"The Sea Is Eternal" by Kelsey M. Graham

The Sea is eternal. That is what Grandfather had always said, whenever he talked about his life. People may come and go, lives and livelihoods come and go, but the Sea is eternal. He had always spoken of the Sea a personality, something to be loved and appeased. Appeasement would be good now. The waters were a gray, stormy color, and were crashing with a fury that seemed controlled by the slightest of tethers. Even on the rocks where she sat, Gull was lashed by the spray, could feel the muted rage coming from the Sea. Never had it been like this before. The Sea is like a child- when it is hurt, it lashes out. How can an Ocean be hurt? She wondered, searching the horizon for her grandfather’s fish-boat. Grandfather will be fine she reassured herself He knows the Sea, knows how to calm it. Her Grandfather was the village’s wave-speaker, old though he was. He would be fine. Why, any moment now, the storm would abate, and there he would be, laughing and teasing her for being such a worrier. Gull smiled and propped her chin upon her hand, and waited.

The storms continued, and her Grandfather did not return. She waited, but there was no sign of him. Finally, she left her perch and went inside, returning with a conch shell. Oh, Grandfather… Aware of the villager’s silent eyes upon her, she took it to the rocky outcropping at the edge of the village, a place where the earth ended abruptly and the Sea began. She took a breath, than blew a long, undulating blast with the conch. Before the echoes faded, she leaped, diving into the water.

Blue-green world, swimming with all sorts of fish and creatures. Sand below, white amid the coral and rocks. She could stay forever here, in this strange, silent world. Caught in limbo between worlds, water like silk against her skin. Child. She looked around, startled. Child. She touched the conch, confused. And then- she was there

Blackness, like a death shroud, covering the waves, smothering life for sea creatures, birds, and humans alike. Strange machines, alien to her, slide through the waves, inexorable as a death march. And pain- unbelievable pain, as though her soul was being ripped from her body.

They are coming.

What- what are they?
They do not belong here. They are from somewhere Other. I do not know them.
Can you stop them?
Not without you.
Very well.
She touched the conch again.

As she watched the machines continue their polluted, stinking way, she realized with shock that these Others were not human. Instead of pale blue, their skin was an unnatural pale pink, and they had no gills to be seen. As she watched these strange invaders, anger boiled up inside her. Slowly, she began turning, hands outstretched, and the water slowly rose, as she spun faster and faster, it following her hands, till at last she stood still, in the eye of the tempest. One of the creatures saw, and screamed “Hooruchaine!”. The others began gabbling in the same incomprehensible tongue. Gull smiled, drunk on power, and pointed. The ships vanished in a wall of white.

Gull woke up to the sound of waves. Not furious, crashing waves, but gentle, calm lapping rivulets. She sat up, stretching, and looked around at the clear, blue sky and calm waters… All was well. She looked up, and saw the eyes of the village folk watching her. As she stood, they bowed respectfully and walked away. She was the wave-speaker now.