The Girl From The Sea

We pull her out of the sea as soon as we find her. She looks like she was about to go under. I stare at her as one of the crew members pulls her aboard. They bring her below deck and lay her down in one of the extra beds. The nurse sat in the bed next to her. After a little bit, the nurse shooed me out.

I came back the next day. She was sleeping and shivering in her bed. The nurse had left. I threw a blanket over her. She calmed down a little bit. I left to go eat lunch and she was awake when I came back. "Hi." "Hi... where am I?" "You're on the Borealis. We rescued you from the ocean." "oh... do you know what happened? Like, how I got in the ocean?" "No, I'm sorry." "...ok."

We went upstairs together. The crew welcomed her with grace. After all, she was one of the only girls on the ship and she was the only visitor. "So, what's your name?" "My name is Olive. What is yours?" "My name is Aiden." She smiles, "I like that name." I smile back.

We go below deck again for dinner. We almost always have something bland on our ship. Tonight it was bread and mashed potatoes. Olive snarfed hers down. Some of the crew laughed as she tried to grab more bread but she had already eaten it all.

Under the table, I slip her mine. She grins at me as she grabs it and shoves it in her mouth.

I give her a tour of the Borealis. We walk the whole deck. Then I showed her a tor of the bottom deck. We even went up to the wheel. I introduced her to most everyone on the ship. Finally, we went up to the crow's nest.

It was nearing sunset when we climbed up there, "It's beautiful." "Yeah." She looks into the distance. "I just... I haven't told you but." "But, what?" "I can't remember anything since I woke up. Can you tell me?" "So far, when the crew pulled you out of the water, you were holding onto a board. I think it said something like, tranquility." "Hold on." Olive stared out into the ocean. She looked like she was concentrating hard.

"What is it?" "I remember something." "What do you remember." "I remember my father. He is lifting me up in his arms. We are on a ship. The sun is setting. Then it just stops." "Oh. Is that a memory of yours?" "I think so."

We go back below the deck and lay down. "Is there anything else you remember?" "Not really." "I guess we should go to bed soon." "...yeah." "Night." "Night." 

I wake up a little before Olive and went up to grab some biscuits and coffee. I come down with two mugs and a plate of biscuits. Olive is already awake. "Hi Aiden." "Hi Olive. Did you remember anything else?" I sit down on the bed next to her. "Yes actually." She takes a biscuit and takes a giant bite. "I was sitting on a chair in front of a mirror. My mother stood behind me and was braiding my hair. There were seashells on the table in front of me. I was making a necklace out of the seashells."

"Any clues about why you were in the ocean?" "Well, I was on a boat." "*Sigh,* no." "...oh, ok." "Hey! Why don't we try some things to see if it triggers a memory." "Oh, that's a great idea!" 

We ran around the whole ship and talked to most of the crew members we saw. We stare over the edge of the railing. "Ugg! All-day and nothing!" "Something has to work." "OMG Look! Dolphins!" We watch as two dolphins jump out of the water and dive back in. Then, a baby dolphin jumps happily at their tails.

Olive giggles at my side. Then she stares into the horizon. "What is it?" "I remember me and my parents. We are standing on deck. A whole pod of dolphins swims by." "That sounds fun." "Yeah."

For the next two days, we continue to try to trigger some sort of memory. We hear from the crew that a boat would be nearing us soon so we went to the crow's nest to watch it go by.

About ten minutes later we see the sail of the ship in the distance. "There it is!" We wave to the ship as it passes. Suddenly Olive's hand shoots to her side. "DAD! LOOK OUT!" She's screaming. Olive falls to the floor.

"Olive! Are you okay?" She shakily climbs down back to the deck. I rush after her. She runs below deck and tries to hide under the bed in the corner. 

"Olive. You're okay. What's wrong." "It was a boat. We were hit by a boat. My parents were gone. I held on to a board from the boat. 2 days out there." 

I run to get the nurse to help. She was the first person I saw. "Something's happening with Olive." 

After a little bit, Olive calmed down. "I know what happened. I remember everything." "Do you remember who you are? Any family?" "Yes. I used to live on a boat called tranquility with my mother and father. The only other family I have is my aunt. She lives in Matunuk, Rhode Island." "You should be with her not on this boat." "Let's tell the captain.

The captain agrees that we should go to Matunuk. We call Olive's aunt and she agrees to come and pick her up. Her aunt did not know of the boat crash or the death of her brother and sister-in-law. 

The next night we arrived in Matunuk. "Soon I'll never see you again." "Well. Let's make the best of it now." We climb up to the crow's nest for the final time. "The stars are beautiful." "...yes, they are." We see a car pull up. "That's my aunt. I'll miss you so much." "I'll miss you as well." She climbs down and runs to her aunt's car. We wave for the final time. She drives away. I hope that her life will get better from here.