Beauty Of The Deep

One Day : 5

This odd, familiar feeling of his life nearly coming to an end felt like a routine playing on repeat.

Arlo ran his hands around his body, feeling every touch under his fingers for confirmation and reassurance—that he in fact did not lose his life. His eyes were closed but he knew that he was laying on the white sand near the shore, and it was already morning since the broad light of the sun slowly burned his skin from the lack of shade in the area. Mother wouldn't have to bother waking him up since she probably thinks he woke up early to do what he's supposed to be doing.

A sigh of relief left the breathing boy’s mouth as he drops his arms beside him. He still felt drained and dizzy after the event that happened last night.

"Stupid." He mumbled to himself with a dumb smile decorating his face. He was a coward for acting impassively without thinking of the consequences that might haunt him later, but he found it thrilling rather than terrifying. And to think about it makes it more thrilling than before since thats only half of what pirates get to experience.

"Yeah, I agree with you on that."

He had his eyes closed all the while until an unknown voice decided to add their thoughts on his self-lecture. His eyes danced left to right, before lifting his upper body to see who decided to join him in his escape-from-death celebration.

His eyes met with a pair of silver ones, rare to be seen amongst a small village they were isolated in, surely she must be from a rich country.

Observing the person from a respective distance, she was bathing under the scorching hot sun. Nobody in their right mind would do that in such an hour. They would mostly come at dawn or midnight for a swim since at this scorching hour, it’s like a fish swimming in a witch’s boiling cauldron.

This girl right here must want to c***k her skin open.

Arlo thought to himself, eyes still glued on the girl.

Her head was the only thing above water, she wasn't that far but her face was all Arlo could see.

She had pale, fair skin, silky brown hair that still looked amazing even after being dunked underwater.

Arlo just realised that he's been staring at her for the past couple of minutes and immediately turn his gaze to his sandy feet, apologising lowly for his behaviour.

She chuckles silently before swimming closer to him.

"It's okay, I don't mind."

The boy halted from slapping the sand off his feet upon hearing her voice, it was very familiar to him but just like hunting a bunny in a maze, he had a hard time recalling where he heard it.

"How's your uh-nose by the way?" She asked politely, after seeing Arlo go all serious in thoughts.

"My nose? It's fine, thanks for asking." He replied, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Hey, have we met before?" He added, tilting his head at her with a serious expression.

"Us? I don't think so..."

Arlo nodded his head with his mouth shaping an 'ah'.

"...so let's do it properly, since we weren't able to do so before." She chimes, splashing the water vigorously that it got Arlo’s top wet.

"Don't worry, it'll dry soon." He eased the girl after seeing her sorry expression, "So we did meet before?"

"Correct." She smiles.

"Where? May I ask?" Arlo questions while blushing at her smile, his memory capacity wasn't the greatest but he always tries his very best to remember things.

"Don't worry, you'll remember." She shoots another smile his way, "I'm Moon by the way, she extends her arm from the water.

Arlo’s face exploded with redness, his eyes were trailing the girls hand before he realised that she was naked underwater in broad daylight.

Turning his face on his side, he takes her hand in his and shakes it politely.

Her hands were extremely soft and wet, he didn't feel any wrinkle in her fingers from being soaked underwater for too long. Gulping, he turned to face her after the handshake.

“Should I take my leave? I don’t want to invade your privacy.” He mustered the courage to ask out of embarrassment, and awkwardly smiles at her with his considerate question.

"I plan on staying underwater for another hour." She announced, easing the boy who nodded. Since she was closer, Arlo could observe her well. She had a lovely accessory made of pink pearls that kept her strands of hair in place as well as white pearl earrings.

Moon noticed the boy staring at her jewelry, and she instinctively touched them with a little smile taking over her lips.

"You should go back, Mother must be waiting for you." Moon announced at once upon seeing the sun ready to set. She watched the boy jump up from the ground with his pants covered in white sand all over his back.

"Right, I must get going." Arlo replies, his fingers pinching his cloth and shakes it for the tiny particles to fall off.

“I’ll get going.” He says as he backs away from the shore before turning his back on her.

"See you soon Arlo!” She yells once he was far from where she was before diving in the water.

She made sure her voice was loud enough for him to hear from a distance.

His face automatically turned into confusion on how she knew his name, from what he remembers he never mentioned his name when they shook hands. He halts at that thought before turning around to the shore, and to his surprise, she was already gone.

Chills ran through the boys skin. The water was still as if the wind had stopped for a minute. He turned away from it before running up the hill with his thoughts running again.

She looked like a ghost, she couldn't possibly be from here. He found it undoubtedly strange. She hadn't any features of the people that live in this town even foreign ships were not allowed to cross the border and sail this way. Only pirates were brave or cowardly enough to break such rule for their own enjoyment.  Just like someone he knew.

The corner of his lips curved up at the thought of Moon being a Pirate. He always seemed fascinated when seeing Pirate ship dock at their port. He loved the sight, since he himself wanted to be become one once he leaves this prison island and sail the sea.

One day, he promised to himself. To follow the footsteps of his deceased mother.