The silent shore

Hello. I am Akhira, a 17-year-old teenager, fresh in blood and body, aiming to score the waves and ring the silent bells. The sky could not be much clearer than today. The sun is waving hello, yet the clouds seem to come and go. The rushing, bouncing splashes of the waves ring in my ears. Nothing is more refreshing than breathing near the beachside. Rumbling goes the waves yet the sea is called silent in this early morning, I wonder why.

'Rather than escalating in deep thoughts shouldn't you just jump right in?' called out Ezimeh. Her voice shook the core of my existence. 'Can you not be more courteous?', I raged in anger out of fear. I grabbed a bunch of warm sand and shoved it into her clothes. 'What a cowardly act' she snorted while loosening her t-shirt to let it all out.

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Soon we both submitted ourselves to the sea and let it entertain us. The blazing hot sun did not seem so hot. The harsh windy breeze did not feel very harsh. Coated by the sea, the nature seems always too different. Ezimeh lay straight and floated with the waves alike myself. Although, being near the sea is always relaxing but you can never let your guard down.

Ezimeh jolted out, 'I was about to fall asleep, damn!' She rushed near our mat and curled herself under the large sky-blue umbrella. After a little longer she shouted back, 'Ya girl when are you planning to take out your blade? I cannot stand the sun any longer.' I kept silent. The serene motion of the waves, the warmth of the water, the monotonous chirping of the birds, the unstoppable clouds, and the dimmed sun, all felt too good to be spoiled.

Ezimeh is too hyper all the time but once things get under control, she is as calm as the sea. Well, imagining her to be calm is quite hard. However, it was a rare sight, she fell asleep under the umbrella. The wind was too soothing, perfect for surfing.

The droplets of water dripped from my suit yet never left me while I took a slow and quick walk to our car and got my 'blade', named by Ezimeh. Ezimeh and I were friends for about 2 years now, but the depth of our friendship is like that of the sea.

Wait, I am not a sea-fetish person!!!! Do not get me wrong, sigh. I do get hooked up quite easily, which is not a charm for me.

That morning was beautiful. All too colorful. I stepped into the water with my all-so-shiny-pearl-white surfboard. As I was tightly gripping it near my body, it seemed a thousand gasps caught my attention, none unnoticed.

I am used to the attention. It is very not-normal for female teenagers to be surfing, let alone unguided and without a bodyguard named man beside them. My family is quite aware of my actions and they are known of the fact that these whispers would never stop me from achieving what I dream to be, a renowned surfer.

True, I have achieved my dreams. In 2022, I was the champion in the Olympics. The name, the fame, the sea all of it has gone silent now.

Hello. I am Akhira, a 27-year-old adult, barely surviving the rough patches of life. A dimwit, unable to feed herself, and let alone be a shoulder for another. I barely go to the sea now. I barely join in sports activities. It is an ill will for an adult to dream big. Dreaming is not for adults. It is the task of teenagers to dream big and to make it true. Once they step into adulthood, it all washes away like the waters.

Sports aren't for women. Only men can entertain themselves with such beautiful activities. Only men can grab attention but not a female, especially with action and activities. Women are fragile. They are strong but their grounds are different from that of men. My mind has been trashed with such voices that pour such disgusting words, that truly tainted my brain.

I often dream, I dream of that morning. I share the story with Ezimeh so much so that I have overwritten what she remembers. Ezimeh is still lively, always jolting and glitching from here to there along with her husband. These days our hangouts have vanished too. She still cheers me on, to dream big and hold on to it. But, I no longer have the will to go against so many forces all alone.

Does becoming an adult make you much weaker, I wonder. I often wondered. I wondered why the sea was said to be silent while it never was and it all made sense. I closed my eyes and let it all sync.