"THE STORM"

by Mauricio Santinelli

I'm sitting in the devil's chair. Down below you can see any variety of seashells and a large snail stands out. I am impatiently waiting for the stars to show up on the sea. Last night they were out very early. Charles is fishing. Well, that's what he says, I've only seen him launch his bait and not catch anything. But Charles doesn't care about that, he doesn't care because that is the way he has fun. We have been here for two days and one night there and have not gotten bored. We are waiting for the equinox storm. We have come here together for the last ten years. We have always arrived two before September 22nd. The storm started on the 22nd with the equinox and ended on the 25th with the full moon. One day I tried to convince him that we should get out of the sea while the storm was raging, the wind was blowing very strong and the rain beat on our bodies, the waves were huge, they were over 9 feet high. Let's get away from here !, I yelled. Idon't know if the raging waves did not allow him to her me of if he did not wan to hear me. When we go out, Charles looked at me without blinking. - What were you saying in the sea ? he asked. - I said we should get out... -Why ? he asked again. - I was afraid, the storm had never been this furious. Besides that, I was cold, I answered sincerely. - I can believe you were cold, he said, but cannot believe you were afraid. - You can think whatever you want, you are completely crazy. - So are you. Otherwise you would not be here. You would not be here. You would rather die than not be somebody in life. If I am going to die, I want to die here, in the waves, in the sea and I know you feel the same way. He said no more. We kept walking with our boards under our arms until we reached the car. Charles quit fishing and went to sit down, he too is waiting for the stars. The stars shows us the storm's intensity. - There are no starts, I said. - This will be a violent year, he responded after a while. The next day we were our on the beach quite early. The morning was cloudy and rainy. And the waves beat against each other. We had everything prepared, the boards were waxed and the locks were in their place, brushing our ankles. - Are you ready ? he asked. I shook my head affirming I was ready. - Good. Here we go -he said. We ran out towards the sea. The water was cold but our suits would keep our temperature so we would not feel the cold. Almost without realizing it, we were surfing the waves. It's a felling that can't be described.. It's almost like being suspended in the space. It's like being owner of an infinite for a time, and tinne is decided by us. It's like controlling a chimera which is out off itself. Charles was at the left, a little beat forward me. An immense wave loomed in the distance. Charles made me signs so that we went to that direction. We were going to enter into room "B". I don't know if it was us who came into it or it was the wave. In those very moment you never think, you just let your self be free. Inside room "B" everything is calm. This green turquoise color from the walls makes you feel an inner peace that you hardly get in any other exterior place. When you came into it you don't want to leave, buty it is not in our hands but in those from nature's. We came out of it. We were tired but joyful. I shouted to Charles and we bearded to the shore. We have to keep some energy for the afternoon it is then when appear a real storm. We leant on the sand for a while. Then we rinsed the boards with clean water and we polished them with wax so that they were ready for that afternoon. While we were polishing the boards we were very quiet. I know Charles since we were 10, so I knew something was wrong with him. - Are you afraid ? - I asked. - I have a presentiment...- he answered without looking at me. - Nothing wrong is going to happen. Waves are our friends, we'll be safe. Charles agreed smiling. The sky was completely dark. The rain spattered intensely on the sea. The daylight was not as clear as before. There were only medium waves. We slid without difficulty moving with rhythm from one side to the other and beating the boards against the water. To get more speed. We were specting the huge monster, That's have we call the big waves. We wanted to fight it. The Monster is omnipotent, but it still has a weak point, just as humans. There is a fantasy in his mind, ans illusion, it could have the shape and size that we want it to have, and it makes it more dangerous. The big monster appered in the distance, so we went towards it. Charles turn to look at me. The more the wave was near us, I could realize the size it had. It was the biggest monster I had never seen. It keep straighten up with its huge fauces. Charles shouted at me over the waves, we were going to enter. I was scared. Before to enter, I realized that monster haven came alone, the daughter's wave to deflected me strongly. I couldn't keep the balance. Before to felt down I turn to look to my friend. The last thing that I saw was Charles to going toward the monster. The big wave crashed with me. It's to sinked me and remained me into its profundity without I couldn't do anythting, swallowed salty water, and I felt that I wouldn't go out of sea. I remembered the presentiment. Suddenly I saw the surface, there were not vestiges of monster and Charles neither ... Desperatly I reached him without found him. After a time there wasn't any posibility. I continue going to the equinox storm. Before to enter, I look the sky reaching my friend. Charles knew it and was his wish. Now I Know too, If I am going to die, I want to die in the waves. I isn't afraid to the monster, because somebody care me there in the sky.