"Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!"
Alanna Livingston could hardly stop grinning. Although the credits rolled and the house lights came on, she was still reeling in the moments before. The bittersweet scene with Will and Elizabeth left her in tears while Jack's final farewell sent her laughing. Before she knew it, she was in the lobby of the theater, her two friends, Gwen and Serena, chattering lively beside her.
"God that last scene nearly killed me!"
"I'm so diggin Orlando's new look!"
The babble of conversation continued until Gwen's words pulled Alanna out of her daydream.
"Hey Alanna, what did you think?"
"What?" Alanna asked absently, clearly not playing attention.
"Ok, either you're too lost in your own world," Serena remarked. "Or you hated the movie so much you're forbidden to talk about it."
"Neither," Alanna said defiantly as they walked into the moonlight. "I was just thinking…overanalyzing like I normally do."
Gwen and Serena shrugged, but let it go. Instead they went back to talking amongst themselves, leaving Alanna with her thoughts. Truth be told, she was reliving every moment, every action-packed, swash-buckling moment. Oh what she would give to live in that world, to spend everyday on the deck of a ship, with the sun on her skin, and the wind in her hair. Alas, the only breeze she felt was the dry patch of air flying through the car window. She'd lived in the desert her whole life, but since that trip to the coast, every fiber of her being longed for the sea.
Lost in these thoughts, the final jerk of the car startled her. She was home once more, the florescent lamps sparking to life with the fading daylight.
"Thanks for this, guys," she said, eager to be alone.
"You're welcome," Serena said coyly. "But next time you're paying for your own."
"Yeah, sure," Alanna muttered. "Hey, Gwen, I'll call you later."
"Sure you will," Gwen called from the back of the car. "You probably haven't turned your phone on yet."
Alanns simply shrugged. She waved goodbye to her friends and began to walk down the sidewalk. She wasn't going directly home, though. Instead she took a detour, trusting her feet to lead her to her favorite spot in the world, besides the shoreline.
As usual, the concrete river bubbled a greeting as she walked past. In the pitch-black night, the Sea of Serenity, the name she had given to the local pond, looked much deeper than it was. The bulbs of the lamps waved like miniature moons on the water, while the fountains towered over her head before descending into the depths once more. This was as close to the ocean as she was going to get, and she relished in it. Confidently she walked the steps onto the bridge overlooking the water, gripping the rail like she was captain of her own ship. Smiling, she closed her eyes. Against her will, she envisioned a tall, handsome sailor standing beside her, preparing for what was to come. The wind of the coming storm whipped her hair, and she could almost smell the dangers that lie ahead. None of that mattered, so long as he was by her side. She inhaled deeply, only to be disappointed. The desert air was as still as ever, with not even the slightest lick of wind. Sadly, she opened her eyes again. There was the pond, the same contained body of water as always. Still restless, she growled to herself and hopped off the bridge.
"If only," she muttered disgustedly, now moving toward the balcony. She climbed to the highest vantage point she could get to, and stood. Though her balance was severely challenged, her heart strived still to get some feeling out of this reckless endeavor. Defiantly, she spread her legs apart. She looked westward, her eyes blazing. If this were to just be a moment, a mere glimpse as to what true freedom was like it would be enough. But, lo and behold, it had to be broken.
"Hey, what are you doing?" someone called out.
To face the inquirer was a mistake. The sudden turn of her body made her lose her balance, and she fell backward into the watery depths………………….
