Facing the sea, I lightly closed my eyes, feeling the wind caress my skin. Driving for an hour and clueless where to go, I reached this wharf.

Currently leaning towards my motorcycle, the wind is busy playing my length-long jet black hair. The side mirror showed me my full red lips and my most hated colored orbs. One exhale and the wind echoed how cold this night is.

And I am a lost soul with nowhere to go.

Motherless.

Fatherless.

It seemed like I am an orphan of the world.

My cabin is the vastness of the earth. And I am voicelessly... still... stumbling in its shadows.

I was busy minding what date of the month it is and why the moon is in its waxing crescent phase when I noticed some small lights moving from afar. Not on the sky, but the land. And that they are manipulated by humans.

With no intention to tame my hair, my feet dragged me toward what I felt are fishermen.

Holding something, I watched how the younger one try his best to put it into a small boat, but it was swaying in unison with the waves— making it harder for his frail arms.

The elder man is closely watching the younger one with his hands crossed on his chest, making him do all of it by himself alone. The lines of the muscles from his arms down his torso were all embedded as if has been there for a while. His eyes are hard and it tells how he... is a different kind.

Having nothing to do, I found myself strolling the area until I reach them. And it is as if the sound of my heels ticking on the floor quickly caught their attention.

The younger one turned his head first. I gazed blankly at the open sea when he almost fell down the water when he decide to let go of the net.

Fortunately, the older one who seemed to be keenly watching his every move is fast enough to grab him by the shirt.

The way his arms snappily stretched tells how ready he is for the possible incident. And how he managed to move just his arms and stood still on the same ground besides the situation, speaks loud of his confidence and good calculation of how things might end up.

Quite beguiled, I gave him crude eyes. A force is urging me to gaze more at the older one but I stopped myself.

Why?

Why do I want to gaze more? And why do I refuse to do it though?

I don't know either. Perhaps I was a little engaged and entertained by his reflexes... and intensity.

The boy scratched the back of his head and showed me an embarrassed smile. The older man only smiled at me a little as an acknowledgment on how his son acted.

My attention drifted back to the swaying boat when a loud wave thumped its wooden body. On wonders, I turned my focus to the tricky sea. My thoughts got deeper when succeeding waves reached the wharf.

Indeed treacherous. Dangerous.

And the night is cold.

But they are out here fighting with the vicious waves and the rebellious wind.

People do everything to live this life, yet someone out there is busy plotting how to end lives, nonchalantly. How to make someone suffer when they obviously just want to live the best out of their life. To make a living. To live a great time even though it couldn't be as perfect.

It is cruel, don't you think?

To want to live yet ending up suffocated.

"Is it far? I want to see a fish" I found my voice in the darkest pit of the sea, and saw the younger one drop his jaw.

He glanced back at his father, like he heard something wrong, and then back at me and what I was wearing. One thing I also noticed is that he has sinister eyes that are more sinister than my fox eyes. And that they were light gold.

But unlike mine, it is simply... just an innocent child's eyes.

No voidness. Plainly inquisitive and never threatening.

"But I do not know if a boat is already available at this hour ma'am," the younger one said, scratching the back of his head. Maybe pertaining to a yacht.

I glazed at how his shaggy hair danced profusely with the wind.

"No. I would like to invite myself to join the fishing," I demanded.

How long has it been since I last fished I wonder? That was long long ago...

Minutes of silence passed and I am ready to take my words out, but-

"We'll be back at 4," this time it is the older man who talked. The raspiness of his voice fueled the taut demeanor he is effortlessly displaying. I cannot see anything in his eyes aside from his careful observation of how I react to the information.

I nodded, cold.

He turned to urge his frenzied son to board the boat. When I removed my heels off my feet, the coldness and roughness of the floor immediately felt too liberating.

This is a once in a lifetime. To sail with complete strangers without the doubts.. nor fears... on a whole new odyssey.

Careful as a cat, I successfully managed to balance myself on the moving boat. I stepped over on the big net they might be using to fish later and positioned myself in the middle to sit. The boat moved largely on the side when the older man placed himself, but within seconds, the placement of the boat become stable. He started pulling something and the engine started.

I tore my eyes off anyone to focus on carefully placing my fingers on the glistening water to mark a line on the ocean, a normal thing fearless people would do.

And in trance, I got immediately drowned by its mystery. I moved my hand towards the water, like the caressing of its shallow body will reach the deepest and darkest of it.

This is how they survive life. Every night traveling the sea, embracing the coldness and the uncertainties of the night, with little lights guiding their path.

"What's your name?" the little boy asked.

I withdrew my hand but remained looking forward. I didn't answer.

"Hello..."

I caught him blinking his eyes at my yet again rude silence. His lips then protruded after his eyes flew to my back.

I gulped, feeding my throat with my supposed to be answer.

No follow-up questions were then thrown after that but I can sense him, frequently looking back to me, opening and closing his lips. He inhaled sharply when I finally let our eyes meet.

I am here to sail with strangers. And we can't be complete strangers anymore once we learn our names.

In the first place, I couldn't allow anything beyond that so we should talk nothing about ourselves. No introduction leads to lower attachments. We don't need each names.

After hours of sailing and roaring of the engine, the boat finally comes to a stop. Guess... time to fish.

Without further ado, I quickly jump out of the boat.

The blatant coldness of the water enveloped my body together with the dark silent night.

Throwing the net on the sea would be a trouble if I wouldn't step out of the boat. The long ride is already a hard work, I shouldn't let my obstinacy to mix in. Besides, I feel like the ocean is pulling me to dive in, no matter how this is out of my plan.

The ocean ruins plans, indeed.

Since dark, I only marveled its shallowness. Bathophobia rarely gets me, but it still finds its way into me when all is dark, silent... and too unfamiliar.

The ocean will never be a familiar place. It would always be unfamiliar inside. Especially when enthralled by absolute dusk.

I brought myself up after about near half an hour of diving and was welcomed by the glaring panic and fear laced in the young boy's eyes. The obvious fast heaving of his chest vulgarly halted as soon as I submerged in front of him.

"Lady! W-why did you do that?!" his eyes moistened.

How easily shaken.

An image of a 12 years old girl in a compartment crossed my mind. The darkness in me subtly muted.

"I can swim." I casually declared to somehow lessen his panic and shock.

He nodded silently but I can still read something in his eyes. He tore his eyes from me and busied himself with the net. The older man inspected me for a second, then his eyes flew to the boy.

I sensed some emotion in it but it was immediately covered as he turns to the sea.

I watched them for a moment before diving again. It was as if something has bothered them.

I swimmed and swimmed until I'm fully satisfied and decided to get myself out of the water. The boy silently opened a box compartment at the edge of the boat and took out a white cloth... subtly shaking.

"This is unused, ma'am" he offered, not looking at me.

I held it and made myself busy with it. Dried my hair, glazed my skin. I wasn't suppose to talk but I wasn't always confused so...

"Where is this place?"

It feels calming to be out here.

I wasn't exact but I know I traveled more than 4 hours with my bike and another hours through their boat.

I remained mute as he remained mum after my question. Sooner, he took his time staring at me that I ended up a little interrupted of displaying my usual facade.

Do I look strange? Is there something biting off  my face?

Perhaps, is he scared of me too?

But I am not scaring him.

In fact, I have been a bit considerate.

"This is still a part of Carriestera," the man behind me said.

I nodded. Then Carriestera was indeed big. We have traveled a long way. For how many hours.

The boy in front of me opened up a traditional lamp. All its fire is covered by glass which serves as its very own body. The smell of burning kerosene reached my nose.

And the boy's face seemed to blush together with the lamp as I caught him glancing at me for the fifth time around.

Have I stressed him? Or is he simply finding me indifferent? This has something to do with my sudden jump, I guess... He wasn't so much like this a while ago.

"Check the net," the voice behind me ordered, distracting him again.

The boy obeyed, along with his murmurs containing his shallow dispute as it was the sixth time his father ordered him to do it.

"It is still not ready to pull up," he grumpily objected.

"Keep your eyes wary on the sea, the waves might go tricky. Shouldn't we alter things before we get into trouble?"

Alter what?

They spent hours doing what they normally do, and I seated, watching, and waiting for them patiently in the boat. I detected some lights away from us and I believe those are other fishermen striving to catch something for their families too. My palms darted to my clothes... still no cold cash. I have no money in here but cards.

If ever the heavens will offer me to live like they do, I would definitely switch places.

They live a hard life but it is better than my dark life.

The world should have not made me experience a bright life just to take it away from me immediately.

Yes. I turned out this ungrateful.

We are sailing the way back home, with the light of the lighthouse guiding from afar, when I notice something moving in the water.

A dog.

Why is it here, swimming alone in the sea?

I turned to ask the boat to stop for a while but it seems like the old man has been observant of me for a while, so he immediately nod without me saying a word.

I rashly swam to reach for the labrador. He has the size of a normal grown dog and he looked so tired of swimming. His shiny deep black fur, his feet, and his jet eyes are the evidence of it. I searched for a nearby boat where he may fell out but found none. I also didn't notice a person from where he came from. He is shaking and the cold wind is not helping to soothe him tonight.

I fastly settled him in the boat. Unease of the way he is shivering, I attended to him until we reached the wharf.

We got out of the boat, with me carrying the dog and them gathering all the fishes they caught this night. I heard them saying it's the "normal catch". The dog is a bit heavy because he is already big, so I renewed my hold on him, properly carrying him.

He is also alone now.

The cold wind blew again. I embraced the dog more to make him feel my warmth because I felt him shiver again.

It's time to go home.

With a not-really-visible smile on my lips I didn't know I have, I turned to them for this silent accommodating night.

"Thanks," with a small voice I said, in unison with the wind that is blowing my hair and covering my face.

They both smiled knowingly at me. Though the latter significantly had a more reserved one.

"You can find us here if you wanted to tag along with us to fish again Miss!" said the young one with the warmest smile.

My eyes dropped on his smile and he lessened how wide it got.

But I do not know whether I can have time to explore with unknown people like this again. I do not own my time. And it isn't always in favor of my personal plans.

"But the next time you should bring a jacket to keep you from freezing," he continued, smiling wide and proud again at me.

The older man ruffled the young one's hair before turning to me.

"It would be nice sailing with you again," this time his smile held something on me.

I felt something tug in my heart.

And if only I would allow myself I would have run to hug them, but instead, I renewed my hold on the dog.

Some people can really treat you better than your family. And a person who is left without a family to call, wavers easily to this kind of warmth offered.

I coldly nodded at them to confirm my departure. The emptiness of the road might have scared the vehicles, but not my bike who remained to be fatally striking on its stand. I picked up my heels up and climbed up my motorcycle with the dog as my companion for the night.

A little warmth to a cold drive.