[Vfw-times] story: OI: Adrift and Alone

[Oren Otter]

This story is the first in a series I have been planning for a long time.
You'll find out what O.I. stands for as the story progresses.  I don't wish
to ruin it before you've read.
For a long time, I was unable to come up with a suitable story to launch
this series, but then one presented itself.  During a severe bout of
depression, I had a dream which is described in the first half of the
story.  It was so emotionally intense- in my dream I woke up sobbing, and
later woke up sobbing for real.  Fortunately, once I got better, I was able
to write the second half.
So without further mangiling of the introduction, on with the story.



Adrift and Alone
by Oren Otter

	The sun was warm, the water cool and brisk.  It was a wonderful day for
having fun, and that was exactly what William and Solea did.  The little
otter had often come here with William, her favorite human, to play in the
waves on the beach.  Today, however, there was a new game waiting to be
played.
	As the two friends strolled along the beach, they cam across a most
curious sight.  It appeared to be an antique chair lying on its back.  How
it got there was anyone's guess.  The seat had been rotted away, the wood
bleached by sun and brine.  Curious, Solea tapped at the thing.  It seemed
to be sturdy despite the weathering it had endured.  Experimentally, she
placed a paw on it, and was rather startled when it tipped under her
weight.  A more careful inspection showed that the chair was balanced upon
a small rock.
	For William, this presented the opportunity for a delightful game.  The
boy placed one foot on the back of the chair, one foot on a leg, and began
to rock back and forth.  Naturally, solea's playful nature got the better
of her and soon she was on the old piece of floatsam enjoying the ride,
dashing from one end to the other with each undulation.
	This went on for some time, and before long, the two friends were quite
exhausted from their play.  Solea lay down for a nap on the back of the
chair.  William made himself comfortable beneath a tree on a nearby bluff
and went to sleep in the morning sun.
	It was to William's shouting that Solea awoke.  The otter was alarmed to
find that her human was some distance away.  A quick look around confirmed
her worst fear.  The tide had come in while she was asleep, and the chair,
with her upon it, was now drifting out to sea.
	"Swim!" William shouted.  "Swim!"  But Solea could not.  Never had the
young otter ventured farther into the water than she could wade.  The
thought of being in water so deep that her paws could not touch the bottom
terrified her.
	William was panicking, now, shrieking and floundering in the surf in an
attempt to reach her.  For a moment, Solea dared to hope for rescue, but it
quickly became apparent that William was unable to swim the distance.  As
the chair continued to drift away, Solea could only cling desperately to
its frame as William stood in the water and wept at his failure and the
loss of his friend.
	The day wore on, and Solea could only cling to her chair as the shore
dropped away from sight.  Her paws were growing tired, and the sadness
welling up within her made it all the more difficult to keep hanging on.
Night crept up upon her, its darkness strangely appropriate.
	"If only William were here." Solea thought to herself.  "He would hold me.
 He wouldn't let me drown."  But William wasn't there.  She looked to the
place he had stood rocking their plaything, and found only empty space, and
a feeling of despair.  A cry welled in her throat.  It burst from her mouth
and wailed through the air, touching no living ears but her own.  It choked
her eyes and burned her throat, but it would not stop.  How could it?
Solea was alone, adrift at sea, and there was no doubt that she was going
to die.
	By morning, Solea's crying had stopped.  Her eyes had become bloodshot and
she had lost her voice.  She was also very hungry.  It didn't help that
there were fish swimming beneath her and for miles around her.  The otter
didn't dare let go of her only hope of survival.  The very thought of
plunging into the abyss scared her beyond reason.  Better to die of hunger
and thirst than drown.
	Night followed day once again, and was once again replaced by a new day.
For Solea, this only meant more loneliness, more despair, and more pain.
Soon, she knew, it would bring death as well.  As her paws began to slip
from exhaustion, she knew that there was only one thing to do.  Death was
approaching.  It was time to just give in to it.
	Then something strange happened.  The chair began picking up speed.
Confused, Solea looked down to see strange shapes in the water.  What was
going on?  Was this a monster carrying her away to eat her?  Or perhaps
some sort of rescue?
	It didn't matter.  Hunger and exhaustion had taken their toll, and the
darkness closed in on the little otter..
	* * *

	"Is she gonna make it?"
	"She's not gonna die, is she?"
	"Quiet.  I think she's waking up.  Back off.  Give her some room."
	Solea opened her eyes.  
           "Where am I?" asked the little otter as she looked into the face
of a great hairy beast.
           "Do not be afraid.  I am Kojo, the sea otter.  My son and I saw
you in the distance while we were out swimming.  Fearing for your safety,
we brought you here."
           Solea covered her eyes with her paws and began to cry.  "I'm so
ashamed!" she sobbed.
           "Whatever for?"
           "I should have swam.  I should have, but I was afraid!  What
kind of otter is afraid to swim?"
           Kojo smiled broadly.  "All of us."
           "What?"
           "You are very young, and from the looks of your craft, you have
spent your life near humans, who spend their nights on the land.  None of
us are born swimmers, little one.  It takes time for an otter to realize
his or her full aquatic powers.  Now, then, what is your name, child?"
          "Solea.  Kojo, will I ever see my William again?"
          "Of course you will."
          "But he's so far away!"
          "I know, Solea.  But you are among friends here on Otter Island.
Here you shall stay until you have mastered your fear of the deep.  When
you are ready, we shall help you return to your friend."
          Feeling calmer and reassured, Solea got to her feet and looked
around.  Otter Island was beautiful.  Tropical fruit trees swayed in the
ocean breeze while in the distance, a waterfall cascaded down from a
snow-capped mountain.  And everywhere she looked, there were otters.  Sea
otters.  River otters.  Spot-necked otters.  Cape clawless otters.  South
American giant otters.  Solea was confused.  "What kind of a place is
this?" she asked.
         "A very mysterious one, to be sure." replied Kojo.  "It goes
without saying that we otters are a happy people.  Every now and then,
however, there is one who, for one reason or another, becomes very sad.
Those otters always seem to find their way here, to Otter Island, and find
happiness once again."
         Solea cast Kojo an inquisitive look.
	"I, for one, was sad because I had no mate.  So... I decided to swim out
into the open ocean and feed myself to the sharks.
	"Oh, my!"
	"But instead, fate and the ocean currents brought me here, where I found
my wife, Jinga!  Take Spots, over there.  Used to be the only spotted otter
in a river full of Amazon otters.  Everyone made fun of him.  One day, he
went to sleep in South America and woke up here, where nobody makes fun of
his spots."
	"That's something!"
	"Or take Fred, over there.  He's a little touched in the head.  Said he
used to be a 'lawyer', whatever that is, but now he's much happier, here."
	"So why am I here?  I was happy where I was."
	"You were lost and alone on the ocean."
	"I mean before that."
	"Who knows?  Perhaps once you return to William, both your lives will be
richer for your stay here.  I know one thing.  Otter Island has a happy
ending for everyone."
	With a sigh, Solea headed for the beach.  She had a lot of swimming
practice to get through, and no time to lose.

Oren Otter
The Changing Workplace
http://www.ottercomics.com/tcw


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