Forever TogetherA Story by Wolfwind A tale of two girls Shay’s eyes opened, squinting in the bright sunlight, to look over at Tara who lay asleep on the far side of the small row boat. She licked her lips, trying to moisten them, but only a parched tongue brushed against her dried lips. They had been adrift now for three days. Tara had rowed till her strength gave out. Shay smiled towards her friend. ‘What a trooper.’ She thought.
Shay weakly pushed herself to sit up and look around, hoping that she would be rewarded with the sight of land or another ship. Yet, it was only the slow and methodical waves of ocean that filled her eyes.
“Hey.” Tara’s voice whispered from where she lay.
Shay turned and smiled, scooting herself over next to the other girl. “How ya feeling TT?”
“Ok..I guess.” Tara responded with a parched voice. “Just thirsty.”
“Yeah...I know.” Shay spoke gazing into Tara’s blue eyes.
Tara returned the gaze and lifted her head slowly, coming close to Shays. “At least we’re alive and together.” She smiled.
Shay grinned and let her lips brush against Tara’s for a moment. “Yeah...together.”
“Any sign of a rescue ship?” Tara asked quietly.
“I haven’t seen anything. Nothing but the empty sea.”
Tara slowly sat up and looked out at the horizon.
“Well, the emergency transponder should have activated when the sail boat went under the water. I doubt I rowed us to far away from there.”
“You were at it for almost six hours that first day Tara.” Shay responded, taking Tara’s hands into hers. She flipped them over and could see her friends palms were raw from the efforts of rowing. “Well, you’re not gonna row any more Love.”
Ripping a swath of fabric from her shirt, Shay gently wrapped Tara’s hands.
“You don’t need to do that Shay. They’ll be....”
“Hush sweety! They need to be protected from the salt water or they may get infected.”
Tara gave in and watched her friend take care of her hands.
“Shay?” Tara asked softly.
“Yes baby?”
“I’m sorry I took you out on the boat. I never thought we’d run into a storm like that.”
Shay stopped wrapping for a moment and looked up at Tara. “Sweety, I wanted to go out with you. This wasn’t your fault.” She said reassuringly.
“But I should have known better!” Tara spoke in return.
“Stop this Tara!” Shay said, reaching up and taking Tara’s face in her hands. “You did everything you could to keep that sail boat up and safe. The storm was just to strong. That’s all. I know I couldn’t have done as much as you.”
“I’m sorry.. I guess I just thinking that you might never see your friends and family again. I’d feel horrible.” Tara replied letting her head lower a bit.
“Oh sweety.” Shay smiled, wrapping her arms around Tara. “If you and I are meant to leave this world, then there’s nothing we can do about it. Besides, at least I have you.”
Tara looked up into Shay’s eyes and smiled. “I love you Shay. I hope we make it though this. But if we don’t... At least we’re together.”
The two smiled and let their lips softly connect. For a moment, their hunger and thirst vanished as they felt the love that had grown between the two. As their lips separated, they continued to gaze into the other’s eyes. Both of them knew that if they couldn’t find fresh water soon. They would indeed die adrift in the big ocean.
As there was nothing to do but see what fate would hand them. Both Shay and Tara curled next to each other and let sleep claim them again.
Tara awoke feeling a dampness against her bare legs. The boat was rocking more with grey rain clouds over head.
“Shay! Wake up!” Tara spoke quickly, brushing her bandaged hands against her friends side.
“Wha...What?” Shay yawned as she felt the rain landing on her forhead.
“It’s raining! The boat’s gonna fill up. We need to scoop it out.” Tara’s voiced rushed.
“Wait!” Tara stopped and looked back at Shay.
“What is it?”
“It’s fresh water silly!” Shay smiled.
Tara grinned and laughed. Both girls quickly began scooping the fresh rain water from the bottom of the row boat and bringing it gratefully to their lips. Having soon filled their bellies with water, slating their thirsts, they continued to bail out the small boat.
Tara took a moment and glanced out upon the rougher seas.
“Shay.. This storm’s going to get worse.”
Shay looked up, “We can only do the best that we can do Love.”
Tara smiled. “Right.” She concealed her fear as the sun was descending on the horizon and night time would soon be upon them.
Thirty minutes brought giant swells and the pounding of thunder from the now dark skies. Tara manned the oars, against Shay’s complaints, desperately trying to keep the boat from capsizing.
“Shay! It’s too rough!” Tara shouted as a wave crashed against the boat and washed them both with cold salt water.
“You’re doing fine TT! We’ll make it!” Shay yelled back, trying to suppress her own fears while bolstering Tara’s confidence.
The small boat heaved and rocked in the terrifying seas. Tara’s arms ached from the pushing and pulling of the oars. Squinting out into the darkness she saw a shadow loom.
“Shay!” Tara screamed. “WAVE!”
Shay glanced up just as a giant wall of water slammed down upon them. Both girls were tossed like rag dolls into the cold dark waters of the Pacific. The boat splintering to pieces with the force from the crashing water.
Shay’s head burst above the surface with just enough time to take a deep breath of air, before the currents pulled her underneath again. ‘Where was Tara!’ Her mind screamed as she desperately pulled against the water, trying to find the surface again.
She felt an arm wrap around her waist. Tara had miraculously found her in the dark seas and was helping Shay to the surface.
Both girls broke into air at the same time. Their hair whipping backwards as they took deep breaths.
“Shay are you ok?” Tara’s voice heaved with the exertion of keeping herself afloat.
“Yeah...I..I think so.” Shay stammered, the chill of the water beginning to make her teeth chatter.
The two girls clung to each other as wave after wave crashed around them. Several time’s sucking them into the cold ocean, forcing them to swim to the surface again.
“Tara...” Shay shouted weakly.
“Don’t give in!” Tara shouted back seeing Shay was at the ends of her strength.
“I’m so cold!” Shay stammered, spitting sea water from her mouth.
Tara pushed close and let one arm wrap around her friend, while still treading water.
“I know...We c..can’t g..give in!” She spoke, her own voice beginning to chatter.
Shay looked over at TT and found herself crying.
“TT! I c..can’t do this.
“Stop!”
“I’m s..so c..cold, so..so tired.”
“You h..have to!” Tara’s eye’s filling with tears. “You p..promised we w..would be to..together!”
Shay brought a wet hand from the water and placed it upon Tara’s cheek. “Tara..it’s over..”
“NO!” Tara shouted. Grabbing Shays waist, holding her above the water while she kicked furiously against the pull of the deep with her legs. “I’m not..g..going to let..you d..die!”
In the back of her mind, Tara knew that she couldn’t keep them both above water for long. She looked into Shay’s eyes, who gazed back lovingly, even with the fates of death hovering.
Tara shouted, sobbing to the clouds, “Not this one! Please! You’ve taken all the rest! You don’t need this one too!”
Shay took her arms and with her last effort hooked them around Tara’s neck. “Baby...I love you. Even in death, I’ll love you.”
Tara, breathing hard, looked to Shay realizing that they were indeed together. “I love you too.” Tara spoke softly and stopped kicking as water lapped at their chins.
The sea held the girls above water for a few moments......
© 2013 WolfwindAuthor's Note
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6 Reviews Added on July 18, 2013 Last Updated on July 18, 2013 Author
WolfwindCoupeville, WAAboutSometimes poet, always an artist, creator of colorful visions, dreamer, and a seeker of things not yet known. more..Writing
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