Fiction

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In The Eyes of my Father

The blue oceans had successfully mirrored the beauty of the twilight skies as my eyes stood gazed at the waters mesmerized by the thought of how nature could be so beautiful, yet so simple. The cold breeze blowing through my hair… and my feet soaked in icy sand, I felt like every thought unit in my head were being vacated, as I sucked in, every ounce of peace and freedom the evening was supplying… It’s wonderful and complicating how the beach could be so crowded, yet so peaceful… It may be one of many wonders unknown to man. With the young joyful voices ringing in my ears, parents yelling, street sellers shouting, yet in my head, how I was so far, from everything…and everyone.

Over my reverie, I heard a young voice squealing in front of me, eyes still closed, unknown of the present, I picture myself at the sound, as the child I once was- hair messed up, a ton of sand inside my bathing suit, fingers and toes wrinkled by staying in the water for too long…eyes brightened by the day’s exercise, not a hint of weariness, heart pounding and excited, still wanting more. I opened my eyes, and in front of me was a child, a young girl very close to the image in my head, squealing as the cold water swept over her tiny feet. I noticed how tightly she clung on to her father’s big hand! She knew everything there; protection, love, warmth. She was smiling…

At a sudden thought- a want of freedom and independence she let go of her father’s hand and ran towards the waves…excited, her smile turned into a squeaking high pitched laugh. My gaze turned from the girl to her father. I noticed the expression on his face, it was hard to define…maybe, a hint of pride. His feet hardly moved, yet his eyes stood glued at his daughter like a hawk’s, watching her every movement. The little girl walked further, enjoying her new found courage, daring the waves. Suddenly the water rippled, creating pressure that her tiny feet couldn’t handle. She stumbled and struggled to stay still, yet her efforts were in vain for she lost her balance and fell face down into the water. And she remembered very little. Her vision went blank… and her hearing was blocked…she could neither hear anything nor see. She felt lost and alone, and felt herself moving further away…and away, away from life. At last, she gasped for breath, when she felt a strong arm around her, lifting her up in an instance.

She looked up, and saw her father’s face smiling down at hers. She wondered why he was smiling! Why wasn’t he upset? Why was he not scared to know that he would’ve just lost her? Didn’t he value her? As fear of death struck her, she beat his chest in anger, while tears strolled down her reddened cheeks. Her father only laughed harder as he hugged her tight. Clinging around his neck, she looked below and realized that at the place she had drowned, the water was only sweeping her father’s feet. The long hours that she felt under the water were only a fraction of a second for him. When she thought she was going to die, the others didn’t even know that she had fallen. She clung tighter around her father’s neck, glad that he was with her.

He wiped the water beads off his daughter’s hair… and gently kept her down. She walked towards the waves and turned to look at her father with a broader smile on her face. A quick wave lapsed at her as she burst into giggles… she felt so small as she stood beside the sea. Yet, she walked further, this time boldly and calmly… for this time, she was assured.

I collected my belongings which were lying on the sand, with a smile. Once before I left, I looked at the little girl who was playing in the water. The setting sun rays shimmered on her wet hair. And I saw something I had long forgotten. I saw how I was seen in the eyes of my Father...

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