I was at the beach with my family, it was my favourite place in the world. my cousin's house in San Juan Puerto Rico, it was like my little get away from the rest of the world and thats saying alot considering I'm 17 and have lived in 7 different countries. but in all of those countries I have never felt more at home than here in the carribean, it was like my soul was bound to this place. I was kayaking with my older sister near this seaweed forest when I heard a voice cry out, i turn around to see my 6 year old nephew struggling to stay afloat in the water
"GABRIEL!"
My sister Tania paddled toward him like crazy with me trailing behind her
"MAMI! AYUDA ME! MAMI! (MOMMY HELP ME! MOMMY!)"
Gabriel's head was barely above the water as he spit out water and waved his arms franticly.
I jumped out of my Kayak and swam towards him
"FLORA!"
Tania tries to grab me by my life jacket I'm already halfway towards Gabriel, I had to get him out now, the waves were getting bigger and if he's there any longer he'll be pulled under and stay there. I arrive to him try to pull him towards me but he won't budge, I look under water and find his legs tangled in what looks like a thick black rope, thats weird. I untied the knots as quickly as I can and put my life jacket on him and hand him over to Tania and start to head back towards my Kayak.
" usted no tiene que hacer que la flora , que podría haber conseguido lo mismo.(You didn't have to do that, I could of gotten him myself) "
Tania looked at me, while patting Gabriel on the back trying to calm him down.
"No seas tonto tu es mi familia que iba a morir por ustedes.(Don't be silly your my family I'd die for you guys)"
I give her a smile while pushing my mop of wavy brown hair out of my face
I swim forward but I feel something tie around my ankle holding me back. It's the same black rope, I see a huge wave coming towards me. I push my sister's Kayak away from me
"FLORA!"
I'm pulled under I try to swim back up but I can't I'm being pulled deeper into the deep, The last thing I see is my sister's kayak being pushed towards shore, then everything goes black.
I remeber waking up being risen from the water, I was scared, cold and wet, then I saw the sun. It was so big and warm and bright and suddenly I wasn't scared anymore. I looked down and saw myself standing on the shore again.
"What?... que passo?"
I look up to see my cousin's beach house. I run towards it or rather fly, My feet are lifted of of the ground and I zooming towards the house.
"HOLY SHIT!"
I stretch out out my arms and continue floating. I arrive at the front doorI burst through the door and run towards my parents waving my hands
"MAMÁ! PAPÁ! Puedo volar! Puedo volar! puedo-(MOM! DAD! I CAN FLY! I CAN FLY! ICAN-"
I stop in my tracks to find them on the couch sobbing and wailing, my sister was next to them tears pouring out of her eyes like a river along with my brother, cousin and well everyone.
"No puedo creer que esta muerta, yo puedo- (Ican't believe she's dead, I can't-)"
My mom sobbed into my dad's shoulder. My brother Ericed looked u at my mother, his eyes were red and puffy
"todo es mi culpa, (this is my fault) I had watched Gabriel more carefully-"
"IF!?"
Tania shot from the couch and glared at Eric.
"No aye nigune if. FLORA ESTA MUERTA SOLO PORQUE TO NO PUEDIAS (Theres no if, flora is dead because you couldn't) BABYSITT YOUR OWN NEPHEW!"
"OH SO NOW I'M RESPONSIBLE? WHO WAS THE ONE WHO DIDN'T SAVE HER OWN SISTER FROM DROWNING AND INSTEAD SWAM TO SHORE LIKE A COWARD?"
"I'M NOT DEAD I'M RIGHT HERE!"
I yelled trying to get their attention. They didn't even notice me.
"Tania.."
I tried to touch her shouder but my hand went right through her. I gasped and stumbled back.
Gabriel who was behind me went right through me as he walked towards Tania.
"No me pueden vere, (They can't see me)"
I looked at my family grief stricken, my sibling arguing over who was responsible for me being dead.
I ran out the door and down along the shore of the beach, tears running down my cheeks. I stopped after a while and collasped on the sand and hugged myself.
"I'm dead, I'm a ghost."
I rocked myself back and forth. sobbbing My hand touched the ground and a mixture of blue, and yellow sand poured out.
i jumped and looked at my hands
"what the?"
I walked up to a rock on the water and touched it, the same sand poured right out of my hand. what the? I look up at the sun and hear a warm comforting voice inside my head say.
"Don't be alarmed child, you have been reborn. you are now Flora mar, spirit of the carribean, Puerto Rico, the sea and Families..."
"Flora Mar...."
I mummble the words he just said.
'So I'm not dead?'
I asked in my head
'*chuckle* no chlid only reborn, i saw your act of selflessness and compassion for your nephew.. you deserved a chance to live again.'
'but why reincarnate me? why not just bring me back to life?' I thought shivering at the memory of Eric and Tania fighting.
'Your mortal soul was gone, there was no way to rescue it unless i replaced it with the soul of an immortal.'
'But whay can't people see me?'
'Unless they believe in you they can't see you.'
'but people have never heard of me, I was just reborn!"
I glare at the sun.
'what's the point if people can't see me?'
Suddenly the sun starts to set.
'My time is short just remeber that you are the spiritof the Carribean, it is your job to help families have fun...'
'And if I suck at it?'
No answer. The sun is gone replaced by the moon.
"Spirit of the Carribean eh?"
I look down and see a long peice of drift wood wash on shore I pick it up and emiediatly it's covered in blue and yeloow sand, intricate carvings appear. I point it at the sky and the snad shoots out creating what looks like a firwork.
"I guess it wouldn't hurt to try."
and with That I flew of into the night sky ocaisonally falling from time to time but I managed.
"I guess I better learn how to be a spirit."
