ready to take the fish in as I reeled it in closer and closer. He snatched it, and I yipped like a little boy, knowing this was one of the best-tasting fish on our coast. My pop patted my shoulder as he returned to reel in his fish. I watched as he pulled in a small tuna about the size of my arm.
It was around 6 PM, and we had been out here for a few hours. The wind started to pick up a little pushing us back to the coastline. Clouds were coming in, so I was glad the wind began when it did. Suddenly, something rocked the boat. I ignored it, thinking it was just rock because it made a scraping sound, but I remembered we were about half a mile from shore. There’s no way it would be a rock. I looked at my Pop and down in horror. There was a giant dark shape circling our boat. Not only that, but we weren’t making any progress to the shore. I tried warning my pop about what was happening, but he seemed to realize what was happening. Seagulls were circling and cackling above us.
“Bring the humans down; they don’t deserve our world,” they seemed to say. The wind switched directions, dragging us away from the shore.
I couldn’t help but think to myself, “I’m going to die, I’m going to die.” The clouds loomed over us, sending a blanket of pitch black over us, besides the occasional lightning strike.
When I readied myself for the worst, I saw a pair of glowing yellow eyes deep below the surface. Fish hurried away, leaving a clear path of what looked like a snake head. Rain pattered on my head, making my eyes blurry. My pop was nowhere to be seen, and I scrambled to the sides of my boat, calling his name. I was so busy screaming my throat raw that I didn’t realize that the snake had risen out of the water. Water cascaded down its head and its crown-shaped neck. I turned my body, shaking, almost paralyzed. The sea was a color that was not part of this world, dark, but not entirely black, like a hungry void. Shapes were swimming underneath, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I lay down in the boat as the snake looked down at me, its eyes glaring into my soul. I blacked out from fear.
I came in and out of my trance, feeling cold, wet scales on my back and water washing over me. I awoke on the beach, water washing over me and sand all over me. I groaned, trying to sit up, my body stiff. I sat up, spitting sand out of my mouth. Wait, my Pop! I hurried toward my house, finding my pop sitting on the chair, rocking back and forth. His face lit up as he saw my sand-caked body. He jumped up and ran to greet me with a hug.
“I thought you were dead,” He cried.
“Well, I’m not,” I chuckled with tears.
That’s when I realized the snake had saved my life. He kept me and my pop from whatever underwater creature and swam us to shore. I know that I will never set foot on a boat again, and there is something blood-curdling that resides underwater.
