Wondering | ALICE Knapsack

'Ready?' Meero asked. The rods were packed in their cases and the lines were wound and coiled in his knapsack. The baits were fresh and still bobbling in the lunchbox, waiting for their inevitable destiny.

Lamisaray rummaged through her messenger bag the last time. 'I can't find it,' she exclaimed, sending her bag sailing. 'The pearl's gone.'

'Sweetheart, it's on the back of your neck,' Meero said smilingly. Her hand swooped up to find it lodged in the nape of her neck. 'Right,' she said, laughing, 'let's go then.'

They swam towards the sun and spotted a boat floating on the surface near a pier. 'Shall we?' Lamisaray said. Her eyes glinted in the refracted sunlight. Meero tied a few tentacles to a few lines and sent the jellyfish up bobbing and waving in the lighter parts of the ocean.

Michael was sharing a cigarette with Lana on the stern, kicking their feet in the water and watching the horizon. Nothing left their mouths except the soft curls of smoke dissipating in the sea breeze.

'Shit, Lana, get out of the water!' Michael shouted when he noticed the growing number of glowing jellies. Water splashed about in a panic as they scrambled to get their legs back on the boat. And when the ephemeral panic died out, they crouched over the stern and peered into the water, mesmerized by the enchanting creatures.

Far below in the deep Meero and Lamisaray watched the watchers. The water became less of a window and more of a mirror as they observed their human counterparts. The fascination swimming between the two couples left all befuddled and they stared on, neither really knowing what they were staring at.

The sky was darkening. Lamisaray reached behind her and popped the pearl out of her skin, which smoothened out and became firm as though a bulbous orb wasn't previously embedded in it. She kissed it and it glittered blue and green where her lips touched it. Then she passed it to Meero, who also kissed it and let it glitter blue and green where his lips touched it. The pearl flew up, through the smack of jellyfish, and burst out onto the surface where it took the illusory shape of a reflected moon.

It shone brightly enough on the surface of the dark water to hide the now glowing iridescent tails of the mermaid and the merman. And while Michael and Lana rolled more cigarettes under the stars, Meero and Lamisaray dove deeper into the black water amongst the bioluminescent organisms; all left to wondering.


(photo via fleabg.com)