Set You Free (CANEM)

XLIII

As Charles Darwin said,

Galapagos was born of fire,

And from fire,

They rose.

-

Situated in a province of Ecuador, the volcanic archipelago scattered in the ocean like pebbles to the sand. The diverse displays of rich plant and animal species, the crystal skies and rolling blue sea. Home to the wildest reaches of nature. The finch, the giant tortoise and of course, the albatross.

A truly magical place.

A place where the real understanding of life had been found.

They knew they had arrived when the harsh waves had mellowed out to a calm silky blue and the sight of the giant daisy trees danced on the horizon. Unlike many commercial harbours, the only boats moored here were small fishing boats, enough to only hold a maximum of five people. Buoys littered the little carving in the landscape, holding the man-made vehicles in place.

Their journey had taken almost five months and Galapagos was at the finale to top it all off. To her, actually setting foot in this land she had only dreamt of seemed unbelievable. The both of them stood in awe of its beauty.

The way the rocky faces of the hills peaked and dipped, further enhanced by the unique shrubbery that dotted its surface. The way that if you looked close enough, you could spot a native animal in the nooks of this marvelous scene. The way everything seemed just right, as if it was placed there like a gem for mankind to find.

As far as the eye could see, the ocean stood like a sapphire, holding secrets inside of it. Coral of many shades; green, pink and yellow. They protected the smaller fish like guardians and acted as a sable for this never-ending magnificence. Colourful critters and larger neighbours. Sea lions, hammerhead sharks and moray eels, to name a few.

All at home in their tropical paradise.

If you worked your way up onto the beach from the vast seas, you would find the almost white sand between your toes. The occasional tree stood in this loving border around the island, with rocks scattered at either side. If you were lucky, you could even spot some flamingos.

But the place that really showed off what the setting had to offer was the coastline.

Left from millions of years ago, what was once volcanic matter now sat as chunks of rock. As only a limited number of visitors could visit to preserve the habitat, the majority of the landscape was undisturbed and left to blossom. The shrubbery, the wildlife and the island itself.

Excitement rushed through Sanem's bones and she was giddy with happiness like a child. It took everything not to bounce around from the endorphins that filled her brain. They were really standing in the destination that she had always wanted to visit.

And it was more than just a place.

It meant everything to her.

She had wished for it as a young girl, alone with only a pen in her hand in her father's store. It had kept her from madness. The idea that one day, somehow, she would get there and she would never wish for anything as sweet again.

As un-moving as a boulder, the dream stayed with her after her life changed. She began a new career, utilising her endless skills and meeting new people who would soon be her lifelong friends.

And with such drastic reshaping of her life, she found her soulmate.

He was an albatross.

Forever moving but remaining a monogamist.

He would fly back for her.

In terms of her current dreams, it was as alive as it ever was. The fact that she even stood there was remarkable. Sanem could not believe that Can had even done something like this for her. The entire journey itself had done nothing but enrich her life. Her mind, body and soul. She had an unlimited flow of writing ideas as if to her, writer's block had never existed.

She still couldn't believe it.

They were in Galapagos.

A patchy forest lined the area behind them. Who knew of the wonders it held within it. The Mangrove Forest or the Primeval Forest. It could have been either, given its distance away. It added a little greenery to the area in which they walked. An area that was mostly rocky and looked upon the shore.

But what mattered more was what was on her mind.

It was almost like electricity zapped at the ends of her fingers and toes with how exuberant she was. Her gaze scanned the coastline with need, even so much as to bypass the obvious beauty of such a place, only to look for something more personal.

As they walked on further and further, her expression became increasingly sad and frustrated. They had been told the direction in which they were walking would end with what made her tummy giddy with passion. But from what she could see, she became disheartened.

That was until she spotted the dots on the horizon.

"Can!" She exclaimed happily, trying to keep her voice to a whisper to not disturb them.

Huddled like penguins against the salty ocean breeze, clusters of albatrosses perched on the rocky ground.

He had never seen Sanem so happy in his entire life. She held her little hands into fists with excitement and it seemed as if she was shaking with glee. A humongous radiant smile lit up her entire face and she shined like the sun.

The birds with their white heads and grey bodies lined all that the eye could see of the approaching coastline. Their famous yellow beaks were even more outstanding to the naked eye.

Can wrapped his large arms around her waist as he stood proudly behind her. His gentle chin rested comfortably against her welcoming shoulder as they both looked on to the indescribable sight.

The both of them looked to the skies as the great birds soared above them. The albatross had the largest wingspan of any bird, never before had they seen a spectacle so vast. They stood in amazement of such a creature. Its calls echoed across this special land and gracefully, a select few flapped their wings to land.

Sanem caressed his hands that enveloped her as they watched on.

With others perfecting their courtship behaviour of sky-pointing, there was one who returned to his mate. A true representative of his breed. Returning home, the bird nuzzled its face against that of another, tapping their beaks together.

Tilting his head slightly, Can pressed a loving kiss against her cheek.

Inhaling the sweet smelling air of Galapagos into their lungs, it felt like home.

Holding each other in love, they looked out to the distance.

They were here.

They had made it.