The only sound at this point is the sea. The waves are simply awesome. Even after they break in the distance, they still blast into huge splashes against the rim of the swimming pool, and often big waves push into the artificial lagoon that makes the lagoon, a swimming pool, dangerous to swim in but also very fun. She dips her feet in the water a little, mindful of the waves, small or large, that come in after each explosion in the far end of the lagoon exposed to the sea. The water feels cold to the feet, but then water always feel cold to the feet, be it from a lake, the sea, or a swimming pool. Only the water in her bathtub at home would ever feel warm. The cold feeling of the water gives her reasons to hesitate, and that hesitation grows more whenever a wave rushes in, making her take steps back. Only one person is in the lagoon now. Technically, no one is allowed to be in the lagoon, but this is Spain and rules are always bendable. Her companion is less hesitant, and just walks into the water, hesitates for a second before dipping his entire body in the briny water.
She looks into the distance for the four waves that are coming, breaking in the shallow water and continuing their advance. The waves start out as a simple wall of water whose very simplicity lends to its awe, and soon the wall reaches a critical height, becomes turquoise clear, and suddenly, with a thin cap of white foam forming, it forms a tunnel that quickly collapses the wave into a long foam of powerful water. That foam quickly grows in size until it hits the lagoon's outer wall, pushing what's left of the water into the what is normally a sanctuary for swimmers. She feels the cold of the water that try to sneak up on her. The sharp difference of temperature between the water and her skin causes anxiety, but also exhilaration. There's a sharp, if a little soft, voice in her that begs her constantly to just jump in the water to join her companion. Like a nagging and frantic child wanting a candy for the sake of getting her wishes fulfilled, that voice is impossible to ignore, despite a wall of fear within her. She brushes her hair back, feeling it sticky from the briny air. The sea has already penetrated her head before her body has submerged in it. The water of the lagoon is made of visible waves, mirroring the violence not too far away. She turns her head and sees that the Red Cross lifeguard is watching her and her companion. The red flag is flapping angrily at her and others contemplating defying the danger warning about getting in the lagoon that is no longer a haven. She turns to look at her companion, who is holding on to the railing as the water pushes back into the center of the lagoon after a wave finishes its final push. It all looks dangerous, but she knows that it's not as long as she doesn't swim beyond the safety of the rails.
She looks up a little and sees the waves have died down a bit. It's a lull before a triplet or quadruplet of huge ones come in. She walks with rediscovered determination, feeling the cold water that is caressing the steps into the lagoon. Her companion smiles at her and encourages her to go in before submerging himself completely in the water to wet his head. She allows the water to come to her knees. Then there it is, first of the quadruplet of waves arriving soon, she can see them. The water level goes down a little, and she wants to step back up. But then she finds herself kneeling, instead. As if she's praying, she faces the sudden surge of water at the far end of the lagoon as the wave comes in a rapid speed, and before she can blink, she is carried up and towards the top of the stairs. Her heart goes wild and her face twists into a fearful smile. The cool water has reached her neck and she feels the cold calming her nerves. Finally, she is with the sea, even if inside the relative safety of the lagoon. She feels comforted, as if in the warm embrace of an old friend. It is an old friend. It has been many years since she had been in the sea. She has seen it many times, of course. But each time she was fully clothed, with no intention of being inside. She misses it, but she never felt all right reconnecting with it since she had arrived in this new country, this new life. She had associated the sea always with her previous life, her family, her old friends. And to be in it had always made her feel sad, and to add to the sadness, she would feel disconnected from her past, which she didn't want and couldn't do. She would criticize the water here, too cold, too ugly, too polluted, too different from where she had been. And now, being in the embrace of the sea again, smelling it, tasting it, she feels the warmth again. And like her companion had just done a minute ago, she sinks all the way beneath the water when another wave comes in, and suddenly, she hears the sea's heartbeat again, the quiet heartbeat of the inner sanctum of the sea that is safe from the waves of its demeanor. And her heart finally smiles for the first time since arriving in her new life.
