After-hours | ✓

              Water can be life and water can be death. Until a ship, a supposed of sailing— drown you in the abyss of seagulls. I know, I have seen it. The sun tickling in the face, sweat dripping from your body, always enough to make you dehydrated in the summer heat but the rush of joy, when it lights up your body— it's exhilarating in a way. Last summer brought everything in impeccable timing, I can't forget it in my life.

    It was in mid July, I got a few days off from my work. Everything was packed, the trip was arranged in a rush, it should have worked out until Katey bailed out on me.

    Yippee! So much for a fun trip, I was gonna be in a lone adventure but I remembered — Alex! His family's in another state, knowing him— I knew how he's gonna spend the entire time in bed.

    Not gonna happen, even though we're not that much close, I eventually bugged him to come along. Maybe who knows it can change everything and it did. 

***

      First few days are bizarre, with the sun rays and radiant glow— occasionally wind blows up. Calm, beautiful and blue sky.

    I've always liked this season as it starts with the warmth of deep emotional smiles yet an oppression that turns out as rage, inferno, chaotic and wild. And I always like wild adventures and exploring nature.

    We had fun in the first few days. We hiked in the mountain hills, a top view from so high— you can admire the crimson trace in the tides of the end of sky, as always Alex has been a silent audience there too.

     Usually, he only shares one/two words except working. Magma red light is glowing in his black skin now. Then, we went out to surf in the water— for the first time I did see another side of him———

     "Water can be death, water can be life, do you know what's paradise? The seashells beneath the water, you can see it in crystal eyes, glistening with a bright side."

     We're surfing with the waves now. Whoa! The occasional scream from the other fellows could be heard, maybe terror or extreme adrenaline rush.

     "Do you know waves are like tornadoes?" Alex yelled. He's surfacing with me.

     "Of course! It can be taken out as a calm, slurry mind to wild, chaotic bees — arching, wheeling around!" I yelled back.

       He laughed aloud!

    We're fully engaged with the flow. Just like life, never know what's coming next but a little adrenaline rush never hurts.

   Everything's going fine until one day. . . .

***

    Sometimes, summer brings bitter taste too. The nights were falling into one another and days were getting longer. The night's heating with the aftermath. And we lost our way on that day. The clouds were latching in the unending sky and we're loiterers in the green land. In the jungle of mobs, running here and there — it's a futile attempt of finding a path in the middle of a wooden flank.

     "Told ya! It was risky, now we're lost in the jungle now. Hunting is never fun!" Alex said with a sombre expression.

     "Likewise I knew we would be lost, right? We totally got wiped out with the floating coffin, only grass with fatal deadly insects," I stomped my feet to feel anything. Keep going!"

     "Heck! We didn't even bring our phones. The infinity bees are buzzed. I reckon, they're not even waiting anymore. We gotta spend the night here," he propelled.