3: Magnetic Island-2
549 Words
IT WAS THE SONG’S STIRRING introduction that got his undivided attention. His musically sensitive ears picked up the familiar notes of an indie pop song. He glanced up at the in-diner television that played music videos on a non-stop loop. Passenger’s ‘Let Her Go’ was starting to play.
The poetic and melancholic song described regrets associated with ending a relationship, detailing scenes involving a heartbroken man dealing with the pain of his break-up.
Duck wanted to smash his head against the wall so much when the artist with the raspy voice, Rosenberg, sang the line ‘...and you dived too deep.’
Dived too deep.
He concurred, a dull ache invading his private thoughts.
His mind nostalgically wandered back to Magnetic Island, a mountainous paradise eight-kilometre offshore from the city of Townsville. This haven, a mere fifty-two square metres, only had about two thousand permanent residents but received hundreds of thousands of tourists annually.
Fifty-four per cent of it was National Park. There were animal and bird sanctuaries on the island and walking tracks between bays. Over eight hundred koalas were estimated to be on the island. It was also famous for its angling opportunities. Fish in abundance included the blue marlin, black marlin, sailfish, mackerel, wahoo, giant trevally, dogtooth tuna, coral trout, mahi-mahi, tuna, red emperor and sea perch.
It was his kind of place.
Dived too deep!
His mind flashbacked again. They were somewhere off the northern section of the island, preparing to dive. First on her agenda was to observe how fish reacted to submarine sonar. ‘Where’s the sub located?’ she asked as she tied her hair in a silver scrunchy that contrasted beautifully with her raven hair.
Bemused, he replied, ‘You know you’re asking me to reveal a State secret, right?’
She put her hands on her waist, tilted her head just so and said, ‘How do I know that the sub isn’t somewhere in the Atlantic? I’m trying to figure out if subs are causing environmental damage and if so, what damages they cause to marine life. Do they cause whales to beach themselves? I’m not going to know unless I know the sub is here for sure.’
‘Well, you just have to trust me. I don’t know why you guys think we’re the bad guys. We’re the ones protecting Nemo, Flipper, and Moby d**k. Trust me, we’re on your side. And trust me when I say it is close enough ... somewhere.’
She huffed. In a tightly fitted wetsuit and braided long black hair, she reminded him of Lara Croft.
‘You’re very beautiful when you get all passionate.’
‘You ass. Will you stop flirting with me?’ she chastised.
He cackled and tipped himself overboard.
In the Navy, he had earned the nickname ‘Merlin’ because he had proven himself to be a magician underwater. So, let it be an underwater love affair, he remembered thinking.
Next thing he knew, a stunning black-clad mermaid was swimming behind him, carrying an underwater camera documenting life under the sea, recording the amazing aquatic scenery of the reef and the corals. Moments later, a turtle swam close by and stared into the lens of the handheld device, its intelligent eyes peering in with wonderment. She gracefully motioned for him to come closer so she could hand him the gadget. Duck took it.
She swam towards the turtle and, to this day, he could swear she was communicating with it. She had her way with underwater beings; then he realised she could have her way with him.
*
- Writer
