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Free. Free and flowing. There's a slight hint of white noise as the clear, cool stuff runs over the stones and pebbles beneath me. It sounds close to the end of a kiss, right when the lips part and the breath between two lovers resumes again. The trees around me shiver in the late afternoon breeze. They speak, too. They tell the others of their beauty as that is the only language nature says. The paddle in my hands swathes out a path to the side of me, gently pushing me along her body. It's beautiful out here. Always was.

This was where I was born. This is where I live. This is, probably, where I will die. This river has become Mother; the trees around me have become Father. The birds, squirrels, and other groundlings have become brother and sister to me. I am home here. They sheltered me when I was scared and fed me when I was hungry. They clothed me when I was naked, washed me when I was dirty. It has taken care of me so well, and I can only do so much. I know every inch of this place. I need no compass to guide me. The stars and the moon are all that I need here. It is the place where I am whole.

I tried living in different places. I tried my damnedest. I've lived where others like me crowd on top of each other and call it rest. I've gone to areas where I need to ?work' to gain succor and success. I've listened to everything, every noise made by metal and wrath. I've heard symphonies there. I have heard the sighs and screams of man in all forms; the wrathful, sorrowful, the apathetic, the optimistic. They all play notes on the same scale. But it was all noise. No music was made. I tried to find the harmony in those noises, but there was none to be found. Only the sounds of the dissatisfied and the living dead crowded my ears. I almost went mad. A few times, I did dare tempt my ancestors with an early arrival. I thank them that I finally listened to their pleas and escaped.

It was them that told me about this place. Ages ago, when I had not a hair on my head and a word in my mouth, they took me here. They sat me alone on the river, who introduced herself to me with lullabies. A few days later, under my grandfather's watchful eye, she brought herself to me and cradled me in her arms. When I grew older and required more than they could give me, she sacrificed her offspring to my relatives, who made sure that her choice did not go in vain. I grew up strong, virile. I was more spry and agile and had tons of energy. All thanks to her. I could not think of a better friend than this river. I spent my days playing with her and nobody else. I could never relate to anyone my age. The schools they sent me to could never teach me what I learned through her and her home. My peers could never understand what my forefathers and I had with this river. I suppose it is because they lost touch with her eons ago. I can't blame them, though. How can you love someone that you don't know?

Like all the other children before me, I did grow rebellious. There was a time where, in search of the essence of who I really was, I rejected her. No longer did I allow myself to be wrapped in the river's loving embrace. No longer did I allow me to feed off of what she offered. I ran as far away as I could manage, trying desperately to search for who I was. My anger and pain became my masters. The realms that I straddled in my life never could be merged together peacefully. For many years, I tried to force them to cohabit. But, that task was forever set up to fail. No matter how hard I struggled, I could never seem to find peace inside through hard work or hustling.

However, it was not all in vain. I did come to love another. She, like me, came from two different worlds. Though her worlds and mine were vastly different, we came together out of a mutual sense of failure. In her ebony eyes, I saw the same pain I felt in my heart. Her voice had the same countenance of a limping animal, something I only heard in myself. Quite quickly after meeting, she and I cohabitated. Many times we fell into each other's arms. When she took me into her arms, I almost felt the same as I did when this river embraced me all those years before.

God, I loved her. And she loved me. But the pain. The damned pain between us was too great. She tried to find relief in many ways. She didn't realize, though, that she only hurt herself even worse. There were many days that I found her slumped over, crying or near death. Many days I cried with her, as well. I shared with her many bitter tears. One day, to my shock, the tears ran dry. When that day came, I realized the error of my ways. I learned the terror that I had done on myself and what would happen if I continued. Without a word said, I left her there. My love for her, to this day, is still strong. But, I just could not bear the weight anymore.

IT was here that I came to life two times. The river, as if nothing had happened, welcomed me with open arms. It was here that I found the peace I was looking for. It was here where I could be myself. It was here that I was born again. And it is here that I will honestly know peace.

The sound of running water and the crisp breeze brought Marina back to her childhood. She kneeled next to the river, stuck a hand in, and examined its path as far as she could see. Based on its many curves and surface movement, she estimated where the water flowed fastest or slowest. Part of her considered resorting to her backup plan before dismissing the idea. The shallow depth didn't allow for as much movement as she liked. Plus, she didn't want to risk a wanderer spotting her.

As she studied the river through sight and feel, memories of her mother's teachings filled her mind. Marina had been no more than a few years old when she'd traveled with her to the seashore. While not allowed to travel beyond the sand beaches, she'd followed her to the many inlets leading to the sea and soaked in the lessons her mother had provided.

?Follow the current, keep your eyes and ears on the water, and remember that everything returns to the ocean.?

The familiar voice in her head brought a wave of warmth and encouragement, and her words followed Marina as she dove into the river. Chilly water engulfed her. Some of the currents slid over and around her while others pushed against her. Rather than forcing her way upstream, she drifted with the current and waited to adjust. Despite the water's clearness, she had to adjust to the light and sound distortion. Then, a faint tingling spread from her chest throughout her, and a dim blue light formed around her. Her visual and auditory surroundings sharpened to the same degree as in the air, and her breathing regulated after the initial pressure in her chest faded.

She stopped the process once the changes moved to her legs. It would allow her to swim or walk as needed.

Wanting to remain underwater, Marina remained crouched with her head beneath the surface. A rough map of the river's pattern and curves filled her mind, and she used it to track her position as she swam downstream. Nonetheless, she paid attention to the currents and the ground to track her position. Aside from when she needed to change directions, she didn't bother with kicking her legs, relying on the flow to move her forward. Unlike when she traveled on land, she circled around several bends and spanned a section of the river in a breeze.

Although muffled, her voice sounded clear in her ears. ?You were right. We were made for the water.?

Marina rounded the next curve and dug her heels into the river bed. Smooth rock almost made her slip, and a few rough edges scratched her soles, but she stopped. Between the pressure, rushing current, and the chilly rocks beneath her feet, she almost missed the faint hum of energy. It gave her goosebumps and caused her hair to stand on end. Any doubts she might have had disappeared when she pulled her pearl necklace out from her shirt and spotted its glow. Smiling to herself, she wrapped the chain around her wrist and held the pearl in her fist. She was getting closer, and she didn't want to miss her mark.

Switching her route, Marina paced in a zig-zag pattern downstream. While the pearl's energy ebbed and flowed, it didn't strengthen enough to indicate that she'd found what she wanted. Even years later, she recalled how much the family necklaces came to life with power when placed together. If the signal was this weak, she'd have to travel much farther to find it. For all she knew, she might have to go farther inland. The thought increased the weariness in her muscles and bones. She wanted nothing more than to follow the river back home to the ocean.

But she wouldn't forgive herself if she didn't find her mother's beloved heirloom, nor could she face the pitying stares of the others as they insisted she was wasting her time.

All items returned to the ocean. So, why hadn't her necklace?

A sudden pressure and chill pushing against her side made her turn around. A tributary connecting to the main river carried a torrent of frigid and foggy water. Marina shielded her eyes with a hand and shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. She needed to focus on her mission instead of allowing herself to get sidetracked. Unfurling her arm from herself, she prepared to swim away when a tingling in her hand made her freeze. Her pearl was glowing again, and it gave off a faint warmth when she held it toward the freezing tributary. Marina gulped. Although necessary to accomplish her goal, traveling further upstream made her stomach churn.

Marina gritted her teeth and crouched. Considering that she'd learned some of her most valuable lessons from her mother, if she had to go against them for anyone, it would be her.

Springing off the rocky bed, she launched herself through the opening of the tributary before kicking as hard as she could. Freezing water made her seize. Instead of allowing it to stiffen her joints, she doubled down on her exertion. While not straight, the tributary didn't wind as much, meaning the current traveled at a much faster pace. Combined with the fact that she traveled against the current, exhaustion sapped her energy soon

She emerged with a gasp. While adjusting to breathing in air again, Marina scanned her surroundings. Clouds covering the sun turned the sky a dull gray. Flat grassland with the occasional tree stretched to the horizon. She climbed out of the water to take a break and almost collapsed as the minuscule energy escaped her. If not for her pearl's aura strengthening, she might've turned around and returned to the ocean, not so much because she didn't care, but because she didn't know how long she could continue striving with her sparse connection to the ocean growing weaker the farther inland she traveled. Regardless of which path she took, she needed to energize herself. Cupping her hands together, she gathered some water to splash in her face.

The necklace in her hand glowed, and the light spread through her arm and inside her. Warm energy melted away her exhaustion, leaving her refreshed.

Despite nobody else to talk to, Marina said aloud, ?What??

As soon as she removed her hands, the light and energy faded. A thought piqued her curiosity, and she tried dipping the gemstone alone into the river. While not as intense as before, the boost cleared her fatigue

An idea occurred to her. With it came the determination to strive forward.

Before long, she was walking alongside upstream. Her necklace dangled from her ankle, positioned so it didn't drag along the ground or go under her foot. Occasionally, she dipped her foot into the water to gauge her progress. Each time the pearl's reading strengthened served as an encouragement to persevere. Even when the winding river snaked into an underground cavern and her link to the ocean almost faded away, Marina didn't stop or slow her progress. It might've been her imagination, but she could've sworn she sensed her mother's presence nearby, as if she were walking beside her in spirit.

?I'm so proud of you, dear.? A warm, soothing voice entered her mind. ?Remember, everything finds its way to the ocean somehow. You'll always have a home here.?

Marina smiled despite the ache in her feet from climbing over rocks barefoot. I know.

A spark and zap against her ankle made her flinch. The necklace was glowing white with a faint cyan tint. While she untied it from her ankle, she crept forward, scrutinizing her surroundings. A faint light came from behind a pile of boulders, and it matched the one coming from her pearl.

?Finally.? She smiled and paced toward the pile. ?Here it is.?

Removing the boulders strained her already tired muscles until they burned. Her fingers and hands ached from sharp edges digging into her skin, and she couldn't find a standing position that didn't leave more rocks jabbing her soles. None of the pain mattered when she unearthed a glowing opal pendant from the debris pile up. Holding them side by side, Marina admired the matching silver trim and how the gem's energies resonated off of each other.

This time, she was certain she could hear her mother's voice. ?I love you, dear.?

?Love you too.? Marina smiled and held the necklaces to her heart.

Not wanting to delay, Marina draped them around her neck and submerged herself into the underground stream. A stronger light and tingling enveloped her, and she allowed it to spread through her entire body. Once it faded, she breathed and saw underwater again with ease, and a long fishtail had replaced her legs. With old heirlooms and new lessons, she swam downstream back to the ocean.