She didn't know when she dozed off, but when the calm bobbing of the boat turned into irregular waves, she awoke.

The lantern was swinging wildly in the surrounding storm, its light holding onto dear life, just as the rest of the equipment on the boat. Its unsteady beam shone over the chaotic peaks of murky blue darkness, then over the quickly filling inside of the boat…then over the sailors empty seat. Selene's heart sank faster than the boat could. Oh god. Within seconds adrenaline kicked in, urging her to attempt to steer the ship, even though she knew nothing of being a ship's captain.

"Please don't keel over, please don't keel over, pleasedon'tkeelover-" Is all Selene repeated as the waves crashed into the poor wooden walls, with the unrelenting desire to devour the boat along with everything on deck. Though the sea almost seemed like it played a cruel game with it. Exactly how a careless child plays with a trapped bug in a glass jar. And that jar was rapidly filling with water. A wave fell down heavy over the deck, trying to flush Selene down and squash her into the liquid darkness. But she held on. Again and again, silently praying to any god that would listen.

But despite her iron will to steer the tiny boat to safety, the elements and perhaps even deities were against her, crashing down on her. Again. Let go. Let go and give up, they said. And the mountains of water were only getting stronger - and taller.

Selene was currently stuck between balancing out the ship, staying aboard and hopelessly trying to get the water out. It wasn't working.

With the lantern's final flicker, the beam illuminated an incoming wave. It was taller than any she's seen in all her life. And possibly the last one she will ever see, Selene thought in the back of her mind. The light shone through, turning the pitch darkness of water a murky yellow-green. A shadow of…something flashed through. A vision of a giant shadow. A monster? A god? Selene had no time to react as the wave squashed the ship, burying it deep underwater. Even the short breath she managed to take was knocked out of her as the wood of the boat under her and the water above her held her in a deathly pincer grip. As the wave fell away, she half-swam, half-thrashed to the surface, but another wave came to push her below.

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She was fighting a battle with the sea and she was losing.

The cold darkness kept nagging her to stop fighting, but she wasn't ready yet, even though her fabric pulled her down, catching on the debris and its own weight…and then her breath ran out. The light in them flickered as she finally accepted her fate, no matter what it may be. And the sea accepted her, inviting her to rest in the darkness, gentle hands holding her like a child, away from the chaotic waves above. Rest, the darkness said. And so she rested.

⁓Ψ⁓

‘’You fought well...’’

She was on her knees. Water. Everything around was dark, but she could feel water beneath her feet- solid water. Blood red water. It was illuminated by some kind of diffused light…A spotlight. Selene’s thoughts were messy and she didn’t want to think about them. She wanted to lay back down into the blood beneath her. It smelled of salt and rust. For some reason, she felt it was the most comforting smell, almost intoxicating in its strength.

But something told her not to listen. Something told her that if she laid down then she’d do so forever. Very slowly, she shifted her gaze up.

In front of her was that giant wave - an impossibly dark curtain. But the curtain was closed and the play was over. She stood up, realizing the water beneath her feet held her ankles, brushing against them not as waves, but as hands. She looked down for a few seconds and then shrugged, stepping towards the curtain.

"I think I am going to leave now." Said someone to her left. Selene looked towards the voice.

It was the sailor. The old man stood in place, looking down just like she was a second ago. He had sunk deeper than Selene- up to his knees. "Are you coming?"

She tilted her head. "With you? Where? Behind the wave?"

"The curtain is for the audience, not you." The sailor sank deeper as he shook his head. "Would you like to go down? I do."

"I think I'm going to stay here… I'd like to see the play."

"Why fight when the same fate awaits you in your destination?"

"I'd like to see how it ends."

He was now submerged up to his chest. A calm expression rested on his face, but a worried shadow fell over it. "Continue fighting then."

"Yes, continue." Said the wave with a resonant hum of many voices.

"Continue." Said the darkness.

Continue.