Saudade (Published under Indie Pop)

Chapter 23: The Adventures of the Brave Heart

Chapter 23: The Adventures of the Brave Heart

Being embraced by the sea was bittersweet. It hugged me in the most violent way possible – even crashing and whipping me around. I knew I had an immense chaos in my mind but at that moment, I was able to forget everything. I was able to set my pain and confusion aside and the only thing that was filling up my mind was the monster that suffocated me. At that moment, I was free – drowning but free. And dying.

Every second seemed to last forever as the coldness of the water started to creep through my body and freeze my bones. I was almost feeling numb as the strong current pulled me deeper and deeper until my arms and legs gave up – not that they were helping me for I didn't know how to swim at all. I was getting weaker and weaker, and my chest was going to explode – I was losing air. I was dying.

And then suddenly, something broke at the rough surface of the sea from above me. I watched it as the dark figure started to swim deeper to my direction. He was like a dark angel that came down from the sky and brought hope to my dying soul. He was like a glimpse of the sun in a cloudy sky. He grabbed my waist when he finally reached me and when I looked at his face; I knew that it was the man that brought chaos to my heart and confusion in my head. Seeing the Skull was like welcoming the reality I chose to leave the ship – it was such a painful hope and it was the only thing I had. I could just shove him away and stay deeper and deeper into the heart of the sea where nothing would exist for me – but his face was a bitter invitation to go back to the dark world I was hoping to forget – I couldn't resist it.

And just like an invitation card to a royal event, he sealed it through putting his lips against mine; it was a taste of sugar in a pile of rock salt – it was addictive. But air started to fill my lungs and I knew he was just doing it to keep me alive – so I drank him like he was the cure for my suffering. I could feel that we were swimming up as he supplied me with the air I needed. He left my lips and he swam us up faster that time. And even though I was getting more tired, I knew that I was already safe in the Skull's arms.

When we finally broke out to the surface, we were hit again by a huge wave. But the Skull swam us back up again and didn't let go of me. I looked up at the gigantic Obsidian and saw Owain and the other pirates; he was holding on to the railing with a thick rope in his hand. He threw the rope to us and the Skull swam towards it. He grabbed it firmly and tied it around my waist.

"Hold on! We'll pull you up!" Owain shouted from above us. The other pirates with him started pulling up and I could feel the rope tightened around my waist as it lifted me from the water.

"What about you?" I asked the Skull.

He looked at me intensely and grabbed the rope above my head. He circled his other arm around my waist and signaled the pirates to continue pulling us up.

"The only thing you should worry about is yourself. I am one with the sea," he said.

By the rhythm of the counts Owain was giving to the pirates, they began to pull us up. They were shouting and hauling until finally, the waves were below our feet. It was terribly cold amidst the strong wind but the warmth of the Skull's body was enough to keep me from freezing. The Skull grabbed on the railing as Owain yanked me to the deck. He settled me down while Erasmus immediately rushed to us and covered me with a thick blanket. He untied the rope around my waist as I watched the Skull hauled himself to the deck. Water was dripping from his wet hair and even though he wasn't showing it, I knew that this storm was getting into him. I was about to offer him my blanket when he turned to my direction and grabbed my shoulders angrily.