out into the middle of the ocean with someone she’d only met online? Yes, she did. The boat was loud, which saved her from having to talk constantly. She watched as he maneuvered with ease, clearly in his element. His voice was definitely higher than she’d imagined, that was one thing she hadn’t expected. What had he thought she’d be like? When they reached what seemed to her to be a random point in the ocean, he turned off the boat and threw out the anchor. “Moment of truth,” he said, both awkward and endearing. He grabbed two wetsuits from the cabin and threw one to her. She looked at it confused for a moment before figuring out how to slide her body into it. She wondered if he’d noticed. He threw her an oxygen tank and the rest of the equipment she’d need and she knew now was the time to tell the truth. Before she could though, James dove off the boat, underwater. She knew he’d be back when she didn’t follow, but just for a minute, she let herself take it all in. James was the most expectant person she’d ever met in her life. He made her think that there might really be a secret trove of species just below her feet. She thought of James diving down, looking back for her, and she waited for his head to break the surface.
Jenny Belardi is a writer and Margaret Atwood devotee. Pittsburgh, PA is her adopted hometown, where she is the Director of Development at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science. She is currently putting the finishing touches on a speculative novel about a woman unwittingly ridding the world of modern-day technology. 85 Belardi