Beneath The Waves

by Raymond Towers © 2002

You might not believe this, but I’ve seen this guy walk right into the ocean three different times. The first time, I was out late, sitting under the pier at Dog Beach, moping and depressed since I’d had another fight with my girlfriend. This man in a soft gray business suit walks off the pier and onto the beach, and I figure its just some burned out executive out to get his toes wet, but when he gets to the surf, he doesn’t even slow his stride. He just walks right in like its the most natural thing in the world. Even weirder, the water is scurrying to move out of his way! He’s not even getting wet, as the waves hold back at arm’s length, and just let him pass on through. A few seconds later, the ocean closed in on itself, and this man was gone, vanishing so fast I thought I was seeing things.

Anyway, a couple of nights later, I’m walking home from Debbie’s house, and I decide to take the boardwalk, even though its a little farther. I see the same guy, wearing the same suit, and walking in the same casual stroll some fifty feet ahead of me. I decide to follow him from a distance, mostly to convince myself that I wasn’t going crazy. Wouldn’t you know it, this guy goes straight to the pier, then down the beach, and walks right into the water a second time.

I told my buddies, but all they did was laugh at me, and my girlfriend, she wasn’t even talking to me, so I set out on my own, intending to get to the bottom of things once and for all. I hid under the pier, hiding behind a hastily made pile of kelp, and kept an eye out for the mysterious stranger. It took a couple of nights, but finally the guy showed. He didn’t see me as he walked past the pier, and as before, the water started parting as soon as he stepped into the surf. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do next, but I sure didn’t want to startle the guy by yelling, and I trotted after him. I hesitated at the water’s edge, just long enough for the man to gain some ground on me, and praying the waves wouldn’t crash down on me, I began a full speed gallop. Unfortunately, some twenty feet in, the stranger disappeared, and a half second after, the ocean slammed into my back. I thought I was going to die.

Luckily, I didn’t. Instead, I opened my eyes to find myself breathing fresh air, on the floor, and inside of a transparent half bubble parked on the ocean floor. It was about twenty feet wide, and the only objects inside it were two chairs, one occupied by the stranger.

“Sit.” He motioned me to the second chair, then pushed one of the many buttons on his armrest. The man transformed from human form into alien form, the typical shape people usually describe aliens; large head, no hair, big eyes, small mouth. “This is my true form.”

I was awed by the change, as well as by the sight of the fish peering back at me from outside the bubble. “What is this place? Who are you? How did you save me?”

“That is unimportant.” The alien replied. “What is important is the state of your world.”

“What?”

“The earth is dying.” The alien explained. “Pollution is destroying your atmosphere; air, water and land are all suffering, as are plant and animal life.”

“Well, yeah, but--”

“World leaders are highly ineffectual.” The alien continued. “The political system has become selfish and corrupt, the religious elements have either become scandalized or are almost completely ignored.”

“What are you getting at?”

“In this country, the legal and medical profession’s are no longer working for the common good. Greed is prevalent in society, the wealthy are idolized, the unwealthy are despised, crime is rampant, resentment is becoming increasingly violent. In short, there is no love in this world.”

“I can’t do anything to change that.”

“Incorrect.” The alien disagreed. “Individuals make decisions. These decisions are influenced by other individuals, who in turn are influenced by others. It is a mere chain of influence, and every chain starts with the first link.”

“So?”

“You will be one of the first links.” The alien motioned to me. “Although many have observed me enter the sea, few have dared follow. For that, I will give you the gift of love. Your fears and anxieties will soon be gone, and you be able to influence others positively. Every person you influence will in turn feel compelled to influence others tenfold, until love reaches every single link in the chain.”

“And if I don’t?”

“The decision is yours alone.” The alien answered. “But if many links are enabled, in a few generations, the entire world will begin to realize its mistakes and take measures to correct them, and thus, grow in a more positive manner.”

I was stunned.

“I must leave you, for I have much work to do.”

And so, I awoke on the beach, at around mid-morning. I don’t know if I dreamed up the whole thing, but I do know that in the last few days, my buddies and my girlfriend have been much nicer to me. But what if it really happened? I have to tell everybody, right? Think about what I’ve said, then go out and do something nice for somebody. It might just save the world.

x x x




Read more Flash Fiction?
Chat about this story on our BBS?
Or, Back to the Front Page?