The hot Ramen bowl warmed my fingers as I swirled the noodles deeper into the broth. The smell of heaven filling my nose as I lifted a chopstick full of noodles. The taste of chicken, garlic, ginger, shitake mushrooms, and soy sauce burst across my tastebuds as the broth warmed my insides.

I closed my eyes, allowing myself a private moment with my food. If heaven were a dish... it would be ramen. I opened my eyes to find Aiden staring at me from across the small table on the yacht. I had become quite familiar of that unflinching look. He raised a brow. "Need a minute alone with your food?"

"Yes," I answered seriously. "Don't underestimate the power of a bowl of perfection." I not so gracefully slurped up several more mouthfuls as I marched his stare. "How are your curry fries?"

He held out a fry covered in yellow curry. "Want to try it?"

"Can I get one without the curry?"

He raised a brow. "So just a regular french fry? No."

"Throw it. I'll catch it." I opened my mouth.

"What? No," he said with a confused expression.

"Well, you aren't feeding me, and I don't want to get curry on my hands so... just throw it."

After a beat, he threw the curry fry across the table and I caught it in my mouth. I threw up my hands in victory. "Woah Summers! Nice catch!"

The yellow curry had a sweet taste with a small kick of spice. Red chili stayed on my tongue as I finished the fry. My eyes went wide in surprise at the harmony of spices. "That's good." I looked down at his food, tempted to ask for more.

Reading my expression he pushed his plate towards me. "Here. I'm happy to encourage your sudden liking of curry fries."

I beamed up at him in thanks, and plucked up several curry fries, taking my time with each bite. Looking somewhat flustered, Aiden cleared his throat and abruptly stood up. "I'm going to get the boat moving."

I took several more bites before a sudden shift in the boat, sent a curry fry flying towards my face, hitting me on the nose, sauce dripping down my face. Yep. That might as well happen.

The sudden roar of the engine was startling, knocking me back as the yacht pulsed forward in the water. I scrambled to my feet, thankful that the food wasn't knocked off the table.

I moved over to the bow, watching the reflection of the stars in the water, dancing in the ripples. The yacht carved through the stars, on a path through a river of constellations. The wind picked up, sending my hair whipping around my face.

I felt like I was flying, untouchable, free as I traveled among the stars.

My phone vibrated, pulling me out of my quiet moment. Tugging it out of my sweatpants I read a text message.

Chills ran down my spine. The message was from a number I didn't recognize. Turning towards Aiden I spotted another yacht, its headlights blinding as it roared towards our boat.

"AIDEN!" I screamed. But my voice was lost as an ear-splitting crack, filled the air, the boat crashing right into the side of ours.

Our yacht creaked, tilting wildly, wood splintering as the foreign yacht cut through it violently like tissue paper. The crash sent me flying. I landed in the water as the boat above was set ablaze.

Ottawa River's ice-cold water froze the air in my lungs as I crashed into its surface. I thought of Princess Ara, master of the sea, controller of the ocean. I was nothing like my fictional character, and that fact was going to be my end.

Writers created characters that, when held up to a mirror, held the author's flaws but still somehow found the curouage to face their fears. The character version was built to fight through their brokenness and emerge beautiful and reformed. A version of themselves that could destroy the demons that the author themselves feared.

That was Ara. Brave, courageous, and completely capable of maneuvering through the water as the current fought to confuse me. She was the fire, and I was the shadow that had given her light. And at that moment, I was in desperate need of some of that light.

I scrambled, trying to fight for the surface, dodging boat debris as it crashed into the water, throwing me in all directions. I focused on the fire above the surface like a beacon. I caught glimpses of the boat slowly being consumed by flames, like a dying spark of hope— because of me. I spun, scanning the water with blurry vision, trying to find Aiden.

Was he caught in the flames?

I hope you can swim.

Was he safe?

I hope you can swim.

The words burned in my brain like a taunt.

I hope you can swim.

I kicked wildly, terrified as I tried to get free from the water.

I hope you can swim.

My lungs began to burn.

I hope you can swim.

The stalker knew something about me that only a select few knew.

I hope you can swim.

Needles filled my chest, the cold filling me like fire. The world blurred. River and fire swirling together.

I hope you can swim.

The blur of river and fire was splattered in black as my vision began to fade.

I can't swim.

The truth shattered the rest of my resolve and water filled my lungs.

Oh, how unlike Princess Ara I am...

---

Do you think Laliana is right about how people create characters that are braver, smarter, and more capable of doing the things that they are afraid of?