Sea

Just one word can bring million pictures in someone's head. The majestic breathtaking scenery of the palette of colors the sunset creates in the calm cool waters, the wild threatening waves hitting the shore like whips while the wind whistles unknown songs without beat or lyrics, a deep blue you rarely find at someone's eyes, a drop of imagination of how marine life looks like.

But to me, the sea is my second home.

I grew up swimming in deep oceans, sharks, playful dolphins, usual and unusual kinds of fishes, i have witnessed scenes you can only dream of if you have enough imagination, i know every kind of fish, sea flora, i can hold my breath underwater for almost 6 minutes .

Responsible for all these knowledge of mine is my dad, Maqnus Adells, a famous professional diver and hydro biologist. If you turn on your TV and find a channel with documentaries about marine life, the possibility of my dad holding the mic in his diving suit or the sight of underwater environmental coupled with his voice on thee background is very high.
Personally, i wasn't really into diving, not even swimming. A tragically ironic fact, for i lived just opposite of The Surf School in the South West Rocks of New South Wales.

Every Friday or whenever school was cancelled, my father and i would take the bus and travel all over Australia to every diving site. I especially love the Fidh Rock cave, which is really close to my place. I get to watch grey nurse sharks from a safe distant, brilliant colored fish cemented in my vision and feeling the water turning warmer while diving deeper inside the cave.

I love watching how squids communicate with color changes in their body at night at Rye Pier, and i was lucky enough to see a scooling hammerhead shark at Osprey Reef, the notoriously shy leafy sea dragons and the sea lions in Kangaroo island. But what excites me and boosts my adrenaline to the maximum are shipwrecks. I'll never forget my first shipwreck in Ayr, Queensland.

The wreck of the SS Yongala.

The ghostly history of this wreck and the shivers travelling in my body when i first touched the seaweeds growing in its walls had me curious to solve its mysteries.

Ayr is our destination when the weeks are too tiring for us to handle a bus trip. At least it was before my father was asked to participate in this big scientific project two years ago and had to constantly travel around the globe. Having him around has become a rarity, but it didn't stop me from visiting other diving sites in Australia weekend by weekend. It's not just a habit, but a way of life.

This happened to be one of those energy sucking weeks. Three exams and an exhausted biking race with my friend, Angie, had me crawling under my bed-sheets. I was well aware that if i skip diving, deprivation would haunt me for the rest of the week. And so I forced my exhausted body stand on its feet and took my time to prepare my stuff.

Nothing excessive, two shorts, two T-shirts, my diving suit, sandals, my camera, headphones and phone charger. Changing my current outfit in an aqua blue swimsuit, jeans shorts and a white jersey, i hanged my camera around my neck and made my way downstairs, only to find my mum talking to the phone.

Patiently i waited for her to finish and grabbed an apple from the large glass fruit bowl in the counter, along with the money she always has readied for me before i leave at Fridays. Picking up my presence, see told the caller she'll call them later, before placing the phone on the table, a warm smile gracing her lips.

"Leaving already my dolphin?" she called me by the nickname she has baptized me with, before pulling me in a hug. Chuckling softly, i rolled my eyes and responded with a hum. Her soft hands caressing my blood red curls were so becoming they could lull me to sleep right on the spot.

"Aren't you feeling tired? Maybe you should go next weekend. The Yongala will still be there" she suggested and i shook my head lightly.

"It's OK mum, i want to go. I'll feel guilty if i won't. Besides, i want to see Kenzo. He rarely visits us lately, I've kinda missed him" i explained and she nodded in agreement, giving my left cheek a gentle caress and my forehead a loving kiss. I subconsciously smiled.

"Alright dolphin, then take this with you" she said and took a Tupper out of a drawer and handed it to me. The moment i opened it, i instantly felt myself drool.

"Double chocolate Lamingtons!" I almost screamed like a six year old who just unwrapped their Christmas present. "Mum, are you trying to make me fat? You know i can't resist your Lamingtons!" i pouted while struggling to keep my hands to myself, denying the sweet temptation.

"You better not finish them off in the bus. I made them for all of you. You'll give some to Nori and Kenzo, and if you see their parents, offer them as well. Understood?" she sternly warned and I nodded nonchalantly, still hypnotized by the delicious cake in my hands.

"Tomi?" my mother insisted, both eyebrows raised, an amused grin deepening her dimples. I jerked my head up and gave her a sheepish smile in return.

"Y-yes mum, don't worry! I'll save some for them!" i mouthed quickly before putting the lid back on the Tupper and shoving it in my backpack. My mother stared indifferent, the grin glued in her face.

"Alright, i promise i will save some for them!" sighing in defeat, i shrugged my shoulders lazily before flashing her an innocent smile. We exchanged our goodbyes and i made my way to the bus station.

First thing i need to do is take the bus to Kempsey station, take the train from there to Bisbare Roma Street and then take another train to Ayr. Quite an exhausting route may i admit. When my dad was around, we would drive to Coffs Harbour, take the plane to Mackay and take the train from there all the way to Ayr. At least that didn't take me almost 24 hours.

However, i am afraid of being alone in an plane. I don't know if being 16 years old makes my fear ridiculous or logical, but i can't help but feel embarrassed.

The bus ride didn't last long and in the first train, i had plenty of time to do y homework. Seven hours were more than enough to do so. Calculating when i will have arrived at my destination, i texted Nori to be there five minutes earlier with our bikes.

Nori Kagiyama and her brother, Kenzo, have been my best friends for four years. Our father's cooperation for the project "Submarine map" and their parents moving to Ayr, resulted to the three of us spending more time together than i normally spend with other human beings. Being a socially awkward person, making friends has been tricky for me, but Nori is the kind of person to make sure she's noticed and so i noticed her. She knew i lived in the South West Rocks and we would never have more than a full day together -except on Christmas and Summer vacation- but she insisted on me becoming her first friend when she moved.

Kenzo is an equally easygoing guy, i enjoy his company as much as he enjoys mine, with the only exception being when he blabbers about how much he adores Asuna from SAO. I formed a good impression when they introduced me to the world of Anime, but Kenzo's blabbering threatens its fall.

During that 16 hours long way to Ayr, i was plugged in my earphones -literally-, my eyes glued to the landscape surrounding my peripheral vision. I spent sometime texting Nori and surfing in the net, and when i completely bored, i checked on my math problems. Becoming fully aware of the weariness of my body, i allowed my eyelids to close as i drifted to Dreamland.

I was awaken by a light push on my shoulder. Blinking my sleepiness away, my eyes spotted two wrinkled lips curled in a kind smile. Apparently i overslept and a sweet old lady offered to wake me up.

Oh well, at least the Lambingtons are still safe.

Thanking the old woman, i gathered my stuff and hurriedly left the train. Mixing with the crowd, i scanned my surroundings, searching for Nori and skidded to a halt when i found another person waiting for me instead.

The frost which kept me still for a few seconds thawed immediately at the recognition of the pale icy blue eyes, the strong board shoulders, Roman nose and the brown-golden hair reaching the length of his beard. A huge smile graced my lips.

"Dad!" i cried out full of joy and sprinted my way to his wide open arms.

"Dolphin!" he exclaimed as he embraced me tightly. My dad is a really strong man, if he wished, he could crack your bones in a deadly hug. It's a good thing he trained me to survive his hugs, especially when he is overwhelmed. He could crush steel with those arms!

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I missed you so much!" pulling away slightly, i punched his stone hard chest and pouted, making my already full cheeks look like bubbles. Smiling lightly and chuckling softly, he patted my crimson red head, messing with my hair.

I whined like a toddler and attempted to push his hand away. Nobody, Messes with the DO!

"It wouldn't have been a surprise if i told you i was coming"

"Does mum know you're here?" i asked, earning a nod and a devilish grin "Traitor!" i teased him and he threateningly pulled a curl of my hair.

"Shouldn't you be grateful i came here instead of going home to my beloved wife and eat some homemade Emu and Kangaroo pie?" he raised a thick brow. I instantly grimaced at the mention of Emu. Chicken has been engraved in my heart and Emu was definitely not a competition. That.... thing is gross!

Disgusted, i frowned and used all my force to pull away his hand. At the end he liberately let go of me tortured hair. I crossed my arms and frowned, trying to make him flinch the slightest, but he had to give me one of his piercing stares full of authority. Someone should finally announce me officially the standard bearer of fail when it comes to arguing with my dad.

With a scoff, i raised my hands in defeat "Ok fine, you win!"

"There you go" he casually uttered before hugging my shoulder and starting to elbow me. At the end, i stopped frowning and smiled good-naturedly.

That's my dad, Manqus Adells, famous to be stoic and serious marine biologist, an affectionate father and a big tease.

Carrying my stuff in one hand, we made our way to the Burdekin Car Service in Hoey street where Nori was waiting for us, leaning in her bike seat besides two other bikes and Kenzo kicking his feet to the ground, whistling.

The instant she caught a glimpse of me, Nori stormed to my direction and squeezed the air out of my lungs. Did i say my dad could break steel with his arms? Allow me to reconsider that.... She sure has some meat in those skinny arms of hers.

"Sweetie!" she clamored right next to my ear and i flinched a little

"Missed you too Mikasa" i patted her back and let out a drowned chuckle. The reason i call her Mikasa is because when Kenzo showed me the Anime, i thought Mikasa was the only character who wasn't an actual person and not a drawing. They are literally identical!

Releasing me from her arms, she gave my father a warm welcome as i approached Kenzo.

"Sup!"i smiled as i poked his arm lightly. Apparently he was wearing headphones and didn't notice our arrival. Jumping in surprise, he blinked a couple of times before pulling away his headphones and formed a fist with his hand.

"Yo!" he exclaimed and i punched his fist. "Sup Toms?"

"Math, Biology and more math" i announced with boredom lacing my voice, earning a smirk in return.

"Poor, poor Tomi! If only you were 18, with a nice Honda Civic Senda in your second year in USQ in Civil Engin-"

"Cut the bragging Kenzo, after this year's exam, you'll have me and your sister in the shame campus! You can't get rid of us that easily!" i cut him off before he could tease me any further. Not in my watch buddy!

Just wait a few more months and you'll tremble at the mere sound of our names!

A jolt of shock traveled my body as Nori threw her arms on me from behind without a warning, giving me a back hug -more like a back-deathsqueeze!

"I ship you guys" she whispered in my ear while smirking at Kenzo, who gave her a quizzical look. Rolling my eyes to heaven, i pushed her arms away and tried my best to glare. However, with such squishy large cheeks and big icy blue eyes, i only provoke her to pinch me.

Which she did. Apparently i am her personal teddy bear when she feels cuddly... What would she do without me? Pinching sharks?

"Tomzo! Tomzo! Tomzo!" she cheered on a non-existing ship throwing her fists in the air. It took Kenzo a moment to understand what was going on and once he did, he huffed annoyed.

"Get lost!" he cursed and sat on his bike, ready to pedal. Nori frowned and wrinkled her lips.

"Tsk! He's so slow, it's a miracle he hasn't been kicked out of the university for being slower than Windows Millennium"

"You are merciless" i smirked at her, holding back my laughter. It's true that Kenzo tends to be slow sometimes, but that was too much...and too epic.

"Of course i am" she crossed her arms and proudly arched her back, straightening her spine with her chin held high. Oh how i envy her confidence.

"Shell we take our leave young ladies?" my dad asked, laying a hand in mine and Nori's shoulder.

"Sure mister Adells!" Nori replied with enthusiasm and pushed our bikes towards us. All of us took our positions and started to pedal our way to Nori's house in East Ayr. She lives with her parents right besides Ayr's State school. A benefit for her, for she could enjoy a few more minutes of sleep in the mornings, and for her mum who works at the hospital nearby. We had asked them countless times to let us stay in Lazy Lizard Lodge, but every single time they insist on us staying in their house.

Works perfectly for me, their house is awesome!

We arrived and tidied our stuff. My father and Yoshitake, Nori's father got caught up in a conversation about the project, while Kenzo sneaked in his room to play video games. In the meantime, Nori started showering me with the week's developments on her love life.

"Woah, hold up!" i interrupted her blabbering, letting go of the fluffy pillow i was hugging "Who the hell is Josh? Weren't you about to have a date with that Il-Seong guy or something?"

Nori sighed at my bewilderment and eyed me sternly.

"Come on Tomi, keep up with me here! Il-Seong went back to Seoul cause his father didn't get the promotion! Two days later i found out that Josh is gay and now Nolan wants us to go out next Friday, but that's when BTS are performing in Sydney and i am not missing the chance to see Taehyung live! What do i do? Help me out there? I wont have another chance with Nolan or with Taehyung? How do i choose?"

I could only stare at her clueless as she panicked and blurted out some Japanese words. I could understand Elvish better than her love life, i swear. Also i could communicate with Legolas...

"Um...who's Nolan again?" i uttered hesitant, my voice trailing. She gave me the look of a disappointed mother and i knew there was a wave of blabbering coming to crash me again. Thank the lucky stars my dad decided it was time for us to go. Sighing in relief, i gave Nori a sheepish smile before exiting her room.

I could hear her shouting my name and something like "Shame on you!" multiple times. I couldn't help but smirk in pure satisfaction. To annoy her more, i leaned in her doorframe and stick my head in her room.

"You should definitely go out with Nolan, he sounds like a nice guy!" i gave her the advice she was desperately begging me for, drowning in laughter. I received big furry pillow in response which only made me burst in laughter even more.

Greeting mister Kagiyama and Kenzo, me and my dad took our bikes and pedaled our way to the Cape Bowling Green. I have to admit ride my bike so frequently, i have almost replaced walking with it.

It was getting dark, the sun would set soon, so we took some flashlights just in case. Equipping ourselves with our diving suits and checking our oxygen bottles, we made our way to the water.

The weather was windy and the current strong, yet we were unfazed. I've been trained by the best diving teacher i could ask for, hence my C-card, IDSA Level 4.

A couple of minutes went by and the shipwreck entered our field of vision. It don't care if i am confronting it for the hundredth time in my life, i shall always stop to take a good look at it and burn it in my memory. It's just beautiful!

There's no need to go in full lengths about describing it, it doesn't take a lot to imagine a ship wreck, it was just that in my eyes, this is the most amazing ghostly shipwreck i have ever seen.

I was so caught up at the majestic sight, when I saw my dad's figure shrinking in the distance, I had to use a great amount of strength to cover the distance between us.

I was only about 5 meters behind him when I heard it. Both me and my dad jerked our heads and to the right, at the depths we hadn't yet visited.

The sound pierced my ears again.

There was no doubt, it was a ship. And judging by the looks of it from that distance, it was a large one, like the ones carrying containers with cargo.

I froze in my tracks. My hands subconsciously traveled from my left cheek to my neck.

Overwhelmed by fear, my body started to shake. I could almost feel the propels ripping my skin as if I was living it again... As if what happened three years ago was repeating itself.

I only came back to my senses when I felt two strong hands grabbing hold of my shoulders and shaking me. I found myself looking back at my reflection in a pair of eyes identical with mine.

The face I saw in them disgusted me.

Under that diving suit, under the of clothes dressing him everyday, a hideous scar was hidden, covering his right shoulder and going down his right ribs and abs.

That scar was there because of me. That scar was there because i was useless...because i didn't move when i should have.

No! It won't happen again! Never!

I am longer 13, i'm no longer inexperienced in such situations.

Shaking my head, I chased my fear away and gave my dad a nod of determination. He nodded back at me, realizing I recovered from the sock and tilted his head to the bottom near the shipwreck.

The boat was approaching threateningly and the distance was getting too small to consider safe. We needed to hurry!

Swimming with all my might, I made my way to the bottom, checking if my dad is following me. The strong current wasn't helping much.

I felt a strong pull to the left but did my best to ignore it. I used so much strength I actually managed to swim against the current with ease and reached the bottom.

The boat was just above my head, following it's course.

For a brief moment there I thought my heart would stop.

My muscles felt torn and a strong burning sensation enveloped my body. I needed to focus on regaining my breath.

All I wanted was to get off that suit and let the water pull me to the surface.

Only when the ship was no longer above me I could release a breath I didn't know I was holding.

I felt like my muscles were paralyzed. I grabbed hold of the rotting material of the ship and tried to breath normally.

Spending a few staring blankly staring at the sand below me, staying totally idle, two realizations hit me hard like lightning.

Right above my head, bubbles were travelling to the surface and my breathing started to get labored.

My oxygen battle had been pierced!

What? How? When did this happen? I remember running a scrutinized check before getting in the water!

Scarcely, I lifted my head up only to confirm that I was too deep and too exhausted to reach the surface in time.

Panicking for the second time for today, the second realization came to crash me completely."Dad! Where is my dad!" I screamed in my head as my eyes widened, threatening to pop out of my skull.

Frantically scanning my surroundings, my heart sunk when I found myself unable to trace him. He was nowhere to be found!

My oxygen levels have gone very low, the necessity to breathe had me struggling to the surface but the worry for my dad was constantly pulling me down the bottom.

What happened to him? Where did he go? He can't possibly.... I shook my head in denial of the brutal thought. No, if the boat had crashed him, there would have been blood mixing with the water, but everything around me was crystal clear.

I was running out of time, i had to find him fast and hurry to the surface. he's a professional, he can't just get lost, especially here! We've dived here a thousand times!

Every hope in me was diminishing with every passing moment my eyes failed to spot him.

Surprisingly, my ears picked up some faint sounds from afar. It wasn't my dad, that i knew for sure, but someone or something else was here.

I didn't get to focus more neither on the sounds nor on finding my father. The lack of oxygen coupled with my exhaustion and frustration, gave me the final blow and i felt my consciousness slipping.

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

I was awakened by violent coughs escaping my lips, water accompanying them. My lungs felt dry and inhaling made me feel a sharp pain in my windpipe. My neck was stiff, my muscles worn out and my head was spinning.

The sound of a familiar voice alarmed me.

Forcing my heavy eyelids open, i managed to make out Nori's features, shaping worry in her face.

"Tomi! Tomi!" she paused when she picked up the slightest movement in my eyelids and the small rise and fall of my chest, heaving a loud sigh of relief "Oh Thank God!"

She exclaimed, her voice muffled by sobs. Allowing her body to collapse on top of me, not with her full weight but relying on her ankles, she burst into tears.

The first thing that emerged through the clouds in my mind was to comfort her, but the words refused to come out of my sore throat and mouth and my whole body was cemented to the ground.

"N-Nori..." my voice came out weaker than a whisper, i doubt she heard me. From the corner of my half closed eyes, another figure entered my field of vision.

"It's alright Toms, everything's alight now. You're safe" It was Kenzo. he had pulled my head towards him and offered his legs as a pillow, his hands running through my hair in a soothing rhythm.

'Safe? Safe from what? What happened?' i wondered in pure confusion. Instantly, my mind recalled every event that had occurred all at once.

The shock boosted my mind's recovery, causing me to fully awake. Using all the strength i had, i made an attempt to stand up. Nori disapproved my actions and placed her hand in front of me in the universal sign of stop. I could see tears drained in her face, her eyes puffy.

"You are not going anywhere, the ambulance will be here in any second" she announced and Kenzo nodded his head and gently pulled me back down. In perfect synchronization with Nori, my ears picked up sounds of sirens.

"Oh, perfect timing!" she exhaled in relief, waving her hands in the air to reveal our location.

"D-Dad... where is my dad?" i asked, raising the tone of my voice as much as i could. Kenzo's motions in my hair stopped and he averted his gaze away from me, while Nori slowly lowered her hands, the small smile gracing her lips when she saw the ambulance vanished in an instant.

Taking my hand in hers and squeezing it lightly, she gave me an apologetic look full of sadness.

"I'm sorry Tomi"

She needn't say anything else. Only a fool wouldn't understand what that meant. My dad... he's gone. He's really gone.

Tears welled up in my eyes and i didn't try to blink them away. My breath quickened as sobs escaped my lips. I felt Nori squeeze my hand tighter.

"Tomi please, don't worry. We are not going to leave him like that. We'll hire a..a research team or something. i don't know, anything, but we will find him!" she promised again and again "Your dad is Manqus Adells for crying out loud! He can't just get lost in the ocean, can he?"

Shaking her head in response to her own question and attempt to comfort me, she placed her free hand on my cheek, wiping my tears.

"We'll find him, i promise!" she said one last time before signalling Kenzo to pull me up so that we could have a group hug. They both wrapped their arms around me and each other, securing me in their warm embrace.

I noticed they were both soaking wet. Had they taken me out of the water?

Well, that was a possibility...

But i didn't want to ponder about it at that moment.

All i wanted was the sea to magically part and see my dad coming out safe and sound. All i wanted was to see him unharmed.

But from the moment i opened my eyes till the ambulance's doors closed, none of the them happened.

The tears only stopped forming in my eyes when i fell asleep in our way to the hospital, one phrase repeating itself in my head.

He's gone.

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

A/N: I apologize if anything related to diving or Australia is inaccurate or irrelevant, i literally know nothing about both of them and had to search through the net.

I am hoping you enjoyed the first chapter of my story and that you will continue to do so in the ones which will follow.

Lots of love from Irene Rays