One Last Wave

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I smiled and caressed my board. Just one more wave, I said to myself, as I paddled towards the middle of the cove. One last wave.

The gentle lull of the sea rocked me farther and farther from the shore. I paused, looking back to the beach, the land where my debt, my divorce and my failures haunted me daily. Here in the water, I felt free, untethered to my earthly responsibilities.

The peaks of the next set of waves were forming, so I took a couple of quick breaths. This was what I’ve been waiting for. I’d catch this wave, ride it out, and just enjoy the adrenaline rush. It’s my last chance to surf, so I might as well have fun.

I adjusted myself and paddled toward the heart of the incoming wave. With a turn, I faced the shore and immediately felt the water move under me. As it lifted me up, I jumped to my feet, crouched, and began dropping down the face of the wave.

The deep rumble of the sea echoed in my ears as the wind blew my hair back. Time seemed to slow down as I watched everything move around me. I was amidst the crushing jaws of the waves, yet I felt at peace, with the exhilaration giving me a sense of idyll I haven’t felt in a long, long while.

I looked towards the sunset, where the setting sun illuminated my path back to the land. Its orange hues were silhouetted majestically by the oncoming darkness, a reminder that all good things will inevitably come to an end.

A bitter smile was playing on my lips as I let go of all control. I suddenly felt an uncomfortable yanking, and, without a second thought, I let the water take me down. I felt its cold embrace as it guided me with its current and carried me up the wall. As I struggled to breathe, I saw how it positioned itself to fall against the reef, and how hundreds of tons of water would crush my body against the sea floor.

I smiled. One more wave, I said to myself, as I felt the drop. One last wave.

–
Image source: reddit.com/r/oddlysatisfying/comments/7mjqhp/the_way_the_sunset_comes_into_the_wave/druxj4n/
First written December 28, 2017.
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