Cunning was the deep

The boy takes his nervous first steps around the flowing liquid's border, trotting about with wide eyes. As the girl observed, he gradually allowed himself to push out further and further into the cool, wet embrace of the ocean. A wave rolled in, lapping at the boy's heels and he tumbled backwards onto his chubby buttocks, startled by his new friend's sudden but inevitable betrayal. The boy gazes at his feet as if they had become mystifying objects of significant importance and blind interest before giggling quietly as another wave sprays mist across his amused face. The girl averts her gaze from the boy and redirects her focus towards the sky, just as a bird above emits a harsh screech, which is followed by a gust of billowing, salty air. She looks back towards the sea, but the boy is gone. She stands, rushing to the water's edge. She calls out, but there is no response. She lets out a shrill cry, frantically shifting her vision from one place to another. Feeling a touch on her lower leg, she looks downward and sees him tugging at the hem of her flowing dress, holding up a clam shell for her to see. She sweeps him up into her arms, holding him close to her chest. Confused, he pushes away, asking to be set down. After hesitating, she complies, and watches as the boy returns the clam shell to it's home. After gazing once more into the infinite sea, he returns to her side and allows her to take his hand, leading him onward.

He pulls away from her, and rushes to greet his friend. He re-introduces himself, to be sure he hadn't been forgotten. Confident that they were well enough acquainted, he lay down, kicking his legs and splashing playfully.The tide pushed outward and the boy was overcome with a wave of glistening water, flowing into his nostrils and open mouth. He shot upward and began coughing, the salty liquid searing the inside of his throat and lungs. She notices his struggle and hastily walks over and begins slapping his back. He spits the remaining water out and the coughing subsides. He glares at the water for a moment but is returned to his joyous state as the shallow pool sprays mist across his torso as some sort of cheeky apology. He decides to move further out, wading through the warm liquid as it passes his knees. He stops there, close enough to the shore to return at a moments notice, but far enough that he could be alone with his friend. Eventually she calls to him, and he paddles giddily back to the sand. She throws a towel around him, drying him and simultaneously fending off the cool breeze sweeping in across the beach. She motions for him to follow, and begins walking diagonally back towards the grassy area. He half-follows, jumping and splashing about the edge of the water before taking his final look at the ocean, saying his goodbyes and running awkwardly to where she is waiting.

He stares outward into the horizon, as if waiting for the most spectacular event, but nothing comes. He glanced over his shoulder, half expecting to see her. He had left without her knowing, and was filled with guilt, but also excitement. She had told him it wasn't safe to go alone, but he couldn't resist the urge to satisfy his needs, his burning desire. Often, when everything else seemed bleak or boring, that desire alone remained. His friends were few but that's okay, he always has the deep. He tries to step into the tide, but his legs refuse to move as though they had taken up roots in the glowing sand.

This is a bad idea.
Why?
Aren't you scared?
Of course not.
She warned you not to.
What does she know?

He musters up his will, and forces himself through the resistance of his lower body. Eventually, the water reaches his waist, the small waves licking his bare stomach. A chill runs down his spine but he ignores it, the temptation is just too much and he pushes his feet off the ground, wading even further out. The waves beckon to him, and he begins swimming, bending to their will. He parts the liquid in front with his hands and kicks forward with his legs, droplets cascading down around him. He continues pushing, further and further. Unnoticed, the once blue sky goes dark. The warm water turns cold, the once warm embrace turning to a harsh grip and he slows down before coming to a halt. With his heart pounding through his chest, he twists his body in the water to face the shore. Feeling a slight disturbance, he turns his head to look over his shoulder only to see a monstrous wave descending upon him. His eye widen, and as he tries to escape the beast's grasp he notices a figure desperately scrambling across the shore, hair blowing crazy in the wind.It's her.He opens his mouth to scream for help, but his lungs are filled by the salty enemy. She staggers through the water, attempting to break through to the boy. He feels a familiar tug, and allows himself to be pulled under by his ally. He slips through the cracks of the deep blue void and he can almost see the devilish smile of the mysterious being, claiming his long awaited prize.No. This is wrong. Get out!His eyes open wide again, and he barely clings to life as his lungs beg for air. Too late, his muscles renounce him, rejecting his commands. He watches in horror as the last of the light fades from his vision, and his mind screams out, struggling to regain some sort of control.

She grabs hold of his small torso, pulling him towards the surface. She drags him across the beach, a mixture of tears and glistening sea water dripping from her hair and nose. She pumps his chest, breathes air into his deflated lungs, desperately trying to salvage what little remained.

But in that moment, he was already lost.