Short, Light, Free

Chapter 47: Pacific Ocean

It all happened in the Pacific Ocean.

I am a drop of tear. Don’t ask me why.

What was rational was actual and what was actual was rational.

I belonged to a whale.

I was in his eye and I saw the things he saw.

My master was a strong whale.

I followed him everywhere until the moment his body lost warmth.

It should be said that I was the only one by his side when he died.

Whales lived and moved about in a group but they die alone.

I could feel how regretful he had been the moments leading up to his death.

If it was true that regretful tears were salty, I would most definitely be the saltiest drop to exist.

But nothing can be changed.

I still remembered what Chalk’s father had said.

“You’re the strongest whale to be born this year, Chalk.”

While the other newborn whales weighed only about six tonnes, Chalk was eight. A big doll indeed.

Chalk nudged his father, asking, “Am I strong enough, Father? When can I be like you?”

His father smiled. “You have to grow much more to become like me, child.”

“Grow much more?” Chalk asked doubtfully.

Master’s father was the leader of the whale pack despite his old age.

Whales have a habit of sneaking away to die alone to prevent becoming a burden to their clans.

Sometimes, they would get themselves stranded on the shore and have a look at the outside world.

However, Master’s father couldn’t leave just yet. He was waiting for someone to take over his position.

Looking at his son, he could only wish for him to grow up fast and strong.

“Grow much more...” Chalk mumbled.

I think Master did a great job in growing up.

The same batch of whale babies grew up to be as healthy as Master too.

Chalk became their leader and was in charge of leading them during playtime.

Chalk’s father was very pleased because he saw his young self in Chalk.

“Grow up well and you can become the leader of sixty-three whales,” Chalk’s father encouraged him.

Chalk was already doing a good job but time was running out.

One year, two years...

Five years passed silently.

The leader had aged quite a bit.

And Chalk had grown stronger year by year.

Finally, his father was convinced that he was good enough to become a leader.

He taught Chalk how to be an excellent leader.

After a few months of guidance, however, he noticed something.

Chalk seemed to not have any interest in learning.

“Being a leader isn’t a child’s game,” Chalk’s father reprimanded.

However, prideful Chalk believed that he was already strong enough.

It was true, of course, since no other whales in the family had a body and strength like his.

In fact, even Chalk’s father wasn’t as big as him.

Just like that, the lessons ended.

Most of it entered Chalk’s left ear and came out of his right.

He hadn’t learned much at all.

Chalk’s father was really getting on in years and so he finally passed his duties to Chalk.

Every single whale felt that Chalk was entirely worthy as a leader since he was just like his father and even stronger.

“Long live the leader!” they shouted continuously, their voices echoing throughout the whole ocean.

Chalk’s father had long been wanting to leave and it was finally the time to do so.

Whales’ rules.

He was just an old whale now.

According to the convention, he should’ve already left but he really was still worried about his son.

Everything changed on the day of his intended departure.

The peaceful ocean was still as deep.

Chalk led the clan further down to a region with ample food source.

A few whales swam over yelling, “Whaler ship is here!”

“Whaler ship is here!”

Chalk’s father did mention something about the whalers but it seemed like a legend to Chalk.

There were many whaler ships a long time ago.

They killed whales without restraint but had stopped appearing for the past few decades.

Chalk seemed to have forgotten how frightening those whalers were according to his father.

“So what?” Chalk responded.

His members calmed down upon feeling their leader’s confidence.

They simply waited for him to make a wise decision.

But Chalk might’ve been wrong this time.

He swam in the direction in which his members had come from.

They were all in shock but they started whispering shortly after.

“Can he defeat the whalers?”

“We’ve all seen his strength. Is there a need to doubt?”

“He’s indeed a leader, courageous unlike us.”

Chalk arrived at the region where the ship was last spotted and started looking around.

He couldn’t see any ships. Not even a shrimp.

Chalk shouted, “No more danger. I’ve scared them off!”

His members were flabbergasted.

They started to doubt their leader’s capability.

“Come back, quick, it’s dangerous!”

Chalk felt that they were making a mountain out of a molehill.

Little did he realize that the whaler ship was floating right overhead so naturally, he wouldn’t see anything in the water.

“Look up, Leader! Run quick! Danger!”

Chalk looked up slowly and was dumbstruck.

Two spears flew toward him and entered his back and tailbone.

A huge net followed closely after.

Although it wasn’t coming at him fast, Chalk was trapped.

It was a despairful moment.

He was helpless despite his size and strength.

The net wrapped around Chalk’s body, gradually tightening.

It started going up and pulling Chalk along.

Chalk could slowly get a clearer view of the whaler ship.

It was much, much bigger than he was.

He got pulled out of the waters and he felt his skin exposed to the air for the first time.

Bang!

The whaler ship shook and the net loosened a little.

Chalk’s father had slammed himself against the ship.

Chalk swam as hard as he could but he was still trapped within the net.

“Run, child.”

Bang!

Another collision sounded, so loud that it resonated throughout the ocean.

Chalk’s father had done it again and the net came completely lose this time.

Chalk managed to escape but his father floated about motionlessly.

Chalk looked around but it was just him and his father left.

Before he could go over to his father’s side, another spear and net came down and took his father up.

The other whales had long swum away from danger.

Chalk was saved but he swam on helplessly.

He was left alone in the ocean.

He’d done wrong but it was all too late.

He wasn’t aware of the spears that had caused him to bleed.

A few minutes later, a group of sharks was lured by his blood.

Left alone, a whale, no matter how strong, simply wasn’t a match for a shark.

And he was injured.

Seeing that group of sharks, a lot of things went through Chalk’s mind.

As they attacked him, he felt his body losing its warmth slowly.

At the last moment, I was born.

Master wanted to know what happened to his father, but how?

I was just a drop of tear.

Once belonging to him and now to the Pacific.