"Tag!" I slammed my hand on Stella's shoulder, laughing as I ran away from her.

We were playing tag with a bunch of friends under the bright summer sun as a cool breeze danced across Florida.

Later, I trotted back home in my muddy clothes. Mom would kill me for this. She is sometimes very strict. I waited while looking fixedly at the floor for her to open the door and scold me.

We weren't like Stella's family who lived next door. My parents wouldn't be able to buy me my favourite snack every day nor could they give me everything I wanted. We were poor. It was difficult with just the three of us.

Even though Stella was extremely rich, she never bragged about being rich. She had a humble and kind soul and that's why she was my best friend.

Mom opened the door and gasped. Her hazel eyes were filled with anger, "haah! You were out playing with Stella again, Weren't you? How many times do I have to tell you to come back as soon a-" She started blabbering which seemed to go on for a long time.

Her golden curls were tied up in a neat ponytail.

"Now rush to your room and change your clothes fast! There is someone waiting to meet you."

With that, she left. I went straight to my room. The smell of food wafted from the kitchen when I was going to my room and it smelled spicy and deliciously tasty.

I rushed to my messy room and changed my clothes. I pondered that whoever came was important to mom because she made appetizing food today. You know, I get good food very rarely.

Whatever, today was going to be a great day. :)

Now, I went to the living room to see who it was. I did not recognize him. I don't think I ever met this man. The man possessed dark brown eyes and neatly combed black hair. He looked very uniformed and rich.

I observed him closely by sticking my head out from the edge of the door and narrowing my eyes at him.

I was very curious to meet him but I didn't want to interrupt the conversation he and my mom were having for such a long time.

Finally, he noticed me looking at them and smiled. My mom saw me too and told me to come into the room.

I am very shy when it comes to talking to someone new. So, I walked in and sat beside my mum

He asked me with the same smile, "Hi Alex! how are you boy?" I grinned back and shoved my head behind my mom.

She said, "Alex! Don't be shy, He is your uncle, he is not a stranger." I still refused.

She spoke now with a softer whisper, "I will give you a chocolate bar if you do."

I couldn't deny the deal and decided to sit back comfortably and reply 'I am fine'.

He now told me to sit beside him.

I looked at mom, unsure, then timidly went near him and sat.

He asked,"What were you doing before? " I told him that I was playing.

I answered everything as short and precise as possible. On the other hand, my uncle wanted me to speak more so he asked me where my dad is.

I was going to answer just when someone knocked on the door.

My mother opened the door and my father came in. He took off his shoes and walked into the living room.

He came over and rushed his hand over my frizzy brown hair and said, "how are you lil chap!" He was very tall so I had to look up with my blue eyes and say, "I am great! "

He then greeted and talked with my uncle for a long time.

Now, all of them were busy chatting and I was patiently sitting there and getting bored while listening to them. They were talking about boring stuff that I didn't quite understand. At last, I slept sitting on the couch there because, well you know, because of lack of attention to me and the boring topics about which the adults were talking of.

* * *

Rubbing my eyes, I woke up in my bed with a yawn. Then I ran to the living room, and I saw that my mom was packing clothes.

I went to her and asked, " Mom, what are you doing? It's night time, right?

She replied, "No honey, its 5 pm, you were asleep for just half an hour. We will be going to the UK by ship to meet our friends and relatives tomorrow, So go eat your food! Its on top of the kitchen counter. So is your chocolate!" By hearing that, I got super excited and ran to the kitchen jumping with happiness. I ate the delicious food which was roasted chicken with fried rice.

Yumm..

As soon as I finished, I drank some juice and had my chocolate.

I went back to the living room. Now, my parents and my uncle were still packing.

By seeing me there, standing still, my uncle called me and told me he had a gift for me. He gave me a big toy car. I thanked my uncle and ran into my room to play with it. It was red with some flame stickers on it. It was also fast in speed.

This was the best toy I ever got.

I was very happy today. I played with it for hours. Today was going to be the best day of my life, I thought. But, I was wrong, very wrong.

* * *

After dressing up, we were at the door, and my mother was checking again and again whether we forgot something. We all got out and went to the sea port in my uncle's car.

The car was super cozy and I loved it. I was jumping, and laughing at each fall. Sometime later, my mother scolded me so I had to sit down patiently. Atlast, we reached the port and as I got out of the car, I screamed with excitement,

" Wooahh!".

I saw many huge cruise ships and boats.

We all went straight to our ship without even wasting a second cause we were a tad bit late. On the way to the ship, people were 'awwing' at me. I was extremely shy and also got annoyed of the awwing.

At last, we sat on the ship and it was so tall that I was amazed by the greatness of it. The weather was great, the sun shined brightly but it wasn't too hot, it was just perfect. The waves did scare me but overall it was fun till the first two hours.

Well, after the first two hours, the ship started to sink due to some problem in the engine.

Everything was soo frightening, everyone were shouting and running as the ship was moving right and left like a rollercoaster. The only difference between both of them is that rollercoasters are not dangerous but that sinking ship was. Some people were lucky enough to get into lifeboats while others were not, like my family.

I didn't at all understand what was happening. In just some minutes, the ship sank.

* * *

Everyone flooded into the water along with me.

I thought to myself, this was the end for me, everything ws over now. But as I opened my eyes, I realised I could breathe and see through the water, I could see various types of fishes and I was completely fine!

Then, I saw my parents sinking down towards the sand, and I immediately started going towards them, and that was the time I realized I could also swim. After some time I reached near them and tried to wake them up, but I didn't succeed. Then I tried to take them out of the water. I somehow got so much strength that I took both of my parents in my hands at the same time and went straight up and started swimming towards the land. Needless to say, it took me very long and I was very tired.

As soon as i reached the land, I kept my parents on the shore and I dont know how but I fainted on the sand.

While I was unconscious , some people saw us and called the ambulance. Soon it arrived and we were taken to the hospital. I woke up on the hospital bed. As soon as I got up, the nurse called the doctor and he came in with my parents. They talked for a long time and then me and my parents sat in a taxi and went back home. It was weird as my mother was crying the whole time and we didn't even talk. I wanted to talk and was bored but I was scared to ask or say anything. I thought everyone is depressed so I should also be depressed. But I wasn't.

We reached home and as soon as we did, my father asked me how and what did I do. He said that the doctor told that I didn't suffer from any suffocation and I was completely perfect.

I said him the whole story and my parents didn't believe a single thing. They thought as I was young, I made up the story. I tried to convince them but they didn't agree. And then it was late night so my father told me to sleep, clear my mind and to say the real story tomorrow.

I heard my parents talking. They said that today the police is going to investigate us about the whole incident... My mom told to my dad, "What does Alex mean?

He obviously made up that whole story, right?

Like no human could breath, see clearly underwater then how did he do it? Moreover, he told that he carried both of us to the land and I don't remember him even swimming or touching a swimming pool before."

After their conversation, I wanted to prove that I did that all so I went to them and told them I will prove myself. I bought a bucket full of water (which was honestly so hard to bring).

In front of them, I dipped my head into the water. My mom immediately pulled me out and scolded me. My dad was slightly laughing at me. I told them I could prove it but they just kept scolding me. I got angry and ran into my room. I felt so bad. I felt that they didn't trust me.

That time my mind changed into thinking of why my mother was crying when we were in the taxi. I remembered that my uncle went with us to the ship and now that we are here, he is not here. I understood that my mother was crying because she lost my uncle (her brother). Then I thought how many people must have cried when all of the people in the ship died. I felt very sorry for them. Later I thought why did the others die? Why didn't they come out of the water like me? I had soooo many questions in my mind, and I fell asleep thinking about them.

NEXT DAY...

I was determined to prove myself today, and what better way to find proof than searching it up online?

I searched up 'water miracles', 'ocean mysteries', etc but found nothing.

After hours of googling, I finally stumbled across an old article called 'The Water Blessings'.

At first, the article was about all the benefits and uses of water and how it is a gift for mankind by God.

I was going to hit the back button thinking the article won't be useful when I read the following lines :

God has given us many blessings. But this one is the most dangerous yet helpful blessing to humans. There will be a human in every thousand years who would have this power. The power is that the person would be able to see and breathe underwater. He/she would also be able to lift things in water. Even if he/she didn't take swimming lessons, they could swim. This was such a great blessing for humans, but it is now not a good blessing.

If you have those powers, you should NEVER EVER tell anyone because there is a witch who is looking for this person. If she gets to this person she can use him/her to end this world.

Reading this, I got so scared I was tempted to run and tell everything to my parents. But then I decided against it as I know my parents would share everything with the police which is highly advised not to do in the article.

So I calmed myself down and went to my parents and made up a story, saying some people in another boat were there when I was asking for help and they dropped us to the shore and told me to not reveal their identity.

I told my parents in my made-up story that those saviours in that ship told me to make up a story, when in fact, the funny thing is that what my parents and the police believe was my made-up story is really the real story.

.    .    .