1927: Redemption

Peri-Peri Ocean Park

“Once there were brook trout in the streams in the mountains. You could see them standing in the amber current where the white edges of their fins wimpled softly in the flow. They smelled of moss in your hand. Polished and muscular and torsional. On their backs were vermiculate patterns that were maps of the world in its becoming. Maps and mazes. Of a thing which could not be put back. Not be made right again. In the deep glens where they lived all things were older than man and they hummed of mystery.”

-Cormac McCarthy

22 DECEMBER 2021- SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO

A cool draught of air whipped over the waves, bringing a taste of the ocean with it. It was the unseen part of the shoreline that conjured more memories than the pebbles or the rotting posts of the old pier. It howled in a low whistle, tossing my hair every bit as rough as the ocean at my feet. It was the feel and taste of home.

In an hour they reached Peri-peri Ocean park- an upscale, beachfront community within the barrio of Santurce in the municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was one of the forty subbarrios of Santurce.

By reading the letter left by James, Adeline knew how to accomplish her second task. The map and key were kept deep inside the ocean in a platinum container. But, the problem was that she was a non-swimmer. Now, who would go and bring it to her?

Looking at her left side, she saw Ace and William in deep thoughts. Shaking her head, she walked ahead and turned to face them, asking, “Who is going to get it?”

Raking a hand over his jaw, Ace asked, “You want us to do your shady work, huh?”

And this question proved to be the igniting fire of the argument that was going to start between both of them.

So, what is the argument? A nice question arose in your mind.

Basics, arguing was the poor version of a conversation. It is when the dumber parts of your brain are triggered and your smarter prefrontal cortex has far less input. We all get triggered, Adeline does too. So, it's okay. But you need to calm down and get back to each other when you are ready to be kinder and see each other’s point of view.

But for some other people, arguing with the person you feel safest with was how children get stress relief. You are a grown-up. There is exercise, art, meditation, music... find whatever combination of things works for you. Being mature means being able to handle yourself. If you need help, that's fine, because those times will be rare and few. You just can't have ongoing fights for basic self-regulation.

By the time they finished their bickering, Adeline realised, William left them…. and now…. Well, he left to get her the container from the deep ocean.

By seeing him, it felt like he could swim forever, live forever, be here in this underwater world forever. There was something about the motion of it that became natural after a while.

But for him, he will always be needing the air and the sunlight, to feel the saline water wash over his skin and through his eyelashes, but there was a reason he was sent here. And so, he swam while he could, rescue while strong, rest when he must. There were times he wanted to be saved, to give up and await strong arms to pull him from this struggle, then he remembered who he was and kept going. He was the rescuer, the swimmer.

Did the ability to locate the container was with William?

For that let us see!