“You want me to stay here?” I ask slowly, unsure if I’m understanding. The kraken nods, its bioluminescent skin glowing brightly as if to emphasize the command. Without another word, it dips below the surface, disappearing from sight.
I sit in the kayak, bobbing gently on the water, doing what the kraken commanded, but my worry grows. Did I understand it correctly? What if I was supposed to do something else? What if it’s not coming back?
Just as my anxiety peaks, the water ripples again, and the kraken reappears. This time, it has something wrapped carefully in its tentacle. It swims close, offering me the item. With shaking hands, I reach out, and the kraken drops something into my palm. I look down to see a beautiful seashell, its inside gleaming with mother-of-pearl.
“Oh,” I breathe, feeling the words catch in my throat. “It’s… it’s beautiful. Thank you,” I manage, still grappling for the right words. “I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”
The kraken’s skin ripples with iridescent hues – soft blues and purples swirling across its surface in response to my words. A warmth emanates from the depths of its eyes that tugs at something deep within me. Slowly, almost hesitantly, it extends a tentacle towards my face again. The gentle brush against my cheek is cool and slightly textured. I lean into the touch, my eyelids fluttering closed. The naturalness of this connection with a creature I’d thought a myth until days ago is both startling and exhilarating, made even more magical by the vibrant display of its pleasure.
As I open my eyes, I realize how much time has passed. Once high and bright, the sun now hangs lower in the sky, the kraken’s shadow stretching through the deep blue water.
I take a deep breath, feeling a mixture of emotions swirling within me. “I… I have to go soon,” I tell the kraken softly, my voice tinged with reluctance. “I need to return to the marina. I’m going on a sailboat cruise with my friend Levi.”
Even as I say the words, I feel torn. Part of me longs to stay here, to continue this magical encounter with the kraken. Yet, I can’t deny the flutter of excitement at seeing Levi again. At themention of Levi’s name, the kraken seems to startle, its body suddenly tensing. Noticing this, I quickly add, “Oh, don’t worry! I haven’t told Levi or anyone about you. You might have seen Levi. He lives in the houseboat next to the one I’m staying in. He’s really nice.”
The kraken’s eyes narrow slightly at the word ‘nice’, almost as if raising an eyebrow despite having no hair or eyebrows. I can’t help but giggle at the expression.
“Did you… did you see us kiss?” I ask, and the kraken nods, swishing water playfully around my kayak.
I can’t help but laugh. “Okay, so Levi… it’s complicated. He’s more than a friend, but I don’t know what to call it. I mean, I’m leaving in about ten days. Starting something serious right now seems crazy, right? And long distance?” I shake my head. “God, listen to me – I’m getting ahead of myself. He hasn’t even said he wants anything more than a fling.”
At the mention of my departure, the kraken’s skin seems to darken, the vibrant colors fading to more muted tones. The sudden shift in mood sobers me, reminding me of the complex nature of this unexpected connection.
My voice is barely above a whisper when I ask, “Will I see you again?”
The kraken nods, and I feel relief wash over me. Then, to my surprise, it begins to push my kayak gently back towards the marina. As we move through the water, I wonder about this mysterious creature.
“You know,” I say, tilting my head, “I keep thinking of you as ‘he’ in my head, but I shouldn’t assume. Are you male?” The kraken seems to hesitate as if unsure how to respond. “Oh! We could make this easier – tap once for yes, twice for no. Would that work?”
A tentacle gently taps my thigh once, making me grin in delight at this new form of communication. “Okay, are youfemale?” Two taps against my leg. “So, you’re male?” One firm tap confirms what I’d suspected.
He pushes my kayak through the water, each movement careful and deliberate. The marina grows larger on the horizon, a reminder that our time together is ending.
“Thank you,” I say as we approach the marina. The kraken sinks lower into the water, his massive form submerging until only the crown of his head and those enormous eyes break the surface. His hesitation to venture closer to the populated area is clear. “For everything,” I add softly. “For trusting me.”
He responds by gently wrapping a tentacle around my wrist. The contrast strikes me – this enormous creature, capable of capsizing ships, now giving me such a delicate, careful squeeze.
After a moment, the kraken releases my wrist and raises the tentacle in what I can only interpret as a wave of goodbye. Then, slowly, it begins to sink beneath the surface. I watch, transfixed, as its massive form gradually disappears. The last thing I see are those intelligent eyes holding my gaze until they, too, vanish beneath the waves.
I stare at the spot where it disappeared for a long moment, part of me still unable to believe what just happened. The gentle lapping of waves against my kayak mingles with the distant sounds of the marina – the clanking of rigging against masts, the muffled voices of people on the docks, and the occasional rev of a boat motor. These familiar noises, once so ordinary, now seem to belong to a different world entirely. They remind me of the life I must return to, even as the memory of the kraken’s touch lingers on my skin.
As I paddle back to my houseboat, my mind whirls with wonder. A kraken – an actual, living, breathing kraken – here in Lublin Harbor! The thought alone seems absurd like something from an old sailor’s tale told over too many drinks. But this is real. My friend is real. The word ‘friend’ catches in mythoughts, strange and wonderful when paired with a creature of such legendary power. I keep glancing over my shoulder at the open water behind me, half-expecting to see those intelligent eyes watching me or the subtle ripple of a tentacle beneath the surface.
I tie up the kayak and climb back onto my houseboat, my eyes drawn again to Levi’s dark, empty home. Relief washes over me as I realize I’ve beaten him back. I’m glad I didn’t leave him waiting for me, especially after our plans for the evening. Guilt flickers at the edge of my thoughts; I’d promised not to kayak alone after yesterday, but explaining why I felt it was necessary to break my vow would be impossible.
Without wasting another moment, I rush inside. There’s no time to dwell on my incredible encounter with the kraken right now – I need to shower and prepare for… well, is it a date? He’s still technically my tour guide. After last night with Levi, I’d like to think we’re so much more, but we haven’t defined things. The thought sends both excitement and nervousness through me. As I hurry to the bathroom, I can’t help but smile at the duality of my day: from mythical sea creatures to a potentially romantic evening sail.
As I shower, I find myself caught between two worlds in Lublin Harbor. There’s Levi, whose warm smile and gentle hands make my body hum with possibility, promising the kind of deep connection I’ve always hoped to find. And then there’s the kraken, whose very existence has shattered everything I thought I knew about reality.
CHAPTER 18
Levi
As I hurry toward Captain Orin’s sailboat, I can barely focus on anything except remembering how Rose reacted when I revealed my kraken form to her. My footsteps echo on the dock’s wooden planks, a rhythm that matches the excited beating of my heart. I can’t wait to see her again. Tonight’s sunset sail with Rose is all I can think about, and I want everything to be perfect.
Rose. The image of her, her eyes wide with wonder as she gazed up at me in my kraken form, is burned into my memory. I’m so lost in my memories, I nearly trip over a warped board on the dock. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined a human, even one as extraordinary as Rose, accepting my kraken nature so readily. The joy and delight on her face when she saw me…
I shake my head, still in disbelief. She threw herself into the ocean to force a meeting with me. It was reckless and audacious, dangerous even, but I was so moved by her desire to meet me.
