Beyond depths

 

BEYOND DEPTHS

-a short story-

"I… I want to go again…", he whispered… 

"Dude it's late. Time to head back. We leave in the morning, remember?", Sameer thumped him on his back and continued getting out of his scuba gear. 

"Back to the desk my folks. The dream of a vacation gone like poof", Kiran added from the front of the deck. 

"Yea… like literally.. Gone like poof", Sameer laughed as he acted out puffing smoke into the air.

They went on like this for a while, jibing and teasing the other, as usual.

Rehan slowly got out of his gear and stood gazing down deep into the ocean… It wasn't his first time scuba diving. It wasn't even his first time scuba diving here in the islands as well, but never.. he has  never felt what he had felt today. It wasn't the ocean, the corals or the shoals of angelfish and parrotfish. It was… a sort of...

Maybe he had imagined it… maybe it was just his thoughts and emotions knocking over his senses underwater. After all, the ocean tends to do that sometimes. Cave into one's emotions and stroke them out as gentle waves. It's one of the reasons why he loves scuba diving. The release, the feeling of drowning, each breath gaining value as the ocean opens itself to him… that was home. Beyond and under was always where he found himself. Of Course Kiran and Sameer were exasperated with the constant beach trips and the diving whenever they could get together but they always understood his need for the dive. And besides, it's not just one kind of weed you get around here, so they have nothing to complain about. 

"Rehan yaar!! The ocean will weep and rage over your separation, now stop being the Devdas staring out into the vast open seas and help us pack stuff up!" 

"Coming coming.. jeez! A li'l less drama maybe?"

"Nevahhhh", they screamed in unison. 

***************

"Dude get some sleep ok? It's gonna be sleepless days of paperwork from tomorrow anyway",Sameer said from under the blankets…

"Mood kharab math kar BC!!! Atleast lemme have these last few hours of peace"

"SLEEP kids!!", Rehan bellowed from the balcony. 

He heard their light jitters as they settled in but he couldn't sleep. He just couldn't shake the feeling that there's something he's leaving behind. Something deep in the middle of the ocean. 

Something or… Someone… 

"Fuck it", he took one last drag from his cigarette and then threw it down, crushing it under his slippers. He shook his hand trying to keep away the creeping cold he has been feeling in his fingers ever since the dive. He kept staring out into the water, hoping to understand what the yearning was about. 

He couldn't place it, couldn't understand it. It felt wrong to not know what it was he was leaving behind. What was the calling? Why was he yearning this? Why does he suddenly feel incomplete? 

"Fuck it", he whispered again, as he made his way out the door, carefull not to wake up Sam and Kiran. 

***********

He was regretting his midnight plans already as he sat all geared up in the boat, surrounded all around by water and moonlight alone. 

Do it. Don't do it. Do it… 

He took one shivery breath and jumped into the dark depths. 

************

The moon was full and fierce that night as he made his way below. It grew darker and darker as he swam into the depths but he could feel it again. That yearning. 

A calling from beyond. 

As if there's someone on the other side calling out to him. As if there's a voice he couldn't hear whispering words he had always wanted to hear. As if there's a hand stretching out to him from beyond the darkness. As if there's a soul split in half calling to its mate… 

He stalled for a moment before following the moon beam spreading down below, swimming deeper insearch of something he couldn't understand. There was a faint voice at the back of his head whispering how stupid this is but that part of him couldn't reason with the emotions driving him deeper down. 

He could feel that he was closer… closer… 

He stretched his hand out into the darkness beyond him and called out with all his heart… 

Please. Please. Please. 

*********

She reached out from under and stared into the moonlit brightness above her. 

She could feel it. And she could hear it deep in her soul… 

She knew that her call had been answered. 

She knew, as she helplessly stared into the veil masking her from the Above.

She felt heavy in her heart as she hoped, prayed and wished for just one chance. 

Please. Please. Please. 

**********

"Rehaaan!!! Rehan!! SAMEEER he's here!"

Sam came running down the beach to where Kiran sat. 

Rehan was there, washed down by the ocean. Lying on the beach face down and soaked, he looked blue. 

So blue.

People were starting to crowd around him, and the lifeguards came soon after and took him in. 

"What the fuck man, was he suicidal or what?!!", Kiran gasped at Sameer as they ran in behind the lifegaurds. 

Sameer held onto Kiran's shoulder as they half walked and half ran,

"He was in his gear…", he whispered. 

**********

He was underwater… It was bright and blue… almost mystical… He saw… He almost… 

"...Rehan..?"

**********

Brown eyes woke up to a different kind of brightness - warm, yellow and Above.

-FIN-

This is a short story I wrote for an original artwork that I created. The art seemed to have a yearning story to it and I wanted to pen it down. Check out my instagram @_.the.drifter to see the art better (link in the menu bar)