Celeste

24

"No. No way." I state, crossing my arms. Mitch pats the space next to him. "Come on, cel."

I glower. "No."

"Yes." He insists.

"No." I deny.

"Yes!" He exclaims.

"No!" I shout. "Last time you convinced me to do something, I got covered in slime." I point. "That doesn't look dangerous to you?"

Mitch looks down. The huge sea turtle munches slowly on the kelp, wrinkly face concentraited, not minding the extra passenger.

"I think your overreacting, cel. It won't hurt you. And last time was your fault." He explains before I can but in. "I did say watch for sea snails but you wanted to do it anyways."

I spread my arms wide, "who doesn't want to surf a whirlpool, I didn't know that snails liked it too." I counter. Mitch pouts, batting his eyelashes at me.

"Don't do that face." I scold. He drops it with a laugh.
"Come on, Celeste! Three days time you are going home! Don't you want another experience? Pleeeeeeaaaassseee?" He begs.

I give a low sigh. "Fine. But if I get hurt I get to eat your snack fish." I smile at his defeated face.
"Uh, fine. you won't get hurt up here, I promise."

Carefully I approach the creature. "Hi."

The turtle grunts. I take it as acceptance and sit beside Mitch, taking his hand in mine.
"You ready?" He asks.

"Ready for - whoah!" I exclaim as the turtle begins to move. It's not fast, but it's enough that I have to cling to Mitch who laughs at my supprise.

"Look down," comes his voice in my ear. I look and see the city of light stretched out before me, looking like branches of colour inbedded in the sand.
"Holy starfish..." I whisper, enticing a short laugh from him.

The turtle turns in slow circles and I feel the shell move as we ascend higher and higher.

I can see the surface of the water, looking much like the sea I love, light filtering through, sending beams of light crisscrossing about eachother. The turtle slows, moving at a steady pace. For the first time in almost a year, I can feel the sun on my face. I close my eyes in bliss.

The ever moving light makes patterns glow inside my eyelids. A gentle hand on mine makes me open my eyes to see Mitch smiling at me. "We will use the turtle to go up to land and get you used to the air again. If we swam all this way, it would hurt worse when we walk." He explains. "I'll take you up here so you can get used to the sun so it doesn't give you sunburn." He explains.

I lean into him, stretching out like a cat at a windowsill. The sun doesn't hurt down here, it just warms the skin slightly, making me realise just how cold I've been in the city. Shivers crawl and scuttle up and down my skin, and my teeth begin to chatter.

I don't know how long we stay in eachothers arms, warm and cozy, but the light soon fades, replaced by the silver slice of the moon.

"If you want to go up part way, you can. The moon's out and it won't hurt you as long as it's just your head." Mitch says.

"Really?" I ask, astonished. "Yeah. Go on. See if you can see any stars." He replies, knocking his fist on the turtle who lumbers up sleepily to the surface.

I bite my lip, staring hard at the wavering dot of moon.
"I'll go with you." Mitch says, and then he takes my hand again.
"One... Two... Three." We say.

My head breaks the surface, cool summer air chilling my skin. Mitch laughs at me again. "You should see your face!"

Hair plastered flat against my head, I stare in awe at the sky.
There's no land around, not even a dash on the horizon. The sea smooths itself, over and over, in small light ripples. It's supprisingly still for a summer night.

The stars seem brighter then ever, twinkling like jewels on a inky black canvas. A lone silver cloud streaks the sky, like it's a tether for the moon, which is almost full and so round...

I turn to Mitch, and kiss him hard in gratitude.
"I'll make sure to supprise you again if that's the reward!" He grins, going for another.

We kiss in the moonlight, stars like eyes, tails curling about eachother like snakes.

Breathless, I hold him close, hugging him desperately.
He holds me back the same way.
"Three days..." I start, words drying.
"Three days." He replies.

We leave silently, riding the turtle back to the city in a resumed silence broken by shy smiles. A part of me begins to feel giddy.

The turtle returns to eating it's kelp, and I pat it on its head. "Good girl." I say.

"I think you mean good boy." Mitch says, grinning.

"Oh. Good boy then." I laugh, kissing him again. He chuckles against my mouth. "What's got into you?" He asks, spinning me around. I laugh, giddy.

"I don't know... The moon..." I start to laugh again.
"The moon sounds funny. The moon the moon the moon the moon the moon the moon the moon the moon the moon the moon the moon the moon... The mooooooooooooooooon!"

I look at the ground and gasp.
"Celeste?" Mitch sounds worried.

"How'd a cow get down here! It's so small!" I shout. Bending down to the cow, I yell, "hello Mr. Cow. YOU CANT BREATHE DOWN HERE!"

"... That's a rock."

I pick up the cow, who moos in joy. "Cow jumped over the moon! That's why he's sad! The moons up there! I point.

Mitch looks at me like I've got corral growing out my ears.
"Why are you talking to the rock?"

I gasp loudly and dramatically. "This is a cow! He's lost! Give him a break!" I shout, cradling the cow protectively against my chest.

Mitch seems to realise something. "I took you up too soon. It's moon sickness."

"Wha, wha, wha?" I blink.

"When you see a full moon you can go nuts and black out." He sounds panicked.

It was at that moment the cow leapt up at me and knocked me out.