Whale Fall

Welcome Party

"Del! They're coming. Wake up" Rob pushed hard against Del's side startling him awake.

"What's going on- where..." Del got up in a sitting position rubbing his eyes adjusting to the darkness. The sand was cold and felt wet under his feet. He moved his toes upward afraid the cold sand grains would seep moisture into his skin. "How many are there?"

"Looks like three. Come on" Rob gave Del his hand and hoisted him up to his feet. "You have the rope?"

"Let's go fishing" Del hung the thick rope around his broad shoulders and jogged up the beach next to Rob. He could see the figures struggling in the surf, like white ghosts they danced in the waves. Del had a sudden and painful longing to join them. This had been the closest he had been to the water since he landed and the temptation was baring down on him like a current rushing him to shore.

"Get the ring ready. It looks like their transitioning farther out" Rob pointed to a rocky outcrop where one of the figures was swimming, its shape darkening and separating under the waves.

"He's not thinking of going out on those rocks?"

"Let's hope not. Hand me that ring" Rob tied the ring to the rope and flung it out towards the rocks. It landed in the white foam close to the figure. Del watched as a hand appeared in the ocean spray and gripped the ring. He could not see its head and worried it still was trying to breathe through the water. Rob pulled the rope and the hand lost its grip and disappeared under the waves. The other figures were swimming away from the rocks and up to the beach. Del could see their bodies were fully transitioned and their arms flailed uselessly above their heads. "Use your arms to swim" Rob yelled out to them moving his own arms in a butterfly stroke.

"Here, hand me that ring again. The other one is still by the rocks"

Del ran towards the rocks careful not to touch the water. He could see, bright white against the rocks, a hand gripping patches of mussels and barnacles. The fingers were slender and though they were flexed with tendons pulling taut the skin Del sensed they belonged to a female. He scanned the water for her head and saw her dark hair churning in the sea foam. She still had not lifted her face out of the water and Del feared she would pass out. He looked back to the spot on the beach where he left his shoes. It was too late to go back and get them. He would have to risk getting wet. He knew he would be fine so long as his head remained dry but they always warned them not to risk it, that the temptation was too great.

Del balanced on the rocks taking cautious steps towards her hand.

"You need to breathe!" Del yelled hoping she could hear him. "Left your head up!"

Her head shifted in the waves and another hand reached up to Del's voice. Del leaned forward and grabbed her hand and pulled. Her head surfaced and beneath the tangle of hair Del heard her gasp her first breath. He bent down and reached for her other hand half guiding half dragging her up the rocks. Her body was raw from the waves and sand. Small cuts were beading red blood on her arms and legs where the mussel shells grazed them. Del placed his arms around her waist and fire-man lifted her over his shoulders. She was not used to her body and let her arms hang uselessly over her head as Del maneuvered off the rocks and down to the beach.

The other two were standing next to Rob their bodies wrapped in blankets. Del set the girl down and held her shoulders to steady her. This was the first time she stood on two feet and Del remembered the feeling himself, like balancing on a urchin spine, every muscle contracted, toes digging into the sand, so surprised and scared that your body did not sink further into the sand. He remembered the thinness of the air around him and how unsupported he felt. Not like water constantly holding you buoyant like a hug, a blanket, a home.

"It's okay. You're safe."

Del removed his hands from her shoulders hovering them a few inches from her in case she lost her balance. She was looking down at her toes and wiggling them up and down like barnacle cirri waving in the water. She pulled her hands up to her face and mimic the movement of her toes with her fingers. A small smile crept on her face as she fluttered and spread her digits like a pianist getting ready to play. Del returned her smile and held his hands up to hers lacing in fingers in her.

She took a step back and stared up into his face.

"It is okay" he said releasing his hands from hers. Her eyes were an intense shade of dark blue, unblinking they stared back at Del.

"Del we gotta go!" Rob yelled. He was pulling the others by their hands forcing them to run up the slope of the beach. Their bodies staggered and limped awkwardly behind Rob not sure how to use their new legs. Red and blue lights flash in the distance, dancing over their bodies like bioluminescent plankton.

"We have to hurry. Do you think you can run" Del said grabbing hold of her hand and giving her a tug. She lurched forward not moving her legs but bending at the waist. "You bend here" Del said pressing the back of her knee making her leg step forward. "That's right now the other" Del said and she repeated the motion on her own staggering forward like a fawn. "Good. Now let's pick up the pace a bit" Del said, the flashing lights were getting closer and he could just make out the police car pulling up to the parking lot bordering the beach. The girl was still struggling to keep her balance as she took one large step after another. Del would be impressed at her attempts to run had he not feared getting confronted by the police.

He tightened his grip on her hand and jogged up the small sand dune. She stumbled and fell forward. Del picked her up and cradled her body in his arms. The others had reached the van and were crouched behind it shielded from view of the police cruiser as it rounded the corner. Del ducked behind a sagebrush laying on top of the girl their faces inches apart. Del could feel her soft breath condense against his cheek. She was staring up at him her eyes drilling into his, so blue they felt like home. She looked more curious than afraid as if this position they were in was a normal human interaction to seeing blue and red lights. The lights faded and disappeared from the beach. Del raised his head above the bush and making sure the coast was clear. He could see the others getting into the van.

"I think we're safe" he said looking down at the girl. She was laid down on her back her long black hair draped over her body like eelgrass and her dark skin shadowed the light sand beneath her. Del envied her unabashed display of her body. He remembered the feeling coming to shore, bare and raw, marveling at the strangeness of this new body. Soaking in the feel and look of his muscles and limbs so heavy and long. It was not until a blanket was placed over him that he realized this new body was something that needed to be covered, that humans shielded their bodies from view. Overtime he got used to the feel of clothes covering and encasing his body like being tangled in kelp. But nothing felt as freeing as that first day before he knew his body was something to hide.

Del reluctantly took off his shirt and handed it to the girl. "You should put this on."