Nera floating

Nera needed no guidance as to emerging; already in her fourth mission, she was considered an expert. First would arise her face; the tingling sensation of expanding her molecules to form the outer shell of female characteristics was part of a process she had been practicing for years. Who would have thought that the minute details of heads and faces would be so demanding compared to the rest of the body shape? Along with the refreshing sea breeze that caressed her emerging figure, the tiny droplets trickling down the torso tickled her to a liberating giggle and flashed before her newly formed eyes the image she would adopt this time. Swiftly she went the extra mile of draping herself in a silver swimsuit for the sake of bathers and adjusted the length of her hair to cover her naked back that suspiciously reflected the full moon above the tropical beach. Under its bright shimmer the deep black eyes of a teenage boy standing next to the rocks posed a silent challenge; and Nera was no coward. He was the first to spot her and straight to him she would walk. No time to waste!

Kay was sloppily filling his tattered leather bag with rocks and pebbles washed ashore from last night’s storm when he eyed the glistening lady. A tropical islander born and bred, he was familiar with the way women emerged from the sea around there, more intent on posing right for the coveted photo than enjoying the sun or the sand. That’s why he was impressed by the straightforward manner of the woman’s approach, her confident strides and steady pace measuring the land to cover the distance between them.

- How far is the highway? She uttered with confidence hoping to take the boy aback.

 - How come you don’t know? Where did you come from? He retorted boldly.

- Well, I just left my friends on the yacht back there... See, we made a bet, to swim to the nearest beach and return with something valuable, and I just have to win!

- Really? And, where’s that boat of yours now?

Nera turned halfway and extended her arm to emphasize the line.

- Oh, it must have passed the cape! So, how do I get to the road?

- This way, he said, more than curious to find out how far the silver woman would go dressed like that.

The path wound through the sand dunes and brought them to the cluster of caravans that had been steadily sprouting up next to the old-fashioned huts of the lazy seaside village. Kay stopped dead in his tracks when the door of the first caravan opened wide and through its yellowish frame, a half drunken man was ushered out by a tall brunet bearing the same deep black eyes as the boy. With gaze fixed on the figures, angry words poured out of his mouth long enough to stop the couple in place while he was taking in the scene.

- What the hell is he doing here again? I thought we made an agreement!

The man was beyond repair; his fist, nonetheless, landed steadfast on Kay’s chin and hurled him aside, as a shower of curses echoed though the silent night. By the time the woman collapsed next to the boy, the beast had somehow made his way to an old truck parked beside the caravan and started the engine.

There goes my ride… Nera mused and turned around to make the best of this mess.

About an hour and two beers later, Susan and I were decidedly on friendly terms. Kay had come around to second the blow with a vibrant quarrel with his mum, and then vanished in the dusty village roads refusing the multi-offered icepack for the bruise. Awkward introductions concluded, in addition to the alcohol, Susan furnished me with a most welcome pair of old trainers and a tracksuit that would come in handy for the earthly part of the journey. On top of that, I was also served with ample portions of personal info on how she and Kay had come to be.

- So, Louis made an early exit and I was left with a toddler in a flimsy wooden hut and no other options but to work shifts and shift jobs faster than I can remember. A couple of years ago things were looking up but what with the marine reserve they’re setting up and the new rocket launch site, tourists are vanishing and jobs are harder to come by…

- That beast of yours, though, is no solution to any problem; I muttered aiming at more than filling the silence.

- A mother’s got to do what a mother’s got to do, she responded firmly as if carrying the burden of the world on her mere shoulders.

And here I was again, faced with the ever astounding mystery of motherhood. In the underwater world that had fostered my presence for ages mothers were unknown entities; unfamiliar creations cited in exotic stories as the equivalent of our Father, the mighty water spirit that bound all sea creatures together and informed our existence from the original moment of self-perception. However, there seemed to be a crucial difference between these two figures: Father’s will and power permeated our beings and no life existed beyond and over him; he and us were one, undivided entity with perpetual identification and co-perception. Earthly mothers, on the other hand, seemed to procreate and differentiate themselves from their offspring while undertaking some sort of eternal obligation to sacrifice anything and everything for something so separate to themselves even from the moment of its birth…   

- At least, that’s my excuse! Susan reflected. Now, what’s yours?

- What do you mean? I assumed the most innocent expression possible to counter the attack.

- What are you about?

- Oh, well… Some friends and I made a bet tonight; the first to swim to the shore and fetch something valuable back to the yacht wins. The yacht’s supposed to return tomorrow to pick us up and I have to get something nice till then.

- Who are you kidding, honey? I’ve spent my whole life on this beach and I sure know how to read women appearing out of nowhere in nothing else but swimsuits.

Her frank, compassionate expression left me speechless.

- You’re too young and beautiful to be wasting yourself like that. Do you really mean to get back to those scums?

I felt I owed an answer that would match her affection and dared to speak the most truthful of lies.

- I suppose I do not mean to… Still, I should get to the island highway, and it’s about time I kept going; I summed up and stood on my feet clumsily.

- In that case, here’s a little something for the road! Susan turned around to fumble in the drawer and offered me a couple of notes still bearing the man’s smell that hit my nostrils as sure as sunrise.

- No, no, that would be too much! Besides, I know how much you need it…

And then a great idea crossed my mind. On the way out I turned and remarked casually:

- By the way, Kay came across something unusual on the beach. You might want to take a look at that bag of his…

Susan looked alarmed but said nothing. She followed me to the yard where the boy’s bag was hanging loosely from a nail on a post and as soon as I found myself on the path, she sat down on the stairs to check. A quick jerk emptied the contents out on the porch and revealed Kay’s jagged sea rocks with a couple of doubloons in between the dark crannies.

- Oh, sweet Mary, mother of God! She exclaimed and something glistened in her eyes.  

Half an hour’s march onwards, I am still thinking of those shining droplets at Susan’s eyes as I come across the highway, a lonesome two-way street encircling the island cloud forest that crowns the volcanic crater; the same forest over which I’ve spent days in my aquatic form spying through the eternal fog to make sure the road leads to my next stop. Rejoicing at the invigorating drizzle that’s soaked me through and through, transforming the gritty clothes into a soothing seaweed blanket, I strut parallel to the road, hiding in the lush vegetation and keeping my distance from both indiscreet drivers and unfamiliar wildlife. Drumming my pace are Father’s words: “It has to be something significant but undesired; something special that can be spared” and I am still in doubt about finding anything of the kind to take along… As I am reaching the peak of a downward hairpin turn, I strike lucky. The parking space ahead is glaring with the red tail lights of a straight truck ready to pull away. I sprint quietly to the rear end, strip and hide the clothes in a neat nook before mounting the shiny body. Taking advantage of the light rain that affords plenty of camouflage to a watery figure I make my way on top of the cabin and settle in, hoping to enjoy a ride that will take me as close as possible to the getaway.

Brian’s cab was reverberating with his sister’s voice, high-pitched and emotional and harder to bear with time.

- Just stop messing with me, will you? He shouted back at the speakers trying to hide his despair.

- Don’t you dare ignore me, now! I’m telling you things are serious this time and the doctor was clear, she won’t make it to the weekend. So, get your stuff delivered, talk to the agency and take the day off! You’re coming to say goodbye as sure as Sunday morning!

- And what makes you think Mum cares about her faggot son’s goodbye whatsoever?

- Jeez, Brian, you’re thick! No matter what’s happened, Mum thinks the world of you! You’re her only son, and she will adore you to the end of this life and beyond. Now, crumple your selfish butt and come to see her off. If nothing else, her only crime’s she’s been a Catholic nun living for the church and family all her life. Can’t you spare her a bit? And spare yourself of the guilt, too?

- I’ll see what I can do…

Nera could barely hear his muffled voice.

- I’ll be expecting your call! Don’t disappoint me, bro!

She could not resist; confident in the heavy rain now lashing down she leaned forward to peer through the windshield. Brian was drowning in emotions, eyeballs rolling, mouth wide open gasping for air, much like writhing fish on gravel. Seconds later water started pouring freely from his eyes, thick gills racing down his cheeks, glistening in the cabin lights… There and then Nera had an epiphany; that was exactly what she needed, it fit Father’s description perfectly: “something significant but undesired; something special that can be spared!” Swiftly she slid her watery hair locks through the crack of Brian’s side window and splashed his face, gathering some of the familiar droplets just in time. He was taken aback and for a moment the truck swayed awkwardly, but when he regained control, Nera was loosely flowing over the hood as happy as a clam at high water.

Midnight finds me frustrated and barefoot at the bottom of the rocket launch platform peering out a dark niche, through the thin clouds and into the starry sky. My sore feet, fraught with supporting a watery figure on the verge of melting in the soil beneath, are the only thing competing against the last blow I sustained: motherhood. The initial enthusiasm over discovering the saltiness of human tears was soon smothered by the tide of images and emotions contained therein; nothing could have prepared me for the shock of Brian’s past flashing before my eyes while my form was striving to accommodate the seemingly familiar liquid so as to transport it! Still boggling at the complexity of human realities, my mind resorts to the only way my species uses to cope: engulfing, sustaining and accepting, or else the memory of water. Motherhood – it seems to me – is worth preserving, so the knowledge will be instilled in my form and nurtured and guarded and carried away to the final destination, the Orion Nebula. For thousands of years, water sprites like me have been taught and trained by Father to travel to space carrying invaluable knowledge and material that furnish the birth of new blue worlds, so far away and so close to our home at the same time. This is my mission, too, and I do not intend to disappoint Him now that I’ve come so far along the way...

Soon afterwards, a sprinkle of rain gets me moving; I leave the cool nook, dodge a couple of security guards and wrap myself around a fin to start floating upwards. The body of the rocket is cold and wet and my confidence returns as I speed up towards the nose cone. An hour later and two hundred feet higher, I am leisurely reflecting the full moon and gazing at the water-washed stars that shine brightly on the upcoming day.

Ready to roll…