LOVE AND ZEUS

I jumped backwards as my feet finally found the ocean water. The sun was beating down upon the earth, burning my skin, yet the ocean was frigid. I edged towards the water again, standing on my tiptoes as the water rushed over my skin. Slowly, I set my heels down and waded into the water. Behind me, a dog barked. I turned around and smiled to see a mutt with curly black and grey fur running into the water after me. His leash trailed behind him. I reached out and scratched the dog's head. He jumped up to lick my face, but, instead, sent us both into the water.

"Sorry!" panted the dog's owner, as she dashed forward. "He loves the water."

I giggled. "Don't worry about it; I love dogs." I got to my feet. My body trembled from the temperature of the water, but the discomfort was starting to fade. "I think your dog knew I needed a push to get into the water properly."

"He is fairly intuitive," said the dog's owner. "I'm Sharon, by the way."

Sharon held out her hand, which I shook. "I'm Daria," I replied. "What's his name?"

Sharon grinned. "My son named him. He loves reading about Greek mythology and insisted upon Zeus."

"Sweet. I studied classics in college." I bent down and rubbed Zeus' ears. "It's fascinating, though maybe not as practical as other subjects."

"I say that you should always follow your heart. I tell that to my son every day; money and luxury do not always equate to happiness..." Sharon's voice trailed off. "Watch out!" she said.

My back was turned to the ocean, so I did not see the waves pick up. In an instant, my feet were pulled out from under me. Salt water stung my nostrils as I was pulled under the water. The water was still shallow where I was, so when my head hit the sand, I must have blacked out for a moment. That moment was more than enough to wreak havoc, though. I awoke to the feeling of salty water filling my nose and throat, traveling down my windpipe. I struggled to stand, but the water was too strong. I could feel the surface of the water. It was so close, but it was as if Mother Nature were holding me down, drowning me. My chest tightened painfully, and lights shot through my vision.

This is it. I thought. Just as my consciousness was leaving my body, something strong and furry was dragging me upwards. My head broke the surface.

"DARIA! COME ON, ZEUS, COME ON!" Sharon was screaming from behind us.

I heaved, spewing water and seaweed from my mouth. I felt Sharon grab my arm and pull. I turned around. Though I was still spilling the water from my lungs onto the sand, I was able to make out other figures running towards us including lifeguards.

"ZEUS!" Sharon let out an earsplitting scream. She let go of my arm and started to run towards the water.

I tried to get to my feet but staggered, falling hard upon the sand. My hand landed on a broken shell which slit my palm. My blood spattered onto the sand, mixing with the junk from my lungs. As my head began to spin, I registered feet next to mine. Someone was holding Sharon back while the lifeguards ran to the water. Zeus was sinking beneath the surface. I could feel my own throat hurting, screaming, from far away. Then, the world went dark.

...

20 years later

I stood with my arm around Sharon, gazing with her at the memorial we had built for Zeus. It was 20 years since I had met a strange dog who gave his life for mine. 29 people lost their lives that day. A storm far off the coast had disrupted the waters more than expected; no one was prepared. Tears spill from my eyes and Sharon's in unison as we remembered the pain of that day. The pain felt all the more fresh as the storms grow ever-stronger, powered by the continued warming of Earth's atmosphere.

A dog barked behind us. Sharon and I turned around to see a dog peering through the gate. He had no collar or leash, but his fur was a spitting image of Zeus': curly and black and grey. The dog wagged its tail before turning and disappearing around the corner. Sharon grabbed my hand tightly.

"We have to keep going," she said. "No matter how many people ignore the signs, our Earth needs us to keep fighting, just as she has fought for us."