Whispers on the Waves

The beginning

The reporter entered the room with a calmness that felt almost unnatural, especially after everything that had happened. I had never seen someone so composed in the aftermath of the incident around me.

"Hello, Huan," they greeted me softly, settling into the creaky chair beside the bed. I wished they would just go away and leave me alone with only my thoughts. The whole situation felt surreal, almost terrifying as the memories began to creep back in

"Huan? What's on your mind?" His voice was calm, almost too calm, as his smile twisted something deep inside me. I swallowed hard, fighting the nausea that rose in my throat. I shook my head, trying to keep my mind on one steady path "Nothing much," I muttered forcing myself to sit up straight in the chair. This was an important interview—crucial, even. All I had to do was keep it together for a few more minutes. Suppress everything. Act like an adult.

"You do remember why I'm here, don't you?"

"Yes, sir" I replied, though my voice slithered out with more edge then I'd intended. Calm down. I have to calm down. Everything's fine now. Isn't it? It's all over.

He leaned forward. "Good. Let's begin, then. What's today's date?"

My pulse quickened. Was he testing me or something? That is what they ask people who've lost a grip on reality, right? But I knew the answer, luckily I looked at my calendar today. "August 8th, 2018," I said, with a confidence I didn't quite have. The question lingers even after being answered, though—had I gotten it? Or was something slipping that I couldn't see?

"Good. Now, what do you remember from the days leading up to the incident?" His smile faltered, slipping away as his eyes sharpened, waiting for my response.

I exhaled slowly, letting the air escape as if it might carry the weight of those memories with it. I needed to think—carefully. Everything had to be precise and correct. "It was June 12th 2016," I said, my voice quieter now as I attempted to recall the days before, the date echoed in my mind.

I walked home alone, the silence of the street amplifying every step. As I neared my front door, my neighbor called out, "Hey, Huan!" His voice seemed distant, almost hollow. I forced a smile, bright and polite. "Good morning, Sir."

Once inside, a wave of heat hit me, stifling, unnatural. The heater. Who turned it on? I hesitated just inside the doorway, my fingers brushing against the door as I slowly closed it behind me. A soft sigh escaped as I headed into the living room, collapsing on the couch with a small groan.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

The telephone's sharp ringing cut through the stillness, jarring me from the fragile peace. It was another annoying sound I couldn't stand. Especially now, after a long day at work. I sighed heavily, pushing myself up off the couch. My steps were sluggish and tired as I made my way over to the phone, each one feeling heavier than the last. When I finally picked it up and put the phone up to my ear.

"Hello? This is Huan" I answered, forcing a cheerfulness that didn't match the tiredness and exhaustion that was rising in my chest at the moment.

"Huan! Buddy! It's Thorn," he chirped. Of course it was Thorn— he was the only one who called me this often. My voice shifted instantly, all of the pretense gone, replaced with my usual annoyance I had when conversing with Thorn. "What do you want, Thorn? I'm busy."

His tone changed, to an impatient and unusually eager one. "This time it's important. Trust me!"

I sighed, leaning against the wall. Thorn was always full of ideas, most ridiculous and idiotic. "Fine. What is it?"

He let out a high-pitched squeal of excitement which caused me to pull the phone away from my ear slightly, letting out a small hiss before reluctantly putting it back against my ear. "Okay, listen. What if I told you there's an easy way to make money?"

Money? The word snagged in my mind. Normally I'd dismiss whatever scheme he was cooking up, but... money was tight. And the AC— that was another expense waiting to hit. I sighed again, more out of resignation than curiosity. "Go on."

"Alright, hear me out. Boat, squid, money."

I rolled my eyes, already regretting entertaining the thought. "Goodbye, Thorn."

"Wait! Wait! Wait!" His voice spiked in some form of panic, just as I was about to hang up. Reluctantly, I brought the phone back up to my ear. "Hmmm... ?"

The silence on the other end stretched on just a bit too long before he finally spoke again, his voice lowering, almost a whisper. "You're gonna wanna hear this, Huan. Trust me."

"Okay, but... we could make about $732,000."

I froze, my grip tightening on the phone. That amount felt unreal, like a number plucked from some sort of distant dream. "W-What? You can't be serious!"

Thorn chuckled, a sound that sent a ripple of irritation down my spine. "Oh, I'm serious. Look, we both need the cash, and I know how much you love the ocean," he added with that infuriating cheerfulness of his, like this was just some grand adventure.

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my thoughts straight. "How long would we be out at sea?"

There was a limit to how far I was willing to go— even for that kind of money. Anything more than six months, and I was out. No matter the amount of money that was involved.

"Two months. Maybe less," he said, his voice dropping to a near-whisper, like he was sharing a secret. "So... what do you say? You in?"

I didn't answer right away. My mind churned with doubts, questions I didn't know how to ask. But the number kept repeating itself in my head. $732,000. I could almost feel it in my hands.

Finally, I exhaled, a decision made. "Yeah... I guess I'll tag along. But I'm doing this for the money, definitely not for you."