The Drifting Child

THE DRIFTING CHILD

“Orlanda, Orlanda ,dear child wake up or you will be late for school “Said a faint voice of my mother with a air light stroke to my cheek .The hand was soft as a sheet brushing my cheek, smells sweet as cinnamon drifting in and out of my nose . Just like the pancakes she would wake me up with before school. My mother had the most innocent voice and unforgettable personality .Her love for a humans smile out weighed her own happiness. I always looked up to my mother everyday I would try to make people smile in anyway I could find .My mothers passion was swimming, She swam like a dolphin posed , she loved them dolphins nearly as much as me and father. Now the love my father had for my mother ,it was warm like the desert sun ,it was his power his weapon the love she grew in him was his biggest strength his drive to keep us both safe ,even when days on the police force got him down he would smile with a second in her presents.

The smell of cinnamon hit me again taking me away from memories and it soon started to drift into salt ,sea salt and sloshing and splashing started to ring in my ears. Then all of last night came back to me faster then the morning rush hour. The screaming at my dad ,the pain of my heart breaking ,the pity looks and sad faces from everyone dressed in black. “WHY DID YOU LET HER DIE I HATE YOU I HATE YOU!!” I screamed with such force I swore I could hit my father with just the sound of my venomous voice . “Orlanda please child shhh we can talk after everyone goes home “ My father pleaded with me scouring the room locking eyes with every one giving them a apologies smile in hope of them not impowering my outrage. With that I started to lay into my fathers thighs I was short and only 8 years old, the world was still a giant maze of over bearing objects and creatures . “ORLANDA ! STOP THIS RIGHT NOW AND GET TO YOUR ROOM I DON’T WANT TO SEE YOU NO MORE TONIGHT YOU HORRIBLE CHILD!” Roared my father. With that I stopped as if he had knocked the air out of me .I looked around the room seeing shocked gossiping hags and then back to my father who’s face was a patches of blotchy red .A tear escaped my eye and I ran out the back door instead letting the other tears flow from my eyes. I couldn’t hear my father chase after me but people saying let her go she needs space. No they was wrong I needed my mother I needed her sweet cinnamon smells .With that I looked back in hope of my father and a hug that would out weigh the pain ,but no joy so I turned back towards the dock at the end of our garden that joined us to the sea and our little white sailing boat and ran towards the last place I reamber the soft comfort of my mother before she left us .I ran towards the boat only to tumbled into the boat knocking my head all fuzzy eyed I saw I must have knocked the rope but then that was it lights out.

My head was sore and the sounds of waves sploshing around was deafening .”mother where are we?” I raspberry enquired only for few seconds of no response widening my eyes to dart around the boat to try and see this ghost of my late mother .No luck no luck at all but where had it come from who was talking and where was i? I stood up only for the rickety rockery boat to knock me back down so I scampered over to the side of the boat and to see nothing but blue pure blue. Fear started to set in and I reamber again falling into the boat knocking the rope loosing one my glossy black shoes. My heart started to play a beat of a much faster rhythm and my mind started to play all sorts of outcomes to my situation and with that I wanted my hero who broke my heart because he didn’t save my mum ,I wanted my dad .So I started to scream and scream until my lungs gave my voice no more air . My voice turned to sobs and rivers of tears . After what felt like all day my tears dried up I was too thirsty to cry and the sun started to fall down from the sky slowly. “ There you are little Child , they all are in a panic because of you” Said a squeaky but very calming voice .”Hel ..Hell …hello wh whos th th there?” I managed to croke a question. “Come here child , over here end of the boat “ Squeaked the voice .no matter how soothing this voice was it still frightened me .I was in the middle of the sea no land no mother or father and now a squeaky voice wanted me to pop my head over the side of the boat .I went on to question the situation reminding myself I herd my mothers voice earlier and it was not her now I’m hearing another voice no I was hearing things its all that made sense ,I was a child but magical creatures and miracles never appealed to me science and solid objects did ,things I could see and touch yes this was not right. “child of Pearl come here I need your help to get you back to your father come on” beckoned the squeaky imaginary voice .”your not real stop it go away!” I cried wishing so hard my mother was there to make the situation better. Hold on did this voice say child of Pearl? Surely not this couldn’t be right. “How do your know my mothers name?” I asked more inquisitively creeping pigeon steps towards the voice. “She was like a mother to me to child and I have saw you play with her swim in my tank you have also played with me many times. Now stop this or you will make your father go crazy.” And with that statement a splash of water was sloshed over the side of the boat at me and soaked me through and through. After wiping my eyes dry I looked over the side of the boat to see cinnamon the dolphin ,my mothers pet project she rescued as a baby and raised in the tanks at her big aquarium.” Cinnamon is that you?” I asked silently slapping myself with a don’t be daft girl. “Yes child that’s me ,your father was in such a hysterics at the aquarium yesterday morning ,when I herd you and the boat was missing I figured you ran away…” I stopped the dolphin there “I did not I tripped and fell into the boat next thing I know I woke up here and my father my father MY FATHER!” I went to shout but my words escaped me. ” Your father child is not to blame your mother loved the ocean as much as she loved you and your father one bad storm can do a lot of damage and he couldn’t get to her in time .She would take me out here through the back door of the aquarium most days we would swim for hours free like fish ,she loved it here child and she loved you both .Don’t be angry with your father he needs you and you him .”The dolphin explained with such sadness and pain. “I do miss my father so much ,I feel so alone and unsafe ,he always makes me feel safe, but he called me a horrid child “I said remembering our last words. “I bet you called him or said something your regret to, it all happens in the heat of the moment .I was the same child I miss my parents too and wish for times when I could say I’m sorry .You have a chance and that storm over there is gathering on you so please stop this anger and pass me the rope and lets get you back before the storm takes you too?” I didn’t know if that was a question or a demand but looking behind the black gathering clouds and the strikes of lightening striking the sea in the distance. The boat did start to rock more and more .I was truly scared now that day the storm that swallowed my mother was sudden and truly evil my father needed me I had to do this be brave until I felt safe again in my fathers arms. I turned to the dolphin and nodded and chucked the rope in the water and Cinnamon nodded back tacking the rope in his mouth and pulling like his life depended on it.

Several hours in the rain pouring over me trying to flood my little boat seemed like a life time the lightening crackled moments behind us reminding me of the situation and fear smothered me with thoughts of never seeing my dear father ever again .The howling winds and the voice of the thundering storm chased us trying to latch on to us. Every side to side rock I edged closer and closer to the side of the boat, the water didn’t look blue no more but black and hollow like a animals mouth ready to swallow me up. This storm and the sea was hunting me and I feared they would get they’re prey. Then CRACK! The mask got struck and we was in the eye of the storm .”Hide child hide” Cried a worried dolphin. I searched frantically ,CRACK ! another hit moments from my feet knocking me back. I screamed and went to stand falling over board!. “CHILD!! “ screamed Cinnamon I could hear him calling to me to grab the boat in and out of waves trying to swallow me .I started to see my mother in the light above the sea top as I drifted down under further towards my watery bed bellow, thoughts of my mother and father flooded me quicker then the sea.

Then when all started to feel more sleepy and lights started to go darker, a hand reached in and yanked me to the surface ”Iv got you Orlanda Iv got you, your safe. Full speed to shore quickly the storm is gathering!” shouted my father ,I would know that voice anywhere .No sound of the storm scared me now I was safe in my fathers arms and going home .Next day when I woke up in hospital I asked my father if he saw mums dolphin he sadly said he did not no one had since my mothers passing. We both agreed that day my mothers ashes would be chucked into the ocean where she spent most her time .I did worry about the little dolphin and wounded what had become of him or if I would ever get my chance to thank him.

That weekend me and my father and few friends gathered at the sea edge and throw my mothers ashes to the sea I watched them drift away ,there in the distance. “Father what is that look there” I pointed far out to sea .”it looks like our boat Darling and a little dolphin next to it drifting away.” Explained my father with such caress. With that I knew id never let my self drift away from my father again never again.