Ok, yet again, long time since I updated. So here's a story for you to read. It's meant to be self-contained, but I have my doubts if it really is...
A few notes on this: The characters and concept of the island I thought up of in a dream I had one night (one of those dreams you don't want to wake up from ;D ). No, I don't mean that in a questionable way...
Anyways, I call this one "Ocean's Child"
Please read, and comment:
It was nearing the end of Jayden’s turn to steer the boat. All four of them only knew a portion of the journey each, as to make sure no one could get to the island but them. It was almost sacred to him, June and Desi. Their father, Aleksey, was never too keen on going there. But somehow, he was the one insisting on going instead of Desi.
“It is my turn now, my son,” a strong voice said. Jayden turned to his dad, a proud man of Russian origins.
“Yeah, I’m about to fall asleep,” Jayden said, relinquishing the wheel. He could best be described as ordinary. Jayden has steely blue eyes and light brown hair that he preferred to keep short.
“Get your rest. You will need it, my son,” Aleksey said. Despite his origins, there was only the slightest hint of it in his accent.
Jayden went down into the underbelly of the boat. In there were basic living quarters. It reminded him of a caravan.
“Hey, Jayden,” June said. She was his twin sister. She had the same eyes and colour hair as him, but preferred to keep hers in a loose ponytail. She wore a thick, white jacket and pants. June had always been more sensitive to the cold than the rest of them. She was sitting before a small altar of a glowing hammer.
“Finished your prayers?” Jayden asked.
“Yup. You better get to studying those runes. Dad won’t be impressed if you don’t pass,” June said, nodding. She was a devote paladin, and follower of the Holy Light. It always felt odd, considering the modern ages they were living in. He nodded to her, and moved on.
“Hey, Desi,” he said, noticing the wiry figure staring intently at a piece of parchment with crude runes on it. She looked back up, nodded, and returned to studying.
Desi was the adopted sister. Found by Aleksey floating in the middle of the ocean, or so Jayden had been told. She had black hair, which while normally shoulder length, had been gelled upwards into a slightly forward leaning spike. She wore black clothing, almost like a goth. Her left arm was adorned with bangles and bracelets, her right with leather and studs. Cables from an iPod trailed from her ears into a small bag, music loudly playing from them.
Jayden sighed and opened a book. Inside were runes, not dissimilar to the ones Desi were studying, but rather of a much more refined state. He turned to a blank page in the book, and slowly drew complex diagrams and symbols. He had to memorise all of it to use his magic. Desi had it easy.
He closed the book wearily. He was simply too tired to study. He rolled over and went to sleep.
******** ********
After landing, June helped her dad moor the boat to the old wooden dock. She climbed out and followed Aleksey to a clearing. Something was odd; usually he didn’t like coming to this island.
Desi walked past her, music loudly blaring out her headphones. June hated that music; Rock she believed it was called? It sounded like heathen music. Jayden followed Desi in disembarking.
“Now that everyone’s here, I believe we should check our house I still here,” Aleksey joked. He took their bags, and moved to the primitive stone cottage. There wasn’t much; a basic kitchen with fire stove, and a room they all slept in.
“Dunno why, but I always get a feeling of nostalgia every time I come here,” Jayden remarked, stretching his arms above his head.
“That’s maybe because you’ve been here at least eighteen times before?” June said pointedly, punching her twin brother’s arm in a playful manner.
Aleksey cleared his throat. He looked at the three, nodding at Desi to turn her music down. He was wringing his hands. June felt a cold feeling in her stomach start to grow.
“My children, I have brought you here to tell you something.” The three were suddenly paying keen attention. “This will be the last time I will be coming here with you. The doctors say I am ill, and have a few months left to live.”
June swayed on the spot, suddenly feeling numb. Her head turned slowly, to look at Jayden. His eyes were starting to glaze over as her stared at their father. Desi had pulled her headphones out.
“You – y – you’re joking – right?” Jayden said weakly. June prayed her brother was right.
Aleksey shook his head sadly.
“I am afraid not,” he said, looking at each one slowly. “All my life, I have been dodging death. It has finally caught up to me in the most final way possible.”
“Death can be so cruel…” June whispered to herself.
“I can agree with you on that, my daughter,” Aleksey said, sighing. “But I think this is one of the kinder ways.”
“Kinder? How?” June said, almost yelling. “You’re dying, dad!”
“Kind, because it has given me warning. I at least have a chance to spend time with my children,” he said, smiling in an almost peaceful way. June didn’t feel that way.
“I don’t – I won’t believe it!” she said, shaking her head.
“Dad…” Jayden said, wiping his eyes.
“We still have time. Please, do not dwell on it.”
June ran up to him, and hugged him as tightly as she could. Jayden followed suite, while Desi stared out of the window.
******** ********
Desi was aware that her father could hear her music. She always played it as loud as possible; yet somehow her hearing has never been affected. In face, she could hear better than most. Well, maybe not Jayden; his hearing was unmatched.
She finished listening to the current song before turning it soft, and pulling out one earbud. Aleksey looked at her, not really knowing what to say. Desi had always been so quiet, and alone.
Maybe this is what she wanted?
Aleksey nodded at Desi, and he slowly moved to the door of her room. She touched his shoulder lightly.
“Stay,” she said, almost a whisper. He listened, leaning his back against the wall, almost mirroring his daughter.
Aleksey wasn’t sure what to do. In the past, the only things he ever did together with Desi was fishing and eating dinner; but that was with the whole family. Here, they were alone.
Desi could sense her father’s uneasiness. She turned to him, smiled and nodded to him. She knew it would help him relax; help him accept this is what she wanted: A quiet moment.
******** ********
June and her dad sat kneeled before the altar of a glowing hammer. Silently, they prayed. Eventually, June opened her eyes and the both spoke in unison:
“May the Holy Light protect us, and all we live for.”
“Now that’s done, I challenge you to five lengths!” Aleksey said, going to his bedroom and changing. June sat in front of the altar. A small part of her wished she wasn’t doing this. For doing it meant time was passing.
She changed into her swimming costume and went to the pool. She found her father waiting for her in the pool. June dived in from the other side and emerged near Aleksey.
“Come, I’ll race you,” he said, preparing to do a few lengths. June stopped him.
“Dad, please. You should be resting. You don’t have to do this for us,” June said, holding onto his shoulder.
“June, my lovely daughter, you don’t understand. I would rather live for a month, spending time with you, that to live for a year doing nothing,” he said, gripping her shoulder. “Now, how about those five lengths?”
June almost cried. Not with sadness, but with happiness at such a great father.
“You’re on!”
******** ********
“Nice shot, dad! You even managed to leave the grass behind!” Jayden said, patting Aleksey on the back. Jayden couldn’t lie to himself, his dad was terrible at golf, but he appreciated the time he was making for it.
“I am still new at this, my son,” Aleksey laughed, swinging the club a few times in practice. It was Jayden’s turn for him to spend time with; time which was slowly slipping away.
“You have to keep looking at the ball. Even once you’ve hit it, keep your eyes on the ball. As soon as you start looking for where it’s going to go, the ball will go skew,” Jayden said, guiding his father’s hands and putting him through the motions of the swing.
They carried on, appreciating the day. It was only later when Aleksey suddenly cringed in pain.
“Dad? Are you alright?” Jayden said, supporting Aleksey.
“Yes, I’m fine, just my muscles. Don’t worry, Jayden,” he said, knowing that soon, he wouldn’t be fine. For the sake of Jayden, Aleksey lied.
“Be careful, dad,” Jayden said.
“Me? Careful? Naturally!” he replied, back to his haughty self. “Now, I need to work on my slice…”
******** ********
Four months had passed since Aleksey broke the news to his children. Now, he lay on his deathbed. Desi stood at the end of her father’s bed, a thousand thoughts running through her mind each seconds.
Jayden stood next to her, and next to Jayden stood June. All three looked at the frail frame of a once proud and strong man.
“All my life I have been dodging death,” Aleksey said weakly, “It was about time it finally caught up.”
“Please, don’t say that, dad,” June said. She was visibly distressed; her hair was untidy and tears filled her eyes.
“I am just thankful that death gave me some warning,” the man said, managing a weak smile. Desi simply looked at him, not saying anything. “Come close, my children. Let me see you each one last time,” he said, motioning for them to move closer. June and Jayden took one side of the bed, Desi the other.
“Dad, we’ll never leave your side,” Jayden said. He seemed less emotional that June, but deep inside he was being torn apart. Their father was a proud man, a mighty warrior, and now he lay dying of a terminal illness.
“My children…My beautiful children. Never could have I asked for a more perfect family…” he said, smiling at them.
“I love you, dad,” June said, starting to weep. She gripped his hand tightly.
“June, never give up. Never judge, and never go in life holding hate in you…”
“Dad…” Jayden said, closing his eyes in an attempt to stifle the tears.
“Jayden, my only son. Live your dreams, and don’t be afraid to go with your heart.”
Aleksey turned to Desi. She stood, motionless, gripping her iPod tightly, the headphones in her other hand.
“And Desi, my dear child. Don’t be afraid to live your life, don’t be scared to set yourself…” he groaned, gripping at his abdomen.
“Dad!” Both June and Jayden said in unison.
“D – Desi… Don’t be afraid to set you – yourself – f – free…” he trailed off. Nurses hurried into the room as the heart monitor went dead. All three were rushed out of the room.
All three were feeling numb. All three stared at the door, mind blank. All three feared the worst.
After fifteen agonising minutes, one of the nurses came out with a sad look on her face. Jayden comforted June as she wept into his chest, tears streaming down his cheeks. Desi stood motionless, not hearing the nurse’s report.
He was dead.
Eventually June managed to compose herself, and turned to Desi. She was infuriated at her blank face.
“How could you?” she said angrily. Desi turned to her. “Dad is dead! And what do you do? Nothing!” June yelled. Jayden tried to stop her, but was cut off with a cold look.
Desi look at her, and blinked. Slowly, the thoughts slowed, thinning down. A thousand replies slowly whittled down to one.
“You have no idea, do you?” she finally said. “You think this doesn’t hurt me? You think I don’t feel loss?”
“Well, you’re sure as hell doing a good job at it!” June yelled.
“You don’t get it,” Desi said, her eyes starting to water, her mouth worked a thousand emotions that she has never expressed before; unable to express. “What do I have left? He was my only family. And now, nothing.” Jayden cringed.
“All my life, I’ve wanted to say it. And now it’s too late,” Desi continued, now visibly shaken. June took a step back. “I would give up everything, June. I would give up my fucking music; I would give up my arm bands and studs. Fuck, I’d give up my hair, just to see him alive for one more fucking day!” Desi suddenly yelled. “I would fucking DIE, just so I could see him!”
“I – I…” June started, but was cut off.
“I owe everything to him! I owe my very fucking life! Don’t you understand? I would give up everything I have ever lived for, just to see him again; just to having the fucking chance to thank him!” she screamed. Heads turned towards them in the corridor. Desi clenched her fists at her sides, and then continued in a more steady voice. “I have nothing left. I have no family left. My only family just died. All I ever wanted to do was thank him. I wanted to thank my father of giving me a chance at life. I wanted to thank my father for his unconditional love. I would give up everything just to thank him one last time, June.”
The twins stared at Desi, eyes wide with shock. That was probably the most Desi had ever said in her entire life.
“Desi, we -,” Jayden began, but Desi cut him off.
“I’m gone.” She left, not saying another word.
******** ********
June paid the taxi driver his fee, and walked with her brother towards the gravestones. She stopped almost immediately when she saw Desi already there by their father’s gravestone. She was leaning against a tree, a large bottle of water in one hand, her iPod in the other. Her headphones weren’t in her ears, but around her neck. June could hear her heathen music playing loudly out of it.
“Desi!” Jayden shouted, and he ran to greet her. Almost expectedly, she didn’t look up, but instead stared at the gravestone. “Desi…?” Jayden said, slowing to a stop.
“Desi, please,” June said. The other girl looked up at her. Desi’s eyes were sullen, and had dark rings underneath. “We’re all hurt by losing him. Don’t hide this inside of you, please,” June pleaded.
“Desi, listen to June. We’re your family; nothing is ever going to change that,” Jayden croaked. His eyes were starting to water.
Desi pulled her headphone’s cords and wrapped it around the MP3 player. She threw it onto the grave. She did the same with her bangles and studs.
“Desi, what are you…?” June began, but trailed off as she opened the bottle and poured half if it onto her belongings. She then washed her hair with the other half, getting rid of all the gel.
“What do you care?” she said, after pushing her hair back. June thought she actually looked nice this way; the thought repulsed her somehow. “I’ve already told you, I have no family left. I’m giving up everything. I have given it all in the false hope I’ll see dad again,” Desi said in a flat tone.
“Desi, please,” Jayden begged. “We’re your family!”
Desi leaned back against the tree, staring at the headstone. Jayden moved to her, and suddenly hugged her.
“It’s okay, Desi. We won’t leave you,” Jayden said. Desi’s eyes widened in the suddenness of it, and she too, slowly embraced him back. “I’m your brother, Desi.”
“And I’m your sister. Nothing will change that,” June said, swallowing her pride.
“I just can’t believe he’s gone…” Desi sobbed. June moved over, and joined Jayden in hugging her. “He was everything to me. I don’t want to accept he’s gone.” She was now full on crying.
“We, too, Desi. We also don’t want to accept it. But together, we can move on,” June said. The three separated. Desi looked at June with tear-filled eyes, before breaking down again and embracing her.
“Thank you, June. Thank you…”
“No, Desi. Thank you.”
The sun was now low in the sky. They had spent four hours at their father’s grave. June stood up slowly, helping Desi to her feet. Desi swayed slightly from fatigue.
“It’s time we go home,” June said. “Go on without me, I want a few moments with dad.”
The other two left, towards the taxi waiting for them. June looked at the grave, and Desi’s wet belongings on it. Making sure that no one saw, she put them in her bag, and followed the other two. It was only fair; Desi had given up her identity, it was time June gave up her pride.
