THE ESCAPE

It was a cool summer evening by the beach and the best time of the year to enjoy night life. He sipped his drink silently, scanning his environment. Then their eyes met, instinctively staring at each other like prey and predator. He smiled, flashing at her his perfect set of white teeth. She giggled, motioning to the empty seat beside her. Like a man in a trance, he walked up to her, silently obeying her command. The vision before him was sheer entrancing and with their eyes they conveyed a message much more than words could have expressed. She downed the last of her drink showcasing the beautiful length of her neck and the curvy silhouette of what lay beneath her chiffon top.

He gulped noisily, allured by the temptation before him and the sensation that tingled below his belt, captivated by the curvy delicacy that sat before him. She stood up, picked up her purse and beckoned for him to follow. Again, like a zombie, he followed not knowing where she was going. Anywhere with this beauty was where he wanted to be. She walked towards the shoreline into the water with her long legs carrying her curvy figure seductively and not for a moment did she turn round to see if he was following. It was as if she knew the power she had that made him abandon all sense of reasoning and follow her no matter what.

Then she turned with her long hair billowing about her and a seductive smile playing on her lips. She stood in all her glory, full length in the midst of the waves like a sea goddess and reached out to him. Excitement coursed through him, his bulge threatening to slow his hasty pace but the vision before made him hold still within and march towards her hungrily. The more he walked in, the farther she was. All he knew was that he had to reach her, despite the furious waves around him. Thus, he walked on fearlessly like a drunken soldier. Finally he reached her and took her hand pulling her into a lovers embrace. Alas! She was his. He would never let go!

With the grace of a fish in their love locked embrace, she dived into the sea, a whole new world within. He was enthralled by the vision of the beautiful world that lay below. The fine ocean sand looked silvery-white and ‘goldish’. Unlocked from their embrace he began to explore, amazed at the discovery of this whole new world. He saw beauty beyond description and riches surpassing addition. He felt freer than he had ever been and a new sense of power filled his entire being. Soon his amazement turned into panic. He had mistakenly hit his foot against something hidden in the sand. Curious to know what is was, he bent down to investigate. Gently he uncovered something that looked like a bone. Hidden beneath the glimmering ocean bed were skulls of dead men! Afraid, He looked round to find his sultry companion but she wasn’t too far away. She had perched herself a ‘top a nearby rock watching him intently. Smiling wickedly she swan towards him, slowly transforming into what seemed like half human, half octopus! No longer was she the beautiful woman he knew but a beautiful- fiery sea goddess with a golden crown on her head and fire blazing in her eyes.

As he watched her transform, the fear that built up within him opened his eyes. It was as if he just snapped out of a hypnotic reverie, really realizing where he was for the first time. Sensing his fear, she gathered him close with her tentacles. Then she spoke;

‘My love, fear not. If you do my bidding, I will give you the world and fill you with power unimaginable! You are here now so there’s no turning back. If you resist, I will take your life! For I have shown you my world and revealed myself to you. To prove that you love me, give me the blood of your loved ones and denounce your belief in any other! I am jealous and will not share’.

He then asked, ‘who are you?’

‘I am the Queen of the Seas’ she replied.

‘You can give me power and riches you say?’

She laughed in response. Releasing him from her grip, she waved her tentacles stirring the ocean bed and before his eyes, mountains of gold, silver and amethyst appeared .

‘I will give you this and much more but you must feed me with the blood of your loved ones, starting with your wife and her unborn child.’

‘But I love my wife and we have waited for fifteen years for our baby.’

‘I cannot have you love another. Your allegiance must belong to me and no other!’

‘You have the wrong man, I’m afraid. I cannot give you that which you crave’.

‘If that is your decision, you must be very foolish to defy me! I can give you more babies but I must have this one’s blood! If you will not give me then I will take it by force. I will bring their dried carcass to you after I have sucked out their blood. Henceforth, you will remain here and become my slave and I will make sure that your existence will be wiped out from history!’

‘Please! I beg you. Spare their lives!’

‘No! I must have you in entirety or none at all!’

Angrily she swam away. In despair, he sat on the sea bed wailing and weeping. He wished that he would die rather than being a slave to this sea monster. He wept till his eyes were dry. Just when he thought that all hope was lost, he heard a voice in the gentlest of whispers - ‘For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved’.

He stood up with a start looking around. He wondered where the voice came from. Again he heard it again- ‘For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved’.  Seeing no one he decided to respond and with a shaky voice he spoke, ‘Lord of light, if it is indeed you, have mercy on me and save me!’

Then from afar he heard his name. Listening intently, it came from way up above. He looked up and saw the pathway of light. The light was bright, he could not ignore and so he swam upward to heed the call. Almost there, he heard a voice saying 'Take my hand; I'm here to save you'. So he stretched forth his hand and grasped the outstretched one before him. As he ascended, he felt the water stirring violently beneath him so he looked down to see what was wrong. He saw the sea monster swimming towards him full of rage.

 'He is mine!' she bellowed 'I got him first!' 

Immediately, the Voice replied, 'He is my son. I loved him first! Son, hold on tightly and don’t look back. Let me be your Savior, your Warrior and your Redeemer’.

She reached out for him plunging into the light but the purity of the light burnt her to ashes, sending her remains to the bottom of the sea. He looked to the light, warm and inviting. Still holding on tightly, he felt the warmth, surety and strength pulling him up and away into redemption.

In another world, he coughed, waking to the euphoria of pain ringing in his head. Gingerly touching his head, he looked all around him. No creature, no water and no light. All was white and he was alive! At the foot of his bed sat his pregnant wife, asleep with a bible in her lap. Relief swept through him like a chill. Amazingly it was all a dream! And then he recalled how he got here...the car, the trailer and his drunken friends. After a moment's reflection, with tears in his eyes, all he could say was 'Thank you Lord for saving me'.