Restless Waves

Chapter 8

As soon as Rowan opened the front door, the warm breeze pushed past him. The sounds Rowan grew up with rewarded his ears. Seagulls called, people talked and had fun in the distance, and the waves crashed onto the sand.

Rowan sharply inhaled the fresh sea air. His heart thumped at the thought of being close to the ocean that almost took his life. Rowan had to get closer, even if he was nervous.

Slowly, he moved from the porch and across the dusty road. He stood at the top of the sand dune, shielding his eyes from the sun as he looked across the beach and to the white cliffs. His eyes then moved to the horizon and the sea that seemed so calm. Rowan inhaled again and climbed down the dune. The sand was warm from the summer sun.

Rowan chose to walk left along the beach. Rock pools stretched out across the start of the sea. When Rowan was little, he loved sitting at the edge of the rocks and dipping his toes underwater. It was a secluded area, and somewhere that gave Rowan the freedom to think and enjoy his own company.

Careful to avoid looking at the sea, Rowan dodged seaweed and deep pools of water, home to small crabs. He stopped at the edge and stared intensely at his bare feet. The sea sounded so close, and Rowan's throat tightened. He always had a good relationship with water. One life-threatening situation dared to change it all.

"Just look," Rowan whispered. "Please look." He loved the sea. He had to face the fear before the fear faced him, and before it was too late to stare it down. Gradually, Rowan's eyes moved from his feet to the sharp rock, and into the dark water down below.

He swallowed and looked further up the sea. It rocked back and forth, and the sun glistened on the surface. He released his breath and forced the tension to his feet. The sea was lucky that it was so beautiful; it sucked Rowan straight back into its stunning image.

Rowan relaxed and sat down. He dangled one foot over the side of the rock. He wasn't sleep deprived, so he wouldn't see the Thalassic Mortals. That comforted him as he dipped his toes in the water. It was cold enough to make him smile.

He dipped his other foot in too and closed his eyes. He embraced the warmth of the sun and continued to smile with pride. Rowan didn't know that he was strong enough to be so stern with his emotions. He had been through a very traumatic experience, but so had the Thalassic Mortal. Rowan knew the risks of a hunt, and he knew that if he did get into trouble, it was his fault.

Rowan would never move on if he kept reaching out for others he could blame. Yes, his mother should never have forced him, but Rowan could have stood his ground, no matter the cost. Almost dying had taught him to take a hold of his own life. Rowan had to live it the way he wanted to live it. If others didn't agree, then they were not meant to be by his side.

When Rowan opened his eyes again, his mind and body had relaxed into a state of tranquillity. The urge to be by the sea was fulfilled, though the desire to connect was still there. Rowan wondered if he had to go swimming, but he wasn't physically strong enough.

He gently swung his legs, and his feet were turning numb from the freezing water. It was a familiar feeling. His eyes lazily looked around. He grew comfortable, but he was very aware of the tide. Usually, Rowan would sit until he had to swim back. As he scanned the sky, his head moved left to see if he could spot any crabs on the rocks. Instead, Rowan thought he saw a head dip below the surface when he looked.

He assumed it was a seal. He couldn't see the Thalassic Mortals. Rowan stared at the area where the sea met the stone, but the seal didn't show itself again. Rowan went back to staring at the horizon until he heard a splash as if something had plopped into the water.

Rowan frowned and glanced around. Maybe the seal was hunting his toes. While he thought about removing them from the water, a head popped up a few metres away from where he was sitting.