The tide is going out.

The tide is going out. The land increasing.

Sometimes I imagine it keeps going out, the water getting lower and lower, receding beyond the horizon.

Days pass.

The fishing community baffled. The farming community overjoyed. And I'm just confused.

I miss the water. I miss the waves.

I grab my boat just in case and I head out at first light.

I don't tell anyone where I'm going, they'd just try to stop me.

Halfway into the first day I'm exhausted. I didn't think this mission through. My boat is heavy from supplies and damaged from being dragged over the unavoidable coral.

Panting and wiping the sweat from my face I sit on the edge of my boat and shake my head at myself for acting on my foolish thoughts.

I'm too ashamed to turn and go back without having found anything to tell. I could lie, but what good is that when someone else could easily come out and prove me wrong.

I wondered where all the fish went. I suppose they went with the water. Sea cucumbers, urchins, starfish and the coral weren't so lucky I thought as I passed their skeletons.

Night began to fall and I climbed inside my boat at the end of an uneventful and lonely first day.

I dreamt of my family and village searching the island for me. Calling out my name and holding lanterns in the night. My heart broke as I thought about the pain I was surely causing my dear mother. Needless to say I didn't sleep well.

I awoke in the ocean desert, blinded by the sun shining bright in a cloudless blue sky. I was moving east toward the fabled New World. Fisherman spoke of having been there, but it took weeks, if not months, by boat.

I cried at my stupidity. I didn't want to die, but I didn't have a plan, or enough rations to last the predicted duration of such a voyage. No fish in the sea. No sea to see. In the end it all resulted in no me.

Days three and four were full of much of the same. Fear and anger.

Hunger came on day eight as the rations dwindled to bites.

The mirages started on the tenth.

I heard water on the eleventh and my heart leapt with joy.

The ocean was below me. Vast and wide as it had always been. I looked up from where I came as if the world had pushed my island upward without us knowing, or perhaps pushed this place down.

I had to get back to my people, to tell the fishermen their livelihood was not dead and gone. I had to shout to them what I shouted now, "The sea is alive. She is here!"

Reflected in the water, the sunlight danced on the sand like veins of continuous golden lightning as the clumps of green algae swayed in the lolling current. I was overwhelmed at the sight and smile at my luck of finding myself in this place.

The beauty was boundless.

I ran to the water to ensure it was real. It was cool and gentle and soothed my hot, sticky skin. I laughed and cried as I jumped and splashed for some time, basking in the glory of my discovery.

In my taking a breath of refreshing pleasure, I noticed an island I had not seen before on the horizon. About a two day row away, I decided I would rest and restore my stock for the rest of the day and upcoming night and again take off at first light.

I speared fish and feasted next to my driftwood fire. I smiled sprawled under the blanket of the sky, with the stars twinkling bright in the calm black night.

I set off rowing with the sun beating down, warming my back. I smiled at the possibility of people on that place. People who I hope would welcome me and help me home...
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I stopped writing because I noticed I was sitting on an ant hill, or very near to and I didn't like their tiny little bites - sorry guys! Geeze!! (me to them, not you). Plus my shade was dwindling on the treeless beach. I waded home in the low tide and it was magical and I had moments of bliss throughout. LIFE! I LOVE YOU!!

This probably needs to be edited, and yes, it also needs to be finished. Maybe you enjoy? Criticize away, please. On this and the "now she just mourns." Any other posts, you keep your mouth shut! I kid. I kid.