From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

Continued from Interlude II.

((This is a work of fiction. That is right – it is a giant pack of lies. The author did not feel like heavily researching things like places, history, or really any other fact that would add realism to the story. As such, almost all the people, places, and events mentioned in this story are completely fictional and exist merely to help with the story. The author has taken a great many liberties with things like history, weather, tidal movements, and certain conventions about mythical beings because that is what worked for her story. Any real facts that made their way into this story are probably lost from some story whose author actually cares about getting all the details right. Kids and other impressionable beings, please take note – Kina is a fictional character who can do stupid things and not end up dead. That’s the beauty of not being real. As always, the author takes full responsibility for any typos, atrocious misuse and abuse of grammar, and the ever-present spelling errors. Should you find any glaring error that you feel must absolutely be fixed, please leave a note about it in the discussion section, and if I agree, I will go ahead and change it. Maybe. Now, sit back, suspend your belief, and enjoy!))

Contents 1 Metamorphosis, Part 2: Svadhisthana 1.1 Part A 1.1.1 12/13/02 - 12/14/02 1.1.2 12/15/02 Sunday - 12/17/02 1.1.3 12/18/02 – 12/20/02 1.2 Part B 1.2.1 Saturday 12/21/02 1.2.2 12/22/02 1.2.3 12/23/02 1.2.4 12/24/02 1.2.5 Wednesday 12/25/02 1.2.6 12/26/02 1.3 Part C 1.3.1 Monday April 19, 2004 1.3.2 Monday 4/19/04, just before midnight 1.3.3 Wednesday 4/21/04 1.3.4 Thursday 4/22/04 1.4 Part D 1.4.1 After the Ride 1.5 Trivia

Metamorphosis, Part 2: Svadhisthana

By a puddle grows a healthy plant. A nutritious plant for a hungry larva that has laboriously inched its way there. It settles among the leaves, along with the other animals that shelter there. A hungry serpent awaits in the puddle.

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Part A

First by a drop or two, then a trickle, the water slowly seeps in.

12/13/02 - 12/14/02

Kina ended up not traveling very far on her first day out. She had a favorite camping spot in the mountains about an hour and half from U Town. She figured she would spend the first night in a known spot to ease her way into her nomadic winter break. After setting up her tent and making sure she had enough firewood for the evening, she plopped herself into her chair, propped her feet up on a stump, and pulled out her latest volume of the Adventures of the Ninja Maid Catgirl. Tammy had introduced Kina to this graphic novel series, published by a small independent outfit out of Rhode Island. Kina had rolled her eyes at the absurdity of the character and had mercilessly teased Tammy about it; but when she actually began reading it, she found herself quite hooked on the story. After all the teasing she had done, though, she could not admit that, so the series became a secret vice for her.

Kina started her fire as the late afternoon light began to disappear. She munched on a breakfast bar while she waited for the flames to die back to and center around a pile of hot coals. The air cooled off and she pulled a pair of baggy gray sweats on over her shorts. Dinner was a simple affair of several semi-burnt hotdogs, an apple, and a Twix for dessert. Shoulda got some s’mores fixins. Kina gave a mental shrug – not like she would not have other nights to make s’mores over a fire. She fell asleep quite readily, the scent of pine filling her nose and the haunting call of a western screech owl trilling in the distance.

Kina did not bother to set an alarm; after all, what good was a vacation if one could not sleep in? Even so, she was quite awake while it was still technically morning. Scrambled eggs and bacon (definitely bacon, unlike her previous day’s breakfast) were quickly prepared in the skillet and washed down with a strong black coffee. She took her time washing everything and packing up, and double-checked the fire to make sure it was completely out. She pulled on the same cutoffs and shirt from the day before, a pair of flat canvas sneakers sans socks, and pulled her hair back into a loose ponytail – ah, th’ joys o’ being lazy. A few brazen squirrels came up to the picnic table, shamelessly begging for scraps. Kina amused herself by opening one of the mini boxes of cereal and tossing the food towards them.

“So, where t’ t’day?”

Beady black eyes blinked back at her, willing to listen in exchange for the treats. Despite the heavy scent of pine that permeated the air, Kina could still detect a touch of salty sea in the breeze. She scattered the last of the cereal on the ground away from her and stood up.

“That’s all ya get, Furry, Fuzzy, an’ Clyde. Make sure t’ balance this wit’ some acorns or such.”

She gave the campsite one last look-over before getting into her car. Kina glanced at the maps in the front seat, but decided it did not really matter if she had a destination or not. As long as she kept going west, she should eventually hit the Pacific.

Looking back, Kina was glad she had not bothered to consult her maps. She had left the main highway after a couple hours and picked roads at random to lead her to the coast. Small towns festooned with Christmas decorations cropped up between vast tracks of private land, parks, and reserves. With the apparent end to the Rikti menace since November, people were ready to celebrate with gusto. The closer she got to the coast, the fewer towns appeared. Kina drove with her window down, the warm air smelling more like the ocean with each passing mile.

She almost missed the rutty road, so overgrown was the vegetation surrounding it. Narrow and mysterious, it seemed to invite further investigation. The lane split shortly after she turned down it; she decided to stick to the slightly more visible one. The trees along the lane became shorter and stubbier as she progressed, then gave way to lower shrubs. Kina could hear the muffled sound of waves hitting shore. Around a curve and suddenly the road and vegetation spilled onto a sandy beach.

Kina pulled her car off just to the side of the road, along with a couple other vehicles that were parked on the packed sand. Wind and waves were rolling on shore in unison. A bit to both the north and the south, rocky cliffs jutted out into the water. The effect gave Kina the impression of being in a semi-secluded cove, though the distance between the two juts was greater then it looked. A few worn boulders dotted the upper half of the beach, as though carelessly spilled by some giant long ago. She picked out a relatively flat rock and stretched out atop it as she looked around. North of her chosen perch, closer to the vegetation then the beach was a one-story building - perhaps a beach house for changing? She thought she could see the end of a nice RV sticking out beyond it. Almost straight out from her was a circle of driftwood, stones, and chairs, along with a stack of firewood. Heading away and to the south from the fire pit were several people near the crashing surf, sprawled on beach towels in the sun or sitting under colorful beach umbrellas. Some gulls stood a little ways from the people, hopeful for the possible handout. A number of the towels and chairs were unoccupied though. Looking out, Kina could see the surfers weaving their watery paths on the rolling waves. She watched, fascinated, while the sounds of surf and wind, gulls and people wrapped around her.

Kina’s presence did not go unnoticed for long. Several of the surfers caught sight of the unusual Chevette as they came in and pointed it out to the others on the beach. A few seconds later and one of them spotted Kina on her rock. Kina pulled herself up, slipping off the rock and leaning against it as the small group ambled up from the shoreline. They were a surprising mix of both young and old, men and women. Some were in swimsuits, while others were in wetsuits with short sleeves and legs. It occurred to her that this could be private property, given the secluded road and the lack of crowds at a beach this big. Well, I doubt they’re concealin’ any weapons in those suits… Kina let her face relax into a pleasant smile and gave a small dip of her head as they neared.

“Cute car! Did you do that yourself?”

A girl who looked to be Kina’s age spoke first. Kina’s heart jumped a little – the friendly girl in the bright blue one-piece looked like a grown-up version of Sarah.

“Naw, it was, umm, somethin’ of a s’prise ya could say. Makes it easy t’ find in th’ parkin’ lot, though.”

Chuckles answered her reply then several people began talking at once.

“Come to catch the waves today? They’re a bit on the small side, but fast…”

“Water’s perfect today – air ain’t gonna chill you either.”

“So, who told you about this spot? It was Mickey, wasn’t it? He’s always trying to get more girls to come… Not that I mind…”

“You use a shortboard? No way a longboard would fit in that car…”

Kina held up a hand, trying to stall any more questions.

“Ah, I jist found this place b’ chance. Um, I don’t owna board on account o’ I’ve never, ya know, surfed b’fore.”

“Would you like to learn?”

She turned to look into silvery blue-gray eyes of a lithe but muscular guy in red swim trunks. Looked up, actually. Nice change. At 5’10.5”, Kina had spent most of her high school years uncomfortably conscious of the height difference between her and the boys. Although college had changed all of that, she still had a lingering sense of awkwardness about her height. Well, high school had been unpleasant for a number of reasons… she pushed those memories away and turned her attention back to the young man. His hair was dark, slightly long, and a bit on the shaggy side. On someone else it might have just looked unkempt, but it seemed to fit him quite fine. His skin was almost the same tone as hers – she could not tell if it was naturally that way or just tanned from being in the sun all the time.

There was a pool of silence around them, and Kina blushed slightly as she realized she had been staring. He was still watching her, the liquid depths of his eyes holding her gaze as he waited for her answer. Lessee, I’m not exactly th’ most athletic or coordinated person in th’ world, m’ swimmin’ experience has been limited t’ th’ wave-free safety o’ a pool…

“Sure, I’d love t’.”

The words formed and escaped her lips on their own. He smiled and the others let out cheers and words of encouragement at her answer. Ooorrr, I could say yes, I guess…

“Alright, Cat, Gwen here,” he nodded towards the blonde girl who had first spoken to Kina, “will show you where you can change and where the extra boards are kept – I think the yellow longboard for her – then you can meet us back by the shore.”

“Er… Cat?”

He nodded to her car as he fixed his gaze on her again.

“You are still just a caterpillar, unaware of the sky that waits for you. I am sure you will become quite the butterfly, though.”

Tomorrow will be soon enough to try your wings…

Kina felt a shiver inside her mind as his words stirred a soft melody. She quickly shook it off and gave a light-hearted retort.

“I’m more likely t’ turn int’ one o’ those moths that eats all th’ crops an’ destroys your wardrobe, then mutates an’ takes out half o’ Tokyo…”

Gwen and a couple of the guys who had not returned yet to the shoreline chuckled at Kina’s flippant response. She made her escape to her car to retrieve her swimsuit, although a quick glance back confirmed that his cryptic blue-gray eyes were following her, the expression on his face unreadable. Right. So not bringin’ up m’ middle name...

“Do you have a shirt you don’t mind getting wet, Cat? Boards and bare skin don’t mix that well.”

Gwen’s warm voice interrupted Kina’s musings.

“Tellin’ ya t’ call me Kina isn’t gonna get rid o’ that nickname, is it?”

“Nope! Although that’s a pretty name.”

Kina gave a quick smile then dug around one of the duffel bags in her car until she found her swimsuit. A few seconds later and she found a thin white T-shirt with chlorine-faded pink butterflies barely visible on it. It had long ago lost its sleeves and the hem was ragged. Kina usually wore it over her suit at the pool – college guys were college guys, after all. She pulled a bottle of sunscreen from her glove compartment and followed Gwen to the building that Kina had spotted earlier.

Kina was surprised to find it had running water, both hot and cold. Shower stalls and both men’s and women’s bathrooms occupied part of the building. Swim shorts and a halter style top of green with bright pink and purple hibiscuses were quickly donned, then she pulled the worn tee over her top. She undid her ponytail, braided her hair back, and then looped the braid up, securing the mass of hair with several elastic bands. Finally, she made liberal use of her sunscreen. Even with the weaker winter light, Kina did not want to give her skin an opportunity to darken any more. Gwen then led her to another section of the building. This part seemed dedicated to the storage of all kinds of maintenance items and beach gear. She could see chairs, umbrellas, volleyballs and nets, a bunch of tools, and boxes of assorted items neatly stacked on shelves. The most prominent feature in the room was a row of surfboards neatly lined along the wall.

Kina watched as Gwen removed a long bright yellow board from the lineup.

“Here you are. You’d grab the wax for your board from that shelf there, but there’s plenty sitting down at the line so we won’t worry about that for now.”

“Wow, it’s a lot lighter than it looks!”

“Foam composite. Foam skegs - that’s these fins - and a soft guard on the tip, also. Great for the starters since they hurt less when they whack into you. Keep a hold of that cord there - you don’t want to trip on it. Oh. You can swim, right?”

“Yup, though this’ll be m’ first time in th’ ocean. I’ve been doin’ laps every other day all this last s’mester, an’ can tread water for ages on end.”

“Oh good. PT never bothers to find these things out when he takes someone on. Of course, he has yet to pick somebody who can’t swim, but still…”

Gwen gave an exaggerated eye-roll and Kina chuckled in response.

“Oh, so his name’s Petey? Uh, only I don’t wanna be stuck callin’ him ‘hey ya’ th’ whole time.”

“If you look at the design on his board, you’ll be able to pick out the initials P and T. Everyone has been calling him that, and he’s never indicated otherwise. Well, I guess Uncle J calls him ‘Boy’, but he refers to all the guys that way.”

“Uncle J?”

“That short, older guy – don’t worry, there’ll be proper introductions at dinner tonight.”

The two girls had worked their way back to the others at this point. Kina had to readjust her grip a couple of times, as the wind would broadside the board. Several of the surfers were already paddling out while others were inspecting their boards. Her instructor looked up as they arrived. She thought she saw a smile flicker across his face as he took note of her shirt design, but it was gone before she could be certain. After a moment's studay, Kina could make out the stylized crimson initials set among some seemingly random red swirls and lines on his shiny black board. Gwen headed over to her own board, a neon blue one that was slightly shorter then the one Kina would be using, and began applying wax to the top surface.

“Alright, Cat, we are going to take this nice and slow. You have all weekend to learn.”

Kina nodded even though she realized he had framed it as a statement and not a question.

“Good. Let’s begin.”

“Teach away, S.S.!”

He quirked a brow, questioningly.

“’Cause, you’re m’ Surfin’ Sensei.”

Kina smirked and she could hear Gwen’s hastily muffled chuckles.

“A retaliatory nickname? That could be dangerous, Cat.”

“I’ll take m’ chances. Now, S.S., I believe I have some surfin’ t’ learn?”

PT spent the next half-hour explaining about the different types of boards, the parts of a board and the functions served by each. He showed her how to wax the topside so she would have traction should she move off the traction pads stuck to the board. He explained the purpose of the ankle strap and had her practice putting it on and removing it several times.

“When you spill, and yes, everyone spills, you want to know where your board is so you do not knock your head on it, or get skegged by those fins. The pull on the strap will tell you where the board is. It will also let you know which way is up since your board is buoyant and will pop to the surface in most cases. If it gets tangled in underwater debris or with another surfer, it is important that you are able to remove the strap without thinking about it. It is natural to feel panic in a situation like that, but every step that is ingrained in you to help remove yourself from those types of situation will help calm you and improve your chances of coming out unscathed.”

He then turned her attention to the ocean and the surfers riding upon it. The waves were small, perhaps three feet tops, but coming in relatively fast. PT patiently explained the different types of waves that made up the surf and which ones to look for when picking one to ride. He made sure Kina could distinguish where the wave sets were coming in, where they were breaking, and where channels had formed that the surfers were using to make their paddle out to the lineup easier.

“The ocean is always changing. Wind and water combine in countless ways, which will affect the surfing conditions. Always spend time watching the ocean and noting its mood before heading out. Always be aware of the conditions while you are out there – is the wind subtly shifting direction or are the waves getting choppier? You are dealing with powerful forces that demand attentiveness.”

Satisfied that Kina grasped the importance of everything he had talked about, PT let the sternness slip away from his face and gave her a grin.

“Well then, the next thing is to get you out there. In the end, surfing is not something you can learn without doing. Since we have a couple days, you are going to spend today learning the right way to paddle so you can reach the lineup without exhausting yourself or hurting something. You will be riding the waves prone – that will help you understand how to get a feel for the waves and how your board will move in response to them. Ready?”

“Ya bet!”

“Follow me – oh, you should leave your sunglasses here; you do not want to lose those in the water.”

Kina had forgotten about her glasses and blinked against the glare after she removed them. She always felt naked without them and found it even harder to look PT in the eye without her customary tinted barrier. She cupped one hand over her eyes, using the sun as an excuse to look away from him.

“If you stick with surfing, you can get UV goggles. There may even be some back at the storage room.”

“Ah. Um, I’m fine for right now. I’ll ask ‘bout ‘em for tomorrow.”

“Very well, then.”

The water felt good after being in the sun. They waded out until the water level was about to Kina’s hips and then PT had her get onto her board. The nose of the board popped up.

“Move forward, but not so much that the nose dips beneath the water. There, that is good. Now, you are going to keep your head and chest up and do a simple crawl stroke. Like so.”

Kina watched him begin to paddle out then copied his movements. She was surprised at how effortlessly the board sliced through the water. She was also very thankful for all the different exercises Rita had insisted upon for the last semester – there was no way Kina would have had the stamina to attempt this several months ago. Part way out he had her roll off her board several times to get a feel for how the safety strap would tug and how she could tell where the board was. He instructed her on the importance of protecting her head, taking deep breaths every time she surfaced, and emphasized the value of staying calm. It also gave her practice in regaining her perch on the board. They continued heading out the others and he resumed talking as they headed further away from the shore.

“Always keep your eyes to the horizon. You do not want to be taken by surprise by a set of waves or an incoming surfer or jet-ski, or boat. You usually do not have to worry about the latter two here, but if you go surfing elsewhere, you need to be aware. Sharks and jellyfish can also be a problem in some other surfing spots. Make sure you check anytime you go to a new beach to find out what local hazards you may be facing. Also, there will be times when you will get caught between wave sets. We are going to head into this stretch over here and I shall show you a few ways to get through those.”

They moved out of the relatively calm channel into a small set of waves. Kina felt the greater resistance against her board. Trying to paddle against these instead of using the channel would definitely wear her out rather quickly.

“If you have a set crashing down on you, the easiest thing for you to do is turn turtle – that is, let your board be a shield. Take a deep breath, keep a firm hold on the board’s rails, and roll over and pass under the wave.”

When he was satisfied with Kina’s ability to turn turtle he showed her another method to escape the full force of a wave.

“This does not work as well with longboards, but you can also dive under the wave like a duck. Move forward on the board, then push it and your body down under the wave. Ideally, you will propel yourself underneath the wave and come up on the backside of it.”

He made the demonstration look so effortless. Kina had less luck with this maneuver, although PT assured her it was probably as good as she could obtain with the board she was using. They returned to the channel and finally reached the lineup. Kina sat up on her board, bobbing gently in the waves along PT as they observed the surfers. He indicated who had the right of way on each wave and noted how waves were paddled into, how they keep paddling even after the board begins to slide along the wave, and when they stand. He motioned to a couple of the guys who then rode the next waves they caught prone, so Kina could see how they adjusted their weight to move the board along the break of the wave.

Finally, it was Kina’s turn. She watched as a set came in, then began paddling shoreward on PT’s command. The waves caught up to her, then she could feel a wave under her board. Mindful of what she had seen and PT’s advice, she let her board slide a bit down the wave before leaning into it. She held onto the rails and felt the board pick up speed as she rode the wave.

“Wheeeeeeeeeeee!”

Kina could not help grinning as she moved along. She could see PT out of the corner of her eye following her ride.

“Good! Now pull out here, unless you want to paddle back from the shore again.”

She shifted her weight to turn out of the wave, but did not pull off the turn quite fast enough. A wave broadsided the board and tipped her into the water. She came up easy enough and quickly regained her board. PT pulled up next to her.

“Okay?”

“Peachy!”

“Congratulations. You have experienced your first wipeout.”

Kina laughed – a real laugh that was not calculated to hide or fool. It did not matter that she spilled. It did not matter that she had done it on her belly. She had ridden a wave and it had felt great. She could not remember the last time she had felt such simple and pure joy. That one wave seemed to have washed away more then the sand stuck to her skin. Kina turned back to PT.

“Let’s do that again! Mebbe wit’out th’ spillin’, though.”

He grinned at her enthusiasm and they headed back out. Kina was greeted with cheers and good-natured jokes about her baptism in the waves. She spent the rest of the afternoon riding in and paddling out. She quickly grasped how to steer the board with shifts in where she placed her weight. She spilled a couple more times, but for the most part managed to improve a little with each successive ride. Late in the afternoon, PT finally had her continue in all the way to shore.

“That is enough for you, Cat. Always call it a day before your body gets too chilled or tired to make it safely back to shore. Here, too, the rule is always come in before sundown. We do not want to be searching for a missing person in the dark. Never go surfing here by yourself, either. If you run into trouble, there will be nobody to come to your aid. If nobody else is going out on the waves with you, make sure you have someone here on the beach to watch for you. If you are acting as a watcher on the shore here and need to leave for some reason, either make sure there is someone else to watch or signal your surfer back to shore.”

“Makes sense.”

When they reached the shore, he showed her how to clean off the board and check it for any sign of damage. They were joined by several of the other surfers as they carried the boards back to the storage room. Kina was surprised by the enthusiasm they showed as they praised her first day, offered her encouragement to continue her foray into surfing, and gave her pointers.

“It’s simple, really. When you really enjoy something you want other people to be able to feel that same joy. We love surfing. We want you to enjoy it, too.”

This came from the boy she had seen hanging with Gwen for most the day. He finished stowing his longboard, white with a bright red Chinese dragon emblazoned on it, then turned and held out his hand.

“Toby. Welcome to waves.”

Kina shook his hand with a grin.

“Thanks. An’ ya can call me Ki-”

“Cat.”

PT cut in, his voice serious but his eyes had a mischievous glint. Kina feigned anger with an exaggerated glare at PT and then schooled her face into an impassive mask and gave an elaborate bow.

“Hai, Surfin’ Sensei!”

The group erupted with laughter. PT threw his hands up in mock surrender and Kina grinned triumphantly. Some of the surfers headed to the showers. That seemed like a good course of action to Kina as she could feel her skin prickle from the salt that the ocean had left behind. She headed back to her car for a change of clothes. Someone had started a fire in the fire pit and a couple of the guys were preparing food for open-flame grilling. Kina grabbed her package of remaining hotdogs from the cooler, along with some soap, aloe gel, towels, and a set of gray sweats to change into. She tossed the hotdogs to the guys manning the grilling station then returned to the beach house. The warm water pulsated gently against her skin as it washed away sand and salt, as well as soothing muscles tired by the day’s exertions. Least I can say I was active ‘nough t’ skip out on usin’ those weights Rita left me… Man, this is a swanky setup – hope they don’t ‘xpect me t’ pay crazy dues for usin’ this. What is th’ deal wit’ this place, anyways? She rinsed out her swimsuit and her shirt in the fresh water and found a spot on the clothesline stretched along the outside of the building. Swimwear, shirts, and wetsuits hung like banners from the line. Refreshed, and driven partly by her curiosity regarding this hideaway, but mostly by her hunger, Kina headed to where the others had gathered around the fire pit.

The smell of fire-grilled food met her partway down the beach and encouraged her to quicken her pace. She made a quick detour to grab a bottle of water from her car then joined the group for dinner. A couple of small folding tables were set up next to the crackling fire. Kina helped herself to a hotdog, some grilled veggies, and chips.

“Over here, Cat. Saved you a spot.”

Gwen patted the space next to her on the broad log that was acting as a bench. The cheery blonde mockingly pushed Toby, who was sitting on her other side, as she scooted over to make room for Kina. Kina nodded her thanks and took a seat. The wood was smooth from countless hours in the weather and warm from the heat of the fire. It was the perfect height for sitting and balancing a plate. Kina concentrated on her food – she was surprised just how much of an appetite she had worked up during the afternoon’s activities. Once her initial hunger was satisfied, she turned her attention to the nine other people who circled the fire. Gwen started with Toby and went counter-clockwise around the circle. The introductions were punctuated by stories and teasing from most of the people there, but Kina managed to pick up names and bits of each person’s story.

Gwen and Toby had been dating for some time, it seemed. She was a part-timer in retail; he was pursuing a degree in marine ecology at a local private university. They both shared a fondness for longboard surfing.

To Toby’s right was a petite girl with rich chestnut hair and warm hazel eyes. Kina had watched her pull off a number of tricks on a pink shortboard bedecked with lime green fish. Nine years up on Kina, Su-Ann was a realtor who confessed that part of the reason she had taken that career path was for the flexible schedule it offered. She seldom had to miss a good surfing day because of work.

A man and woman sat on a blanket spread over the sand with their backs against a log similar to the one Kina was sitting on. He had his arm casually draped over her shoulders and she seemed quite content to lean on him. The owners of matching longboards with blue and green yin-yang motifs, Sean and Miki Kelley lived in the RV that Kina had spotted parked by the beach house and acted, in part, as caretakers for the beach. They were both in their early forties and seemed quite satisfied for their current lifestyle. A windfall of some sort had allowed Sean to retire young. Miki taught yoga classes- Kina thought she called it Hatha yoga, but she was not quite sure - at the community center in a town about half an hour’s drive away. She also practiced something called Reiki. Kina just mentally rolled her eyes at the discussion of unseen healing energies and such, but enjoyed the warmth and gentle love that was evident between the couple. Sean was prone to some rather tall tales, but spoke so convincingly that Kina would have believed quite a few of them. Much to his dismay, Kina quickly learned to check with Miki to verify the truth of his stories. In any case, his glib tongue kept the group in laughter almost constantly.

Across from Kina were a couple of chairs occupied by a ‘matched set,’ as Gwen referred to them. In their mid-twenties, Eric and Keith both worked in the computer software field – Kina did not even try to pretend to understand any of their work-related discussions. Eric had closely cropped reddish-brown hair and rather fair skin. His brown eyes burned with intensity as he extolled and debated the virtues of his latest software project with Keith. The latter was more restrained with his conversation, but the same passion for his work shone through his blue eyes. A bit shorter than Kina, Keith sported a shaved head and a quiet confidence that became more animated when the discussions turned back to surfing. Both guys had raced the waves earlier on shortboards – Eric’s board was white with a black pi symbol, while Keith opted for a plain steel gray board.

To their right was an older man sitting in a worn but sturdy Adirondack chair. This was Keith’s uncle, although everyone called him Uncle J. Short and wiry, his tough brown skin bespoke of a lifetime spent in the outdoors. Even with his thin gray hair and weathered face, Kina would never have guessed his age. His sharp wit, energetic nature, and the prowess she had seen him display earlier as he sped along the waves on his red shortboard suggested a man much younger then the 73 year old he claimed to be. Uncle J was the primary custodian for the beach and lived in a house set away from the beach, hidden by the scrub and brush that had grown up around it.

“So th’ beach is a private one.”

“You couldn’t have a public beach this nice be as uncrowded as this,” Eric spoke as though that should have been perfectly obvious.

“I guess, but there weren’t any No Trespassin’ or You’ll Be Fed t’ th’ Sharks kind o’ signs. An’ nobody made a point o’ mentionin’ it when I arrived.”

“The beach was designated by Mr. Wellington to be accessible to those who need it. Uncle J, Sean ‘n Miki, or PT here get the final say as his representatives – he’s the guy who owns all this property,” Gwen quickly added to the question in Kina’s face.

“Need?”

“On the surf, the complexities of life distill to simplicity.” Miki’s calm voice drifted from where she sat. “Those who need clarity can find it on the water.”

“Huh.” Kina thought about how she had felt earlier when she had moved with the waves. Sean’s voice quickly broke her musings.

“In any case, we don’t get many pretty young girls here, so stay as long as you…”

Whatever else he had planned on saying was cut off by a smack on his head by his wife. A new round of banter began and the conversation turned to other topics.

Kina watched the most amazing sunset she had ever seen paint both the sky and the ocean in impossibly deep reds, oranges, and purples. The fire was down to coals now. Su-Ann packed up her stuff and left – she had an open house in the morning. Everybody else, though, had come prepared to stay for the entire weekend. Eric and Keith accompanied Uncle J back to the main house. The others headed to their vehicles to pull out sleeping bags and tents. Kina opted to enjoy the dying fire a little longer, along with Miki and Sean.

PT settled in the sand next to Kina and handed her a stick with marshmallows on it. Kina laughed.

“Now it’s almost officially campin’! Don’t s’pose ya have chocolate an’ graham crackers, as well?”

He shook his head as he grinned back and placed his own marshmallow-laden branch over the red coals. They sat in silence as the white puffs of sugar slowly browned. Kina considered the stranger sitting next to her. Very little information had come out during the evening meal about him. It had sounded like he was somehow connected to this Mr. Wellington, maybe a ward of his. He had not mentioned anything about family, a job, school, or otherwise.

“Sore?”

PT’s query interrupted her musings. Kina shrugged, feeling a slight pull in her muscles as she did so.

“Mm, not too bad. We’ll see once mornin’ hits.”

“I always lead a yoga session in the mornings for any who are here,” Miki spoke up. “You might want to give it a try. It will help increase your flexibility and act as a good warm up for the day.”

“It is good for improving you balance, too,” PT added. “Which is important if you plan on surfing more.”

Kina gave a small laugh.

“I ain’t a mornin’ person, but if I happen t’ wake up in time, mebbe I’ll give it a shot.”

PT nodded, then left to go talk to some of the other campers. Kina finished the last of her marshmallows and helped the Kelleys make sure the fire was extinguished. The chairs and logs were pulled in tight around the fire pit so that no one would accidentally walk through any of the hot coals that still smoldered in the sand. She then headed back to her car to dig out her toothbrush and toothpaste. Gwen was at the beach house when Kina arrived, hanging a little dry-erase board on a small cabinet. The words ‘Cat’s Stuff’ was scrawled across it. A number of the cabinets had boards or signs on them, each bearing a name. Kina noticed that there were more names listed then she had met this evening.

“You can use this locker here if you want to keep that stuff,” she nodded at Kina’s toiletries, “and towels and stuff up here.”

“Thanks.”

“No probs. Have a good night.”

“Nighters.”

Kina returned to her car and pulled out the tarp she normally set her tent on. The night was warm and the sky so clear that she decided against the tent. Taking the tarp, her sleeping bag, pillow, and flashlight, she made her way across the beach and well away from the other campers. She picked a random patch of sand plenty far from the tide line and spread out her tarp. She centered the sleeping bag and pillow on top of it.

For the longest time, Kina stared up at a sky that was overflowing with stars. The percussion of the ocean was before her; from the vegetation behind her came the trills of frogs and toads fooled by the false spring weather. The migrating shorebirds piped and the occasional restless gull cried from far overhead. Kina’s mind was empty and at peace for the first time in ages. A gentle, dreamless slumber embraced her.

12/15/02 Sunday - 12/17/02

She awoke to a song sparrow’s solo proclamation that the sun was rising. Other birds soon joined in announcing the dawn of another day. Kina lay there for a bit as morning washed over her. The sea sounded much further away then it had last night. She sat up, somewhat stiffly, and looked down the beach. The tide was out and the mudflats left behind were dotted with small moving shapes – shorebirds feasting on the tiny invertebrates the receding tide had uncovered.

The scent of coffee reached her nose. Kina rolled out of her sleeping bag, realizing she was a bit chilled as well as sore and stumbled over to fire, relying more on the smell of the coffee to lead her then her morning-bleered eyes.

“Here you go, Cat.”

A tin cup with strong black coffee was pressed into her hand. Kina drank it down quickly. As the caffeine seeped into her blood stream, she began to take better notice of her surroundings. Most everybody was up and at the fire. Kina was pleased to note that she was not the only one who required a jump-start of java in the morning. Toby, in particular, looked as though he was sleepwalking; his sand-colored hair was sticking up in every direction.

After a trip to the beach house, Kina rejoined the others on the beach. Miki led them through a long series of yoga stretches that grew progressively difficult, although the petite woman made it all look completely effortless. Kina gave up before it was all done, although what she had managed to work through had greatly relieved much of the stiffness left from the previous day.

Kina had one of her boxes of cereal, cold, for breakfast along with some more coffee. She wandered over to one of the big boulders and sat in the sand with her back to the rock. The sun was slowly warming the sand and rock, which in turn were radiating a comfortable heat that Kina’s muscles gratefully soaked up. She closed her eyes with a contented sigh.

“The first few days are always the worst.”

Kina started at the sound of Miki’s voice. The sand had muffled the woman’s approach.

“Sorry. May I?”

“Oh. Yeah. Make yaself comfy.”

Miki nimbly perched on the rock above Kina and the two sat in silence for a moment.

“Your chakras are rather out of balance.”

“ ‘Scuse me?”

The comment struck Kina as coming out of nowhere. She looked up at Miki. The petite woman had her eyes close, yet Kina had the unnerving sense that she was still being observed from behind those shuttered eyes. Miki sat without responding for another minute before giving a small nod and opening her eyes, gazing straight at Kina.

“Your base is strong, but the further you progress from the base, the more closed off each chakra is.”

“Errr...”

“As you did the forms earlier, you experienced greater difficulty with each successive form, yes?”

“Yeah, but I’ve never done that b’fore. I jist need practice.”

Miki gave a small shake of her head, but smiled.

“Familiarity with the forms helps somewhat, but each form is designed to help focus and tune a different chakra. If there is a lack of balance, or if the chakra is closed, then there will be difficulty in performing the form, no matter how often you have done it. Your base is strong, like a wall of rock, and that is good. You need to be grounded to grow properly. But, you cannot stay behind the rock.”

“Ah.” Kina was not sure how else to respond to this, at least not without saying something rude, like she thought all that was silly.

“In any case, it was good that you came here. Water will find the smallest of cracks, seep in, and widen those, providing a path to follow out from behind the wall.”

A shout from Sean interrupted anything else Miki was going to say. She waved back to her husband and hopped off the rock.

“If you will excuse me...”

“No worries.”

Ya gotta be kiddin’ me. Why do people put such stock in all that mumbo jumbo?

Kina spent the rest of the morning being as lazy as possible. She stretched out on a blanket, sheltered from the sun under one of the large beach umbrellas and watched Miki and Gwen take on Sean and Toby in a game of beach volleyball. PT had disappeared - “He’ll be back by the time the tide’s in,” Gwen said when Kina asked. Eric had also taken up residence under an umbrella and was making liberal use of sunblock. “I can put a cooked lobster to shame if I’m not careful,” he joked. Nearby, Keith had pulled out a laptop and a solar cell hookup.

“Weather forecasts look like we oughta have another good day – maybe a little more height to the waves.”

“Bah. You don’t need all that fancy gadgetry to know it’s going to be a good day. Just take a deep breath and the air will tell you all you need to know.”

Kina watched the back and forth between Uncle J and his nephew. Eric smiled and shook his head at Kina as the two continued. She got the impression that this was not the first time they had engaged in this debate. She half listened to their on-going squabble as she turned her attention back to the volleyball game where it was now the dating couple versus the married one.

The tide was steadily rolling in when PT reappeared from the path that led to the main house. He had a cooler of drinks in one hand and a bag of subs in the other. After lunch, everyone began prepping for the afternoon’s surf. Kina was glad her swimsuit had dried out overnight. There was nothing as icky as changing back into a damp swimsuit. She asked Gwen about a pair of goggles; after trying several pairs in a box, Kina found a pair that gave her the same feel as her tinted glasses usually did. Su-Ann pulled in while Gwen and Kina were still at the beach house, so the two girls waited for her before grabbing their boards and heading back to the beach.

“Ready for another try, Cat?”

“O’ course. What’s th’ lesson t’day, S.S.?”

“You are going to ride a few times like you did yesterday. Today’s waves are different and I want to make sure you can feel that. After that, we are coming back here and you will practice the fine art of standing up - ” Kina chuckled at that – “and then, perhaps, you shall get to really ride a wave or two.”

Kina waxed the yellow board and answered PT’s questions as he reviewed what they had covered the previous day. He made her watch the waves to see if she could pick out the channel created by the ocean floor that would be the easiest way out into the surf. Kina could feel the difference as they paddled out. The wind was stronger than the previous day and the water felt cooler. The waves did not seem too much higher to her, but they were definitely moving much faster. It took several rides before Kina had adjusted to this faster speed and several more rides after that before PT was satisfied she was in tune with today’s waves.

Back on shore, PT demonstrated the smooth motion required for moving from lying flat to standing on the board. He had her practice coming up with both her right foot in the lead and her left, and so Kina learned that in the world of surfing she was considered goofy-footed. Kina had a number of wobbly stands before her muscles finally figured out the motion she was aiming for and began to cooperate with each other.

“Steering is again a matter of where your weight is. You will take a few steps to the back or front or side to adjust where you want to go. This is where having good traction is very important, so I want you to rewax the board, and then we will take you out to see how you do.”

As they paddled back out to the line-up, Kina felt a growing sense of anticipation. It was an odd sensation – she could not remember the last time she had actually looked forward to something, beyond sleep or coffee. When they reached the others, PT sat up on his board and watched the waves approach. Kina kept an eye on the horizon, as well, but mostly paid attention to the other surfers to see how they were riding.

“Just focus on riding the wave straight in – nothing fancy.”

“Yuppers!”

A wave set approached and PT called out; “This is Cat’s!” Kina began paddling as the waves came up behind her, while the others pulled out and began cheering her on. A wave was with her. She took several seconds to make sure she had fully caught it an then...

Here goes nothin’!

She pushed herself up just like she had on the beach, teetered precariously for a few scary seconds, and then suddenly found her balance. She initially let the wave carry her straight as PT had recommended, but she could feel the untapped force moving under her. Lessee, if I jist move here a lil’ bit... The board dug in, picked up extra speed, and shot off to the right.

“Yaaaaaaaah!”

Kina cut along the wave with incredible speed. The feeling was a thousand times more amazing then riding prone had been. She felt as though she might even be flying, so free was her movement along the surging wave.

Before she had traveled all the way back, Kina cut out of the wave and dropped back down to her belly. She paddled her way to the line-up with a foolish grin plastered across her face. The others were cheering as she returned.

“Way to go!”

“You’re a natural!”

“The big shots had better watch out!”

She accepted their applause with a half bow as she sat on her board then looked to see what PT had to say. A warm smile from him was all it took to send a flush to her face.

“Well done, Cat.”

Kina spent the rest of the afternoon surfing to her heart’s content. She had her share of wipes after that first run. By paying attention to the vegetation on the shore and ripples on the water, Kina learned she could know when a breeze from the shore was approaching, and adjust so that the unseen wind did not catch her and tip her off the board. Stroke after stroke took her out to sea; wave after wave powered her back to land. She would have happily spent forever doing this, although when everyone else began riding back in for the day she followed without protest.

“Addicting, isn’t it?”

Toby’s voice brought Kina back from wherever her longing stare at the waves had carried her mind. She turned to see him and Gwen grinning at her. Kina could not keep the excitement she felt hidden and grinned in return.

“Totally! That was so incredibly fun!”

The euphoria Kina experienced when she surfed did not diminish in the least over the next couple of days. She was out on the waves as soon as possible each day and did not come back in until she absolutely had to. Her muscles gave up their protests for the most part, although Kina acknowledged that a bed of something more sturdy than sand would likely make mornings a little less difficult. She kept up with the yoga and noticed an improvement each time she did it. See, it’s jist a matter o’ practice after all.

The composition of those who joined her on the waves was as changing as the ocean. Jobs and other obligations dictated who could show up when. Kina met some of the other surfers whose names she had seen in the beach house, including the infamous Mickey that she had heard alluded to on several occasions. He began hitting on Kina as soon as he laid eyes on her, with compliments so far over the top that within a few minutes of meeting him she could barely breathe, so doubled over with laughter was she. He did not seem to be the least bit perturbed by her reaction. Kina was even more amused as she watched how seamlessly he moved on to the other females present, chatting up each one with flattery just as fulsome as he had paid to her. Sean mockingly challenged Mickey to a duel when he caught the young man chatting up his wife.

“I was merely paying my respects to her, as is proper for a gentleman when in the company of so fair a flower.”

And so Kina continued her vacation amongst the light-hearted and open atmosphere of the beach. She was content to pass the time here now, instead of exploring more places as she had intended when she had begun her winter break. Every day, the ocean would play with her. Every night, it’s voice would accompany her to sleep.

12/18/02 – 12/20/02

Wednesday dawned cold and cloudy. The waves were too choppy for surfing and the sky was so heavy with rain that it tickled Kina’s nose.

“It’s gonna be a rainy couple o’ days, ain’t it.”

“You can tell?”

Kina glanced out of the corner of her eyes at PT. They were sitting on the porch of the beach house, along with Miki and Sean. The beach was empty of all other people today.

“Mmm, kinda. I’m usually right ‘bout weather. Prob’ly sensitive t’ barometric pressure, or somethin’ like that.”

She thought she caught an indecipherable look flit across PT’s face, although his voice was nonchalant when he spoke again.

“Any one else in your family able to do that?”

“Not that I know o’. Why?”

He gave a small grin.

“Just making conversation. Now, you had some questions about the area?”

PT inclined his head toward the atlas Kina had pulled out of her car and brought along to the morning breakfast. She nodded and flipped open to one of the maps.

“Toby an’ Gwen mentioned a surf shop that I might wanna check out, but I wasn’t sure which town it was in. An’, I need a place wit’ a hotel for th’ next night or two. I think m’ back is gonna stage a revolution if I don’t get it a mattress t’ chill on for a bit.”

“Ah, that would be the Hang Ten. You should definitely check the place out.”

Sean pointed to a spot on the map and Kina highlighted it with a marker.

“That town is something of a tourist spot, with the public beaches over here, but if you check the hotels over here, in the outskirts, you should be able to find a place with reasonable rates.”

Kina made another note on her map and double-checked directions and landmarks for reaching her chosen destination.

“If Jack is in - that’s the guy who runs the place - give him my regards.”

“Ya bet, Sean. Anything anyone wants me t’ bring back from town? ...Ya sure? Righteo. I’ll be back when th’ weather breaks.”

“We will be here when you return, Cat.”

Kina blushed a little at that and shyly smiled her thanks at the unspoken promise that she would be welcomed back to this haven. She caught Sean and Miki giving her knowing smiles, which made her face flush even more. For once, she was grateful for her darker complexion – it helped hide the color that rushed to her cheeks. Kina quickly turned and hurried to her car. The first rain drops hit the windshield as she pulled off the dirt road and headed south along the coast.

About a half an hour later, the blue and gold Chevette pulled into the parking lot of the Hang Ten surf shop. The rain was falling in earnest now and despite her heroic sprinting effort, Kina was still rather drenched by the time she made it into the store.

“Towel?”

Kina gratefully accepted the proffered beach towel and dried herself off while her eyes adjusted to the interior of the building.

“That’ll be five dollars.”

The man’s voice was serious but the mischievous sparkle in his eye was familiar.

“Ya must be Jack.”

He quirked a brow but did not respond. Kina was positive that she was right, nonetheless.

“Sean says t’ tell ya ‘hello’. He didn’t warn me that ya were his brother, though.”

Jack gave a roaring laugh.

“Ah, you have had the misfortune of meeting that crazy so-and-so? In that case, the towel is on me.”

Kina returned his jovial smile then proceeded to browse through the shop. There were only a few others in the store. The rain seemed to be keeping people away. She wondered why people were not taking the opportunity to shop while the ocean was unrideable.

“Well, a number of folks that come through here are tourists siphoned though by the beach down the road, and they never think to buy what they need until they hit the beach and realize they don’t have their wax, or goggles, or swim trunks.”

Kina ended up buying a wrap-around visor that was more deeply tinted and fit her better then the goggles had. She picked out another swimsuit, this one in the rich purple color that she liked so much. It was a little more revealing then her other one, but she mentally excused that feature. She was going to wear a top over it most of the time so it would not matter. I ain’t tryin’ t’ impress anyone...

She looked at the wetsuits that could be ordered custom to fit with longing, but knew there was no way she could afford those. After much internal debating, however, she finally decided to purchase a surfing vest. Kina justified the cost by tallying how much she was saving in gas and food and lodging fees by staying at the beach instead of roaming like she had originally planned. It was an investment, since she would surely have lots of days surfing in cooler weather and would need the added warmth. Made out of the same material as the wetsuits, the sleeveless black and hot pink vest would provide protection from chaffing like her t-shirt did, but provide a bit more insulation. Jack had her try on several to make certain she had one that fit snug enough to protect as it should, but had enough room to allow her to move as she would need to as she surfed. She went with one that could be added over a wetsuit, should she stick with the hobby long enough to justify buying one of those down the road.

Sean’s older brother kept up an easy flow of conversation with her and the few other shoppers who were in the store. He had several stories about the younger Kelley that Kina mentally filed away as ammo for the next time Sean tried to pull one of his tales on her. Kina found herself telling him about her unexpected discovery of the beach and her newfound love of surfing.

After she had picked out everything she wanted, she spent some time admiring the boards available and looked at a catalog that seemed to offer an infinite amount of ways to customize boards. When Jack was done taking an order for another customer, she approached him with her chosen items to check out. Kina had mentally added up the cost of everything she was getting, so when the total he quoted her was much less then that amount she spoke up, thinking perhaps that he had not scanned something. He smiled and shook his head.

“Special discount for your first time visit.”

“Oh, but...”

“Listen, I know you’re in school, which isn’t cheap, especially if you’re putting yourself through on your own.”

Kina stared at him, wondering how he knew. He seemed to read the unasked question on her face.

“Most kids don’t go wandering around during winter break if they have a home waiting for them. Now, don’t worry, I’m not going to end up going out of business just because I’m giving you this little break. In fact, you’re going to save me some money.”

“I, uh, I am?”

“Yes. I have several boxes that need to be delivered to those folk back at that beach. You’ll be headed back there,” Kina nodded, “so if you’ll take ‘em for me, that will save me the time and money of delivering them myself.”

“Ya’re sure?”

“Yes! Now quit protesting this great deal before I change my mind.”

Kina giggled at his gruff demeanor and handed him her debit card, pleased to accept his offer.

“Besides,” Jack lowered his voice and leaned in as though he had some great secret to confide in her, “if Sean found out I charged you full price, there’s no telling how he might torment me.”

She laughed outright at this.

“A horrid fate, t’ be sure.”

He handed back her card and her bags, and then disappeared into the backroom to retrieve the boxes he wanted her to deliver. The rain had let up a bit by this point. Kina was able to find room for the boxes in the backseat of her car, since she had been able to leave some of her nonessentials back at the beach house. She thanked him profusely once again which he responded with a wave of his hand.

“Stop back when you’re ready to buy your own board. You won’t be able to be fitted for a board better anywhere else around. I’ll even find a roof rack to fit your traveling art show here and throw it in for free.”

“Ya got yaself a deal.”

“Oh, and tell my little brother that he and his wife had better show up for dinner next week, or my Alice will have my hide.”

“Righteo.”

It was still a little early for most hotels to begin checking people in as Kina pulled out of the Hang Ten parking lot. A growl from her stomach indicated that her body had finished with breakfast long ago and wondered where lunch was. Kina found a small cafe just down the road and settled in there. She savored a piping hot bowl of chicken noodle soup and a hunk of French bread as she sat in the quiet cafe. She lingered over her dessert of a warm, gooey cinnamon roll and a large caramel mocha as she watched the rain drops roll down the window by which she sat.

Mindful of Sean’s advice, Kina headed away from the ocean to find her lodgings. On the outer edge of town, she finally found a place that had reasonable rates and was not booked with people on winter vacation. She checked herself in for two nights, confident that she would have clear skies by Friday. She brought in her purchases she had made earlier in the day, as well as the boxes Jack had given her to deliver. Kina did not want to have something to happen to them after all that he had done for her. She took a warm shower, wrapped her body in one towel and her hair in another, and then emptied her bags to admire her purchases for the day.

“Aw, jeeze...”

Jack had managed to sneak in the big beach towel that he had let her use when she first entered his store. She shook her head, but smiled at the gesture. Kina turned her attention to the swimsuit. She had to try it on over her underwear at the store, so she was not one hundred percent positive just how much would show. She cut off all the tags, let the fluffy bath towel hugging her body fall to the floor, and shimmied into the purple two-piece. Kina then looked at herself critically in the oversized mirror across from the bed.

“Okay, so there’s no way I’m gonna wear this if Mickey’s anywhere t’ be seen...”

The shiny purple fabric clung to her curves like a second skin. The top had a flirty plunging neckline and contours that Kina had to admit she filled out quite nicely. The waistline on the bottom half of the suit was located much lower then, well, where her waist was and the legs definitely had a much higher cut then her swim shorts had. The workouts with Rita had given shape and definition to her muscles and the steadier meals available at the university had erased most of the gauntness from her features.

She took a couple of small jumps, twisted, and turned, all to make sure the suit would stay in place when she was out on the water. She caught a glimpse of the scars on her shoulders. With a small frown, Kina removed the towel atop her head and let her ebony locks tumble down. Her hair hung in damp waves and ringlets, hiding her back from sight. Better.

Satisfied with her purchase, Kina stripped out of the purple swimwear, packing it away for another day, and pulled out her pajamas. Even though it was still only part way through the afternoon, she decided she was going enjoy the chance for maximum sleep on a bed. Kina flopped belly down across the top of the bed, hugged a pillow to her, and let out a contented sigh. This is th’ life...

Her nap lasted until about 7:30pm. She ordered out a small pizza – green peppers, extra cheese, and garlic dipping sauce for the crust – and enjoyed it as she watched a monster movie marathon on one of the cable stations. After hanging the No Maid Service sign on the outside of the door, Kina crawled under the covers. She glanced at the alarm clock but did not set it. It was after midnight when she drifted off to sleep again to the muffled sound of raindrops against the windowpane.

Morning dawned cool, gray, and still raining. It passed without Kina ever seeing it. She finally woke up a few minutes to 1:00 in the afternoon. She strongly considered just spending the whole day in bed, a luxury she seldom had the chance to indulge in, but eventually decided to get up and get some grocery shopping done.

She picked up some snacks and other food that would keep for several days. Although nobody had said anything, Kina felt bad about eating the food provided at the beach without chipping in. She made a mental note to ask if there was a food fund or something she should be contributing to. After all, she did have money set aside to cover meal expenses during the break. Adding to a meal pot was still likely to be much less then dining out, or even grocery shopping for herself.

“Listen, I know you’re in school, which isn’t cheap, especially if you’re putting yourself through on your own. Most kids don’t go wandering around during winter break if they have a home waiting for them.”

Kina wondered if this is what the others had thought. She had not given the matter much consideration; thinking about it now, though, she realized that everyone else who came to that seaside retreat had a place to go to at the end of the day, even if it was no more then a fancy RV on the beach. It was a somewhat depressing thought, so she pushed it out of her mind with determination. I jist have more freedom then most people.

Back at the hotel, Kina pulled out the dumbbells Rita had given her. She figured as long as she used them at least once she could count that as fulfilling her promise. Kina worked on arm, shoulder, leg, and back muscles while watching music videos. She even tried to do some of the yoga she had learned from memory, then finished up with some jumping jacks to count for her aerobics. Satisfied that should count for working out, Kina promptly opened a jumbo bag of candy and sprawled out on the bed to enjoy another evening of mindless entertainment, courtesy of the TV.

12/20/02

Kina did set her alarm clock for the next morning so that she could partake of the hotel’s complimentary breakfast and (more importantly) coffee before checking out. The rain had stopped, although the sky was still overcast. Kina was confident that it would clear up within an hour or so, however. The wind was blowing in steadily from the west and had gained a more seasonable chill to it.

After double-checking the hotel room to make sure she was not leaving anything behind, she turned her keycard in at the front desk and settled her bill. Kina made her way back to the beach at a leisurely pace and arrived just as the sun was showing its face from behind the clouds. She spotted Su-Ann’s car as she pulled in – the young woman must have decided there were waves she wanted to catch today.

“Welcome back, Cat.”

PT had headed up the beach as she pulled in and greeted her as soon as she opened the door of her car. Kina returned his smile and then turned to the boxes she had been entrusted with.

“Jack asked me t’ deliver these. Where do ya want ‘em?”

“We will take them over to the storage room.”

PT easily picked up two of the boxes and Kina followed along with the third.

“Did you have a nice time?”

“I was an absolute couch p’tato for two days an’ I don’t regret it in th’ least.”

He shared her chuckle.

“You had a couple of good days to do that. You were right about the rain.”

“Hey, when ya’re good, ya’re good. I am glad t’ be back, though.”

“Oh? Miss me?”

Kina blushed at his teasing and made a face at him.

“Nah, but th’ lodgin’ is much cheaper here...”

They had reached the beach house by now. Miki and Sean were just coming out with surfboards in hand. Kina noted they both had wetsuits on today. Guess this ain’t th’ weather for th’ new bikini. The married couple stopped to help unpack the supplies in the boxes and put them away.

“Tsk. That old coot made you deliver these?” Sean shook his head, although Kina could tell he was not surprised in the least.

“It was a fair trade for th’ deal he cut me. Oh, an’ he says his wife’ll have him tarred an’ feathered if ya don’t ‘member t’ show up for dinner next week.”

“Bah, like that is supposed to be a motivation for me to show up? Luckily for him, though, Alice’s Christmas dinners are an incredible feast for the taste buds and the stomach.”

Finished with boxes, Miki and Sean resumed their trek down to the shore.

“I hope your slothful vacation did not cause you to forget everything you learned here. We have some good waves for you to test your skills against today.”

“I can’t wait! Jist give me a few t’ get changed.”

PT smiled at her enthusiasm and nodded.

“Meet me back at the shore when you are set.”

Kina had left her hibiscus swimsuit and old tee here in her cupboard. She pulled out the suit, but not the tee, and headed into to a dressing room. Moments later she was changed and applying sunblock to her face, arms, and legs. She grabbed the yellow board and carried it with her as she returned to her car to retrieve her new vest, visor, and beach towel. Thus armed, she headed down to the shore.

The ocean that greeted her was a much different beast then the one she had surfed a few days before. Its voice was now more a roar then a murmur. Kina judged the waves were almost as high as she was tall and moving steadily. They were still breaking far enough out to be safely ridden. Kina caught sight of Su-Ann and Uncle J zipping up and down the waves and occasionally catching some air time. She felt the anticipation build – she wanted to be out there, too.

Kina carefully waxed her board under PT’s supervision and checked that her ankle strap was securely in place. After a quick review, they headed out into the water.

The water was colder then it had been just a few days ago. Kina shivered a little and was glad she had purchased her vest. Everyone was wearing some kind of wetsuit, except for the guy paddling out with her. Kina looked over at PT, who seemed perfectly at ease with only his red swim trunks and black sleeveless tee.

“Ain’t ya cold?”

“Not really. I am one with the water.”

“Ya’ll be one in th’ water if ya keep tellin’ tales,” Kina teased.

Kina returned her concentration to safely reaching the lineup. Once out there, she let a couple wave sets pass her by so she could watch how the other surfers rode them. When she decided she was prepared as she was ever going to be, she waved her hand to signal her intent, then began paddling furiously as the ocean swelled behind her.

Kina could feel the difference in the power of the wave under her. She shifted her weight and let her board slide down the wave. The curling wall of water was now behind and almost above her. With a thrill she could not describe, she raced this force of nature for a bit, then cut back up the wave and pulled out before it could collapse around her. Satisfied with her ride, she headed back to the lineup.

“I guess you did not forget how to ride. Nicely done.”

PT’s accompanying smile sent an inexplicable warmth through Kina’s body that instantly negated the effect of the chill in the ocean and the air. She just smiled back and nodded, then turned to set herself up for another ride.

Kina was in and out of the water for the better part of the day, taking breaks to warm-up on shore before returning to challenge the swells that the sea tossed her way. She had Su-Ann show her how to execute some of the simpler moves on the waves, although the longboard Kina was using was less suited for the quick maneuvers required for pulling off the tricks. PT then had her try his board. Though not quite as short as Su-Ann’s, it responded much quicker then the one Kina had been using. It was also less stable then the longer board she was used to, and Kina found herself spending more time under the waves then above them. Despite her wipes, though, she liked the speed and versatility of the shorter board and secured a promise that she could practice with it for a little each day while she was at the beach and there were waves safe enough for her to train on. Kina then returned to the yellow board for her last few runs before she decided she was too chilled to ride any more.

Back on the beach, Kina quickly lost the vest – the insulation it provided on the water now prevented her from drying off. With a few quick twists she had freed her hair from the knot she used while surfing and let it fall across her back. She dried off as best as possible and then stretched out on the towel she received from Jack. Kina did not bother seeking the protection of the beach umbrella, but instead sought the warmth of the sun. She exchanged her visor for her sunglasses, then lying face down along the length of the soft terry fabric she let her head rest in the pillow created by her arms. Kina shivered as the wind blew over her and wicked away the salty water that still clung to her skin. She debated going up to the beach house for a change of dry clothes; other then being a little cold, however, she was quite comfortable where she was and did not feel like spending the energy to move.

The velvety touch of a towel being briskly rubbed along her back woke Kina with a start from the half doze she had not even realized she had slipped into. She turned her head to the side a fraction to see PT sitting on the beach next to her. He stopped at her movement.

“Sorry, I did not mean to startle you like that, Cat. I just did not wish for you to catch a chill.”

“No. No, it’s okies,” Kina mumbled, putting her face back down and letting her hair hide her face.

His hands were sure and his movements economical as he dried her off, gently parting her hair to expose the skin underneath. Kina told herself the heat she felt was just from the brisk toweling. Jist circulation improvin’, like when ya rub your hands t’gether...

PT finished up at the back of her neck then pulled the cloth away. A second later, Kina felt the featherweight touch of his hand on her shoulder. Her muscles twitched involuntarily as his fingers traced the scars that marked her.

“Oh. Are they still recent?”

“No. I got them in some lil accident so long ago I don’t even ‘member it.” I think. Mebbe...

His fingers continued lightly brushing along the silvery marks that stood out against her dark skin and Kina could feel... it was something like the hum of electricity, perhaps, that went all the way to her core. Kina felt as though her very bones were itchy. Abruptly, she rolled away and sat up.

“Ah. Ummm...”

She was saved from trying to explain her reaction by the return of Uncle J and Miki to the shore. Su-Ann and Sean were not far behind, and soon Kina found herself pulled into a game of one-on-one beach volley against Su-Ann. She tried not to look at PT, although when she happened to glance at him, he was always watching her with an expression that Kina thought looked pleased somehow. Kina was grateful that the lure of the bigger waves was bringing a number of the other surfers to the beach. She practically pounced on Gwen when the cheery blonde showed up. Kina did not want to be alone with PT until she worked out the confusing emotions that had bubbled up.

That night found Kina unable to reach the peaceful sleep she had enjoyed during her first days here. She wandered through old nightmares. A watery fiend roared behind her; something dug into her shoulders. She ran through a lightless landscape until a lump tripped her up; Sarah’s lifeless eyes stared up at Kina, then the dead girl flowed away into the darkness. Wait! Don’t leave me! A bubble was collapsing around her someone was softly humming beside her – from the other side a resolute voice challenged, “I am done chasing the fading sun light...” Something was coming from above and then Kina was pushed out of the bubble. With a small yelp, Kina woke up.

Part B

Cascading down the path, the force of the water gains strength.

Saturday 12/21/02

Kina gave up on getting any more sleep when the sun rose behind a thin veil of wavery gray clouds. The ocean was riled and roared its complaints with every breath onto the shore. Kina could tell paddling out would not be a simple affair today, but the large swells were breaking in a fairly even manner. She wanted to challenge that power and feel it under her feet as it propelled her along.

“Those are some of the best overheads I’ve seen in a while.”

Toby and Gwen had joined Kina at the shoreline, just a bit beyond where the assaulting waves stopped.

“Overheads?”

“Any wave that’s taller then you, basically. If it’s twice your size it’s double overhead, and so on and so forth.”

Kina nodded at Toby’s explanation then gave a huge yawn that she thought would split her face in two.

“Good lord, Cat, you look awful. Are you okay?”

“Hmm? Oh, I think m’ body got spoiled by a couple o’ days in a hotel. It jist needs some coffee an’ stretchin’ t’ get back t’ normal.”

She gave a small grin to show that she was fine. Kina did not want anyone saying she could not go out today, not when the surf was singing out to her. Breakfast and coffee did help improve her mood and the terrors that had haunted her in the night faded from thought. More of the other surfers joined them, drawn by the same thrill that awaited them on the water. Even Mickey had more to say about the waves then the women around him. Still, guess I ain’t breakin’ out th’ new suit t’day, either... Uncle J watched the ocean with an oddly dark expression. Kina thought she heard him say something about how it had better blow it out of its system soon, but when she asked him, he just shook his head. A frown crossed his face as he looked at something behind her and he spoke in a low voice.

“Be careful, girl. That pit will pull you in with no escape, otherwise.”

He clapped a callused hand on her shoulder then walked away, leaving Kina staring after him, quite puzzled. Pit’s an odd term t’ call th’ surf... Do I look that bad t’day, like I can’t handle it?

“Something wrong, Cat?”

Kina whirled, startled by the voice that was right behind her.

“Whoa, Cat. Maybe it is time we switched you over to decaf.”

Kina gave a shaky laugh.

“Decaf is blasphemy. An’ I’m gonna start callin’ ya ‘Cat’ here too, ‘cause, jeeze, ya sure as quiet as any kitty I’ve known.”

PT smiled at her then nodded towards the retreating form of Uncle J.

“Did he say something to upset you?”

“Huh? No. No, not really. I think mebbe he’s worried if I can handle these waves.”

“You sure?”

PT dropped his voice so that it would not carry. Unconsciously, Kina leaned in to catch what he had to say.

“He has a bit of dementia... oh, not enough to be a danger, but it has led him to make some wild accusations and odd claims in the past. Since he cannot work anymore, he has been given a place to stay here, with the rest of us to keep an eye on him.”

“Oh, poor guy.”

“Do not let him hear you say that. He has his pride, you know.”

Kina nodded silently then stared at the ground, tongue-tied as she realized how close she was now standing next to him.

“Cat?”

His hand gently lit upon her lower jawbone and she turned her head up in response. Those eyes like a sea cloaked in fog and moonlight pierced through the thin wall of her glasses and held her gaze. Where his skin touched hers, Kina could feel that strange buzz that intensified until she wanted to claw at that spot and remove that prickle. With the greatest of effort, she stepped back and gave what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

“I’m fine. Really. Look, th’ others are gonna have all th’ best waves t’ themselves if we don’t hurry.”

Kina motioned her head towards the crowd of eager surfers heading to the beach house to change and grab their gear. She turned and headed that way as well, without waiting for him to respond, but his voice stopped her.

“Hey, Cat?”

She turned back, only to see him run by her.

“Race you!”

“AH! No fair!”

Kina took off after him, and was laughing and complaining of his tactics by the time that they had reached the others. She then let herself be sheltered by the company of the other girls and made her escape into the women’s side of the changing rooms.

“Oh, I was hoping to see the new one...”

Kina looked at Gwen in confusion as she pulled on her hibiscus-covered swimwear.

“Toby and I stopped by the Hang Ten, yesterday. I had heard there was a new, cute bikini purchased there by a tall, dark, and mysterious girl.”

“Oh. That, well...”

“Maybe she’s saving it for just a single set of eyes?” Su-Ann teased and Kina could feel the color rise to her cheeks. She quickly deflected the question before anyone could take note.

“Nah, nothin’ like that. It’s jist... well, Mickey’s here t’day...”

The other girls laughed knowingly in response, and let the subject drop. Kina breathed a tiny sigh of relief. She did not want to answer questions when she, herself, was not certain of her own feelings. Kina put on her swim vest only to discover it was still quite damp. After some debate, she abandoned it in favor of her sleeveless shirt along with another oversized tee loaned to her by Gwen. The conversation steered to today’s surf and each girl had advice for Kina on how best to handle what she would be facing.

The chatter grew more excited as they joined with the others down at the edge of the surf. Everyone checked and double-checked their equipment, well aware of the danger presented by the large, fast-moving swells. Kina followed suit, but on the inside she chaffed with impatience at the holdup. The waves did not seem that scary to her. She just wanted that rush of speed and freedom.

At last, everyone had finished the preparations and they began to paddle out. Kina hung back so that she was paddling in the wake of those in front of her. The water retained the cold bite of the previous day and the wind was stronger. Even so, Kina barely felt it. The adrenaline rush that was building in anticipation of the rides she had ahead of her today was warming her from the inside, as well as eliminating the tiredness left from her lack of sleep the night before. Everything melted away to just her and the waves.

Kina was not disappointed with the ride. Every time her board dug in, she could feel the surge of power that would send her racing off. The thrill of having a crushing wall of water hanging over her head and looming just a always a fraction of a bit behind her gave Kina an energetic feeling that she had not once known since waking up in her Aunt’s care. She did wish she had a shorter board for experiencing even greater speeds and maybe the chance to try cutting up and down the wave face, but she knew she would not be allowed to practice in this more turbulent ocean.

After enjoying a number of good rides, the cold and energy expenditure began to make their presence known. For the first time, Kina felt vexed by the fatigue that had plagued her for as far as her memory went. She envied the exuberance she saw in Gwen, that Rita radiated every day, and that she remembered Sarah had overflowed with. Her one consolation came from the fact that several of the others looked ready to head in.

Kina started paddling in from the lineup when Eric called over, “Hey, surfer girl! We ride in!” Matching actions to words, he caught a wave and zipped along it towards the shore. Kina shouted an unintelligible curse after him, but grinned, turned herself around, and forced her tired body to paddle back to the lineup, eager for the chance of one final ride for the day.

“Outside!”

Kina looked up, beyond the lineup to see a huge set of waves charging in. Most of the surfers out in the lineup began paddling furiously towards them in the hope of punching through before those monsters broke on them. Su-Ann, Keith, and a couple others however had begun heading to shore and looked like they were going to try to catch these waves and hope for the best. Stuck facing the wrong way to ride them, and too far to punch through before they broke, Kina could only wait where she was. She turned turtle an instant before the first set crashed over her. The force of the water spun her and nearly ripped the board from her grip. Her buoyant board gave her the clue she needed to find the surface and with a few kicks, Kina popped up. Unfortunately, she found herself right into the path of one of the incoming surfers. She had barely gulped some air when she felt the skegs rake across her back and something hard crash down on her head. Another wave went over her and this time Kina lost her board. Her visor had come off and the water stung her eyes. Up and down were impossible to tell apart; panic’s icy fingers began to squeeze her heart.

“I got her!”

Strong arms pulled her out of the ocean’s grasp. Kina was pulled up onto someone’s board and slumped there in a slight daze. She tried to assemble her thoughts and say she was fine, but the words were refusing to line up properly.

“M’ board?” she asked hazily as she leaned against the warm body of her rescuer.

“Su-Ann has it, but that does not matter. We are getting you back to shore, Cat.”

Kina looked up and saw PT looking back at her, concern in his eyes. Her head had cleared enough that she able to take better notice of her surroundings. She was perched on PT’s surfboard; Su-Ann was almost to the shore, towing Kina’s board; and Keith was bobbing in the water next to Kina and PT to help them back.

“Think you can hold on here?”

Kina nodded, wincing at the pounding in her head that resulted from the motion. PT transferred his ankle strap to her then slipped off the side of the board. He and Keith each grabbed the rails on their respective sides of the board and began swimming in toward shore. By Keith’s awkward apologies, Kina guessed he must have been the one who had hit her.

“I’m so, so sorry – I knew you were there in front of me, but...”

“S’okay. I shoulda kept goin’ back in, ‘stead o’ tryin’ for another ride.”

Kina gave Keith a weak smile, trying to assuage his guilt, then let her eyes shut. The bump on her head was turning into a nasty headache, and the glare of the light on the water, even though the clouds diffused it, was not helping. Her lower back burned every time ocean water passed over it and felt sticky for some reason.

As they approached the shore, Gwen, Toby, and Eric came out to meet them. PT and Keith were standing now, walking in the shallower water and Kina made to stand as well. Gwen had reached them at this point and put an arm around Kina to help steady her.

“Ohmigod, Cat! Your back!”

Gwen pulled her hand away from Kina’s shirt – it was covered in blood. Ah, that must be where th’ sticky feelin’ is comin’ from... She swayed a little with Gwen’s support removed. An instant later, she was completely off her feet as PT scooped her up and briskly carried her to the beach house.

“I can... I can walk jist fine,” she protested faintly.

“I am sure you can,” Kina thought he sounded like he was humoring her, “but I want to get you looked at right away, and I can move even faster then you, remember?”

“Mmm. That was only ‘cause ya cheated.”

However, she did not protest any more and instead leaned against his chest as he rapidly made his way up the beach. She could even hear his heart beating, quite fast she thought. That strange bone-itching feeling began to prick at her, but Kina tried to pay it no heed. The odd sensation created by contact was actually a welcome distraction from her aches.

Inside the beach house, PT gently set her down on a bench. Miki and Sean were already there with first-aid supplies set out along a counter. PT peeled the two blood-soaked t-shirts off Kina and Miki began to carefully wash around the tender wounds.

“Oh, good.”

Kina swiveled her head in response to Miki’s pronouncement.

“They’re shallow. You won’t need any stitches. There’s really more blood here then wound, actually, since a lot of blood vessels are close to the surface along the back. We’ll just disinfect them and bandage them, and you will be fine in no time.”

Kina bit her lip as Miki cleaned out the three scrapes from the skegs and put the stinging disinfectant on them. Several long bandage pads were then pressed over the wound and taped into place. Kina then felt Miki gently settle her hands over the injured skin. She held them there for a little bit and Kina started to ask what she was doing when she felt a sudden rush of heat pass to her from the woman’s hands. The heat penetrated around the wounds and eased the discomfort in Kina’s back.

“Wha’ was that?”

Miki came around to stand in front of Kina. She smiled serenely as she moved her hands to the lump atop Kina’s head. The same heat and sense of wellness followed and Kina breathed a sigh of relief as the awful throbbing in her temples subsided to a dull ache.

“That is Reiki,” Miki finally answered her.

“...Ah. Um, thanks. And, um, I’m sorry t’ have caused ya all this trouble.”

“It is not any trouble, Cat,” PT said, kindly.

“That’s right,” Sean chimed in. He then leaned over with a grin and spoke in a stage whisper, “Although, I do think you almost caused this guy, here,” he nodded towards PT, “to have major heart failure. He was screaming your name like...”

“Sean, would you like me to discuss the incident of one June the fourth when...?” PT’s voice was casual, but the threat was clear.

“June th’ fourth? Wait, was this th’ thing wit’ th’ flamingo an’ th’ kazoos?”

Kina smiled sweetly at Sean’s dumbfounded expression.

“Jack can be quite th’ talkative guy, ya know?”

Sean threw his hands up in mock disgust as Kina, PT, and Miki shared a laugh. Convinced, now, that Kina was not going to up and die on them, they let her go off to the dressing room to change. Miki took the two tees Kina had worn to see if she could get the blood out. Kina did not care about her own old shirt, but she hoped the one she had borrowed from Gwen would be okay. Kina said as much when she saw the blonde girl who had been waiting for Kina in the dressing room, but she merely shrugged.

“If the only casualty out of this is a shirt that’s already near set to be thrown away, then, well, better the shirt then you, kay?”

Dinner started off on a quieter note then normal, with both Eric and Keith contrite about what each felt he had done to cause her injury. Kina finally coaxed a lighter mood to the group by melodramatically going off about how her “pale, fair, unblemished skin was now ruined” and how she “could never show her face in polite society again” until even the two guilt-stricken guys were laughing. After that, the conversation returned to its usual lively state with discussions about the otherwise great day of surfing. A couple of the surfers at the fire were here for the first time since Kina had arrived and refused to believe she was still a novice at the sport, particularly since it was Sean who was telling them about it.

The weather worsened and broke up the evening’s activities early on. Gwen and Toby, Su-Ann, and several of the others decided to stay overnight anyway, and see what the surf would be like in the morning. Everyone headed into the beach house and cleared spaces on the floor to spread out sleeping bags. Toby dug out an air mattress from one of the storage bins for Kina to use. She was quite thankful for the use of the mattress; the thought of sleeping on the hard floor with her sore back was not an inviting idea. Both her back and her head were starting to bother her again. She popped several aspirin, preferring to rely on good solid medicine this time around. The rest of the evening passed with a series of card games. Bowls and bags of munchies, both sweet and salty, made the rounds, too. Kina was reminded of the slumber parties she had attended with Sarah and her friends. A small sigh escaped at the memory, but it did not invoke the usual sharp sorrow. Kina stretched out on her stomach atop the air mattress as the others quieted down for the night. She was wondering if she would be able to sleep with her aches when the fatigue from the day’s events slipped over her and sent her into a dreamless slumber.

12/22/02

Kina awoke to find the morning half over and everyone already out on the beach. Good grief, I slept through everyone gettin’ ‘round this mornin’? Gwen assured her that everyone had been quiet this morning in order to let Kina get as much rest as she needed.

“Jeeze, I ain’t that bad off. But, um, thanks. I do enjoy sleepin’ in.”

Gwen laughed then returned to helping set up the volleyball net. One look at the ocean told Kina that there would be no riding today. The waves were choppy, with no even breaks to ride. Kina was both glad and disappointed by this turn of events. She was sure that she probably should not be out there until her body had healed a little more; at the same time, she wanted to prove to herself that she was not afraid of riding again, despite yesterday’s scare. She mentally shrugged; it was out of her hands right now. Kina took a deep breath of the refreshing ocean air. Mebbe in a couple of days...

Miki checked Kina’s back late in the afternoon. The scrapes were already scabbing over and itching, which was a good sign. Miki put more anti-bacterial ointment on them and fresh bandages. Kina assented when Miki asked if she would mind trying more Reiki healing. The petite woman had Kina stretch out on her stomach across a bench and then lightly settled her hands on Kina’s back. That same strange warmth and sense of ease seemed to flow from Miki’s hands quicker today. Kina could feel muscles that she had not realized were tense relax at the touch of those hands. Miki slowly worked her hands up Kina’s back, easing knots and minor aches. Kina had practically drifted off to sleep under the gentle ministrations until Miki reached the scars on her shoulders. A sharp pain jolted her and Kina sat up quickly with a surprised “Oh!”

“Hmm.”

Miki was looking at her hands then at Kina.

“Um, sorry. Musta been a muscle spasm. Or somethin’...”

“What caused those wounds?”

“I don’t know, really. It happened when I was really young, I think, and... um, I kinda was sick after an’ jist don’t ‘member.”

“There is something there that should not be there... or, rather, something that your body is rejecting. Usually this kind of discord in a healing comes from an auto-immune disorder or cancer, and yet... it did not quite feel that way...”

Kina looked at Miki, perplexed.

“Wait, ya can tell that jist from touchin’ someone?”

Miki gave a small laugh.

“You have experienced this healing twice now, and still disbelieve it?”

Kina flushed a little.

“It’s... well, I’ve always preferred logical things, ya know? Ya could say my life was as far as a fairy tale as possible. Wishes comin’ true an’ that stuff... that ain’t what th’ real world is like,” Kina answered with a bitter smile, “so, I guess I don’t like trustin’ somethin’ that jist seems like some hokey mumbo jumbo. Um, no offense.”

Miki smiled gently.

“Try thinking of it this way. You like science, I’m guessing?” Kina nodded, though she did not mention she barely passed the basic physics and biology courses she had taken her first semester. “Alright, then. Everything that exists – solids, liquids, gases, atoms, quarks, et cetera –it is all basically energy in different forms. Reiki is merely a way to channel this energy, or chi, that exists in the universe around us. This energy is reshaped into a form that can heal or reenergize a person’s body.”

Kina thought about this for a moment then gave a slow nod.

“But, if this works so well, why don’t more people do this? I mean, wouldn’t it save all kinds o’ money on hospitals an’ medicine an’ stuff?”

“There seems to be a matter of attunement to the chi of this universe. Some people feel it; many do not. If we were near one of the war zones, say out East at Paragon City, though, you would see more people with this power. Those with that kind of power tend to congregate where it is needed most.”

The recruiters from the organizations with names like SERAPH and MAGI who had showed up on campus during career weekend lent some truth to Miki’s statement. The chance of finding students who were meta-humans was not that great, but there were plenty of support jobs that needed filled as the various war-torn cities around the world fought to recover and rebuild.

Coming back to the matter at hand, Kina pressed Miki about her scars, but the woman could only shake her head.

“I honestly do not know for certain. You say you were sick when you were younger, but it you do not know why. If it had been from some disorder or disease, I am sure your doctors would have made you aware of it. Assuming there is a connection between those wounds and your illness. You do have a tendency towards being fatigued easily,” Kina nodded at her observation, “but there is no other indication of illness. It may be some wound of the spirit that ails you. In which case, you will be the only one who can know for certain what has wounded you and what you must do to heal. You may want to give meditation a try.”

This time, Kina did not outright reject what Miki was telling her. She thanked the woman instead, and told her that she would think on what she had said. Kina prepared to return to the beach when a thought struck her.

“Does PT know this Reiki stuff?”

The memory of the prickle-inducing energy she felt whenever they had touched, well ever since he had touched her scars Kina realized, reminded her somewhat of what she felt when Miki had worked on her. Not quite the same, though...

Miki arched an eyebrow at this question.

“PT? Not that I am aware of. I can tell you this, though – his chi is not like any I have seen before.”

“Meanin’...?”

Miki shrugged elegantly.

“Only that he is different, somehow. It could mean nothing. Or everything.”

With that cryptic statement, Miki headed out, leaving Kina alone with her thoughts.

12/23/02

The beach was mostly emptied of surfers on Monday. The ocean had calmed and small swells of two and three feet gave Kina the chance to return to the water without fear of another accident. She was also able to make use of PT’s board and practice keeping her balance on a smaller board. Her biggest challenge was adjusting to the fact that she had to shift her weight less to cause a change in the board’s direction.

Later that afternoon, Kina discovered Gwen decorating the beach house with lights and sparkly ornaments. That’s right, Christmas is in a couple o’ days... Kina could not recall how she had passed the last several Christmases. She did remember the ones with her aunts after Sarah’s death had involved Kina staying by herself while her aunts and cousin were next door. She mostly had slept away those days...

“There,” Gwen pronounced in a satisfied voice, “don’t you think it’s perfectly festive?”

“Looks, um, yeah – festive.” Kina was less then with enthused with the memories of the season and some of the bitterness crept into her voice.

“Oh, I didn’t think – I just assumed... that is, I forget sometimes that not everyone does Christmas...”

Kina mentally kicked herself. Gwen was not responsible for Kina’s sour memories. She hurried to reassure the friendly girl that nothing was amiss and that the decorations were very nice, indeed. Sarah loved decoratin’, too. Gwen cheered right back up and gave Kina a conspiring wink and grin.

“There’s mistletoe hanging by the surfboards. In case you want a reason to kiss a certain someone...”

Kina turned as red as the velvet bows Gwen had hung and protested that she had no idea what the other girl was insinuating. Gwen just laughed and put the finishing touches on her decorations. Kina made a quick exit before Gwen could go on and almost ran over Toby.

“Is Gwen there?”

Kina caught sight of the tiny wrapped box he was holding. She looked at his face, then at the box and put two and two together. She grinned and said, “Not that I think you’re gonna need it with that, but I hear there’s mistletoe in th’ storage room.”

He nodded his thanks and hurried in. Kina hung by the door, intercepting Sean and Miki with a finger to her lips.

“Toby’s proposin’,” she answered to Sean’s query. A few seconds later, Gwen’s joyful shrieks indicated that Toby’s early present had gone over quite well. Kina, Sean, and Miki headed back down to the fire pit at that point to tell those who were still there – namely, PT, Uncle J, Keith, and Eric – about the engagement.

“It’s about time,” Uncle J groused, but he was smiling.

“It was two years ago, today, that they met here,” Miki told Kina.

When Gwen and Toby finally rejoined them (hair quite mussed, Kina noted with a wicked grin at Gwen) everyone stood and cheered. Gwen flushed, but her eyes were shining and she had the smile of an angel. She and Toby took their leave soon after dinner. They were spending Christmas with her family and she wanted to let everyone know about the engagement right away. Kina gave them both a hug and wished them a Merry Christmas, although she did not think that was going to be a hard thing for them. Eric and Keith were staying the night with Uncle J at the main house; Kina presumed that was where PT stayed, too. She spent the night alone amongst the twinkling lights in the beach house and cautiously let herself remember those few Christmases where there had been Sarah’s warmth and laughter.

12/24/02

Christmas Eve was a delightfully warm day. The wind had shifted and drew again from the south. Uncle J left late that morning with Keith and Eric. His sister (Keith’s mother) was having most of the family over for Christmas. The old man stopped to talk to Kina before he left.

“You should not be by yourself here.”

Kina shrugged. “I really have nowhere else to be. It’s okay, I’m not going to go out by myself or anything dangerous like that.”

He shook his head. “You’re falling into that pit’s trap. You’ll only end up hurt.” Eric and Keith joined them at this point and Uncle J left without saying anymore, leaving Kina baffled by his dark words and feeling as though she were missing some obvious clue. The day was too nice, however, for her to dwell on such puzzles and Kina turned her attention elsewhere.

Miki and Sean were occupied with wrapping presents to take to Jack, Alice, and their kids. PT was nowhere to be found. Kina longed to go out on the water again, but she was not going to bother Sean and Miki from their preparations so that she could have the required spotter. She decided to take a walk and go exploring, instead.

Kina recalled the split in the dirt road that had brought her to this beach and headed out to see where that other road had led. Birds were singing and flitting around in the bushes that lined the path; Kina paused several times to try to get a better look at some of the flashes of color and feathers that caught her eye. She turned down the fork and followed its less used trail. Given the amount of growth in the tracks, Kina figured it must have been some time since anyone had driven down here. She was glad she had not attempted it, certain that in one or two spots she was likely to have ended up stuck. The path exited onto a beach, but this one was more rocky and enclosed. A true cove, the water was quite calm here. There was a small shack just off to the side and Kina headed over to it.

“Hey, Cat.”

Kina spun around to see PT come off the path behind her. She returned his smile, then gestured.

“Is this all part o’ that dude’s property, too?”

“It is. Not ideal for surfing, as you can see, but a peaceful spot. And, it is perfect for heading out for tow-in surfing.”

“Tow-in?”

He motioned over to the small building and she peeked in. There was a small personal watercraft stored on one side along with a coil of cable.

“Sometimes, we get waves that are too big and move too fast for a person to be able to match the speed needed to catch the wave. With this, though, a surfer can be towed out and brought into the wave with enough speed that even the most monstrous of waves can now be ridden. Of course, we seldom get the waves to use this, and even less often is there someone brave enough to challenge the ocean in its most powerful mood.”

“I’d try it.”

He grinned at her.

“You really are hooked, are you not?”

“It’s jist... I love th’ power an’ th’ speed an’ th’ energy an’ jist that feelin’ of bein’...free. I guess. Ya don’t hafta worry ‘bout grades, or other people, or nothin’ – ya jist deal wit’ yaself an’ th’ ocean.”

Kina gave a half shrug, uncertain that what she was saying really made sense to herself, let alone him. PT nodded, though and gave her a soft smile.

“Surfing really is about putting your self in the here and now and setting everything else aside. I will not lie, I enjoy the respite it provides from the troubles of the world, as well.”

Kina had caught sight of a small cot and blankets plus some other odds and ends strewn about at the far side of the room, as well.

“Hey, does somebody live here?”

“I often stay here, yes. I told you about J’s mind wandering – sometimes, he seems to mistake me for someone from long ago in his past that he seems to have some kind of grudge against.”

“Um, but ya’d hafta be as old as him for that t’ work, an’ ya obviously ain’t.”

He quirked a brow at her, but did not reply. Instead, he talked more about this hideaway.

“I like this cove, though. Sometimes the water becomes so still here and the reflections of the sky make you think you could be staring through to another realm. You should come see it some time when there is a still day.”

Kina chuckled, “That’s rather poetic of ya. I’ll pass on any other worlds, though. I got m’ hands full as it is wit’ this one.”

PT let an odd smile tug at the corner of his lips then he looked at his watch and said, “Miki and Sean will be heading out soon. We should get back to see them off.”

Kina nodded and headed back with him to the main beach. They arrived just as Sean and Miki were getting set to pull out. Kina and PT stopped them and exchanged wishes for a Merry Christmas and watched them until they disappeared down the dirt road. Kina then realized that she was alone with PT and found herself suddenly tongue-tied. He did not seem to notice, and instead invited her to walk along the beach. The tide was pulling out and together they stopped to explore the different tidal pools they came across. PT identified the different inhabitants of the pools and commented on the presence of this or the lack of that in these mini communities.

“An’ here I thought it was Toby who was th’ marine biologist,” Kina teased.

“I have had the, ah, fortune of being out here with him on a number of occasions. You hear something enough and you are stuck remembering it.”

Kina chuckled. She had accompanied Toby a time or two along the pools and been overwhelmed with the wealth of information he had readily shared with anyone he thought might be listening. Kina found it easier to converse after this and spoke a bit about little things like her classes and her roommates and how her car had ended up with its one of a kind paint job.

Dinner that night was much the same as it had been on her first night. Fire-grilled hotdogs and corn-on-the-cob along with some apple and pear slices. The sun set while they sat in a companionable silence and the night sky slowly filled with stars. They made a game of picking constellations out in the sky, but PT knew way more then the girl who had spent most of her life under city-lit skies. Realizing she was at a disadvantage, Kina began making up constellations of her own.

“Look, there’s th’ unbalanced surfer, there’s th’ wave, an’ there’s th’ cup o’ joe – sign o’ th’ benevolent god o’ caffeine, ya know...”

“I don’t think those count.”

“Nonsense. All perfectly known constellations in Cat-land. I get twenty points each for those an’ win.”

“Ouch. This is payback for that race the other day, right?”

“Hn. Mebbe,” Kina gave a mischievous grin that slipped into a yawn.

“An’ on that note, I think I’ll quit while I’m ahead and grab some shut-eye.”

Kina stood and began covering the remaining coals with sand and PT joined suit.

“Pleasant dreams, Cat.” Even in the dark, Kina could make out the smile on his face. She gave one of her own.

“Ya too, S.S.”

Kina headed quickly to the beach house. Even though the night was nice, she felt more comfortable sleeping inside in a more secure location, especially since nobody else was around. The lights Gwen had strung twinkled as merrily as the stars and Kina found a strange comfort in their festive glow. She fell asleep quite easily.

Kina was not certain what awoke her, but she was instinctively holding her breath and straining her ears as though she expected to hear something. A moment later, she caught the sound of a muffled thump. It sounded like it was coming from the storage room where the surfboards were kept. She debated what to do, but decided she did not want to caught out in the middle of the floor where she currently was. Silently rolling off her makeshift bed, she grabbed a small vase from off a shelf and quietly began creeping to the other room. She could see a light coming from that room and a shadow – it looked like just a single person. Reaching the door, she cautiously peeked around the corner.

“Oh!”

PT jumped and spun at the sound of her surprised exclamation and nearly knocked over what he had been carefully setting up. A new surfboard, slightly shorter then his, and bedecked with a giant silver bow had been positioned where the yellow board she normally used had previously sat. This one was clearly not made of foam. Purple butterflies contrasted with the gleaming green background.

“Oops. I have been caught.”

“Oh, no... ya didn’t, ya can’t...”

PT made a show of looking over at the clock on the wall then turned to her with a broad grin.

“Well, since it is after midnight – Merry Christmas, Cat.”

Kina just stood there and gaped. The vase almost dropped from her grasp. She caught it and set it down on the floor. PT came over, grabbed her hands, and pulled her over to the new board.

“I can’t believe ya... this is too much, I can’t accept this!” Kina protested. This gift was far too generous.

“Sure you can. Besides, custom jobs cannot be returned, so you might as well make use of it.”

Kina was not sure whether to laugh or cry.

“Oh... but... I didn’t even think t’ get ya anythin’...”

He gave a laugh and rolled his eyes at her.

“I did not get this for you because I was expecting a gift from you. I just want to see you have fun and continue to come here to surf.”

Kina finally was able to raise her eyes to meet his. His smile was warm and Kina smiled back at last. Something hanging above his head caught her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she stepped closer, went on her tiptoes, and closed her eyes as her lips found his. After what she was sure was an eternity, Kina stepped back and gave him a blushing grin. Jerking her thumb up to the mistletoe, she said “Merry Christmas,” then hurried out the door and shut herself back in the girls’ changing room. PT’s chuckle rang behind her.

The rest of the night seemed to drag on. Kina restlessly tossed and turned, embarrassed by her spur of the moment action, but pleased that he did not seem to mind. She wished someone else was around. Oh man, how am I gonna face him in th’ mornin’...

Wednesday 12/25/02

Christmas morning was warm and sunny – a far cry from what all the Christmas cards and such tended to picture. Kina took her time getting ready, trying to find something nice to wear without looking like she had spent a lot of time getting ready. Digging through her duffel bag, a scrap of purple caught her eye. Huh, I don’t remember packin’ this. She pulled out the bandana and smoothed the fabric between her fingers. Some of the beads had been lost over the years, but the color had not faded. Kina smiled as she thought of what her cousin might say if she were here now. Prob’ly tell me t’ stop bein’ an idiot an’ shove me out this door... With that in mind, Kina pulled her hair back and tied the bandana partway down the back, creating a loose ponytail of sorts. She paired her cut-offs with a deep green button-up sleeveless shirt that set off her black hair. Kina left the bottom buttons undone and tied the corners of the shirt in a knot instead. She finished her ensemble with a pair of neutral brown sunglasses. Reaching back to touch the bandana for a bit of courage, Kina headed out.

PT already had the fire going and greeted her with a smile and a cup of coffee. She accepted it with a shy grin and proceeded to burn her tongue as she gulped it down in lieu of having to make conversation. She waved away the bottle of water he offered as she coughed. Stupid, stupid, stupid... When he was sure that she was all right, he turned back to making breakfast.

“How do you like your eggs?”

“Scrambled, please.”

“Oh good.”

Kina quirked a brow at him, questioningly. He gave her a sheepish grin in response.

“That is the only way I know how to make them.”

“Well, in that case, I wanna change m’ order t’ sunny side up...”

“Too late,” he retorted as he went to work. In short order, he had scrambled eggs, bacon, and fire-browned bread all ready. There was fruit left from the previous night, as well. Kina decided it was the best breakfast she had ever had. PT made no reference to the previous evening and Kina became less self-conscious as they talked of nothing in particular while they dined and continued to talk for some time after that.

The ocean returned as they passed the time, bringing small, but surfable waves with it. Once the tide had reestablished itself along the shore, PT turned to her with a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“So, I heard Santa made a visit last night and left a present, despite the fact he was nearly assaulted with a vase...”

Kina made a face at him.

“It’s Santa’s fault for soundin’ like an intruder. Though, I rather think he came outa it alright,” she added with an impish grin.

“I cannot argue with that! So, think you will give the waves a go today on your new chariot?”

“If ya’re askin’ if I wanna try m’ new board, th’ answer is ‘o course I do!”

He chuckled, and then told her he would meet her back by the shore once he had cleaned up. Kina offered to help, but PT merely shook his head and shooed her away. Kina made a detour to her car to pull out the bikini she had purchased several days ago. It’s a warm day, after all... Firmly pushing aside her other reasons for picking today to wear it, she resumed her trek to the beach house.

She had one more surprise waiting for her when she went to retrieve the sunscreen from her mini locker. There was a long wrapped package. Opening it up, she found a wrap-around visor identical to the one she had lost during her spill. A note in the box simply said ‘To replace the one we lost. Eric & Keith.’ She shook her head, wondering when they had managed to get this. Kina took the visor and set it by her vest and towel then went into the dressing room to change. She gave herself a quick once-over in the mirror – it was too bad that her back had gained additional marks, even though the bandages currently hid them. Oh well, I’ll have th’ vest on anyways...

Kina wrapped her towel around her lower body, like a skirt, pulled on her vest (but did not zip it all the way up), and perched her visor on top of her head. She returned the bandana to the duffel bag – this was one thing she did not want to lose – and braided back her hair. Satisfied with the way she looked, Kina headed to the storage room to pick up her new board.

She pulled the bow off and spent a moment admiring the fiberglass board. Shorter and narrower then the longboard she had learned on, this was built for speed and maneuverability – perfect for riding the big waves. The underside had a set of concaves that led to the skegs and the traction pads on the top looked like they were fused right to the board. Even with her limited experience, Kina could tell that this was top class. As much as she was uncomfortable with someone who was still a relative stranger spending that kind of money on her, Kina could not help but feel a bit of glee as she picked the board up. How many times had she had to pass up something she wanted because she could not afford it? Mebbe this is that karma thingy finally makin’ up for all th’ sucky stuff. In any case, since the board was here there was no reason for her to not go ahead and enjoy it.

Kina pulled her visor down over her eyes as she hurried outside. PT was just coming up to grab his equipment; he had already changed up at the main house when he had returned the breakfast dishes. Kina waited for him and they returned to the shore together. He gave her some more specific pointers for dealing with different waves and situations on a board built like hers while they each prepped their surfboards.

“Ready?”

“Ya bet!”

Letting the towel she wore as a skirt drop to the sand and zipping up her vest, Kina grabbed her board and dashed into the water with a yell of “Chaaarge!” The sound of water splashing behind her told Kina that PT was following in her wake. When the water was just above her midriff, she got up onto her board and began paddling out along her chosen channel. It took a couple of minor adjustments to find where she was balanced, but once she found that point, she was slicing through the water far faster then she ever had. Kina was glad for the ease of movement, since the wave break line was further out today. At any moment, she expected PT to pass her by, but she ended up leading the whole way.

Kina sat up and bobbed in the waves while she waited for him to catch up. Keeping one eye on the horizon, she watched PT as he pulled up. She idly wondered if his sculpted muscle definition came purely from surfing or if he worked out, as well. She gave him a wry grin as he pulled alongside her.

“I thought ya were s’posed t’ be th’ faster one.”

“Mm, yes, well the view in front of me was worth slowing down for.”

Kina reddened and discretely tugged at the bottom of her suit, then she turned her complete attention to the incoming waves. A couple sets rolled through before she found a wave she liked. Kina turned and began pulling her arms through the water as the wave caught up with her. The board slid into the wave and Kina pushed herself up, nearly overbalanced, then took off. She raced in front of the break of the wave, taking advantage of her newly gained mobility to zip up and down the wave face. PT came up on the wave behind her.

“Not bad. You recovered from that near wipe there quite well. You just have to learn to not throw so much of your weight into moving the board. It will still respond fast with less force.”

“Righteo. Practice makes perfect!”

She headed back out; this time making sure PT was off to her side. Surf in, swim out – over and over Kina enjoyed the freedom of the ocean while she familiarized herself with her wonderful Christmas gift. By the time she was ready to call it a day, she was able to stand without the least wobble and control the direction of her surfboard with relative finesse.

Kina headed in first. Back on the beach, she carefully checked to make sure the fiberglass surface had not suffered any damage and then propped it up in the sand. Unzipping her vest, she hung it over the tip of the surfboard. Kina recovered her towel and unfolded it from the crumpled heap she had left it in. Her lower back was still slightly tender, so she opted to lie out on her belly. Propping herself up on her elbows, she watched PT as he continued to surf. When he saw her watching he proceeded to execute a series of fast turns back and forth along the waves. Kina grinned and shouted out, “Show off!”

It was not long after that he came in, as well, and joined her on the beach. She sat up, tugging her suit to make sure it was in place, as he dropped to the sand next to her. Wish I’d thought t’ bring a shirt down wit’ me... The sun was quite warm, though and felt great on her skin. She yawned as the sun and the day’s exercise conspired against her. PT had a rather bemused look on his face.

“Am I boring you, Cat?”

“No!! Um, that is, nah... I’m jist kinda th’ opposite o’ all those bouncy mornin’ people. Heck, I can only make it t’ th’ barely human state wit’ th’ help o’ a gallon o’ caffeine.”

“Ah. That explains where all the coffee has disappeared to the last week...”

“Hey! Toby drinks at least as much as I do!” She stuck her tongue out at him then flopped back down and pretended to fall asleep. He laughed, but left her alone. The sun and wind caressed her back and Kina thought she could feel their effects on one of her scrapes. Huh, did th’ bandages come loose? She reached around. Sure enough, some of the tape had pulled away. Figuring a bit of air would be good for the healing process, Kina tried to tug the rest off.

“Here, let me.”

“Yeowch!”

With a quick yank, PT pulled off the rest of the bandages.

“Jeeze, ya coulda been a lil gentler...”

“Sorry, but it is best to get the pain over with fast.”

“Says ya,” she muttered, but not that angrily. She craned her neck as she tried to see how bad her back looked.

“I bet you do not end up with any marks from these at all – they are healing over quite well. I would leave those bandages off for the rest of the day. The exposure to some air will be good for them,” he echoed her earlier thought. “We keep some cocoa butter on hand for sunburns, too. You should use that later on – it will help speed the healing and keep the new skin soft.”

Kina could feel heat from where his hand was hovering over her back, although he did not tough her. He pulled back an instant later.

“Did Miki have more Reiki sessions with you?”

“Yeah, one th’ other day. I’m, ah, still not sure how much good that’s really doin’ me. Although it did seem t’ take away some o’ th’ sting t’ it.”

“No, I have no doubt that it has helped.”

He smiled at Kina’s slightly incredulous look.

“Since you have come here, I have noticed that you do not seem to put much stock in any thing that falls outside of a certain realm of logic.”

Kina shrugged. Having already had this conversation with Miki, she did not feel like repeating herself. But, PT was still looking at her and she felt she needed to fill the silence that was stretching between them.

“I don’t... I ain’t sayin’ I completely disbelieve or nothin’, jist that I prefer not puttin’ m’ trust in things that don’t make sense t’ me. If I can’t see it, touch it, measure it, then it’s jist wishin’ on moonbeams, as far as I’m concerned. An’ wishin’ doesn’t get anything done, despite what th’ fairy tales’ll try t’ tell ya.”

“I see. Well, that explains it.”

“ ‘Xplains what?”

He just smiled enigmatically and shook his head.

“What? C’mon, ya can’t jist say somethin’ like that an’ then jist drop it.”

She was sitting up now, and faced him with her hands on her hips and a mock scowl on her face. PT just chuckled.

“Has anyone ever told you just how cute you are when you are angry?”

“Bah! Ya’re impossible.”

Kina stood up and wrapped her towel around her waist. She stalked over to her board and snatched her vest off of it then grabbed the purple and green surfboard and headed back to the beach house. PT’s amused laughter followed her. Kina was glad he could not see her face because she was not able to hide her own grin.

After carefully stowing her board and hanging her vest on a line outside to dry, Kina treated herself to an extra long shower. The pulsing stream of hot water washed away the salt and sand and soothed her muscles. The scent of the orange spice shower gel she used mixed with the steam to create a refreshing aroma. Kina felt quite rejuvenated afterwards.

She donned the sleeveless shirt and cut-offs from earlier and returned her hair to the loose ponytail style from that morning, then set out to find the cocoa butter that PT had mentioned. While she was rummaging, she could hear a shower going from the guy’s side. PT must have returned not long after she had come up here. Kina located the object of her search in the same medicine cabinet (well, more of a cupboard, really) that held the bandages and other first aid supplies that Miki had used on her.

“Want some help, Cat?”

PT came into the room still toweling off the mop of hair on his head. He had changed into long black shorts and a tan short sleeve shirt that had just the middle buttons fastened. A scent like the best parts of the sun and surf clung to him and Kina found herself unconsciously breathing deep to take it in. He gestured towards the small jar she held.

“Oh, um, yeah. Thanks.”

Kina handed over the jar and turned around, pulling her hair around to one side. She felt him push up the back of her shirt, then twitched a little when the cold (at least it felt cold to her skin that was still warm from the shower) cocoa butter made contact with her flesh. PT rapidly applied the balm with smooth strokes over her healing wounds, igniting that strange itch every time he made contact. He then put fresh bandages and tape on her back and pronounced her good to go.

“Thanks ‘gain. I wasn’t sure I could reach all o’ that m’self.”

“Anytime. Now, are you up for some beach volley while there is still light or did that little bit of surfing finish you off for the day?”

“Pft. I’m good for anything. Th’ question is more are ya ready t’ lose out there or do ya wanna jist admit defeat t’ me right now?”

Joking back and forth, they headed down to the net set up not far from the fire pit. PT got the fire started before they began, so it would be ready for cooking whenever they finished. They played until the sun had nearly set then PT left to grab the cooler and picnic basket from the beach house. Kina added a log to the fire and enjoyed the remains of the sunset while she waited for him to return.

Dinner that night consisted of hamburgers, flame-grilled to perfection, and a veggie stir-fry. Kina piled her burgers with ketchup, mustard, and pickles while PT ate his with lettuce and tomatoes. They sat companionably on one of the giant logs as they balanced their plates and looked out at the dark sea. PT began to kid her when he noticed Kina picking through the veggies in her stir-fry.

“You will not grow up tall and strong if you do not eat all of those.”

“I’m plenty tall as it is, thank ya very much.”

He gave an exaggerated sigh.

“I did not want to do this, but no dessert for you if you do not eat all your veggies.”

PT lifted the side of the picnic basket for Kina to see.

“Argh! Ya’re too cruel! Fine, but only ‘cause ya brought s’mores,” she replied with mock anguish.

For Kina, these gooey, sugary chocolate treats were just a step or two behind coffee as one of the greatest things the universe had to offer. However, a part of her did not think s’mores were properly s’mores unless done over a campfire. As a result, Kina would seldom have them, feeling that the ones made in the microwave lacked what she called ‘Th’ spirit o’ th’ s’mores’.

Tonight, Kina relished every bite of the sticky marshmallows and melted chocolate sandwiched between the sweet and crunchy graham crackers. PT had brought only a single candy bar, so Kina tried to eat hers slowly to make them last as long as possible. As she licked the remains of her final s’mores bar from her fingers, she caught PT watching her with a bemused look.

“What?”

“Nothing. Only, I think I could have foregone the surfboard for s’mores for your present...”

Kina blushed.

“Ya didn’t hafta get me anything,” she mumbled.

PT laughed as he assembled his last s’mores square.

“Yes, yes, I think we went through this already.”

“I know, but sti- mmph.”

PT popped the final s’mores into her mouth, quelling her current protest. Kina frowned at him, unable to speak until she had swallowed the sweet treat.

“That was yours...aah... mmm.”

This time, he silenced her with a kiss. The passing seconds melted away into a moment of timelessness. When he finally broke it off, he pulled off her glasses with one hand, tenderly held her cheek in another, and captured her gaze in his own.

“Tasty.”

The last log on the fire snapped and the sparks flew up to meet the stars as he pulled her close again. Snared by the unfathomable depths of his eyes, Kina did not resist. Every kiss that found her lips, her ears, her neck - they burned her like a tiny spark, stung like wind-driven rain. They slid off the log bench onto the soft cushion of sandy beach until they were half kneeling, half leaning against the log. His skin was smooth and warm as she placed her hands where his shirt opened. Kina could not tell if the roar was the pounding of the ocean on the shore or the blood pounding in her ears. PT’s hands dropped from their hold on her either side of her face and slid down her neck, to her shoulders, and south from there. Every point of contact was fire and ice and the stab of a million needles that seemed to tear at her very essence, until Kina thought she was going to jump out of her skin. One of his hands had just begun working on the buttons of her shirt when...

CLA-CLATTER THWP

Kina jumped at the sound of several logs falling on each other broke through that eternal moment. She turned to see Uncle J up the beach a little ways, picking up the firewood he had dropped.

“Looked like you needed more fuel down here. No need to thank me.”

Uncle J tossed a log on the embers and the fire began to spring to life again. Kina had quickly disengaged herself from PT, grateful that the heat in her cheeks would be unnoticed in the red-orange light of the fire. She sat back up on the driftwood bench, resisting the compulsion to check the status of the buttons on her shirt - it did not feel like too many had been undone to no longer fall into the realm of modesty. Ohmigod... How long was he there?! She looked over at the old man who had settled into his chair. PT stayed down on the sand, although he sat up straighter. Kina thought she saw a scowl flicker across his face, but Uncle J did not seem to notice anything. Nothing was said for several long minutes, until Kina felt compelled to break the silence.

“Um... did ya have a nice Christmas?”

“Oh, I suppose it was. Busy, noisy family, though. And my sister tends to treat me as though I’m old and addled. I had Keith bring me back this evening.”

“Ah. Jist now?”

“Well, I was up at the house first, of course. Which reminds me, boy, there was a message for you from Mr. Wellington that I think you’d best respond to, soon.”

There was no mistaking the look of displeasure that settled on PT’s face this time, but he stood up with a sigh and gathered the remains of the evening’s picnic.

“I suppose since I am here on his good graces, I had better find out what he wants.”

He turned to Kina and let his expression soften a little.

“Good night, Cat. Pleasant dreams.”

With a wink, he leapt over the log and sauntered up to the main house.

“G’night, S.S.!” Kina called after him; he waved his hand in acknowledgement before disappearing from her sight along the nearly hidden path. Kina sat staring into the flickering flames for a little bit as she tried to put her muddled thoughts in order. She was ticked at the interference of the man sitting across from her; yet, she was also oh so slightly grateful for the interruption. When she was with PT, Kina felt like she was being swept under by a giant wave – everything was completely out of her control, which bothered the girl who had become used to keeping a tight rein on the emotional aspects of her life. On th’ other hand, mebbe that’s what I need... That whole rock an’ water thingy Miki was talkin’ ‘bout... And then there were those odd sensations. Kina really did not think they fell in the ‘excited by the thrill of love’ category. Although she had yet to enter into a serious relationship, she had been to enough parties on campus to know the normal physical response to the touch of another. With PT it was more a maddening feeling, one that made her want to claw off her skin and scratch at her own bones to stop that sensation. Aw, man, I find a great guy an’ I’m ‘llergic t’ him? That’d jist be m’ luck.

Her body reminded her of the lateness of the night with a huge yawn and Kina stood up, bid a civil good night to Uncle J, and started towards the beach house.

“Ya should be more careful of that pit. His kind can only take and destroy.”

She looked back at Uncle J, but his eyes were fixed up on the sky with an oddly saddened expression on his face. For the first time since meeting him, Kina thought he looked frail and elderly.

“Pardon?”

“They walk in the Otherworld, beyond the Border. Though they might cross into our world for a while, sooner or later they must leave, taking something precious from here with them. Or, if they can’t take it, they’ll destroy it, so no one else can have it. Such is their nature.”

Kina was not sure how to respond to this bizarre outburst.

”He has a bit of dementia... oh, not enough to be a danger, but it has led him to make some wild accusations and odd claims in the past.”

Recalling PT’s comment from a few days before, Kina decided to let this current speech pass.

“Um, alright, thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”

He sighed and shook his head, as if he knew she was humoring him, but did not say any more to stop her as she left. Kina made her way back to the beach house without further incident and quickly got ready for bed. The night’s events had left her unable to find sleep, however, and her mind had geared back up. So th’ old dude thinks PT’s an alien or somethin’? That’s stupid – th’ aliens are all those monsters ya see on th’ news... ‘Sides, what would an alien be doin’ out surfin’... ‘Course, Miki did say somethin’ ‘bout his chi bein’ different... But, that doesn’t mean anythin’ – I don’t fully believe that whole mystic energy thing or whatnot, anyways... An’, really, alien or monster or whatever, it’d have nothin’ t’ gain from me – no money, no power, no nothin’... Th’ old guy’s jist a bit crazy or somethin’ I guess... Eventually, Kina’s brain had exhausted itself from running in circles and let her drift off to sleep.

12/26/02

The next morning was calm and clear. Kina woke up late and rushed to get ready, hoping to run into PT while breakfast was still being served. She discovered Miki and Sean had returned some time late during the night and they greeted her by the fire. Kina helped herself to the last of the coffee and made small talk with Sean and Miki while she kept checking both the trail head to the main house and the road for PT’s return. Finally unable to stand it, she casually asked Sean and Miki if he had been by already this morning.

“Oh no. J said that he had left early this morning on some business for Mr. Wellington. He’s usually gone for a week or two when he does this.”

“Ah.” Kina hoped she managed to keep the dejection out of her voice. He coulda stopped by t’ say good-bye or somethin’... Everyone jist ups an’ leaves... She looked out at the ocean while she forced that sudden surprise of sadness that tried to well up from somewhere deep inside.

Sean, thankfully, misinterpreted her gaze as disappointment in the lack of surf.

“Looks like the ocean is calmed down for right now. Weather forecast for the upcoming week or so doesn’t look all that promising. Sorry, I saw that new board, and I’m betting you want to use it more.”

Kina pulled one of her ‘I don’t care’ smiles out and gave a nonchalant shrug.

“It’s no biggies. I have some other places I wanna go explore, so I might as well do that.”

Miki gave her a sweet smile.

“You’re always welcome to come back here, whenever you want to.”

“Oh, ya bet! Anytime I see a storm over th’ Pacific, I’ll be here. Unless I got a test...”

With a teasing grin, Kina headed up to the beach house to grab her stuff. She paused a moment to scrawl ‘Happy New Year’ messages on the dry erase boards hanging on the lockers of the other surfers and a simple ‘Thanks’ on both Keith’s and Eric’s boards, then went to her car. She tossed her bag and gear into the passenger seat before she noticed the piece of paper under her windshield wiper. Kina unfolded the note and smiled as she read it: The caterpillar needs to grow more before it can spin its cocoon. It should return to this healthy haven as often as it needs. She tucked the unsigned promise into the same envelope in her purse that held the other precious papers in her life then drove off to see what else awaited her.

Part C

The deluge is unstoppable; the pull of gravity is absolute.

Monday April 19, 2004

There were sirens going off. They rang incessantly in her ears. But they were too late.

“Shut up shut up shut up!”

She pulled the pillow over her head. Pillow… Her brain woke up enough to direct her fist towards the alarm clock - the fist made contact with the snooze button on the second try. Satisfied that it had done its job, her brain suggested that going back to sleep was the best choice, and she found herself agreeing. At that point, though, her nose detected the scent of coffee and made a valid argument that getting up had its good points, too. Her stomach added its voice to the debate as the smell of waffles drifted into the room. With a huge yawn – a final protest from her brain – Kina rolled out of bed and stumbled from her room to the kitchen area.

“Morning, Sunshine!” Rita greeted her.

“Mmph.” Kina was focused on the task of getting the coffee from the pot to her bloodstream. She filled her mug, took a huge gulp and coughed as she burned her mouth, then refilled her mug and made her way to the table where three pairs of eyes watched the morning ritual unfold.

“You’d think after all this time you’d have learned to let the coffee cool at least a smidgen before you inhaled it.”

“Mmph.”

“Pft, you’re no better, Tammy. You should know better than to expect an intelligent response from her before she’s had a second cup.”

“Hey, stranger things have happened in this world.”

“Waffles, Sunshine?”

Rita pushed a plate towards Kina, who speared a couple of them. She added a little butter and a lot of syrup, then proceeded to devour the gooey stack. After several mouthfuls, she spoke.

“Not too bad.”

Tammy made a show of looking at her watch.

“Ladies, we have a new record! Only six point five minutes to go from zombie to nearly human!”

Applause broke out at this announcement.

Kina stuck her tongue at out her roommates in response.

“Ya know I’m notta mornin’ person.”

“There’s the understatement of the year.”

Gales of laughter broke out, which Kina studiously ignored in favor of getting her body’s blood sugar and caffeine levels up to functional for the day. Time had continued its unending progression and the girls were now approaching the end of their sophomore year at the U. No longer confined to the small dorms, they had moved into the apartment suite so generously provided by Mia’s father. Each girl had her own sizable bedroom, there were two full bathrooms, and a spacious central area divided into a living room and a kitchen/dining room. It was in the kitchen where all four were currently gathered at a round oak table for their morning kick-off.

Each of the girls took turns making breakfast, except for Kina, who tended to sleep well past the time needed to start breakfast and who seemed unable to master the art of cooking on the stove. After she burnt the spaghetti, she had been completely removed from all cooking details. To make up for it, Kina did the dishes and the majority of the grocery shopping. Her schedule was the least intensive of the four of them, so she tried to help out on most of the time-consuming chores. That schedule was going to change at some point, though. Undeclared students had to pick a major by the end of their sophomore year. In fact, scheduling for next semester was due to start at the end of this week. Kina had moved her meeting with her advisor to Monday, the last day of the registration period to give herself the maximum amount of time to think about it, although she really doubted that her mind would be made up by then.

As if reading her mind, Tammy spoke up right then.

“So, picked your major yet?”

Kina gave a groan and thumped her head against the table.

“Why do I need a major? Can’t I jist graduate wit’ a degree in ‘Heck If I Know’?”

The others laughed at her. She looked over at Mia and shook a stern finger at the girl who used to be in the Undeclared program with Kina.

“An’ ya had t’ turn traitor an’ pick a major last semester. That ain’t playin’ fair!”

Mia shrugged gracefully in response.

“You could become an education major, too.”

“Ugh, no thanks. I don’t have th’ patience t’ teach anyone anything. Plus, teachers hafta start early in th’ day.”

“That’s true. Kina’ld also need extra pay to cover the cost of all the alarm clocks she goes through. Speaking of, I heard something being smashed earlier – did that one survive?”

Tammy smiled impishly.

“Jeeze... Ya know, I’ve only accidentally broken ‘em twice. That’s hardly a trend.”

“While we’re on the subject of time...” Rita looked at her watch then stood. “Class is in fifteen minutes.”

“Ya guys go ahead. Professor Stedman canceled lecture t’day, so I don’t have anything ‘til th’ ten o’clock slot. Any o’ ya gonna be by Elger’s for lunch?”

Rita was the only one who was stopping by the small sub shop that day, so Kina arranged to meet her there. As the other girls grabbed their books, notes, and backpacks for the day, Kina cleared the remains of breakfast from the dining table. She absently sang to herself while she washed the dishes. The tune drifted into a medley like a lullaby.

“T’ ya, th’ wind sings... Wit’ ya, th’ stars dream...”

Kina’s mind caught up with what her subconscious self was doing. Wait, that’s th’ song... Like a wild animal instantly aware that it has been spotted, the memory bounded away back into the impenetrable thickets of the memories Kina could not quite remember. She sighed in frustration as she toweled off the last of the dishes and placed it in the rack to finish drying. The song was always there, just out of reach. It invoked a feeling of warmth, but was always accompanied with nightmares of seemingly random images and sensations that were mashed together. This morning, for example, the sound of her alarm clock had triggered the memory of sirens that had raced to where Sarah lay already dead, but Kina could feel something sinister hovering in the air, always behind her, and a suffocating bubble closing around her.

She had decided to follow Miki’s recommendation to try meditation and joined Tammy in taking a class offered by the university. Kina found the techniques helpful when she needed to focus (usually on a paper or project that she had put off until the last moment) and she could use those same techniques to help relieve stress (again, often brought on by procrastination). However, meditation did not lead to any insights about her past, her dreams, or her supposed ‘wound of the spirit’ as Miki had called it.

With a small shrug, Kina abandoned that train of thought in favor of a more immediate problem, namely that of her schedule for next semester. She sat down with the course book, the requirement list for each major, and the list of classes she had already taken her first two semesters. Making scribbled notes, Kina worked through the various majors until she came back to her initial conclusion. Liberal Studies is th’ easiest way for me t’ go. ‘Though, I ain’t sure what I’d do wit’ that degree. Well, cross that bridge an’ all that...

Kina joined Rita at Elger’s for lunch and the two made plans to go running later that evening. With each semester, Rita’s course load seemed to get heavier and there was less time for the two girls to maintain the constant workout program that Rita had started Kina on back in their freshman year. They still made time to go running several times a week, however. Kina’s addiction to surfing was motivation enough for her to workout on her own as well, much to Rita’s delight.

Indeed, Kina had made regular visits back to that beach ever since that first winter break. She had since invested in one of the shorties, or springsuits - the type of wetsuit similar to the ones worn by the other visitors to that surfing haven. The legs ended just above her knees and the arms to about her elbows. Her vest fit over the suit, giving her additional insulation when she needed it. With this, she was able to surf in some of the more inclement weather. Kina had tried to bring her roomies along a time or two, but seemingly constant conflicts in schedule and lack of interest from Mia and Tammy had quickly made her give up on those plans. She was secretly pleased, in a way, to have that separation of her place of escape from her everyday life. Kina had not even given any mention to the other draw of that place – one tall, dark, handsome surfer. She had tried to bring it up once or twice, but found herself inexplicably tongue-tied and the words that came out of her mouth would suddenly be on some completely unrelated topic. As soon as there was nobody to speak to, though, everything she wished to discuss would come rushing back into her mind. It was frustrating not having anyone she could comfortably talk to about him. Not that anythin’ has really happened since, then...

Ever since that one Christmas night, Kina had never been alone with PT again; at least, not for more then a few minutes. Uncle J, in particular, seemed to hang around whenever PT and Kina might otherwise have a chance to be alone. The older surfer had seemed to grow more hostile and surly towards the younger man and PT seemed to more abrasive back to him. Kina wanted to ask what was going on between them, but did not know how to ask without likely making things even more awkward. It was becoming quite maddening to be so uncertain about where she stood with PT. On the one hand, he always made a point to spend time almost exclusively with her when she was at the beach. The now happily married Gwen had noticed and would tease Kina almost mercilessly about it when they were alone. However, he never came to visit her, or called her, or suggested going out to any of the towns near the beach, or anything else like that. O’ course, I could take th’ lead, too. Ain’t like this is th’ olden days. Still, some nagging uncertainty held Kina back.

After lunch, Kina walked with Rita back to the building that housed most of the science classes. The smell of spring was heavy in the air and gardens and window boxes were already full of flowers. Rita had a Genetics class and Kina had a basic Chemistry class to muddle through. The talk turned back to the morning’s discussion of fields of study.

“So, have you narrowed down your list of majors, at least?”

Kina gave a small nod.

“I gotta talk it over wit’ m’ advisor, but given th’, um, diverse nature o’ m’ classes so far, I’ll prob’ly go wit’ Liberal Studies. That’d be th’ easiest.”

“Hm. Easy, maybe, but is that what you want to do?”

Kina shrugged, but fortunately was spared the necessity of coming up with an answer as they had reached the Science Hall.

“See ya later!”

What do I wanna do? I like t’ sleep an’ I like t’ surf... not sure there’s a major or a career in that. Kina sighed as she kept returning to the same questions. Mebbe I should go t’ th’ beach this weekend, surf or no surf. It had been almost a month since her last visit and Kina was ready for the respite and clarity that she usually found there. With that self-made carrot dangling in front of her, Kina set her mind on her studies and her attempt to pull out a passing grade in her Chem class.

Monday 4/19/04, just before midnight

The wind blowing in from the sea seemed to stop at the edge of the secluded cove. The water within the boundaries of the cove was impossibly still. A strange being, almost human, stood at the edge of the water and chanted. The water itself was like a mirror, reflecting stars on its glassy surface. An attentive observer, though, would notice that the sky in the water reflected a full moon, while a glance up confirmed a new moon and a sky filled only with stars. The tiniest zephyr swirled up and disturbed the surface of the water. With a life of its own, it headed out against the incoming breeze and journeyed far across the Pacific. The one on the shore ceased his chanting, the ocean breeze began blowing in, and the watery mirror disappeared among the wind-induced ripples.

“Pyt. I cannot allow this.”

Without turning around, the creature by the water responded to the man who had arrived too late.

“I was wondering when you would show up. Or, if you would even notice. However, you have no power to stop us this time, Jarvis Arndfels. Even Wellington’s protections will not be able to halt this.”

“Why go to such troubles? Your master gains nothing from going after a normal girl like her.”

The one called Pyt turned with a sneer.

“To think your group caused so much trouble in the past when you do not even recognize what is right in front of you. Through her mother she his gained a little of the power of her ancestor - that great oracle, whose abilities you did manage to keep from us back then. More so, though, the blood of her father flows strong in her, granting her access to our gifts, though he turned his back on those same gifts himself. ‘Normal’? Hardly.”

Pyt laughed at the look of disbelief that crossed Jarvis’s face.

“She’s descended from… You lie! I would have noticed it.”

“I admit, I almost missed it myself. If I had not seen the marks and gotten confirmation from my master that she was the one we missed before... ah, what a wasted opportunity it would have been. She must have been living in one of those wretched spots so utterly devoid of magic; that would account for why her power is buried so deep within. I have felt it stir in her, though. It responds to its own. She needs to accept that power to be whole. I am merely bringing this little caterpillar to the best place for it to spin its cocoon and mature into the beautiful butterfly she is meant to be.”

The man facing him growled.

“Your master will pluck her wings and destroy her as soon as her power is within his grasp. If she truly possesses any. ”

Pyt replied calmly, “She does, and I have been assured she will be accepted with the utmost hospitality. No harm will come to her.”

“Yes, because Toirdhealbhach has always been a man of honor,” Jarvis sneered.

A look of uncertainty flickered across the other’s face, but he shrugged.

“Still, after all she has been through, I am sure her life will be much happier with us then it has been in this realm.”

Jarvis gave a sarcastic laugh.

“If that were really the truth, would you have to go to the trouble of kidnapping her? In any case...”

Jarvis had slowly been walking toward Pyt as they conversed. Now he sprang forward, making a gesture and shouting words in from a long-forgotten language. Pyt calmly stepped aside and made a gesture of his own. The old man’s words turned into a strangled cry and he slumped to the ground. The victor stood over him for a moment before stooping down and turning him so that their gazes met.

“Do not fear, I dislike murder. It is messy and invites too many questions. I merely need you to be out of the way for a few days until I have done what I have been ordered to do.”

Unable to speak, Jarvis glared at him with a burning hatred.

“Sleep.”

With another gesture, Pyt sent his captive into unconsciousness. He looked out at the sea and murmured, “Soon,” then turned back to his work to make sure the rest of his master’s plans would be carried out without interruption.

Wednesday 4/21/04

The meteorologists were scratching their heads trying to figure out how the growing low-pressure system over the Pacific had formed without the computer models picking it up. Others, from various national and international security forces to shadowy organizations, were investigating potential unnatural forces that might be behind the storm system. Across the surfing network message boards, however, the cause of the storm was irrelevant. Instead, the talk was of where the best waves would be and who would be daring enough to challenge them. Waves were anticipated to approach almost forty feet in height along some of Hawaii’s coastline, and perhaps along parts of the West Coast, depending on how the system ultimately moved.

For Kina, the timing was perfect. There were no classes on Friday through Monday in order to allow students and teachers the time needed for the scheduling and advising necessary at the end of each semester. She figured she could head to the beach that Friday, enjoy an extended weekend of surfing, and still be back in plenty of time on Monday to both meet with her advisor and to finish the psychology paper that was due on Tuesday.

The anticipation put Kina into an incredible light-hearted state. Even the realization that the next day was her detested birthday did little to dampen her spirits. Thoughtfully, Kina pulled out the purple bandana she kept tucked away in a drawer. It’s been almost eight years, huh, Sarah? I haven’t forgotten – never will, ya know. But, ya’d be th’ first t’ tell me I oughta quit bein’ so stuck on somthin’ I can’t change, right? Kina smiled at the memory of the gusto with which Sarah had approached everything in her life. She tucked the warmth of that memory into her heart and turned her consideration to how she might welcome her birthday for once and honor her cousin’s life instead of mourning her death. Mebbe I’ll treat m’self t’ dinner out. Heck, twenny-one an’ all, mebbe I’ll buy a drink t’ celebrate. Not icky beer, though.

Although she had attended several off-campus parties to see if they were any fun, she had not seen the draw of the binge drinking that took place there. For starters, Kina did not need a drink that would make her any drowsier then she naturally was; and, after a few of these parties, the smell of beer was forever linked with the scent of vomit in her mind. By the end of her freshman year, she had dropped out of the party scene. Kina just could not afford giving up time that could be spent studying or working to something that she did not really enjoy. The fact that most of the parties took place around the weekend, when Kina was most likely able to escape to the beach, also served to diminish the value of such events in her eyes.

With her half-formed plans for her birthday settled, Kina decided to forgo her usual procrastination and get a start on her psychology paper. She went to the library where she could research and write with minimal distractions. She studiously worked at it until late in the evening and was quite pleased with how much she had finished. Bet th’ rest o’ it doesn’t take more then an hour t’ finish. As Kina walked back to her apartment, she noticed that the evening air was even warmer then it had been earlier in the day. She took advantage of the warmer air to open the window in her room and let it air out with the fresh springy breeze. The central air in their apartment meant the place was usually shut up, so days like these had to be enjoyed when they cropped up. Despite the additional noise, Kina left her window open that night.

Thursday 4/22/04

It was not the sounds coming from outside that awoke her in the early pre-dawn hours, but the alluring scent of salty sea air. Kina lay in her bed breathing deeply to catch that familiar smell. The last time she had detected the ocean in the air had been that fateful winter break; this was even stronger. It’s callin’ me...

Thought led to action almost instantly. Feeling suddenly awake and as good as wired, Kina quietly got dressed and packed a couple of days worth of outfits plus her surf-wear. Kina stored her camping gear in her car except for some of her dishes, but she would not need any of those for a stay at the beach. She kept an extra toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, and the like in her locker at the beach house along with extra towels, so she did not have to bother with remembering to take those items with her or bring them back. Almost as an afterthought, she threw in her papers for the next semester’s class registration.

Kina paused for a second as she realized she would be cutting classes that, in these days leading up to finals, were very note intensive and tended to cover a lot of material as teachers rushed to get everything in the syllabus covered by the end of the semester. Oh well. It ain’t like I’m skippin’ any tests, labs, or classes where I need t’ turn in papers. An’ I’m sure I can find people t’ borrow notes from. Anyways, it’s m’ birthday. Ya should be able t’ skip classes on your birthday. With that bit of rationalization, Kina scribbled a concise note on the dry erase board the four girls used to leave messages for each other: Gone Surfing!! She then silently let herself out of the apartment, tossed her stuff into her car, and headed into the ocean-laden breeze.

It was a bit after sunrise when Kina arrived. She had stopped at a diner along the way for a hearty breakfast and some coffee. Although the prospect of... well, she was not sure what it was that had her so excited, but while whatever it was seemed to be energizing her, Kina did not want to take the chance of suddenly succumbing to a blood sugar crash or lack of a full night’s sleep. When she pulled in, she could see she was not the only one who had been drawn here. Kina observed how far up the beach the debris line was from the last high tide as she made her way to the other surfers. The fire pit and its surrounding logs and chairs had been moved way up the beach, almost as far back as the beach house and the RV were located, in anticipation of the surges that would be coming in once the tide returned.

Kina joined the others in marveling at the waves that currently towered and crashed in the distance.

“No way these will be ridable when the tide returns,” Toby murmured, although his face clearly said that he hoped otherwise.

“Nothing to do but wait and see,” Sean replied.

“I heard the Coast Guard has enlisted the help of the National Guard in closing off access at the public beaches all along the coast. And the guys over in Hawaii will likely be doing the same. Waves are bigger over there.”

Eric was reading the news off his laptop. Kina realized then that she had not seen Keith, who usually was the bearer of news via the Internet, his uncle, or PT yet. When she asked, there was a sudden silence that led her to fear the worst. Sean answered, finally, setting some of her fears at ease, although the news was not all good.

“Seems Jarvis” - it took a second for Kina to realize that he was referring to the man she only knew as Uncle J – “had a spell, well, the doctors seem to think it was a small stroke, a few nights ago while out walking around. Luckily for him, PT happened to find him or else he might have outside all night and who knows what would’ve... Well, that didn’t happen, thankfully. Scared the hell out of me, though, when PT comes beating on my door in the middle of the night with the old-timer slung over his back.”

Sean paused to clear his throat and Miki gently took over.

“The important thing is that he was able to receive medical attention in time and his prognosis is actually quite favorable. In fact, he is being brought back to the main house today – Mr. Wellington has arranged for him to have the necessary medical staff on hand here so he can recover in the comfort of a familiar environment.”

“I’m surprised Mr. Wellington isn’t here, himself, considering the circumstances,” Su-Ann commented.

Sean had regained his composure by now and answered. “Seems he’s run into some business problems over in... Scotland, did he say?” Miki nodded and he continued. “Impossible fellow to keep track of. Anyway, since the news of J’s recovery has been promising, Wellington is likely to stay and clean up whatever mess he has been stuck with. Although, I wouldn’t be surprised if he manages to make it back in a couple of days.”

“So, Keith has gone to sign some papers then accompany his uncle and some of his caretakers back to the house. PT is with the other medical support crew at the house getting it ready for J’s return, and none of this is quite so bad that you must make a face like the world is ending,” Miki finished up.

“That’s right. Especially when Mother Nature is putting a performance on like this.” Sean waved a hand toward the roiling ocean.

Kina gave a small nod, although the thrill she felt from witnessing the spectacle playing out on the water had lessened quite a bit upon the news of Uncle J’s misfortune. Sure, she had been slightly disgruntled with him during her last several visits, but not so much that she would even think of delighting in his misfortune. Hearing the story recounted seemed to somber up the mood of the others and they sat in silence for a while, each person lost in his or her own thoughts as they all stared out to sea. Why do these things hafta happen on m’ birthday? Well, okay, it didn’t happen on m’ birthday, an’ actually he gets t’ come home t’day, which is good, but still... what a downer.

Toby restarted the conversation with observations on the number of factors that had to combine to produce swells this big and the effects they would have on coastal areas and marine life. The discussion turned to some day back in ’98 that had also created record-setting giant waves over in Hawaii. Kina listened as they debated and determined that these waves would not be quite as tall as the ones seen back then, but still easily falling into the category of double and triple overheads. Kina felt her excitement slowly build back up as they talked. It was likely that they would not be surfing today. And yet... And yet...

Keith’s arrival put a stop to their discussions. Kina thought the young man coming down the path looked as if though he had not slept at all for the last few days. Well, he prob’ly hasn’t. Eric quietly stood and went to meet him as he came down the path. Despite his haggard appearance, however, Keith seemed to be in a fairly decent mood.

“He’s doing fine,” he said before anyone could ask. “He’s having difficulty speaking, but he seems alert enough and his reflexes are surprisingly responsive, or so says the doctor. He’s sleeping right now and they’re going to try to keep him in a restive state.”

He sat down on one of the logs and accepted the coffee Su-Ann passed him. After a couple of sips, Keith nodded towards the returning ocean.

“It’s too bad there isn’t a way for him to see this. He seemed to be aware of them – kept trying to say something about the waves, although we’re not sure what about them that he was trying to get across. Got really agitated about them when he saw PT, but then he fell asleep.”

Keith gave a small shrug but did not comment any more. Instead, he turned his attention to the news popping up in the message boards on Eric’s laptop. Kina waited a couple minutes, then as casually as she could, asked the question nagging at her most.

“So, is PT on his way here?”

Keith did not bother to even look up from the screen as he answered her.

“Mm, I think he was going to finish up with conveying instructions to the med staff from Mr. Wellington and then I think he said he needed to make some calls... Oh, looks like the moneymakers and the camera crews are all in Hawaii. Bet there’s some good footage posted by the end of the day.”

“Hmph. It’s not like these are small potatoes,” Toby said somewhat contemptuously. Indeed, the monster waves rolling in were being estimated by the experienced members in the group to be about thirty feet in height – a good ten feet less then the waves reported from that surfing paradise in the middle of the Pacific. To Kina, however, the shorter stature of these waves did not lessen the impact they way making on her. These were still far larger then anything she had ever seen... or surfed. As the tide continued its march back up, the waves were rolling over themselves, creating long, unstable, watery tunnels. Extraordinarily dangerous as they could collapse on a surfer at any time, they provided one of the greatest and perhaps the most sought after thrills of surfing.

“Ah well, guess we will have to admire these for today and hope for something with an easier speed to match tomorrow,” Sean finally declared. A few wistful sighs met this announcement, but nobody could disagree with this obviously wise choice. These swells were just too tall and fast to be caught. Huh. So nobody’s gonna suggest tryin’ that tow-in thingy PT talked ‘bout? She glanced back up the path, as if her mere thought of him could somehow summon him, but he still did not show up. Kina turned back to the ocean. Sean and the others were right; this was far too dangerous a beast to attempt to master. Her mind was well aware of that fact. And yet, every fiber in her body said that she should be out there making use of that power. The assault of the sea upon the shore was a siren’s song – each seductive note pulling at Kina’s spirit. She became restless. And PT still did not return.

“Sometimes, we get waves that are too big and move too fast for a person to be able to match the speed needed to catch the wave. With this, though, a surfer can be towed out and brought into the wave with enough speed that even the most monstrous of waves can now be ridden. Of course, we seldom get the waves to use this, and even less often is there someone brave enough to challenge the ocean in its most powerful mood.”

“I’d try it.”

Like a streak of lightening flashing across her mind, inspiration hit and Kina knew where she would find him. Kina excused herself from the group, pulled her bag from the Chevette, and quickly made her way to the beach house. Kina stopped by her locker to grab her visor and found a small, crumpled sack sitting on top of her stuff. Inside was a - Is this s’posed t’ be a necklace? An oddly shaped hunk of cold metal formed the pendant that hung from a black silken cord. It’s kinda cool lookin’. Turning the bag around, Kina saw that there was a message scribbled on the outside of the bag. She flattened the paper sack out to better read it: A charm to protect you. J. Protect me from what? Did he know I’d be here for th’ big waves? But, no, they had said that he had suffered his stroke before the storm had even formed. For that matter, Kina had never thought of the old man as being someone who would place stock in superstitious things like charms. Oh well, I ain’t gonna refuse a nice gesture from somebody who’s sick.

Kina dropped the charm in her bag along with her visor. She then headed to the storage room only to find a gap where her surfboard normally rested. A note was pinned to the wall in its place that simply read, ‘Are you feeling brave?’

Is coffee th’ nectar o’ th’ gods?

With an excited grin, Kina slung her bag over her shoulder and hurried out of the beach house. The others back at the beach seemed occupied with either watching the waves, or reading news off the laptop. Nobody noticed when Kina headed down the road and she was quickly out of sight as she rounded the bend. Her steps quickened, until she was at an all out run. Kina slowed down when she reached the fork in the dirt road; no sense in turning an ankle and losing any chance for what she knew would be the ride of a lifetime.

PT looked up from his preparations as she came out of the brushy path and gave her a welcoming smile.

“I was wondering when you would show up. Or if you would even notice. However, you have no power to stop yourself from facing this ultimate... passage, do you.”

The air seemed to hum with this oddly phrased greeting and a part of Kina suddenly felt a twinge of alarm; it passed almost instantly, however, and the distant roar of the ocean beyond the cove captured her attention once more.

“I kept waitin’ for ya t’ come by, earlier. Ya shoulda said somethin’ an’ I woulda been here sooner. What if I hadn’t thought t’ go int’ th’ surf room?”

“Ah, yes, but had I invited you here in front of everybody else, do you not think they would have tried their best to stop us? Not one of them even voiced the suggestion to give these waves a try, did they?”

Kina shook her head and PT spread his arms wide in a ‘there you have it’ gesture.

“I knew you would be different, though, and that you would try to find a way to get yourself out there.”

“Fine, I’m a surfin’ addict an’ ya know it. Now, how do we go ‘bout satisfyin’ this cravin’?”

Seemingly amused by her eagerness, PT chuckled and indicated the small shack.

“First, you need to get into something a bit more water resistant than your sweats...”

“Well, duh. That’s why I brought m’ stuff. I meant gettin’ out an’ such.”

“Come back when you are changed, and then I give you the complete rundown.” His grin altered a bit. “Unless you want me to go over it while you are changing...”

“Don’t even think ‘bout it, buster. An’ no peekin’, either!”

PT’s laughter followed Kina as she entered the shack. She took a moment to let her eyes adjust to the dim light inside. The single window was a bit on the dingy side and she could not find any light switches. Glancing out the window to make sure PT was nowhere nearby and assured when she spotted him kneeling next to her surfboard working at something. Kina hurriedly slipped out of her sweatshirt, sweatpants, and underwear then pulled on her bikini bottoms and Lycra rash guard top. She braided back her hair only to discover she had forgotten to toss in any elastic bands. As she dug through her bag, hoping to discover an overlooked hair tie of any kind, she came across the small cord and metal pendant from Uncle J. Well, I don’t have anythin’ else... An’ it’ll protect me from not bein’ able t’ see on account o’ hair in m’ face. Kina tied the cord around the end of her braid. The black fiber blended in with her hair. She tucked the cold metal lump in between the strands of her braid and gave the whole thing a few tugs. Hopefully, it would hold.

Finally, Kina wiggled into her springsuit. While she pulled and tugged the legs and arms of the wetsuit into place, she looked around the shack. The small cot was neatly made and the odds and ends she had seen scattered about the last few times she had been by all seemed to be tidily packed into a couple of boxes and bags. Guess he didn’t want me t’ think he was a slob. Satisfied that everything was in place and nothing was sitting where it would rub, or bunched uncomfortably, or going to pull and hinder movement, Kina headed back out.

PT had not moved from his spot down by the shore of the cove. He stood up as she approached and came over to zip up the back of her suit. Back zippers were more comfortable when a good portion of the wearer’s time was spent flat on their belly, but the down side was that they usually required the aid of another to get fully zipped or started for unzipping. That ain’t always a bad thing, Kina thought smugly to herself. She pulled her braid around so it would not get caught as he slowly pulled the zipper up its track. His hand ran back down as he smoothed the flaps that lay over the zipper seam. Nope, it ain’t a bad thing, at all.

Kina turned and grinned at him, tossing her braid back over her shoulder as she came to face him. Settling her hands on her hips, she queried, “Now what?”

“Get your board waxed while I make sure your carriage, cleverly disguised as that personal watercraft here, is good to go. Then off we shall head into the wild blue yonder.”

“I’d always thought carriages were s’posed t’ be disguised as pumpkins.”

PT gave a small sigh of mock sorrow.

“Regretfully, there were no pumpkins about, so I had to improvise. I promise there will still be a happily ever after at the end, though.”

Chuckling, Kina set to work on her board. She noticed right away that he had modified the traction pads. There were now cups that the front of her feet would slide into and a strap that secured closer to her ankle. Kina pulled on them a couple times to satisfy herself that they were secure. She carefully checked her ankle strap over for any worn or weak spots and then moved over the surface of her board, looking for signs of any previously missed damage. The sound of the small watercraft coming to life temporarily drowned out all other noises, then PT dropped it back to an idle. They stood just looking at each other for a moment.

“Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be. So, how’s this work?”

He picked up her surfboard and attached it to a jury-rigged rack on the back of the ‘chariot’ before answering her.

“We will head out - far beyond where the waves are breaking so that you can get a feel for riding a surfboard while holding on to the grip bar at the end of this cable as you are pulled along at recklessly high speeds. If you can do that, then back we come. I shall find the right wave for you and tow you into it. When you know you have caught the wave, you will let go and have the most unforgettable ride of your life while I pull out and watch with envy.”

“Oh, mebbe I can pull ya out there after I go.”

“You have no experience piloting one of these in calm water, let alone a riled sea. We would both end up in danger,” he admonished.

“Hn. I owe ya one, then.”

“Trust me, Cat, simply seeing you take on this challenge is enough of a reward for me.”

They waded out to the jet-ski and settled on the seats, PT in front and Kina behind. Taking advantage of the situation, Kina wrapped her arms around his torso and leaned against him. They idled out slowly towards the end of the cove. PT paused at the far end to take a moment to find a channel and then he opened it up. With a roar, the small watercraft leapt forward, skipping across the water and powering its way through the waves. Kina nearly lost her grip a time or two, but once they had moved further out to sea the ride became smoother. Eventually, PT judged they had gone far enough and he let them drift to a stop.

“Alright, Cat, let’s see if you can ride a tow.” The corners of his mouth were quirked. “Just imagine that this handle is me, since you did not seem to have any troubles holding on to me...” He jokingly clutched his sides as though his ribs were broken.

“I’ll ‘magine it’s your neck that I’m stranglin’,” Kina shot back. She had removed part of her board from the rack so that she could slip her ankle strap on. Once that was secure, she freed the board completely and let it drop into the water. Kina slipped into the ocean an instant later and gained a perch atop the butterfly-covered surfboard.

“Come up in a crouch and get your feet locked in... there you go. Okay, we are clipped in at this end and you have the handle at your end. I am going to start off slow and kick up speed gradually. Yell if you need to stop, or just let go.”

Kina nodded, adjusted her visor, and gave a thumbs-up.

“Okies! Um, mush!”

The jet-ski drew away and the slack in the cable disappeared. Despite his slow start, the tug from the cable almost toppled Kina. Good thing he didn’t take right off, I’d have had m’ arms pulled from their sockets. She found by keeping in a slightly crouched stance, setting her hips just so, and leaning back against the pull that she was able to easily maintain her balance. Even as the speed increased, Kina could make the adjustments to keep herself upright and ready to take off once she had gained a wave. Satisfied that she would be able to do it, PT pulled them closer to where the waves were breaking and once again drew to a stop. Kina paddled until she was drifting beside him.

“This is it. No matter what happens, I will be close by, so you have nothing to fear, Cat.”

“I ain’t afraid.”

He smiled and leaned over to kiss her.

“Let us get you a wave, then, that shall carry you to paradise.”

The motor grew louder as he fed it more gas. He angled around until they were running parallel with the direction of the wave motion. Kina thought she caught the sound of humming drifting back from him, but it was hard to tell with the sound of the howling wind blowing from the wide open Pacific behind her and noise of the motor right in front of her. Still... the melody that hung just at the edge of her hearing began to synch up with the tempo of the waves. The song that she was not even sure she was hearing built and suddenly there was The Wave that she knew was meant for her. They bobbled in the water as it passed under them, then PT opened up the throttle and they were chasing it... gaining on it... in it... Ah... Kina let go and PT pulled out and disappeared somewhere behind her.

“I am sorry, Cat.”

She thought she heard the words whispered in her mind, but there was no time to wonder at them. It was her versus the raw power of the ocean, now.

Kina pumped up and down the wave front, using both the power of the wave and gravity to gain additional speed as she raced along the giant wall of water. A shadow blocked the sun and Kina glanced up to see the crest of the wave rolling over itself high above her. Instead of collapsing and plunging her under with its massive force, the crest continued its roll and formed a tube of salty sea around her. Wow... Kina initially stayed by the exit of the tunnel, but the wave picked up speed and soon out-gained her. She watched, helplessly, as the patch of light at the end moved further into the distance.

The moment became surreal. The sound of rushing water all around isolated her from all other sounds – it was at once both loud and quiet in the tunnel. No, it felt more like a watery bubble and it was closing around her. The world wavered. I’ve encountered this, b’fore... The wave began its collapse...

It was dark. There was that gentle song hummed by a woman’s voice, warm and yet sad. It was a bit a comfort, still, amongst the terror. They were trapped. It was closing around them. Something prepared to lunge.

The sound of the tunnel changed. Kina whipped her head around to behold...
A serpent of water took form from the wave.
Closing in on her.
Striking forward.
...Her braid completed the arc as it responded to the turn of her head and cold metal bit into her cheek.

Strong and sure, a man’s voice rang out, “I have always followed the sun, chasing the light and leaving the darkness behind. But the night always follows. I am done chasing the fading sunlight. Here and now, I face the night and push through it, knowing the morning is on the other side.” Something charged.

The sting on her cheek pulled Kina from her daze. Th’ wave’s fallin’. Let’s move it! Kina leaned in and dropped further down the wave wall.

Something attacked, but missed. Strong hands pushed her away to safety, out of the bubble.

With a triumphant yell, Kina shot from the tube. The air that was being pushed out by the collapse of the wave tunnel propelled her forward. As quickly as it had arose, the danger disappeared. Kina rode ahead of the frothy break that remained and continued in to the astonished onlookers on shore.

Part D

The final drops fall. Some things have been washed away, others altered slightly. And still, some things withstood the torrent.

After the Ride

They met her on the shore with a mixture of shouts, cheers, and scolding. Kina thought she saw the jet-ski motoring beyond the jut to the north; PT must be returning to the cove. She unhooked herself from the strap that still tethered her to her board. The adrenaline rush and euphoria from the ride were wearing off and combined with the physical and emotional exertion she had undergone, left her feeling a little wobbly. Snippets of conversation from those clustered around her started to make their way into her brain.

“...was amazing!”
“Are you nuts?!”
“... ldn’t believe my eyes!”
“That was damn foolish.”
“If only we’d had a camera!”
“So, how was it?”

This last silenced all the others and everyone quieted as they waited for Kina to answer. She wanted to say ‘Wonderful’ but the word stuck in the back of her throat at the memory of the strange...experience? Or whatever it had been. She looked at the expecting faces. Can’t disappoint. Drawing from the rush when she had broke free from the collapse of the wave, Kina grinned widely and simple said, “Indescribable!”

Everyone started talking again, recounting what he or she had seen. Nobody had seen anything out of the ordinary – beyond her being out on the waves. Kina was surprised at how quick it had happened; it had seemed like forever when she had been out there.

“First you came zooming from out of the ocean, then the wave plunged into the tube. Next thing we know, you’d disappeared in it, and then it starts breaking, then – boom! – there you are again!” Gwen breathlessly recounted for her.

So... no water monsters spotted...

The sky clouded over as the still distant storm out in the Pacific slowly made its way to the coast. The wind shifted and the waves became choppier; there would be no riding these. The sea roiled, as though angry it had lost. Kina felt just as unsettled. Was it a hallucination? Repressed memory? But, it felt so real… She looked out at the churning sea and her stomach clenched. Dear gods, I can’t believe I was out in that!

Though the wetsuit was great for surfing, it was uncomfortable for standing around to talk. Especially when that talking turned to a lecture from Sean on the stupidity of what she had done which her mind was agreeing with more and more. Kina finally was able to withdraw from the group to take her surfboard back to the beach house and get out of the neopreane suit. She set her board back in its place, then looked at the black and red one next to it. Absently, she traced the red lines and swirls on his board.

She had managed to extract herself from the clinging wetsuit when she realized her clothes were back at the shack. Well, she could pull more from the ones packed in her car, but PT had not come back yet, so she figured she could grab her stuff and maybe a little time alone with him. In her bikini bottom and surf shirt, she made her way out of the beach hose. Kina told Gwen as she passed her on the way to the road.

“Take your time,” Gwen winked.

Kina hurried down the path as fast as she could in her bare feet. She need not have bothered, though. The watercraft was parked by the shack, but PT was nowhere to be seen. Mebbe he went up t’ check on Uncle J. Feeling a little disappointed, she went inside and changed back into her sweats. I wonder where he went? She stepped back out and looked around. The sound of someone coming down the path caught her ear and she called as she turned, “There ya ar- oh, Keith. Have ya seen PT?”

“No. I just came from the main house, so maybe he went back to the beach.”

But, I shoulda crossed paths wit’ him, then. Uncertainty began to gnaw at her. Well th’ watercraft made it back an’ was pulled up t’ th’ shack, so it ain’t like he’s still out there.

“Hey, Uncle J wants to see you. Demanding, really.”

“Demandin’? He’s awake? An’, um, able t’ talk?”

“Yeah. So... do you mind?”

Kina shook her head and followed Keith back, although she kept her eyes peeled for any sign of PT. She wondered as she walked along what was so important that Uncle J would need to speak with her now, when he probably should be resting. I wonder if he found out ‘bout m’ ride an’ now he’s ticked. Well, I need t’ thank him for th’ necklace thingy. She recalled how the bite of the pendant had helped her focus. Guess it did kinda protect me.

The main house was a small but luxurious looking two-story building nestled amongst a lot of trees and bushes. Kina trailed behind Keith as she took it in. Uncle J was set up in a comfortable room on the first floor. Light came in through a window by his bed and an exquisite web of crystals hung there to catch and scatter the light. Keith showed her in and then left, pulling the door shut behind him. The old man was sitting up in his bed when Kina entered, and she was amazed to see him looking so well. Do people normally look that good after a stroke? She gave voice to that thought.

“Ya feelin’ alright?”

“Aye. I should be back on my feet in no time, now that the curse is fading. More importantly, you’re okay. I’m glad you found the charm. I was worried when I felt the spell embedded in it go off, but could do nothing else to assist you. No thanks to that monster,” he growled.

Curse? Spell? Monster? Kina was not sure how to respond to these without making it sound like she questioned his state of mind. Although, after her experience in the ocean earlier, she was not as certain of what was and was not real. She finally settled on the necklace as a relatively safe topic for discussion.

“Charm? Ya mean th’ necklace? Thanks for th’ gift – it did kinda come in handy,” she said and proceeded to recount her use of it – leaving out her hallucinations of the water monster and all, of course. “An’ so, it kept me from spacin’ out from oxygen deprivation or mebbe jist bein’ disoriented, or whatever,” she concluded.

Uncle J shook his head when she finished.

“It was more then that. A border was opened between our world and his. You were supposed to go through it. Surely you noticed something? Given the one who was supposed to retrieve you, there should have been a serpent of the sea present.”

The blood drained from Kina’s face as the image of the giant snake emerging from the water sprang to her mind. It had been so real at the time, but she had refused to believe it once she had reached the security of shore. But, if it was jist m’ mind, how’d he know ‘bout it?

“Ya mean... that thing I saw ain’t jist a hallucination?”

“You did see it. You were quite close to the Border, then. I’m betting that was when you felt the most detached from yourself. Scared, but unable to take any action in response to that fear?”

Kina nodded silently and he seemed unsurprised by her confirmation.

“Ah, so he was working a spell on you at that point. Which is what would have triggered the charm. It’s a good thing you weren’t on the other side of the Border when he started that; the charm would not have been strong enough to have helped you.”

Kina found her tongue again and all her questions came tumbling out at once.

“Who was doin’ this? An’ why? For that matter, jist what is this Border ya keep talkin’ ‘bout?”

Jarvis sighed heavily and looked at the worried face of the girl fidgeting across from him. She absentmindedly wound and unwound her black hair around her fingers as she waited for answers that would make sense. He thought about the revelations that creature had made to him several nights ago and the possible impacts the truth would have on her. It seemed that she was unaware of what might lie dormant in her. It would be best for her if she never discovers those powers and just leads a normal life. And so, he lied.

“I, along with Mr. Wellington, have gone against his kind before. I’ve told you that his kind delights in taking what they can and destroying what they can’t have. I’ve crossed paths with this monster and his master before and won; it may be that taking a human under my watch was a way to get revenge.”

“Ya... ya keep sayin’ ‘his kind’ an’ ‘monster’. Jist what are ya sayin’? Are these aliens, like th’ Rikti?”

He shook his head in response.

“Their realm and ours have been linked for as far back as ancient times. It may be that we both shared the same world at one time and they went off and created their Otherworld at some point. Creatures of legend, they show up in many cultures, called by many names – Tywlth Teg, sidhe, hobgoblins, selkies, fata, unseelies – fae folk of all kind.”

“Faeries?! Ya’re kiddin’ me, right?”

“That’s another name for them. But they are not the cute and benign creatures as much of popular culture likes to portray them. Many of them are best if avoided, and Pyt,” he practically spat the name, “belongs to some of the worst of them.”

“Pit?”

“P, Y, T.” Uncle J traced the letters in the air as he spelled it out and with a sickening feeling, Kina realized she had traced those same letters earlier on the black and crimson surfboard.

“But... PT... he... that can’t be!”

Jarvis heaved another sigh. He had figured that this would be a sticking point. If he could not convince her to give up on the fae creature, she was likely to seek a way to chase him and Jarvis’s efforts to keep her from their grasp would have been for nothing. Her heart might break right now, but it was better then what would happen to her in Toirdhealbhach’s clutches.

“I know it sounds unbelievable, but I swear by whatever oath you wish me to make that it is the truth. Even Miki has noticed there is something not human about him.”

“His chi is not like any I have seen before.” The words from a couple years ago rang in Kina’s mind as though they had just been spoken.

“When Pyt first showed up here, five years ago, I could not believe my eyes. His story was that he was just a homeless wanderer, but I recognized him from our encounter when I was a far younger man. He gave no indication, though, that he knew me – well, being human, I had changed a lot more than he. I conferred with Wellington and it was decided to keep him here, under our watch. It was possible, we knew, for his master to have become displeased with him for some reason and toss him out. Or else, he might have been trying to do some mischief against us. In either case, it was far safer to have him here where we could keep an eye on him, or so we thought. If you had been taken today, though, I would have regretted that decision for the rest of my life.”

Kina just listened silently, trying to reconcile the smiling guy she knew with the picture Uncle J was painting.

“I can tell you don’t believe me. You are free to ask Mr. Wellington when he arrives in a few days. But, consider these things, too. Pyt put a curse on me when I tried to stop him from summoning that unnatural storm, the one that called you here this weekend. He ‘found me after I had collapsed from a stroke’? Ha! Hardly. He looked me in the eye as I was held immobile by his curse and told me the only reason he did not murder me was because ‘it would be messy’ and he didn’t like messy things. Also, if this had been a real stroke, I would not be doing as well as I am now.”

Indeed, the old man looked almost like his normal lively self. Kina half expected him to leap out of bed at any moment.

“And did you not think it strange that he would take a surfer as inexperienced as you out in such dangerous conditions? Yes, I admit that you do have a natural talent for the sport, but you’ve hardly had more then one or two days of waves as tall as you, let alone several times your height. None of the more experienced surfers were even thinking of going out – hell, even most of the pros decided against attempting today’s giants. If he had really cared about you and your safety, he would never have taken you out there.”

His words held a certain logic that was hard to refute. Sean had certainly lectured her on the foolishness of her actions and had called PT’s judgement into question, saying he was going to have a serious talk with him. Mebbe... mebbe that’s why PT isn’t ‘round – he’s hidin’ from Sean...

“I regret not giving you a proper warning about him before this happened. I was not completely sure he was going to do anything to you since you don’t have any magical talents, like Miki. I figured your complete disregard for anything with regards to magic, despite evidence to the contrary – and I know some of the arcane organizations have been recruiting at the universities – made you a bit of an amusement to him, but nothing more. I should have told you straight out at the beginning.”

The cryptic things Uncle J had said in the past now were clear to Kina as the warnings they were meant to be.

“Ya shoulda been more direct.”

“I know. But, he never gave me the chance to be alone with you long enough to be able to tell you the truth. And, when he suspected that I was trying to warn you off, he convinced you that I was mad, right?”

Kina reddened a little and gave a tiny nod.

“And you never thought to confirm it with my nephew or Sean, or anyone else? No, I don’t hold that against you; he already had you quite in his thrall by then. Damn good variation of a thrall spell, too. I bet you couldn’t even speak of him to anyone not on this beach. Easy to hide someone’s disappearance if nobody knows who the missing was spending time with.”

All those times I wanted t’ say somethin’ t’ Rita an’ th’ others… Thoughts swirled in Kina’s mind as everything she had believed and had thought she had known was being refuted in such a calm manner by this man and by what she had witnessed herself on the ocean today. The silence broke by the sound of the crystals in the suncatcher giving a little chime, as if the wind had stirred them. Uncle J turned his attention to them for a moment, not looking back at Kina until she spoke again.

“If... if what ya say is true... he said ya mistaked him for someone from th’ past...” Kina trailed off, not sure what she wanted to ask anymore.

Uncle J got out of his bed, which would have been a startling development if Kina had not been assaulted by a slew of thoughts and emotions already, and went over to a desk. He picked up the binder sitting there, flipped to a page, then walked over to where she sat and handed it to her.

“The photo on the right was taken back in the early 50s and the newspaper picture on the left was from the 80s.”

Several strangers and one familiar face looked back at Kina from both the photograph and the paper clipping. Even in the graininess of a newspaper’s small picture, she knew who she was looking at. She had stared at that face, those eyes, every line and contour that made him him in real life too much to not recognize him now. Wordlessly, she handed the binder back to him.

“I truly am sorry, Cat,” he said gently.

Tears threatened to spill and she fought to will them away. Cat was th’ name he gave me.

“M’ name’s not Cat. It’s Kina,” she whispered hoarsely.

She looked up, finally realizing that the ailing man was standing quite ably and looking most hale now.

“Should ya be up?”

“He’s gone. There is nothing left to bind me to his curse.”

“Gone?!”

“A small passage was just opened to the Otherworld,” he indicated the crystal web at the window as if that should explain everything. “He could not carry out his master’s plans and he dare not stay here with Wellington returning. The wards will be strengthened and there will be no more chances for the Border to form.”

Gone...

Kina abruptly stood up and ran out of the room. She paid no heed to Uncle J’s shouts as she tore out of the house.

Gone...

The wind was picking up and thunder rumbled off-shore. Even after listening to all Uncle J said, even after seeing the picture, even knowing what she had faced among the waves, Kina had held out hope that there could be some other explanation. She wanted to talk to PT and clear it all up. But, if he was...

Gone...

Kina skidded to a halt in front of the shack and paused to take a few deep, gulping breaths. The jet-ski was still by the shack. Nothing moved inside. She went in anyway, hoping to find – well, anything, really, to settle her doubts. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust; the black clouds rolling in overhead did not let much light filter through the dingy window.

Gone...

The room was bare, except for the bed. The bags and boxes that had been so neatly packed were no longer there. Kina stood there for a moment.

He left me...

She stumbled back outside. Took a deep breath. And screamed all of her hurt to the sky. The wind howled and lightening crackled, accompanied by the roar of thunder.

Everybody leaves...

The loss of his smile. The end, eight years ago today, of the friendship of the girl who had practically been her sister. The void left by her missing parents. Emotions that had simmered for so long now bubbled up. The first giant raindrops began their assault from above as the tears escaped her eyes and began running down her face. A few drops became countless as the rain mixed with her tears and the storm competed with her sobs. Kina vented all her frustrations, sorrow, and hurt into the comforting fury of the tempest that was now returning to the place where it had been created just a few days ago.

“Ya promised me a happily ever after! How th’ hell is this a happily ever after?!”

The storm raged with the broken-hearted girl and it quieted as her cries lessened, then stilled. Taking a few shuddering breaths, Kina let the torrent of emotions sink back down inside of her where they could not be seen or touched by anyone. The wind brushed her soaked skin and she shivered.

I should go get warm. Catchin’ a chill won’t solve nothin’. Yeah. I should go...

Kina turned her back on the cottage and trudged back to the beach.

The storm had scattered everyone. Kina retrieved all of her possessions from her locker in the beach house. All but the surfboard, which she left hanging next to his. She erased the Cat’s Stuff from the dry erase board that hung from her locker and simply scrawled Thanks, Kina. To the symphony of wind, wave, and the cries of gulls, she packed her car and drove off.

Continued in Metamorphosis: Manipura

Trivia

(( So, several things I want to mention here. First, if you've read everything above, I salute you. That's a lot to go through. Chapter 2 has been in writing limbo ever since I wrote Chapter 1, which was a couple years ago. I was stuck with finding a proper aspect of water to shape the story around. Rain? A river? A flood? One day, it hit me that California is sitting on the Pacific Ocean - now there's a body of water to work with. From that, came the idea of surfing, and I was rolling.

Until I realized I needed something to make Kina say good-bye to that lifestyle. The beach was fun, she had this nice guy - even if she dropped out of college, why would she go East instead of staying here? Enya's song I Want Tomorrow was playing as I was considering changing PT's character around, and inspired his transformation to the non-human, ulterior motives character you see above. He also gave me my first chance to explain Kina's dislike of faeries.

Even with all this in place, I kept dithering and rewriting the story, until National Novel Writing Month came along and I decided to take the challenge. The Interlude chapters, this, and a future chapter were all born of forcing myself to just write without worring about edits and details, and I'm glad. With any luck, Kina's backstory, which has languished for years, will be finished in several months and I can start on current plots. Please look forward to it! ^_^))