The Ocean's Tide
While the moon revolves around the earth, the moon's gravity pulls the ocean towards it. This creates tides. Depending on the moon's position, there will be low tides or high tides. People have to be careful during high tide. If they are not cautious, they can get swept out to sea by the current and eventually drown.
Her eyes opened from her daydreaming to see the sun glitter on the ocean. Kaeli smoothed her auburn hair back behind her ear as she remembers coming to the beach as a child. It still looked glorious after all those years; she mused. The green sedan jumped and rocked a little as the ground changed from asphalt to soft sand. Kaeli turned her head to give a half smile to the driver, Dan. He glanced towards her direction and returned it. He had always loved the sea. That's why he joined the Navy. The sea and ships were all that he needed to be happy. Dan had been on leave since the beginning of the summer.
As the car clawed its way over the sand dune, Kaeli looked to the back of the car to find 6-year old Michael fast asleep. He can sleep through anything, she thought. He was the cutest boy she had ever seen. He had the same dusty blonde hair as his father. Dan and Kaeli always argued what he would grow up to be. A writer like her, or a sailor like him. Michael was always seen drawing picture stories about boats with little bits of words here and there. Kaeli smiled softly at him as the car slowed to a stop, kicking clouds of sand into the air.
Kaeli heard the click of a door opening. She turned to see her husband climbing out of the car. Kaeli did the same and opened the side for the back. She gently put her hand on Michael's leg and shook it. "Wake up, sleepy. We're here."
Michael gave a small protest of grumbles before opening his green eyes wide and smiled a toothy grin. He yelled at the top of his lungs, "We're here! We're here!"
Kaeli helped him out of the car. Soon, Michael ran back to the trunk, where his father was. Kaeli followed to find him already halfway down the beach. He had a plastic red bucket in one hand and a yellow shovel in the other. Dan and Kaeli chuckled before unloading everything else.
Dan unfolded the large navy blue beach umbrella and settled it into the sand. Kaeli unrolled the lime green beach towels and laid them down. She turned to see the sun slowly rise into the sky. She heard a voice beside her. "It still looks the same from 8 years ago."
Kaeli turned to see Dan staring at the sun too. It was during their honeymoon. No one understood why they would come to an abandoned beach. It was perfect for them. The white sand was delicate and untouched by human feet. The dark water that crashed on the shore was a lot cleaner than other beaches in New Jersey. According to maps of New Jersey, the beach was called Iglitic Beach. It was quite far out from any civilization, which may be why no one visited it. Except for them. Kaeli's mind returned to the present and replied, "You know that's why we picked here. We would have the sun and the ocean. Without the noise and crowds."
Dan laughed before pulling off his dusty white T-shirt. He already had his black swim trunks on. He glanced at young Michael shoveling sand into the bucket before looking at Kaeli with his hazel eyes. "So, wanna try conquering your fear of water?"
Kaeli shuddered before pulling off her own clothing to reveal a red swimsuit with orange stripes going down the sides. Her pale blue eyes blinked away the sand in the rushing wind. "Dan, you know I have had major case of hydrophobia ever since I was born!"
He shrugged. "Your loss," he replied before he ran and playfully grabbed Michael away from his sand castle. Michael giggled with joy as Dan waded into the water carrying the boy. Kaeli smiled before pulling 'Pride and Prejudice' and a pair of sunglasses out of her purse and settled onto a towel.
As the midday sun shone its rays onto the sand, Dan staggered out of the ocean, dripping wet with Michael trailing behind. Kaeli looked up from her book and smirked. "Finally done?"
Dan grabbed the towel next to Kaeli and rubbed it on his head before answering, "No, just realized we forgot to bring lunch. Want to stay here while I get it?"
Kaeli gave a small nod and looked back at her book. Michael prodded his father's leg. "Can I stay and play? I want to finish my castle!"
Dan tousled his son's hair before saying, "Alright, but stay near your mother. I don't want you to get in trouble."
Michael laughed and slid on his knees through the sand to his sand castle. Dan grinned widely before grabbing his shirt and walking up the beach. Kaeli heard the engine roar before fading away into the distance. Kaeli's eyes slowly grew heavy as time passed by. She struggled to keep them open.
"Maybe just for a minute…" she mumbled. Kaeli let go of the book, dropping it on her stomach before closing her eyes to the sound of childish laughing.
Kaeli awoke with a start. She had a qualm about her surroundings. Kaeli could hear waves crashing on the shore, but there was something else amiss. She thought it might be a bird, but there were none to find. Then she realized what it was. The sight of the remains of a sand castle confirmed her fears. What she had heard was a scream.
Kaeli jumped up from the towel and scrambled a few feet before screaming. She recoiled as her toes touched the ocean water. The waterline was much higher. She looked into the distance to find what she feared. Michael was caught in high tide, and was getting further away.
She looked behind herself hoping to find Dan back. But sadly, the sand dune only held tire impressions. She looked at the monstrous waves while her knees shook. Kaeli was scared for herself, as well as for Michael. She watched hopelessly as Michael went farther out, his head going under the water longer each time. Kaeli did the only thing she could do. She took a deep and shaky breath.
She screamed, "Help! Help! For the love of God someone help me!"
"You called miss?"
Kaeli gasped and looked to her right to see a man standing there. All she could make out was that he had brown curly hair, had a white tuxedo on, and for some strange reason was soaking wet. His darkly tanned skin reflected the midday sun. A flowing brown beard held water droplets. Oddly, Kaeli could not look at the stranger's face. A mysterious force did not allow her to look at it. "Wh-who are you?"
Beads of water from the stranger's hair fell onto his shoulder like snowflakes. He did a casual shrug. "Just a helpful stranger. Say, is that your boy out there?"
Kaeli nodded frantically while watching the head bob in the sea.
"Mm-hm. I see." The man nodded as he stared out to the roaring ocean. He breathed out and a chilling mist blew out from his lips. "I guess I should help you. I don't need another thing polluting the Atlantic."
Kaeli felt rough hands grab her head. She grunted and struggled to break free from the strong grip. The man quietly said, "Relax dear, look into my eyes. Everything will be alright."
Kaeli breathed deeply before relaxing her muscles and allowing her head to turn. She let out a small gasp to see his eyes had no pupils. They were a shining sea green. For some reason, looking at them calmed her. Suddenly, the water did not look very dangerous to Kaeli. She felt like she could swim across all the oceans!
The stranger smiled, showing gleaming white pointy teeth. They tilted inward like shark teeth. The sight did not disturb Kaeli, but instead filled her with courage. He simply asked, "You know what to do now, love?"
She gave a small nod. He let go of her head and pushed her with a strong force into the ocean.
The water was not cold to her at all! Instead, bursts of warm water swirled around her skin as she broke the surface. Kaeli felt like she had been swimming for years! Her arms and legs pulled and pushed her through the water. She felt so strong that she could probably be able to lift a skyscraper!
In a matter of seconds, she reached Michael, whose arms flailed towards her. How frail he looked compared to her! Kaeli wrapped her arms around the boy's waist and lifted him onto her stomach. She swam on her back, back to shore as she watched the pale boy cough up water and most likely his earlier breakfast.
As her hand hit the shoreline, Kaeli brought her other hand around Michael. She flipped herself over to crawl a few feet away from the ocean. As Kaeli dropped Michael onto the sand, she heard a screech then a door closing. A pair of brown sandals kicked up sand beside her as Dan flung a towel on Michael. His face flooded with relief.
"Thank god! I heard the radio say the tides were coming in earlier and I thought of you and what could've happened…thank goodness you're safe!" His voice choked with joy. Kaeli's journey hit her hard and she collapsed on the sand.
As the sun set far away, Kaeli stood watching the ocean, wrapped in a sandy towel. Dan climbed the sand dune and tapped her on the shoulder. "Hey, we're ready to go."
Kaeli nodded. "Give me a minute."
Dan sighed before sliding down the sand. Kaeli set her eyes on the sea. Soon, a small part of the ocean began to bubble and foam and the stranger rose from the sea. He wore no shirt and was buried in the water up to his abdomen. His ears were pointed and had blue fins behind them. In the man's right hand he held a golden trident.
Before the man could say anything, Kaeli absentmindedly yelled, "You're Poseidon aren't you?"
He looked at her with thoughtfulness before flashing his pointy grin. The man did a backwards flip into the ocean; a forest green fish tail was where his legs should be. The scales reflected the setting sun. With one splash of the water, he was gone.
Kaeli took a sharp breath realizing who had given her strength. She smiled softly at the calm water, "I'll never forget, or tell."
With her final words, she walked down the sand to her waiting family, and home.
~FIN~