YO..Composition: a journey through a mysterious land under the sea
Thoughts were whirling in my head when my parents did not return from sea for 7 hours. They would usually have had came back in 5 hours, and they did not leave any prior notice or inform me that they were going anywhere special or distant. Being fishermen, there were only a couple of possibilities. Either they had lost their way at sea, stranded onto an island, or worst come to worse, drowned.
A couple of days later, I still wondered if my parents were going to return, when there was a knock on the door. I creaked open the door, eyes brimming with hope, only to see my dreaded uncle, and he told me that my parents had been proclaimed dead. Without consoling me, he got me to pack my belongings, as I was going to move in with him. I was only 7 at that time.
Years later, when I was living with my uncle Alonso and his cruel family, I was treated like a slave, and tried my best to survive under very harsh conditions. I had to do the dishes, iron the clothes, and various housework which was not suited for young people like me. I ever wondered, why did god put me through this turmoil? I usually would look forward to Sundays, as the whole Alonso family went to church, while living me at home alone. On one occasion, my uncle said to me,” stay indoors you little midget. Pretend as if you do not even exist. While I am away, tidy up the house. Do you get me?” he bellowed at me in the face. I nodded, turned around and sneered.
Alone! At last! I thought of all the time I had in the world alone! Solemnly, I looked out into the night sky and wondered where my parents were. “ mum, dad, where are you? Please come back! I really miss you!” every time I think of my parents, I would look out into the edgeless ocean, and think of the very day they disappeared. Without knowing, I was wheeling out the Alonso’s sailing boat, and preparing to go into the ocean. Furiously I shouted into the sky, shouted and screamed until I lost control. My mind went blank temporarily, as I stared into blank space. I could feel the crisp of the ocean breeze billowing into my face. Ah! Somehow, my senses told me that something was out there waiting to be found, somewhere out there, something was waiting for me. As I regained my senses, I started to sail, further and further away from land, having absolutely no knowledge of where was I going. I dipped my hand into the sea, as a cool sensation gushed through me.
Suddenly, the sky around me started to loom overhead, as rain started to fall. Lightly at first, a mild drizzle,but soon enough, it was pouring down on me and to my horror, the mast of the ship broke. I was completely taken by surprise, and soon enough water came rushing into my ship, consuming me. I struggled and I kicked, but somehow an awesome force just forced me down, I tried to keep my eyes open, but no matter how much effort I put in, it just wouldn’t budge. The water got colder and darker, as the tiniest glitch of sunlight faded from view. I sank deeper and deeper, and slowly, I blacked out.
I felt alive. I tried opening my eyes, staring into the very blur surroundings, trying my best to keep my pupils open. The air was hazy and I was lying on a squishy surface, which felt like a human tongue. The surrounding was misty, and I collapsed, drifting further and further away…
It was on this day where I woke up, wondering where in the world was I, and the first thing that came to thought was “ am I actually alive?” well, it was hard to say, as my back was hurting badly, and my vision was blurred. A strange looking creature strolled into my view. It looked at me as I did the same. Am I seeing an octopus? ‘hello young human, I see you’ve finally come to. Well, welcome to Atlantis! The most thriving underwater city, followed by guano city, and the oceana.’ ‘huh?’I wondered what he was talking.. it sounded all gibberish to me. ‘are you a talking octopus? Well well dreams really do come true you know. That day I was talking to one in my dreams. Now pinch me.. I must be dreaming.’ ‘you are most definitely not dreaming you hypocrite. I may be talking but I’m most definitely not an octopus. Octopuses are silly and dumb. They most certainly can’t talk. And they’re found near the surface, unlike where we are now.. 500 miles below water level.. I’m a pentopus you see, ten tentacles. Call me douza.’ It stretched out one tentacle and shook my hand. I was dumbfounded. ‘500 miles below sea level? Are you mad? You’re joking cause if I am, I’ll be dead. Long dead!’ it stared at me. ‘let me bring you to the king merman.’ Without even asking me, it wrapped one of its ten tentacles around me and dragged me along. It was going to be a bumpy ride.
Outside the oyster, it was thriving with marine life, the city Atlantis loomed into view. A magnificent place to live in. Emerald lights showered the city while having beautiful coral reefs by its side, infested with creatures I had never seen before. Striped fishes of many kinds surrounded me as I looked at them with great interest. Slowly, we entered a pathway filled with aqua flowers, as douza called them. It was lighted up by faint and luminous glows appearing frequently from both sides. Eerie, in a way, but still I looked on as a great city zoomed into view. I was in Atlantis.
Different types of buildings with fine architecture were on either sides of the path. ‘This is our underworld famous longa path! It stretches 14 miles wide and civilians reside on both sides of it. At each end is a fabulous cave, and atop it, is the most glorious place of all, haven, which you humans call it palace.’ Douza commented. 14 miles! This is going to take forever. Suddenly, Douza’s grip tightened. ‘sorry but I’m gonna have to speed up a little’ it said. It suddenly shifted to top gear, as onlookers stared and laughed at me. ‘goodbye young one. Have fun with the pentopus!’ I wondered what they meant. I found out soon enough. It actually reached the end of the road in a few minutes! My vision was blurred and almost got knocked out when it sent some weak electric waves through me. I woke up startled.
‘We have reached’ it said. ‘Tiring right?’ it looked at my exhausted face. I looked into the colossal building which was almost a perfect symmetry. I was awed by the sight of it. No one above water could have actually constructed such a perfect building, judging by how old this city’s history was. ‘built in BCE 191 the haven.’ Douza said. From a distance, I could hear a fading sound getting more and more distant, sounding more and more faint. As I stepped onto the elevated platform, I was engulfed by a purple mist, and I felt shrouded in fear. Such a strange place and such an intruding experience. I never expected this to be realistic or authentic, even more did I never expect an underwater city to exist 500 miles below sea level. And I still had not found the reason of why I was still alive breathing finely underwater as though I was a fish. An odd sensation told me that something lay here waiting for me, something strong, as I bubbled up and down through a narrow tunnel which seemed never ending…
The sound sounded clearer and clearer, as I finally exited the tunnel, looking at all the strange ornaments everywhere in the building. Unbelievable, the surrounding colours were so vivid, so special. It was totally out of this world. My mind was in a whirl as Douza tugged on my hand and said, ‘come honoured guest, this way. The king is waiting.’ Honoured guest? Why was I honoured? Was I special? Were they expecting me? I also wasn’t an important person. And why did they treat me with so much respect? And how did the king know me when it was my first time underwater? How peculiar. I bowed down in front of the king as he said to me, ‘rise young human.’ I took a quick glance at him, and oh what a muscular body he had, in his hand was a ivory coloured trident, looking glorious in his splendor. Shimmering light was emitted from the body of the king, radiance was immense. He spoke in a mono tone, but it was gentle and soothing, heart warming, talking to me as if we had known each other for a long time. I looked at him with great interest, astounded by how well built he was, then he spoke, ‘I know you have been wondering why you are here. We have been waiting for this day, it was a good thing Douza stumbled upon you, floating in the deep blue sea infested by sharks and poisonous fishes. You could have been dinner for some marine creature if not for him. You ought to thank him,’ as Douza’s face turned red momentarily. ‘I still have not told you the reason you are even here. You see, you are one of us. You have been born to lead us, Atlantis, and you Jeremy, have finally came. Douza gave you the elixir of life, enabling you to survive underwater, changing your surrounding air to oxygen. It’s time.’
Two people walked out of a door. They looked very familiar and I felt very weird. Where have I seen them before? Then I realized something, which I always knew was there. They were my parents. ‘mum? Dad? Is that really you? After all these years you have been here?’ I wanted to cry but nothing came out of my eyes. I was just too elated to cry. I went over to hug them.
It was then did I realize something. I found the thing that was missing in me. I found out what was lost. I found where I belonged. I was home.
