Love In The Abyss

"Are you ready?" she asked.

"I'm ready," he replied, as he fit her fingers in between his. 

They looked up at the cloudless sky, took a deep breath, and prepared for the plunge. Their marriage had taken a strain in recent months as pregnancy began to appear more and more unattainable. This night was a way to leave everything in reality behind for a few hours. 

They slowly inched toward the edge of the cliff. They held their hands tightly together. 

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

And they were off. 

They floated through the air as if God had reached down and picked them from the sky. Gravity was no more. The paperwork, bills, and worries were very much out of sight, and therefore, far out of mind. 

Their eyes were closed, hands were grasped, and hearts were racing. They prepared to hit the water, but the water didn't seem ready to take them in. It seemed as though time was suspended, like some metaphysical force was gracing them with what they had been lacking: a moment of pure peace and pleasure. 

The wind rushed through their hair as they neared the water. They felt connected for the first time in quite some time. Their grasped hands served as more than just security as they ventured out of their comfort zone, they served as somewhat of an emotional link. 

In unison, they hit the water. They hit hard. The peace was no more. The sound of the waves had disrupted the quiet. The wind was replaced by inescapable moisture. They thought their brief moment of peak connection had concluded. 

Their hands were separated by the impact. 

They floated down toward the river floor. 

They felt uneasy again, as if some metaphysical force was now working to finalize their seemingly inevitable eternal separation. 

Then they opened their eyes. 

The world below was something to marvel at. The water was no longer bleak and dark, it was vibrant and colorful. The abyss turned into green, glowing lights. The fish swam in a synchronized fashion. Even the coral seemed to be a gift from some higher power. 

They felt a pull they had never felt before. Their bodies slowly drifted toward each other. They found their hands involuntarily inching together. The beauty of the sea returned the brief peace they thought they had lost. 

They could breathe under water. They could observe the fish without the fear that they may attack. They could explore the unknown. The world, their new world, was at their fingertips. 

As the night moved along, the two were twirling about through the thick waters. The fish put on a show, performing tricks and boasting talents. The water gave off a light that, from the perspective of an onlooker above the water, stretched as far as the eye could see. They floated. They basked in the beauty of it all. They held each other and stared deep into their eyes as they felt themselves changing. They felt like there was hope for a brighter tomorrow, one with harmony and peace. In their newfound world, they felt as if nothing could bring them back to reality.

And nothing did.

The two were never seen again. 

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"Are you ready?" asked Amphitrite.

"I'm ready," replied Poseidon, as he fit her fingers in between his.

Soon after, they were committed to a world previously unknown for the rest of eternity.