The swimmer

They can’t just back down. Why?

They were trapped in the skies and had the chance to reach a shore by diving into the ocean. A shore where they can play along with the ocean’s tides and changes, understanding its views and motions while safely dry. In order to get there, they will have to swim.

Swimming means kicking and slapping the water with violence, while intermittently drowning. From afar it looks smooth but so does a motored boat. Kicks and slaps is the only way. Of course, they weren’t made for the ocean, so they can’t breathe in it. They can submerge and be like fish, but what’s the use? even if they could be able to breathe, they won’t be able to see the shore like that. So it’s kicks and slaps, all the way.

They can try to let themselves float, but it’s uncertain where they’ll end up. They can’t afford the uncertainty. They might drown, and they’ve been close to drowning before. Many times, in fact, others have attempted to drown them.

They can kick and slap gently, moving around slowly with no violence, but the current is strong and unpredictable. Weather may bring storms and waves. They may tire or drift away, into danger.

They can’t see the shore but they have to get to safety. Kick! Slap! Kick!

The friendly boats are usually far from them. At times one passes and gives voice of encouragement before moving on. They feel lonely, stressed, at the brink of elimination. They’ve wandered around other oceans before, surviving and existing by their own nature, always disliked.

The ocean is uncomfortable carrying them. It feels the hurt of their kicks and slaps and is eager to push waves on top of them. It tries to care but they just keep kicking and slapping so desperately, so blindly.

The ocean is, many times, quite aggressive towards them. It feels it’d be better off if they disappear, or if they swim to another ocean, but they refuse. The ocean wonders if they’re really trying to get to the shore.

It’s unknown what they truly want, even to themselves.

Are they trying to find the shore?

Are they trying to tame the ocean?

The ocean is huge.

If they only saw the shore, they may try to get to it. If the ocean would know how to push them there, it may help. In the meantime, they can only kick and slap.