Storymania - Destiny's Fate by B C Mercer

Destiny's Fate
B C Mercer

I awake at 5:15 a.m. to nudge C.J. as she lies in a peaceful unconsciousness. Her sleek green eyes blossom as the fading moonlight bounces off the ocean and reflects into our room. It is necessary to raise half an hour prior to our scheduled departure only to allow ample time for C.J. to “wake up.” It is hard to imagine that on a day like this she can lay so still. I did not sleep much last night. My anticipation for this date with Destiny has hampered my ability concentrate on anything but the surf.

Hurricane Destiny began forming eleven days ago in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. When I realized it was moving towards Central America, C.J. and I immediately boarded a plane for our journey to Costa Rica.

All my life I have saved my money to venture to Costa Rica. The only life goals I consider valuable to me are surfing the Costa Rican shores and tempting a category five hurricane’s storm surge. I was presented with the inescapable opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.

C.J. and I landed safely in San Jose three days ago. We were not going to take any chances with the possibility that our storm would speed up and reach the Costa Rican shoreline before we did. We caught some pre-tsunami surf and were able to absorb the delicacy of this little-known paradise. The eerie calm before the storm began to set in yesterday as tourists and natives were urged to evacuate. It felt as if we were the only occupants of the entire nation; a dream come true. The swells were six to eight feet above normal already, but we knew this was nothing. Destiny was holding back. She would unleash her fury on the sea in due time, and we would be prepared.

I met C.J. three years earlier in Puerto Rico. Hurricane Cameron was in the spotlight and closing in on the island. I was walking down the beach one night when we ran into each other. I stepped on her, actually. She was star gazing and I trampled onto her as I admired the black sea. After she caught her breath and my apologies were accepted I introduced myself and we began talking. We learned quickly that we both had come from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, apparently on the same flight. We ended up with an excessive amount of time to get to know each other as a cold front pushed in and swept Hurricane Cameron south of our position; ending our chances of catching a major storm. We became great friends and soon developed our relationship.

There was no chance Destiny was going to pass us by as Cameron had. She had remained constant on her projected path for the past four days. The eye of her storm was to pass directly over us in a little more than three hours. With no cold fronts on the map, we had no doubt in our minds that today would be the most memorable day of our lives.

C.J. rolled out of bed, walked over, kissed my forehead and said, “Today is our day.” Then she retreated to the bathroom. I cannot comprehend how she does it, but she never fails to convey such a powerful message in so few words. She can complete a twenty minute conversation and prove a point with a single sentence and a particular look from those deep green eyes. I have yet to figure it out.

At 5:45 a.m. we dig our toes into the cool, damp sand. No feeling has ever been more consoling than the touch of this beach and the smell of this ocean. We are in a different world; a new world. No one has ever begun a day knowing they would be granted the best swell of their natural-born life. Destiny knew what she was up against and that we were not backing down. She would deliver everything she had, and we would accept nothing less.

Destiny was inching closer every second. We could feel her. She spoke to us in a soft whisper, “Come closer.” She was calling us out to sea; her territory. Applying the final layers of wax to our boards, it was time.

As we waded out to sea, the fiery sun began its ascent over the horizon. The spray of Destiny’s monstrous, yet beautiful waves covered our faces. No words were spoken between C.J. and me; they were not needed. One look expressed our fear, anticipation, and thankfulness. We caught a few waves to perfect balance and stability and then it happened.

Calm. Still. Silence. Nothing can describe the scene that we witnessed. Waves ceased from forming. The thunder and lightning in the distance expired. The sun vanished, darkening the sky with a purplish haze. It became very cold. Our fingers interlocked, C.J. stared deep into my eyes. Still, not a word. She squeezed tight, released, and began paddling. I followed her further into Destiny’s battleground. Destiny spoke again, “Come closer.”

We continued out until we saw her. The Spirit of the Ocean. The Goddess of Surf. We saw her! It had not been Destiny who had spoken to us but Mother Earth herself. She was beautiful. Her enchanting smile and soothing voice touched our souls. “You’re welcome, “she said, and faded away.

In her place was the largest swell to ever have been created on Earth. C.J. and I were over two miles from shore and feared that we were too close for the size of this approaching wave. We turned around and as we were nudged towards the land by the rising water, we paddled and kicked as hard as we could.

We began to rise and jumped to our feet. We locked our hands together as the curl commenced its formation. This was no ordinary wave. Every part of the ocean was in it. Every creature showed its face. We saw images of shipwrecks on the ocean floor, beautiful colors, and stunning beams of light. She returned.

“This is the only place on Earth where you can truly be surrounded by water; my greatest miracle,” she said “The terra firma cannot possess the qualities of this immaculate substance. When this world was created, it was complete desert; no life could survive. This saddened me, so I cried. I cried for millennia. When I opened my eyes, I realized that my tears had covered much of this vast sand dune. Life was prospering and I was ecstatic. I was finally presented with an opportunity to flourish on this land of lost hope that was given to me so long ago. The beauty I had cultivated was like no other.” A sad look came over her, and in a whimpering voice she said, “Only now, my miracles are miracles no more. Rain is not appreciated but dreaded. The sunny skies that held this land captive for ages are what my inhabitants yearn for. I do not understand this. This is the reason why I must create hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. These meteorological phenomena are the only way to display my true power on this planet. I am only capable of proving how vital the weather is by producing massive and indestructible disturbances. Embedding fear into the minds of you people is the only way to open your eyes.”

After we accommodated to the shock and amazement, C.J. and I were cognizant of the fact that we had not reached the shoreline yet. Remaining in the midst of this barreling curl, we were entranced in a state of cosmic consciousness with our ocean goddess; an eternal now.

Moving swiftly through this tunnel of Adam’s Ale, we saw a bright, warm light ahead. Our spirit guide pointed towards the light, “Go my children, carpe diem.” She was gone again. I shouted, “Wait! Take us with you!” No answer.

As we approached this light, I felt a sudden sense of relief. I felt loved throughout my entire body. C.J. grasped my arm and I knew she felt it as well. We wanted nothing more than to reach this light. We tried to go faster, but the light seemed to be moving farther away. Mother’s voice returned to reassure us, “Be patient, and pay attention.”

At that moment I saw myself as a baby with my miniature surf board tucked under my arm. I saw my entire family and all of my friends. I was witnessing a new perspective on every facet of my life. I saw myself during all of these events, but what was amazing about this was the fact that I was experiencing the feelings of those around me. I knew how C.J. felt the day we met and how deeply she loved me. It was incredible! The pinnacle of this event came when I saw my best friend Lance. He had drowned off this very coast a year earlier while surfing. He held up two fingers to form a peace sign as he always had. I could not believe what I was seeing!

The light began approaching us. The wave started crashing behind us and we got scared. We were unsure of whether or not we would reach the light before the water reached us. As the break closed in on our heels, Mother Earth came before us and held out her hands. C.J. and I held tight as she pulled us. She swung us forward and we shot out of the end of the curl. The light was so intense that we could not open our eyes. All that we heard was the massive crash of the wave behind us.

I suddenly felt as if I was floating. Reaching down, my board was gone and there was no more water. We were floating! As the light began to fade, I recognized the sea below. C.J. still affixed to my side, we were high above the Earth. The blinding light at the end of the tunnel impaired our ability to see an enormous water spout awaiting our arrival. This ocean-going tornado was now lifting us further from the shore.

Mother Earth emerged once again, “Come with me.” She said as she wrapped her arms around us. As we ascended towards the heavens, my words were barely decipherable, “Thank you.”