Just beneath the surface

As the winds Pick up

It truly was just another dream, one of many he would have in the next few days. Though the dreams were practically the same, each felt more realistic than the one before. Jahmil wondered if he ate something he shouldn't have eaten. Now, it was quite hard for him to simply brush it off. That day, he walked towards the jewelry shop when he felt a strange presence, so strange that his body shivered from head to toe in that instant. He looked around, and saw a person dressed with a hood and his face was unrecognizable walking away. He decided to follow to check. Then, he stopped to ask himself;" why exactly am I doing this?" He hoped he could get clues from the person as the person might be a gypsy or some kind of soothsayer. But what if it was something else? But still he decided to follow. He followed steadily through the alleyways, peeking from walls and stacked boxes. Jahmil realized how he could actually be the creepy one. The hooded man then entered an abandoned house, and because it had no doorway, Jahmil could clearly see that the house was dark, pitch dark. He thought about it, and came to a conclusion that following him that far would be enough. Just as he twisted his foot to turn away, his heart skipped a beat.

"Would you mind coming in?" The hooded man asked. Jahmil looked back at the building then back at the hooded person.

"B-but how?" Jahmil asked. The hooded man then walked back to the house, and Jahmil took his chance to escape. As he ran back through the alleyway, the hooded man waited for him at the exit.

"I said come", the hooded man said, and walked back to the house. Once again Jahmil tried to run, but the hooded man once again appeared right in front of him.

"I can follow you to the ends of the earth, so just come. I won't harm you", the hooded man said. Jahmil reluctantly gave in, and followed the hooded man into the house. It was really dark, but in the middle there was a table and two chairs, illuminated only by two candles. Jahmil really regretted following the hooded man in the first place, and began to get extremely nervous.

"Calm down",

"Please, take a seat", he continued, and pulled out the chair, gesturing for Jahmil to sit down. Jahmil sat, and breathed heavily.

"I see you have been having strange dreams of late, peculiar dreams, ones you dread to see again", the hooded man said. Jahmil was shocked, and it reflected in his gesture.

"I can see it in your eyes", the hooded man continued.

"What do you want?" Jahmil asked, clenching his hand hardly to relieve the pressure.

"I just wanted to confirm, did you see a city in your dream? If you did, did it crumble into pieces and sink beneath the waves?".

"Yes- Yes I did", Jahmil replied.

"I see, then you are he who this stone is seeking for", he said, holding out an old book with a ruby embedded on its worn out leather cover.

"Seeking for? What are you talking about?" Jahmil asked. He felt like it was a gypsy's trick wherein he would have to pay for the information he received.

"Somewhere under the sea, beneath the crystalline waves that rock about, a city, by the name of Atlantis, sleeps, embraced by the seclusion of the depths. There the souls of the sea rest, congregating awaiting their final voyage to the afterlife. I can hear the calls of souls you might find dear. They are calling out to you", the hooded person replied.

"This book you see, only the chosen ones can see the writings on its pages, therefore only the chosen ones can decipher the codes that could unravel the location of Atlantis", he continued.

"I'm just a man, one of a myriad in this vast seedbed, why would you think I am chosen, and besides, what makes you think of that...that I am truly the chosen one?" Jahmil asked.

"Open the book, if you can see anything, then there's your proof", the hooded man replied. Jahmil opened the book, and saw writings on its pages. He looked up to tell the hooded man about it, but he just like a smoke disappeared into thin air.

Jahmil walked home confused, still his thought wandering and doubting the hooded man's words. Could he have been tricked? Perhaps the hooded man gave him the book so that the ruby would be his responsibility, and so that the hooded man could escape; a sneaky way to frame Jahmil. Also, the hooded man could just fake about not seeing the text on the book. But who would give away a gemstone? He asked himself. When he arrived home, he asked Alyaha to read the book.

"There's nothing here", she said.

"You gotta be joking, I can clearly see symbols and stuff on that thing", Jahmil replied.

"Did you hit your head on something, this is definitely blank. Where did you get this anyway?" Alyaha asked.

"Well-", Jahmil then told her of the entire story.

"A hooded man who could be anywhere at any second, giving you a book like this, and Atlantis, where your parents' souls are calling out to you? That sounds so great....I mean hahahaha a story I have already heard. You're messed up", Alyaha said.

"I know, but, what do you think I should do?" Jahmil asked.

"You do think of it? hahahaha, Okay If it's about the sea, then I suggest talking to Captain Fernando would be your best option", Alyaha continued laughing.

"Him? He's a noble for heaven's sake. How do you even expect me to approach him without getting halted by his bodyguards, it will seem quite suspicious", Jahmil said.

"I didn't say you could, I just said it's the best option. Well, the decision is yours", raising her eyebrows with a suspecting smile. She took a canvas, and started to paint. Jahmil sat on the bench, and opened the book. On the first page, there was a map, it was quite unfinished though, and it seemed to cut off on its edges. It seemed to be part of an even bigger map, but even the lines on it weren't clear at all. The rest were glyphs and symbols, arranged in patterns with transcriptions on it's top. He couldn't understand anything at all. He lay down, and thought well about it. He was superstitious, and the fact that his parents died at sea convinced him even more that his parents were really calling out to him. If they really had something to tell him, then he would have to hear what they would have to say.

"I don't really believe in things like souls calling out to the living, or an Atlantis. I am sure that it's just a myth, but you seem pretty confident about it. You're deciding to go aren't you?" Alyaha asked.

"Because of these circumstances I believe...yeah...I am going. I honor my parents very well. It would be a disgrace to meet them in the afterlife knowing that I failed to hear what they were going to say when I was still alive", As the young man justify himself , but Alyaha sighed and as if he did not hear the words correctly that Jahmil is leaving,as she continued to paint.

Days passed by after their conversation, she tried her best to convince herself that nothing was bothering her. She would attempt to paint, but whenever she tried, the outcome wasn't what she wanted. but she just couldn't help but feel frustrated that Jahmil was planning to leave

Jahmil thought well about it, and soon, his confidence in his own beliefs took the final push into convincing himself to go. One morning, he told Takheman of his plan.

"Yes, I heard of your plan".

"How did you know?"

"Alyaha told me about everything, but an adventure? That's not what you hear every day",

"I see, are you alright with it?"

"Well, as far as I can see you've been more than just good luck to this house. It's that attitude of yours. You don't fear change. That resilience is what brought my shop to its current prestige. I am more than certain that your fearlessness to change would change the fates of everyone you encounter. So go forth", Takhamen replied.

"Thank you, I owe my life to you and Alyaha",

The old man stopped and gazed blankly into the horizon. He wanted to tell him that if he could stop him for Alyaha. He knows that his daughter wanted not to let Jahmil leave.

"We will both be wishing you good luck", Takhamen said,

"Thank you."

Takhamen then gave Jahmil his blessing, and bade him goodbye. Jahmil headed to the port. He knew time was running out. As he heard, the captain was bound to leave in two days. He knew that this was the only chance he might ever have. With a steady heart, he was determined to do what his soul yearned for.