A deep blue ocean - something about watching the moving water was soothing and calming, one of her favorite things. Paler blue eyes gazed at the horizon, two steel ships slowly disappearing beyond as seagulls cawed above. The salty breeze blew through her carnation pink ponytail, her hands in the pockets of her black cargo pants. Her white tanktop showed off her lean, sinewy arms, her fair skin flawless of blemishes or scarring. She inhaled deeply, taking in that clean air for a moment, and slowly exhaled as peace washed over her.

I don’t think I ever want to give this up..

“You better be on break or else quit gawking at the ocean like an idiot and get back to work!”

The girl jumped slightly from the gruff voice, quickly turning around to meet the older burly man that easily dwarfed her five feet and eight inches of height. He was sweating profusely around his black hair, beads of sweat running down his tanned skin… and it seemed he had decided to go shirtless because of that, only wearing his dark green pants, black work gloves, and boots.

“S-Sorry! I’ll get right to it,” she said quickly, saluting out of panic before moving away. Right.. Work, she had to get back to unloading that cargo ship. She had moved a crate down to the harbor but ended up staring at the ocean after she set it down. At least it wasn’t her boss that caught her unintentionally goofing off, but it was still kind of embarrassing. Oh, hopefully he wouldn’t rat her out about it.

She took a second to glance back at him, watching him crouch down to pick up another wooden crate. Well, it didn’t seem like it was on the top of his priorities to tell their boss what happened. With a sigh of relief, she approached the closest set of crates, easily lifting one on top of another. Probably best she didn’t add a third one… not because it was too heavy but balancing them all was a bit of a hassle. Carrying the crates down, the other men that were unloading the smaller crates didn’t really bat an eye at the fact that this younger girl was able to carry two - well, she could carry far more, but two was the safest for the crates. Apparently, her strength was something that would surprise you at first but you’d gradually get used to the more she showed it, something the men of the harbor crew already knew.

This process would repeat for another thirty minutes, the movement of walking back and forth and the warm heat from the sun was enough to work up a sweat for her, the bangs to the side of her face sticking to her skin. She wiped at her forehead and then stretched her arms overhead, lowering them to her back to give it a stretch. As she stretched, she did notice everyone else heading out, a new group of people coming in to finish up with unloading. Was it time to head home? Patting down her pockets until she felt her phone in the back, she pulled it out to check the time. She did start around dawn, and it was a little past noon now - yes, that’s the end of the shift. With a happy and relieved sigh, she put her phone away and noticed her coworker from before, the very one that snapped out of her daydream earlier.

Now what was his name again? ...Let’s not worry too much about that.

She should go over and try to explain what happened, or at least thank him that he didn’t report to the boss about it. Taking a quick breath, she jogged over and caught up with him, the taller man not even turning to acknowledge her presence, gaze only focused ahead.

“Um, thanks for not telling the boss that I was goofing off a bit,” she started with a little smile, her tone sincere. “I guess I still get kinda distracted easily.” She chuckled some, though he stayed silent. Quieting down, she started to curl a lock of hair near her face, trying to think of something else to say. She did glance up at him, his shirt apparently balled up in and held in his hand, his features chiseled and body toned. He reminded her of those guys in magazines, someone you wouldn’t really expect to be working in a place like the harbor freight.

I think he’s new.. Probably been here about a week? I don’t think we really talked much during that time, and he’s usually eating on his own during lunch. Maybe he doesn’t have any friends yet?

She got along pretty well with the other guys in her shift, her first couple lunches with them spent doing some arm wrestling and other challenges of strength. Seemed they couldn’t believe that she was as strong as she is.

Aside from the conversations their other coworkers were having, the loud creaking of a crane loading a large marble statue onto a ship, and the ambience of the harbor, it was silent between them. Everyone else that had been working the same shift were ahead of them, leaving the two to be the last ones to leave.

“If it’s not obvious, I don’t feel like talking with you,” he suddenly said, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Are you that much of an idiot that you can’t realize that?”

“Well, um, I’m not really the smartest person around,” she laughed, rubbing the back of her neck. “But I get it! You must be really tired from all the work earlier, so you’re not in the mood to talk much. Maybe tomorrow we can talk some more? How about during lunch?”

“Fucking hell, do you not get it!?” He stopped walking and turned to face her, the creaking of the crane just overhead. “I’m not here to make friends with you or anyone else! I’m here to work, but people like you all cheery who don’t take their job seriously really piss me off!”

“Hey, leave Amaris alone, she was just being nice to you,” another male coworker spoke up, stopping ahead and turning back to look at them after hearing that volatile outburst.

“Stay out of it! It’s between me and her! She needs to get this lesson that not everyone is gonna be all happy to be her friend! She ain’t that fucking special!”

The creaking didn’t cease, the pinkette - Amaris - looking up to see the part of the crane holding the marble statue suddenly bent and fell toward them. Her hand reached out to the man in front of her, pushing him to the side with her arm none too gently, which knocked him off his feet and sent him rolling up the harbor. The other coworker ran for it as the crane folded and crashed down, all happening too quickly before she could react. Next thing she knew, she was off her feet as a girder struck her chest, the metal of the crane surrounding her and going down with her into the water.

The cold water made her gasp, air bubbles leaving her mouth, Amaris reminding herself to shut her mouth as parts of the crane sank down into the water along with her. The girder against her chest pushing her down to the ocean floor, the sand kicking up as more air escaped through her nose. Gazing up, she could see the sun’s rays sparkling on the water’s surface, noticing her earlier air bubbles float up toward it. As it was, her chest hurt from the crane piece falling into her, but it didn’t seem like broken bones.

I need to get out of this! I’m going to drown if I don’t!

Her hands reached for the girder, gripping it as best she could and pushing it up some. It just had to be enough to wiggle out, and quickly enough before more of the crane possibly ends up falling on top of her. The exertion to lift forced more air out of her mouth and nose, the crane groaning loudly as she pushed the girder off herself. It wasn’t much, but time was a luxury right now she couldn’t afford to waste.

Wiggling herself out from under the girder, her lungs ached for fresh air, Amaris kicking off the seafloor to swim toward the surface. Despite seeing the brightness of the sunlight above, darkness creeped in at the edges of her vision like a black fog. Body urging for a breath, she couldn’t hold back that instinct as her mouth opened, seawater flooding it and gushing down her throat. Her fingertips and even the tips of her toes began to feel numb, like icicles were digging into her skin, but she didn’t stop kicking her legs. She had to keep going, the surface was just within reach! Her hand reached out while that dark fog in her eyes began to engulf more of her vision, her hand breaking through the surface soon followed by her head.

Breathing made her lungs feel like they were on fire, the intense sensation forcing her to cough and hack up the water that she had inhaled. As her body spasmed from her coughing, she barely had enough thought to keep herself afloat, glad that she wasn’t out at sea and instead in the calmer waters of the harbor.

“Amaris! Grab onto this!”

The pinkette did her best to turn to where the voice was, a ring floatation device splashing onto the water in front of her. She reached and grabbed onto it, arms hugging it so she wouldn’t let go. Her coughing fit wasn’t letting up either, Amaris feeling some water come up her throat as her body did all it could to expel that seawater. Managing to turn her gaze upward to the dock of the harbor, two figures stood there, the hostile man from earlier pulling the rope of the floatation device. The other was the one who came to her defense - that was Charlie, if she recalled correctly - standing beside the former and crouching down when Amaris was pulled closer. As the former hauled her up, Charlie reached down and grabbed under her arms to help her up onto the dock, the girl still coughing and wheezing as she laid down onto the hot asphalt. Though with how cold the water was, the warmth was welcomed as she shook a little, trying to control her breathing.

“You idiot,” muttered the volatile man, shaking his head, earning a glare from Charlie. “Don’t go saving people if it means getting killed yourself! Why the hell would you even do that when we don’t even know each other?”

Amaris could only stare back, both because she wasn’t sure if her answer would be enough and that she was still wheezing. Blinking once, she forced herself to speak..

“I don’t.. Think… that you have.. To die… when I can.. Do something... to help,” she gasped out, Charlie crouching down beside her and helping her to sit up. He patted her back steadily to help clear her lungs a bit, her breathing normalizing some.

“I know I could have… died, but I don’t think that.. The possibility of something bad happening… means I shouldn’t do anything at all,” she added, looking up at the other man. His eyes - which she now could see were a deep green - widened some on hearing her words, though that quickly contorted some into an expression of anger and… He then turned around, sucking his teeth, and tapped at the ground with his boot impatiently.

“Oi, make sure she gets home safely,” he ordered Charlie, walking away at a brisk pace. The two stared at his back a moment before Charlie turned his gaze to her.

“Can you stand? Or do you need another minute,” he asked, pulling his hand away from her back now.

She looked up at him, grateful that the older man was staying with her to make sure she was okay. Well, it might be out of habit since the man was a father himself, with two sons and a daughter. Perhaps it was his fatherly instinct?

“Yeah, I think.. I’m okay now. Chest really hurts though,” she replied to him, rubbing at her upper chest area. It felt a little bruised, understandably so from the crane basically falling onto her. Any normal person would have died just from that impact alone. How was it that she could take that type of force and emerge almost unscathed? Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw Charlie stand up, offering his hand to her to help her up. Taking his hand, she was pulled up onto her feet, water dripping down from her clothes and hair.

“C’mon, let’s get you a towel or something to dry off with. And get a hold of your family to come pick you up. Though we might have to make that call after we report everything to management and all,” he said, looking over to where the partially submerged crane rested on the dock. Seemed like the part that wasn’t underwater had cracked the asphalt from the collapse, forming a small crater along the metal. Amaris stared at the fallen crane, looking at where the crater was. For a split second, she imagined the man she had saved under it, her eyes widening a little. A normal human would have been crushed to death or possibly lost a limb if caught under that…

Why do I have this strength?

Her eyes focused away from the crater to the crew members that were checking the wreckage, some looking toward the water. She could hear yelling about the statue.. But she couldn’t quite make out everything. The statue must have fallen into the water too, she presumed. She felt Charlie’s hand on her back again, urging her to walk forward, her steps a little unsteady at first.

Still feels kinda gross to walk with wet socks in boots.

They had to carefully climb over the wreck of the crane to make it to the other side, and no sooner than they did that the higher ups called them over to get their witness accounts on it. Thankfully, they had the sense to first have Amaris looked over by a medical team they called over right after the crane collapsed. Once that was done, her family was called to alert them of the situation and to come get her, since the girl didn’t have her own transportation. While she waited for her family to arrive, she was interviewed on what had happened when the crane collapsed, telling them all she knew and remembered. Though, it was really starting to seem like it was a case of the crane being used past its weight limit.

With a towel wrapped around herself, Amaris was allowed to leave once the management got all the answers they needed from her, moving on to the next person. And they even gave her the day off tomorrow to recover some from that ordeal, which she wasn’t about to complain about. Though she wasn’t sure if anyone else would get the day off as well, maybe those that were directly involved with the collapse… Like that guy. Shame she still couldn’t get his name but hopefully she’d get the chance soon. For now, she should take it easy since she did almost drown today.

Walking up to where the main road connected with the harbor, she kept the towel around her as she waited for her family to show up. It didn’t take long - she could see that faded blue pickup truck driving down the cobblestone road toward her. And inside, the Barrett family, a loving couple and their young daughter. She raised her arm to wave them down, the truck braking pretty hard as it got close to her. Once the truck came to a stop, the three almost jumped out of the truck to rush over to her, pulling her into a hug.

“Thank the gods you’re alright,” the stocky man spoke, wearing brown pants and a blue flannel shirt. His dark thick beard tickled her forehead, Amaris unable to stop herself from smiling.

“I don’t want you to go away, Amaris,” cried out the little brown-haired girl - Katrina, who was hugging Amaris’ leg tightly. “Please stay with us forever!”

“Kat.. Amaris, we were so worried,” began the woman, Amaris looking up to meet her relieved gaze. “We’re so happy to hear you’re safe and sound.”

Amaris smiled back warmly, giving the two adults a squeezing hug. “Thanks a bunch, I’m okay now. I won’t be going out that easily,” she started, taking a step back and reaching down to pick up Katrina, tousling the girl’s wavy brown locks. “I’ll be around a long time, so don’t you worry!”

Katrina’s smile would broaden into a grin as Amaris pulled her close for another hug, though the girl did end up pushing away at her. “No, wait, Amaris! You’re all wet! You’re gonna get my dress wet too,” she protested, Amaris chuckling and lowering the girl with the yellow dress.

“Ah, that reminds me,” Mrs. Barrett, a woman with brown hair similar to her daughter. She stepped over to the truck and opened the door, reaching in and stepping back to reveal a cloth bag. “I brought you a change of clothes. I figured you’d be soaked to the bone after what happened.”

“How about you get changed and we head out to Zack’s? A full stomach means a happy heart, after all,” chuckkled Mr. Barrett, patting his obvious belly. “Would be a nice treat, right? Then we can do a little shopping to pick out anything you want, Amaris.”

“Yay! We’re going to Zack’s Diner,” cheered Kat, hands in the air as she bounced in place.

“Oh, is that really okay? To pick anything I want,” asked the pinkette, a little surprised to hear this.

“Of course,” Mr. Barrett replied, his voice a little gruff but his expression kind and warm. “You’re part of the family by now, Amaris, we just… we’re just happy to have you in it.” Amaris couldn’t help her smile, those words warming her up from the inside out.

“Th-thank you, I’ll go get changed right away and then we can head out. I’ll use the restroom here so I’ll be out pretty quick.”

With the bag in hand, she gave a quick nod to them and jogged away to the closest restroom she could change in, taking a second to look back at them.

I’m happy too… that you’re my family.