One Man's Trash
The water by the pier was always the loudest place to rest at. Waves crashed against the docks, rain rumbled against the wooden structure, people visited to spend time there… It was a place that Julien usually wouldn’t find himself enjoying. However, with his weak fins and the sudden pushback of the currents, he ended up drifting here after some time. A storm was making the water more unruly, more dangerous. It would be best for someone like him to lay low and let the weather pass by after some time. All alone with his thoughts.
Not many sea creatures wanted to come to this place. This was a place for fishermen and reckless humans to dwell. Not to mention the trash that got carelessly thrown about here. In places like this and the ocean’s shore, uncaring people let their trash get eaten up by the sea. Because surely it would sort itself out, right? Julien most likely got trash caught on him the most in these settings. Today was no different, as he felt something get hooked onto his horns as he was pushed towards this place. A plastic bag? Or, perhaps, those rings used to hold beer cans together. He wasn’t sure. He only knew one thing: it must’ve come from the humans he could hear overhead stomping around on the docks.
He kept himself hidden as he rested underneath the dock’s wooden boards. With nothing to do other than listen to people walk here and there above him. He could’ve sworn he heard yelling, but couldn’t make out the words in the mix of rain and walking. These people didn’t give off a pleasant aura to be around, that was for sure. He could pinpoint one person’s thoughts in particular, as her emotions were the strongest in this moment. Why, he felt as though he could press his hand up against the dock and go through her memories. Such pain and anguish within this moment. He couldn’t help but be curious, so that was exactly what he did.
Pressing his palm flat against the dock’s boards, Julien focused his magic to hone in on the saddened woman. Within an instant, memories began to flash through his mind like a movie. It all happened so quickly.
The bashful first meeting. Dates that she wanted to last a lifetime. A beautiful necklace as an anniversary gift…
Julian found himself smiling as he watched these moments play out. It made his body feel warm within the ice-cold depths. Unfortunately, however, he wasn’t done learning about this woman. Her radiant smile would fade away soon enough.
Noticing that he’s become oddly distant for seemingly no reason. As she came home earlier one quiet evening, she found something- someone she was never supposed to be. Empty promises of a better future together. A cheater.
Julien let out a sharp gasp as he let go of the dock. The woman was walking to the very edge of the pier, still yelling to her significant other angry words Julien couldn’t make out. He shuddered hearing such an icy tone, however. It was a wonder what she would be doing now. So, he struggled to push himself forward against the currents, grabbing onto the posts that held the pier above the ocean for help. He could hear how the people stomped against the wood as he travelled. It was a miracle that the floor didn’t cave in under the pressure, but that would be a blessing they wouldn’t grow to appreciate, most likely.
Now he vaguely heard the sounds of yelling, as well as pleading perhaps? He wondered why this couple decided to go here in the first place– a date gone wrong? But that wasn’t his question to ask. What he could focus on, however, was the sound of something dropping into the water, followed by the people storming off out of the dock. Most likely going to a dryer place to rest, he hoped. The loud voices soon started to fade away in the distance, replaced by familiar sounds of rainfall and waves.
He found himself drifting back with the currents once more. This storm wouldn’t let up anytime soon, and this exciting moment had come and gone. All he could do was wait.
Wait this out– and notice that another piece of trash got tangled up in his horns.
He reached up to touch this new decoration, only to tense ever so slightly. Most of the time, he couldn’t say for sure what got stuck on him as he travelled around, but this… this was obvious. He brushed his fingers against the intricate ridges of the gemstone floating in the water. A golden chain, shining sapphire, expensive designs. This was the necklace he remembered in that woman’s memories, now lost and forgotten. Another piece of trash.
The necklace had wrapped around his horns securely, tangled around because of the wild currents. He rested, finally, against the sea floor as he thought about this new decoration. Now it could truly be described as a decoration, compared to the random trash he bumped into often. Like a crown had been placed on his head, given to him by the most tragic royalty in all of Verdance. He would keep this around for a while as he reflected on the memories he got a glimpse of. Hopefully that woman could find peace within this life, but for now, all he could do was wonder by himself.
Anyone would love to own such expensive jewellery like this. Yet for Julien, it only served as a reminder of how people could part with even the most darling gifts. He would remember this crown for a while. Now, he could say that he was the true “princess of garbage.” Hoarding things that people discarded, no matter how valuable it might be in the eyes of another. It was all trash in the end.