oh my Dearest
they will eat you alive
they will eat you alive
“Why?” Her mother said with a sigh, “Why do you always go looking for trouble?”
“I wasn’t looking for trouble!” The young girl protested, “I was just bored.”
The red woman stared, out across the ocean, letting her mind wander. The sound of the waves lapping at the shore reminded her of home. Having her freedom was turning out to be a bittersweet thing. She missed the sound of her mother’s voice, and the soft ringing of bells and laughter that always seemed to float around the camp at night. Dearest could almost hear them if she closed her eyes, the beating of a drum and the rhythmic words of some ancient song. It was right there, teasing, at the tip of her ears but still out of reach.
“Ye’ gonna go to the island?” A stranger said, and she jumped slightly, not realizing anyone had approached. This made the old man chuckle, “Settle down there, lass. Yer pretty but I doubt ye’ cook as good as m’wife.”
Oddly enough, this did put her at ease, and she offered him a smile. “Find me again in a few years and I might be able to prove you wrong.” Dearest joked, and she was rewarded with a hearty laugh.
“Hope’ly be retired by then,” He said, gesturing to the fish he carried, “Ol’ back ain’t what it use to be. Been try’na find someone t’ enchant this ol’ thing.”
He must have seen the sympathy that crossed her face as he spoke, because he quickly made a rejection noise from deep in his throat, “Don’t chu worry bout me, lass. Been at it f’years. Now how bout that island, eh?”
She gave a small shrug, but her eyes were bright with curiosity as looked back at that hazy spot where the calm ocean meets sky, “I didn’t know there was an island.” and for some reason, this made the merchant laugh just as loud as her joke had.
“Ahhh, yer new here, aintcha?” And his features softened, making him look younger, “Makes an ol’ man think about the past, all ye’ youngins. Go on, go find it. Seen them all walkin’ on water m’self.” He finished his sentence with a wink, and started to amble off through the sand.
“Wait!” She called out, and he turned slightly, pausing mid-step, “On the water?”
He gave her a sly grin, “Get use t’oddish things round these parts, lass. On the water. If yer brave enough.” And she watched him leave before turning back to the shoreline, letting the words play over again in her head.
“On the water...” She whispered to herself, still staring, as if the waves themselves were going to respond. Of course, there was only silence. Just the constant lapping, like a heartbeat, steady and constant. A small breeze that came off the water tugged at her black curls, but it was not enough to give relief from the sun overhead, glaring down on her. Dearest had always been an impulsive creature and it didn’t take much longer for her to come to a decision.
She stepped forward, gently, dancing to the white foam as it rolled in and out. It kissed at her feet in what seemed like a normal way, causing the thought to flit through her mind that the old man may have been teasing her. Making a quick mental note to never purchase a single thing from him should that be the case, she took a literal leap of faith. It... was not graceful. She had expected to sink, despite what she had been told, and her knees buckled slightly as they touched to a solid surface. She had to fight to regain her balance, quickly looking around to see if anyone had been watching. A seagull was the only witness, perched on a rock nearby, and she huffed at the bird who simply kept staring.
“What are you looking at, feather-head!?” she said in annoyance, but the gull had no reply except to pick at one of his wings. Dearest accepted this as a battle won in a naïve fashion and started making her way out towards the horizon, slowly at first, gaze cast down to see what lurks under the glasslike ceiling of the Terminus sea. It was beautiful in an eerie way that made her feel like there were bugs crawling in her stomach. She should be down there, under the waves, tangled in the kelp with her lungs screaming for air. But she was not. No, she was a goddess in this moment, immortal for a few mere seconds as she stared at statues whose fate she didn’t share. Fish darted around and through the stone bodies in flashes of color and it is all just so surreal that she found herself lost in watching the entire scene as she strides above. This trance is why she did not notice the island as it starts to rise into view.
She hears it first. Drums. Whispers. They cause her to pause as she is still looking down, making a pang go off within her chest. She knows that voice. She knows that voice deep inside her soul, and her delicate form shudders as a chill slides its way down her spine. Golden eyes are lifted from the wonders at her feet, a sharp inhale taken as she sees, no, feels the island for the first time. It looks like home, with the silky emerald grass and the rolling hills. Dearest hadn’t realized she was moving closer until things started to become even clearer. The whispers grew louder and her pace quickened. There was a form she could see, one that made her heart sing, and she called out in a child-like way, ”Mom?”
The figure didn’t move, but the voice grew louder, and she could make out it saying her name. Any questions the singed red mare may have had were pushed aside by her excitement. She called out again, louder this time, “Mom!”
But then, as she went even faster with the bells ringing chaotically in her hair, she realized. That was another statue. And it was like a plug had been pulled. The air instantly settled in a quiet that was deafening, leaving her feeling empty and wondering if she had imagined it after all. Her pace slowed and a confused frown tugged down the corner of her black lips. The transition from walking on the water to the shore was a seamless one. Golden eyes, wary but curious, stayed trained on the statue that was her mother, delicate and smaller than Dearest, but strong in her stance with her face tipped towards the sun like a flower.
She was close enough to touch it now but in a moment that was uncharacteristic for her, she found herself scared. Why was it here? She finally asked herself this, unsure of the answer. She simply could not bring herself to reach out. The land was still silent, the grass moving like the ripples on a lake from the soft breeze, and she took a deep breath as she considered her options.
She’d inspect it further, she decided. Maybe. After she stood here for a few more minutes...
