The Soul of the Sea

Chapter 1- Water Locked

It takes one moment for your life to change forever. Irrevocable life points could be traced back to a singular choice or encounter. That's all it took, one encounter that changed everything I've ever known. Before I could fully open my eyes, my ears were invaded by the blaring sound of my alarm clock. I groaned as I reached over, eyes still shut, and repeatedly, I slammed my hand against the nightstand until I made contact with the alarm clock, disabling it.

I sat against my pillow while rubbing the last bit of sleep from my eyes as the early morning sun crept through my curtains. My nose was filled with a mix of the comforting aroma of my mom's cooking and fresh island air escaping from my slightly open window. However, today, my mom made my favorite, grilled cod! After smelling my soon-to-be breakfast, I was practically out of bed and halfway down the stairs in a flash. I could see my mother's back from the staircase as she scooped rice onto our plates at the counter. "Adé, tell your sister it's time for breakfast," said my mother without turning around to face me. "Yes ma'am," I said, turning on my heels and running back up the stairs. Usually, I'm a more diligent older brother, but Mom's Cooking sometimes turns me into a mindless animal. I found myself in front of my little sister's bedroom door. I knocked before saying in a loud-ish tone, "Hey Lani, wake up it's time to eat breakfast!" Silence followed my statement, although I knew that this would be the case. It's almost a morning routine now; I knock, Lani doesn't answer, and I have to walk in and carry her to her seat. So, with a slight sigh, I resign myself to my sister's script and enter her room. Her pink and cream-colored striped wallpaper immediately greets me. All her stacked picture books, orchid leis, and strewn-about toys of various sizes littered her bedroom floor.

Nestled in the corner, lying on her little twin-sized bed, was my 6-year-old sister. I walk over to her side and bend down on one knee, putting us face-to-face. I could see her eyelids tense up, trying her best to convince me she was still asleep. "Laaaani, I know you aren't sleeping," I cooed playfully while poking her cheek. She tried her best to commit to her act, but her smile grew bigger with each poke until she couldn't contain her giggles. Even though this morning's song and dance was a bit annoying, her smile made it all worth the hassle. I turned around and assumed the piggyback position, and without hesitation, she jumped on.

"BoBo, how did'ja know I wasn't asleep for real?" asked Lani in a soft, inquisitive tone while we walked down the stairs. I have always liked her nickname; she has been calling me that since she was three years old. I remember trying to get her to say bro-bro, but she landed on BoBo, and it has stuck ever since.

"I'm psychic, but it only works on you. So if you lie to me..." I tapered off as we approached the table while Mom placed our breakfast at our unofficial- official assigned seats. "I'll know!" I shouted while reaching my arms over my shoulders to raise a now giggling mess of a girl over my head before I plopped her onto her respective seat. "Nuh uh, what am I thinking right now then?" she asked teasingly as she looked up at me, flashing her big smile. Although she'd recently given one of her teeth to the tooth fairy, her smile with the missing front tooth made it even cuter. I placed my fingers up to my temples and made an exaggerated humming sound "You are thinking about... huuum... you are thinking about a pink shark wearing a big golden Lei!" I said in my best faux exasperated voice.

I could see the shock flash across her face as the little gears started to turn in her mind. "HOW DID YOU KNOW?!" she shouted excitedly while quickly darting her head between me and mom. "I told you, Lani, I'm psychic..chic.. chic," I said while slowly sitting down in my seat, making explosion motions with my fingers. It wouldn't take a psychic to figure out what Lani was thinking. She's convinced she saw a pink shark while she and mom walked past the beach after running errands. She has a couple of drawings of it wearing Leis made with golden flowers in her room. "Mommy! Mommy! Did you know Adé's a psychic?" she asked excitedly in the middle of a forkful of food.

"Oh, well, that's news to me." My mother retorted as she slid onto her chair. "It seems Adé is good at keeping secrets." She said pointedly, I instantly felt a chill up my spine and a pit starting to grow in the bottom of my stomach. "How the hell did she find out!?" I shouted internally, I could feel her looking at me but I dared not to look up for fear of her seeing how much color had drained from my face. "So Adé, anything you want to tell me? I'm worried about you," she said in that one motherly tone where you can't discern if fury or compassion lies within it. For a split second, my eyes darted up just enough to glimpse her hands. She had them folded gingerly on the table beside her plate. Her hands always made me feel guilty; she worked her hands to the bone as a seamstress to provide for us. She's been through so much after Dad's disappearance. Seeing those hands motivated me and made me incredibly sad, so I took a deep breath and prepared to confess everything.

Before I could spill my guts, she produced a slightly crumpled Marine recruitment brochure. "Also, I know you've been sneaking out to use your father's old dinghy," she said flatly before raising a forkful of food to her mouth. I scanned her face intensely, wondering if she had anything else to say. "Why in the world would you be doing that?" she said, looking at me with a withered gaze. I decided she did not know anything more than that. I finally looked up, feeling my thumping heart go back to normal. "I want to be a sailor, like Dad. Being out there on the water makes me feel close to him." I said before filling my mouth as well. I feel weird telling half-truths to Mom; it feels like I'm lying to her, but I have no idea how to start that conversation with her.

At this point, Lani had thoroughly checked out of this conversation and was engrossed in her meal.

"Adé.." She started, but before she even began speaking, I knew I was about to get the lecture again.

"Adé, how many times must we have this conversation? Do you want to end up De—" she croaks as if she tried to swallow that word rather than say it. "Are you trying to end up like your father?"

In the past, when my mother caught me in the sea or talking about wanting to sail, she would yell, cry, ground me, or most of the time, all three. However, this time, she just stared at me after she spoke. She had no tears to cry, no more energy to yell; she was just drained.

"M-Mom, I'm sorry. " I said dejectedly while pinching myself under the table to hold back the tears welling in my eyes.

"It's Fine."  

She takes another bite of her food; the silence hangs before she speaks again. "The orders are ready to be delivered today. Finish up your breakfast so you can go before it gets too hot out", she said authoritatively. "We'll talk about this later."

"Yes ma'am."

After scarfing down the last bit of my breakfast, I gathered up the altered clothes that were  neatly folded near the door. Then I slipped out of the house and scurried over to my bike.  Before pulling off, I locked up the deliveres in my metal carrier attached to the back. Per usual, Mom left a list of addresses on top of the deliveries. I unfolded it, expecting the usuals. For the most part, it was, until the last one.