Metamorphosis

12. The Isle of Happiness

The abrupt impact tore L's hand from hers.

Lucy lost the ability to breathe. She thrashed her arms and legs frantically but could not swim to the surface.

Gathering herself, she made several powerful pulls with utmost tension and finally breathed in deeply.

Another wave immediately submerged her again.

Pulling her leg up, Lucy untied the shoelaces as fast as she could and, with immense effort, kicked off one boot.

Resurfacing time and again, she feverishly tried to inhale some air, but the endless streams of water plunged her down again.

Miraculously removing the second boot, Lucy surfaced again and took a deep breath.

The water poured over her face, and in those rare seconds when she could slightly open her eyes, all she saw was the dark grey abyss and bright flashes of lightning.

Once again emerging from the water, Lucy took in as much air as she could and shouted L's name, but her voice was drowned out by the storm's roar.

The darkness thickened.

Lucy saw absolutely nothing around her, did not comprehend and did not feel anything but the inexhaustible blows of the waves. She filled her chest with precious air, and in her entire existence there was only one desire — to live.

At some point, through the torrents of water, Lucy glimpsed the fleeting light of a lantern.

She tried to head in that direction but did not understand whether she could move in the raging storm. She attempted to concentrate to teleport, but was submerged by the waves again and gave up trying. Straining every fibre of her body, she tried to swim towards the light.

She swallowed salty water, went deeper with each new wave, surfaced again and moved on.

Hours of continuous struggle passed, but soon Lucy noticed that the lights were getting closer. She did not dare to stop, although her body refused to move from the cold and colossal strain.

The dark silhouette of the shore, illuminated by lanterns in several places, blurred before her eyes. Her limbs were responding less and less, and Lucy was starting to lose hope of reaching land.

But, fortunately, she soon felt the long-awaited solidity under her weakened feet, and another wave threw her ashore.

With her last strength she crawled away from the water and, exhausted, sank onto the sand. However, the next wave crashed forcefully over her, and Lucy, groaning, continued crawling until she got to a place where the waves could not reach her.

The incessant rain continued to drench her from head to toe, but paying no attention to it, Lucy breathed in deeply, gradually sinking into oblivion.

* * *

When she opened her eyes, darkness still surrounded her. The downpour had eased into a light drizzle, but the roar of the waves remained deafening.

Lucy attempted to rise. Her arms were stiff from fatigue, and her entire body felt several times heavier.

She struggled to sit up and turned around.

The black ocean mass raged before her eyes. Giant waves, several metres high, relentlessly crashed onto the shore and spread out, reaching her feet.

A wave of chill and pain surged through her insides as she realised the agonising truth once again.

She had lost L again.

'No!' she cried, but only a wheeze escaped her throat.

Coughing, Lucy jumped to her feet and staggered on weakened legs.