Ripple

Chapter One

The ocean had always been Brooke's comfort. There was something about the smell of the sea and the sound of water crashing against the shore and rocks that comforted the dirty blonde. It sent a wave of peace throughout her petite body even in her worse moods. The ocean was her safe haven, her escape from everything. And it was more than comfort that the ocean brought. It was a sense of welcoming along with nostalgia, like she was missing something that belonged within the depths of the unknown.

Brooke reaches behind her head and pulls her hair out of its ponytail as she walks across the hard surface of the cliff. A dull gray decorated the sky that morning, contrary to the normal sunny weather. The petite girl pulls her cover-up dress over her head and tosses it down on the damp ground. The night before had been filled with light showers, leading to the sea being uneasy. Yet, despite this unease, Brooke felt an even greater urge to swim that morning than any other time before.

Taking in a couple breaths, the dirty blonde darts across the ground before diving off the cliff. As soon as her body hits the water, a feeling of ease rushes through her. Kicking her feet, Brooke swims further into the water, her eyes searching for anything out of the ordinary. It had always confused her as to why the salt water never bothered her eyes. She had heard that for most people the stinging would be unbearable for them to keep their eyes open for longer than a few seconds. The salt water never did this to her eyes except for when she was younger when the water was an annoying sting but nothing unbearable.

Propelling herself further into the depths, Brook catches a glimpse of a creature that she had never noticed before. The first thing that came to her mind was a jellyfish, as the creature was a bright blue glowing color and the way it moved in the water. Though before she got the chance to get a closer look of the glowing creature, it swam away in seconds, leaving Brooke perplexed. Snapping her fingers from not being able to get a better look at the creature, the blonde kicks her legs in place, questioning what she had just saw. The creature really had not looked like a jellyfish. It wasn't jelly-like and seemed to have a few legs. A glowing octopus or squid, maybe? She didn't know but she knew that was going to look it up later.

Deciding that figuring out what the glowing creature identity was more interesting than continuing her morning swim, Brooke turns around to head back to shore. Right as a sinking feeling occurs in her stomach, her body is then span around as a large creature darts pass her. Her heartbeat quickens as she turns to glance at the creature. Her eyes widen when she notices the silhouette of a sea creature she never that she would see this close in person. Though there it was, a few feet away from her, staring at her. Cold, icy blue eyes staring into her, seemingly studying her. Not knowing how to react, Brooke stretches her arms out as fear overwhelms her. The water around her pulls into a spinning current, forming into an underwater tornado. The water tornado propels itself toward the large creature, sending it a few feet backwards.

Brooke stays in place in fear that the water had angered the creature. The creature turns back toward her and snaps it jaws at her before swimming deeper into the dark waters. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest. The encounter had left her frozen in place. She didn't know how she managed to escape it without being harmed or why the water had reacted the way it did. She did know that she needed to get out of the ocean. For the first time in her life, the ocean did not feel like home.

After taking a moment to calm herself, Brooke turns to swim back to shore. As she swims toward land, it never occurred to her that sharks didn't have blue eyes.

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"Whoa, okay, wait," a high pitched voice brunette squeaks out. Her brown eyes were wide as she spins her Starbucks drink around in her hands. "So you're saying that you almost got ate by a shark this morning?"