Oceaneria

That day, I returned from school a little early. They'd canceled our last two classes. It was mid-January, so some of my classmates took advantage of the early dismissal to go to Górka Słowiańska, which was near the school building.

Unfortunately, I couldn't, as I had to get home as quickly as possible. The first thing I did upon arriving was turn on the computer. My mother and my younger brother had gone to her sister's for a few days, so I was alone.

I went to my favorite website, and before I knew it, it was already eleven o'clock. I was very sleepy, so I quickly washed up and went to bed. But before I fell asleep, I picked up a book; I read something every evening. Anything, as long as it was fantasy or scenic fiction. This time, it was a novel by an unknown author called "Dargonesti." It told of a future in a world "flooded" by seas and oceans, but with almost no land.

After a moment, I realized I'd been transported to the world of the book. I was wearing a nightgown, but I didn't feel the ocean's chill. I was sitting on the edge of a small island, on the beach. I felt the fine, damp sand beneath my palms.

I turned back. Behind me stretched a meadow lush with daisies and clover. Around the meadow grew large, old trees with thick branches.

Suddenly, I heard a strange sound from the sea; something like a squeal, or... the sound of a dolphin. I turned and saw a beautiful, gray dolphin slowly swimming toward the shore. As it approached, it changed form. A moment later, a girl of about seventeen stood before me. "

Welcome to the Isle of Desire. I'm Jessica. If you want, I can show you around the seabed," the girl said in a slightly squeaky voice. After she said that, I stood up. "

Hello. My name is Janet. But... how am I supposed to get to the bottom of the sea without a diving suit?" "I asked, slightly embarrassed. Jessica just laughed softly and took my hand.

"Oceaneria," she whispered quietly, as if to herself, and smiled. "Now, close your eyes and come with me."

I obeyed, and after a moment, I felt myself sinking into the water. I walked and walked, still holding Jessica's hand. It felt different; it became slippery and uncomfortable to hold. But I kept my eyes closed. The water was already up to my neck, but Jessica still guided me.

Suddenly, I felt the ground slipping away from under my feet. I opened my mouth, and my lungs instantly filled with water. I'm drowning! I wanted to scream, but only a faint whimper escaped my lips.

"Now open your eyes. Slowly!" I heard a series of the same squeaks, but this time they came from Jessica's mouth! Slowly, very slowly, I opened my eyes. First one, then the other. I was at the very bottom of the sea. I looked down. Below me swam magnificent dolphins and orcas, and in the distance I saw something like a shell castle. The glow from it was so intense that I looked away. I saw Jessica. She was in the same form I'd first seen her in! She was... a dolphin. She smiled at me slightly.

"So? Do you like this new incarnation?" she asked. I heard another series of squeaks, but I could make them out. I looked at my hands, but instead I saw fins! And where my legs should have been, there was a fish tail!

Seeing my surprise, Jessica laughed and swam quickly toward the castle.

"Come on! I'll show you something!" she called. I didn't want to lose sight of her, so I followed, wagging my tail vigorously. After a moment, I caught up with Jessica. She was waiting for me at a large gate, overgrown with coral in every color of the rainbow.

"Hurry! It's about to begin!" said a small dolphin to a slightly larger one. Probably friends.

"Jessica, why is everyone in such a hurry?" I asked. "

Come on, you'll find out," my guide replied mysteriously, and with graceful movements, she swam through the gate, with me following. We entered what looked like a large auditorium. In the center, on a large raised platform, was a stage. To the left of the entrance were regular chairs and benches. Half of them were occupied by the newts and mermaids I'd read about in various novels, while to the right was a large area where dolphins gathered. Jessica and I swam to the right. As soon as we took our seats, a fanfare sounded, and a mermaid appeared on stage.

"Greetings to everyone gathered for the concert celebrating the 10th anniversary of the band "Szalone Rybki"! And here they are..." The mermaid recited the nicknames of all the "Szalone Rybki" (Crazy Fishes). The mermaid whose nickname she had pronounced swam onto the stage and circled the audience. A moment later, seven mermaids were hovering above the dais. The concert began. The mermaids sang various songs, alternating squeals and harsh words. It seemed that performing the "verbal" songs was much more demanding than the squeals and squawks.

After about four hours, the sun, which had previously reached the underwater auditorium freely, slowly began to fade and finally disappeared for good. I guessed that dusk had just fallen on the surface. I was a bit surprised, because when I entered the water with Jessica, the sun hadn't even completed half of its daily journey across the horizon. It was no later than ten in the morning. So now it should be around two.

"Why is it already dark? It's the middle of the day!" I said to Jessica. But she laughed, as she always did, and replied:

"I'm no expert, but it's probably because on Oceaneria, a day is twelve hours long... I once heard there was a planet where the day itself is twelve hours long. It had this funny name... Ziamia, no. Zomia... no, not like that either...

" "Maybe you mean Earth?" I suggested

. "Yes! The creatures that live there must be terribly bored with those extra twelve hours..." Jessica said thoughtfully. "If anything lives there," she added. I decided to change the subject.

"When can I return to the surface?"

"Immediately, if you want. What? Don't you like it here?"

"It's wonderful here! Just... oh, never mind. I just want to go back," I said. I deliberately said this last part of my statement in a slightly stronger voice so Jessica wouldn't be able to ask another question.

"As you wish. We're sailing," she said in a resigned tone, and a moment later I broke through the shimmering surface of the water. As I approached the shore, I changed forms. I was human again. Jessica transformed too and walked me to the edge of the beach.

"Goodbye," she said as she left, and jumped into the water. It was clear she wasn't too happy with my decision; she probably wanted to show me something else. I watched her disappear into the depths of the sea for a moment. Suddenly, I saw something I'd missed before. Two suns were rising above the horizon! One hung in the north, the other in the south. I sat down on the sand to admire this beautiful landscape. After a long while, I got up and went to a clearing. I felt strangely sleepy, so I lay down under a tree and fell asleep.

The next morning, I woke up just as the two suns merged into one. I got up and went to the beach, intending to wash my face. I was already ten paces from the water's edge when I heard voices coming from behind a nearby rock. I quickly hid among the trees; I didn't want to be surprised.

Suddenly, I saw two figures walking towards the water. They were talking in a language I didn't know, but I guessed they were looking for someone. They must not have noticed me, because as soon as they reached the beach, they jumped into the water and swam away. I waited a moment and then approached the water as well. It was a mistake. The two figures I'd seen jumping into the water now emerged with surprising speed and grabbed my arms.

"Szageria undor vone klauf," one of them said. I guessed I had to go somewhere, but I didn't know where. Seeing my surprise, the second figure spoke. "

The King of the Sea is calling you." I obediently stepped into the water and began to transform into a dolphin. One of my guides must have uttered a spell.

We were sailing in the complete opposite direction than Jessica and I had sailed yesterday. After a moment, in the distance, I saw a castle far more magnificent than the one I'd seen the day before. It was built of amber and white marble. As I approached the castle, vast coral reefs began to appear around me, shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow. The guides sailed through a huge gate, adorned with pure gold and diamonds, still guiding me. I was led into a large hall, the walls of which were covered with large shells. "

Further sail on your own. Straight ahead," one of the figures said. After a few seconds, I saw a massive figure on a golden throne. This must be the King of the Sea. I swam even closer. The King spoke:

"Welcome. I'm glad you're here..." he said, and nodded to a mermaid in golden livery. The mermaid handed something to the King. "Come." That was for me. I slowly approached the throne, and the king placed a gold medallion with a dolphin around my neck.

"May you always return here. I know it's strange, but you hold no secrets from me. I know everything: the past, the present, and the future. That's why I know you'll soon wake up and forget about this wonderful place. You're the first inhabitant of Earth to arrive here. Therefore, I want Oceaneria to remain in your memory forever. And for you to always return here in your dreams..." he said incredibly slowly, then added:

"Remember, Oceaneria has always existed and will exist until the end of the universe. In your memory..."

I woke up suddenly and sat up in bed. I glanced at the clock on the nightstand: 11:59 PM. It had only lasted an hour... I couldn't believe it had been so short! And yet... I lay down again, wanting to fall back asleep.

"Oceaneria..." I whispered softly, and the medallion around my neck glowed delicately...