MidReal Story
Ocean's Gateway
Scenario: Private
I turned and saw that a portal had opened up in the water. I knew what it was right away - a gateway between my world and another. But before I could ask the seahorse anything else, it shoved me backward and I felt myself being pulled up toward the surface.
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I’ve always felt a connection to the ocean.
When I was a child, my parents would take me to the beach and I would spend hours playing in the sand and watching the waves.
Maybe it was because I grew up on the coast, or maybe it was because my father was in the Navy and I spent so much of my childhood near the water, but whatever the reason, I’ve always felt drawn to the sea.
As I got older, I discovered that my love for the ocean was about more than just its beauty, or the sense of freedom that came from being on the water.
It was also about the memories it held for me.
My father was a good man, and he loved the ocean as much as I did.
He spent most of his life in the Navy, and he taught me to swim before I could walk, or so it seemed.
I still remember how safe and secure I felt in his arms as he carried me out into the breaking waves, his deep voice rumbling in my ear as he whispered words of encouragement to me.
Even after he passed away, I found comfort in the ocean.
It was a place where I could come to clear my head and be alone with my thoughts, and sometimes, I could almost hear his voice again, calling out to me from across the water.
I’ve always loved the ocean, but there’s something special about the waters off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii.
I first visited Oahu when I was a child, and even then, I knew there was something magical about this place.
The beaches were beautiful and the people were kind, but what really captivated me was the crystal-clear water.
It was so calm and peaceful, and you could see all the way to the bottom, even in some of the deeper parts.
There was something about that water that called out to me, and I knew that one day, I would have to come back here again.
And now, as I prepared to dive into that same water once more, I felt that familiar sense of peace wash over me once again.
The sun was shining brightly overhead, casting its golden rays on the water below.
The surface of the ocean glittered like diamonds as small waves lapped at the shore, and I couldn’t help but smile at the sight.
The beauty of this place never failed to take my breath away, and I knew that beneath those sparkling waves lay an entire world of wonder just waiting to be explored.
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly before slipping off my flip-flops and stepping onto the warm sand.
The water was cool against my skin as I waded into it, sending small shivers down my spine despite the warmth of the day.
I glanced back at Finn and Coral Reef, who were standing on the shore watching me with smiles on their faces.
They were two of my closest friends—Finn had been like a big brother to me since we met when we were kids—and they were both amazing divers.
If anyone could keep up with me underwater, it was them.
I took a few more steps into the water and then dove beneath the surface, the sound of the waves rushing past my ears as I kicked my way deeper into the ocean.
The water stung my eyes and filled my nose as I swam, but I didn’t mind.
I’d been waiting for this moment for weeks, and nothing—not even a little saltwater—was going to spoil it for me.
The sound of the water hitting the boat’s hull echoed in my ears and tugged at my heartstrings, reminding me of the countless hours I’d spent out on the water with my father when I was younger.
I missed him every day, but I couldn’t let myself get too lost in memories right now.
I had a mission to complete and I needed to stay focused on the task at hand.
I swam a little further from the boat and then came up for air before looking around me for Kai.
He was a friend of mine who lived on the island and worked as a boat captain for a local dive shop.
We’d met a few years ago during one of my trips here and had become fast friends thanks to our shared love of the sea.
“Over here,” he called, waving his arm in the air to get my attention.
I smiled and shot him a quick thumbs-up before taking another deep breath and disappearing beneath the surface once more.
The transition from the chaos of the surface to the peace below was almost palpable, and for a moment, the only sound I could hear was the beating of my own heart in my ears.
But that didn’t last long, because soon, the ocean came to life around me with a symphony of sound that never failed to take my breath away.The water teemed with life, the bright blue sky overhead casting a warm glow on the vibrant coral reef that stretched out in front of me like a patchwork quilt of color and light.
Fish darted in and out of the coral, their bright scales glittering in the sun, while schools of tiny silver fish swirled around in the shallows like liquid mercury, catching the light in a dazzling display that left me breathless with wonder and awe.
I loved to dive, and even now, after all these years, it still amazed me how different the world looked from beneath the surface of the water.
But as much as I enjoyed diving, there was always a small part of me that felt out of place down here.
Maybe it was because humans weren’t really meant to be underwater for long periods of time, or maybe it was because of something else.
Whatever it was, that feeling never seemed to go away, no matter how many times I dove beneath the waves.
I shook off the feeling and swam a little further out into the open water, eager to explore and see what I could find.
I’d been diving in Hawaii many times, but there were still plenty of places that I hadn’t been yet, and today, I planned to change that.
I swam along for a few minutes, basking in the beauty of the underwater world, but eventually, something caught my eye.
It was a small opening in the coral reef—a tunnel that led into the depths below.
I hesitated for a moment, but then curiosity got the better of me, and before I knew it, I was swimming toward the tunnel with long, powerful strokes.
The light faded quickly as I swam into the tunnel, giving way to inky darkness.
But that didn’t scare me; if anything, it only made me more curious to see what lay ahead.
And so I swam on, further into the tunnel, not knowing what to expect.
Or who would be waiting for me on the other side…
It didn’t take long for me to realize that something was wrong.
My lungs felt tight and heavy in my chest from holding my breath for so long, but instead of going back up to the surface like any sane person would do, I swam deeper into the dark unknown, further away from safety and air.
The current tugged at my hair like invisible fingers trying to pull me back, but even still, I swam on.
I should have been scared or at least a little bit worried about what might happen if I ran out of air down here.
And yet, strangely, that was the last thing on my mind, because all around me, the ocean was coming to life in ways I’d never seen before.
Creatures of all shapes and sizes darted through the water around me, their colors more vibrant than any rainbow, their beauty more breathtaking than any I’d ever seen on land.
I looked around me, my heart swelling with a sense of belonging that I’d never experienced before, not even when swimming in the warm waters of Hawaii, surrounded by people who shared my love for the ocean.
It was almost as if the creatures were welcoming me into their world, telling me that this was where I belonged, where I was meant to be all along.
And for a moment, as they danced around me in a kaleidoscope of color and light, I almost believed them…
But then, just as quickly as they’d appeared, the creatures were gone, leaving me alone in the darkness once more.
Something grabbed my feet—my tail—and yanked me backward so hard that my arms flew out in front of me, and for a moment, it felt like I was flying through the water.
But then reality set in, and panic shot through me like a bolt of lightning.
I kicked and thrashed in an attempt to break free from whatever held me captive, but it only made things worse, because then something grabbed both my ankles and started hauling me away at an even faster speed than before.
This can’t be happening, this can’t be happening, this can’t be happening…
I fought harder than ever, but it didn’t do any good; whatever had me wasn’t letting go without a fight.
And then, just when it seemed like all hope was lost, the grip on my ankles loosened enough for me to look up and see the light shining down from above.
And almost as soon as I saw it, it was gone too, replaced by darkness so complete that it seemed to swallow everything whole—from the light above to the beauty that lay down below.
