Under Murky Waters

ZALE WASN’T TOO sure about what was starting to drive him insane. For one thing, it could be the sun that was mercilessly shining down on the top of his head, scorching every inch of his skin that was not in the shade provided through scarification of another body part. Then again, it could also be for the fact that he was once again alone, thrust into a foreign land with no other humans to interact with and where animals avoided him with a purpose.

There were simply too many factors in this equation that disallowed him to properly solve it.

It had only been hours since Cordelia disappeared beneath the waves but Zale already felt her missing presence. It felt as though she was a drug he needed to have, one that his body so desperately craved.

The pebble that Zale threw at the water bounced three times on the water’s surface before it plunged beneath. It skipped with more life than Zale had these days, nearly dancing with the music of nature as accompaniment. After each skip, it caught droplets of the seawater, bringing up into the air and allowing it to dazzle magnificently like some sort of crystal chandelier at an extravagant ball.

Although Zale was a sailor at heart, his father was a wealthy merchant that traded with people of far off lands. That allowed Zale to attend such events frequently. At that time, he hated the idea of having to dress up for mindless chatter and false friendships but now, Zale would’ve given up the world for another chance.

As long as he got off the island.

It was as though the heavens had answered his prayers because right before Zale was about to throw another pebble, a ship loomed across the horizon. Its sails bellowed in the wind, dancing against the azure of the sky. The roaring of the tides acted as the orchestra to back up the performance.

Zale pounced to his feet in an instant. Before he knew it, he was racing to the shores, waving his arms frantically like a madman or a beggar requesting for food.

“Over here!” He yelled, screaming his voice hoarse without even a second’s interval in between.

When the ship gave no response, Zale grew worried. As a last act of desperation, he ripped the chain from his neck and held the pendant between his fingers. With precision, he held it up against the sky at a calculated angle, moving it every once in a while to cause light to reflect and show.

Within minutes, Zale heard shouts coming from the direction of the ship. Small figures had started to descend, hurrying into the rowboats. Their bodies became larger and larger, more and more significant as Zale collapsed to the floor with relief.

He was finally to be rescued. After days in isolation and the trauma of losing his crew mates, he could finally return home.

Cordelia watched from a distance safe away from both the ship and the island. Her head was barely even above the water, careful not to look too out of place. Eyes narrowing with caution, she examined the men that had made their way to Zale.

The latter was clueless as ever, stuffing the pendant into the pockets of his trousers before hurriedly shaking the hands of who he thought were his saviors. They spoke in words Cordelia could not hear but she recognized the faux honey that dripped between the cracks of their chapped lips.

Though nature forbade it, a storm was coming and it was headed for Zale’s way.