Still Waters
rating: +11+x

"Any idea where this is?!" Daga shouts out, catching Gani's attention who only shrugs. Daga pushes the boat into the sand while Gani starts walking across the beach. A storm had caught up with them on the way to— well, Daga had no idea and Gani refused to say anything.

"I'll be back!" Gani shouts, disappearing into the forest that borders the beach before Daga even had a chance to respond. He only sighs, walking off in the opposite direction to look for any food they could eat.

The forest was quiet with nothing but the salt-scented wind gently flowing through the empty spaces between the trees. Gani was walking among the trees and grass, skimming through the list of people that slipped through Kalag's system. They thought that maybe they should update it, but knowing where they were, that thought was just silly. They took out a small device, one of the tracking devices Kalag had developed a few decades ago, and scanned the first out of many names on their list only for the device to show nothing.

"Of course…" They mutter under their breath before putting the device back into their pocket. They kept walking, and slowly the smell of salt in the air started to disappear. The forest was quieter too, like a held breath, and Gani stops to take in the silence.

"Hello?" They say out loud, and their voice echoes through the trees, fading away into the distance. They kept walking, walking to the point where Gani's steps felt mechanical.

So they kept walking, their destination unknown and infinite. Gani thinks that it's infinite, after all, their echo just passed through with no stopping.

At this point Gani runs, they run because they felt desperate for the first time in 600 years.

.

you're testing my patience

..

do you want me to be alone like you?

I came here for a job

….

do you ev


The forest was quiet with nothing but the salt scented wind gently flowing through the empty spaces between the trees. Gani was walking among the trees and grass, skimming through the list of people that slipped through Kalag's system, when they suddenly came upon a lake.

The water was still, and the air around the lake felt cold. They stare at their reflection in the water. The still water caught a perfect reflection of their face and it blended into the lake. They looked up and saw a fog slowly forming around the lake

"Gani?" a voice shouts out, startling them. They turn and sigh in relief when they see it was only Daga.

"I don't think I found anything yet." Gani shakes their head in disappointment.

"Well, we can try later. We should probably look for food first." He suggests, and Gani nods in agreement. They turn back to see the lake, only to find that the fog had just disappeared. The sun was shining brightly, and Gani stood there for a moment.

"What was the weather when we got here?" They ask, slowly catching up to Daga.

"Hm? Oh it was sunny." he answered, "Why? did something happen?"

"No… I just, I guess this place is making me a little paranoid."

He just laughs.

"That's just how it is in this place"


….

Daga where are you? I fucking hate it here

I think. I think I found them. Where are you?

…..


"Hm? Oh it was sunny." he answered, "Why? did something happen?"

"Actually… I think we should check the lake later."

"Oh?" Daga turns and stop, waiting for Gani to catch up with him.

"It's kinda obvious. I doubt that the island is that big and we've been sailing for days and found nothing until that storm." Gani explains as they ran up to Daga.

"Well, we'll do your little investigation later." Daga says, gesturing to the setting sun.


The water was still, and the air around the lake felt cold. The island was empty, and all Gani could see was their reflection.

In still waters, you can see a glimpse of what the water hides. That's why the water always moves, because it always feels guilty.

The water was still, and the air around the lake felt cold. The island was empty, and all Gani could see was their reflection.

Gani looks closer, and the dread they felt turned into horror.

"Daga?!" they call out, "Daga!"

No answer.

"Fuck!" They frantically look around, trying to find another way to get into the lake. All they found was the mock of their reflection.


"Dinner was alright I guess" Gani shrugs.

"Can you give me something more… enthusiastic than that?" Daga grumbles, nudging Gani's shoulder.

"Well it's not as great as how my mother makes it"

"That's just an impossible standard." Daga says with a light chuckle.

"Fine, then you're second best to her." Gani says with a smile.

"How flattering…"


Why now? You can't be gone too.

You're ok right?.

You're ok

You're ok

Are you going to leave?


Gani dives into the lake, it didn't matter anymore how much it scared them, there are worse things in this world to fear than what the water tries to hide.

The pressure of the water didn't matter, the pull didn't matter. Gani swims through the water until they felt a hand.


When you first came here, there was something in your eyes that intrigued me. You resemble someone I know, someone who cared for me.

You have her eyes, like pools of storm water keeping itself still in a bowl.

Can you tell me about the first time you met the sea?

It was cold and I felt desperate, I didn't want to die.

Do you enjoy what was given to you because of that desperation?

Do you enjoy the life given to you as a god?

You speak as if you understand us.

I don't like that I do. Though it comforts me, that the first person to have grieved was the sea.


When Daga wakes up, he finds Gani passed out beside him. The sun was shining across the lake, and the air felt warm again. Daga carries Gani back to the shore, where the boat was.

Gani wakes up in a hammock to find that the ship had been sailing. They go to Daga who was staring out into the horizon. He turns and smiles softly.

"It seems like you found what we came here for."

"It's safe to assume all of the people in the list died by well… drowning in the lake."

"It doesn't explain why we had to come all the way here."

"It was just some… divine intervention."

They stay in silence for a moment, until Daga clears his throat.

"Did you save me back there?" he asks.

"I did…" they answer.

"Thank you"

Gani says nothing and only leans on Daga's shoulder.


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