True Friends

The sea was preparing for a glimpse of a moon.

A mere glimpse of the moon was enough for the sea to launch a series of furious waves. The moon appeared, and the sea rejoiced by launching an onslaught of waves. Amidst that onslaught, a person was struggling to stay afloat.

That was his only struggle, as the onslaught of the sea will help him reach the shore.

He was breathing rapidly, and the soon to drown face was the indication enough for his tiredness. Only a few minutes of struggle was left in Tim. The sea was eager to gulp him.

'Tim, do not give up. Just stay afloat. Sea would do the rest of the work,' said an energetic voice.

It was hard for Tim to voice or express his opinion. He saw back and nodded to Ron. 

He saw back and nodded.

Ron took the cue and tried to reach Tim with all his might.

Tim saw the struggling Ron. He remained where he was to let Ron catch-up.

Ron made his way through waves.

Quite a physic you have? Commented Ron

Tim nodded with a smile.

Tim was wondering that how can Ron summon such energy to converse in this energy-draining and life-threatening scenario.

'It has been an hour or so, I think?'

Tim raised two fingers, and Ron got the answer.

After some time, Tim raised his hand. He pointed a finger to a source of rotating light.

'Yes, we made it.'

Tim denied with the hand and began swimming towards that source of light.

After a full minute of silence, Ron spoke but with a little less intensity, audible at the beginning of the conversation. 'Tim, but how can one leave the gun powder canister open?'

Tim stopped floating and tried to address the elephant in the room or to say it in other words, the elephant in the sea.

'I was not....', the onslaught of wave filled the mouth of Tim, and the salty and bitter taste of the water halted the conversation. Tim gulped out the salty water, but the next wave took him down. The sea was eager to reach the shore, and the sea was energized to overcome any hurdles along the way. 

Tim struggled to reach the surface and let the oxygen finds its way to his lungs. Ron tried to help Tim but to no success. Tim was below the surface for Ron to grab. Tim summoned his depleted energy to his rescue, and they obliged. Tim struggled and reached the surface. It was like someone gave him another chance to live, and Tim grabbed with that all his might. The opened mouth rushed the oxygen in to sustain the life.

After recovering from the near-death experience, Tim looked at Ron and put a finger upon his nose to silence Ron from talking, 

'I have a question?'

Ron could only shut up his mouth for about three minutes and six seconds.

'Shoot,' shouted Tim with the newfound energy and frustration.

'Who puts the gun powder canister open beneath a lamp?'

Tim stopped and started to look around and judge the scenario. He let the wave pass by to reply Ron in the interval between two intervals of two waves.

'Believe me, I did not place it under the lamp. There might be another reason for the explosion in the ship.'

'What reason might that be?' asked Ron

Tim waited for some time for the same reason and replied, 'Other were also sleeping below the deck, ask them.'

'How can I? No one survived that explosion. Only you are lucky enough.'

'Like you are not lucky enough. Somehow the spark found the canister of gun powder and exploded to destroy our ship, living us here to struggle for our life.'

'As per your account, the spark manage to fly from the burning lamp and found its way to the gunpower. And then it exploded taking the lives of all except you.' said Ron with sarcasm.

Tim began swimming his way to the shore as he deemed the conversation with Ron a little bit futile for this journey. 

'Answer me, Tim.' demanded Ron

Tim looked back, but he did not answer. 

The sea became silent in an instant with no warning. The sudden calmness seemed quite deadly, and Tim knew. The silence was deafening. 

Tim increased the speed amidst the deadly silence fearing something strange was on the horizon.

Tim looked back and saw Ron struggling with speed. Tim slowed down and tried to help Ron with his speed. Ron somehow quickened his pace and bypassed Tim. Tim picked up the pace but struggled to maintain the speed with Ron.

After some time, the fear of Tim came true with a loud bang. The sky helped the sea with pouring down all that he had. The rain and the new onslaught of the wave made it hard for Tim to stay afloat.

Tim knew that the end was near. That thought drained his strength, and he was about to give up when Ron said, 'Do not give up now. We are near and we will make it. Just continue, Tim.'

Tim looked at Ron and nodded. But it was the last thing that Ron can do with his free will. A giant wave forced Tim to the bottom, and Tim was grasping for the air. The life that he lived as a sailor began flashing in front of his eyes. 

Twenty years of life sailing on the sea was all that he enjoyed in his life. The last expenditure that proved fatal to Tim's crew was to the mysterious land of India. A nation with a vast supply of species and herbs. They lost the ship and all the crew members, except Ron and himself. The explosion of the gunpowder canister took all that they had. 

Ron was blaming him, and he was right. Tim accidentally placed the canister below the lamp, and it exploded taking the lives of all except the two. He accepted his guilt as he was about to drown. 

Suddenly, the wave uplifted him and placed him near the shore like a hand of God. He saw the stars shining bright in this night. After some time, Tim lost his consciousness. 

The sea regained its composure of serenity in the absence of the moon. It was like the sea was afraid of the Sun and decided to behave itself.

The intense sun rays woke up Tim, and he began searching for Ron.

He found the debris of the ship and along with them the life-less bodies of all his crew.

He was surprised to see Ron amidst the lifeless bodies of the crew that perished in the blast. Last night the spirit of Ron helped him uplift his spirit to reach the land. A true friend indeed even after death.