Ocean

They arrived at the ocean at a time when it was impossible to tell whether it was day or night.

The platform from which the family observed the ocean descended to the very surface of the water, close enough to touch it and feel its tension. At that moment, not a single wave disturbed the surface. The water appeared perfectly still and calm, like a small, quiet pond.

When the platform rose higher, the serene little pond disappeared. The family saw a majestic, boundless, roaring ocean with frothy waves.

They stood silently, gazing into the infinite blue expanse of the ocean—until the ocean began to gaze back at them. This struck the family’s son the most; a lump rose in his throat.

A thought flickered in his mind: How can one hold on here... And the boy spat straight into the endless abyss of water.

For a moment, everything around plunged into silence. His parents exchanged glances.

The next moment, everything seemed the same. But it only seemed.

The parents left, leaving the boy alone on the planet, which, ironically, much later came to be called Earth.