wrote:It all started when she was in seventh grade. For a school project, they had learned to make paper boats. The class chattered about how they'd been on boats before, seen whales, and how the titanic sank, and why it sank. As usual, Liz sat quietly in the back of her class, listening to the chatter and pickingup bits and pieces of the conversation. Staring down at her own, horribly crafted, paper boat, she realized that she'd never been on a boat, let alone seen the ocean. The only somewhat large body of water she'd ever seen was Ilowa Lake, a small lake nearby her city.
Yeah, she had her excuses. She lived in the heart of the desert, and she never really liked travelling. In fact, she'd only ever traveled five hundred miles away from her city. So yeah, she'd never been on a boat.
Liz became obsessed, learning each and every type of boat name, boat history, names of cruise ships, names of ships that has sunk, why they'd sunk, and where on the ocean floor they were. It was sort of nice, her anxiety attacks happened less often, and all she would have to do is think of boats whenever she got scared. It was quite silly, but it helped. Soon, Liz's whole world revolved around boats, she fantisized about how she'd one day have a boat (She already picked out a name: Tounge Tide), and how she hoped to be a boat designer when she grew up. It was her drive, her reason to live.
By age eighteen, she had saved up enough money to move to seattle. The cold, wooded area was perfect for her. It was almost always overcast (perfect for her eyes), and the puget sound, along with the ocean, were practically right next door. There, she became educated on design, physics, engeneering, calculus, and all of the other requirements to become a boat designer. She didn't go on a boat, no even once. It was an experience she wanted to save for her graduation.
On her graduation day, Liz could barely contain her exictement. Not only had she powered through education, and graduated as valedictorian, today would be her first time on a boat. It was set for the evening, just as the sun sets.
*Time Skip*
Liz was shaking, but this time it wasn't nerves before a presentation, or an onciming anxiety attack. It was because she was excited beyond measure. Smiling to herself, she padded down the dock while the setting sun shimmered across the rolling waves, but it didn't hurt her eyes. Finally arriving to the boat, she reached into her back pocket, and pulled out a crumpled, worn, and stained peice of paper. It would look useless to any other person, but to Liz, this was her drive. It was the reason she became obsessed with boats-the tiny, horribly crafted, paper boat. She'd kept it all these years, and always looked at it whenever she felt discouraged, running her fingers over the worn creases and stained paper. Smiling to herself, she raised it up, comparing it to the boat she rented. It wasn't fancy, just a tiny, one-person sailboat. Yet, something about the faded paint on its sides, rusty steering wheel, and torn leather seat made Liz feel at home. It was nearly identical to the worn, sloppy peice of paper she held up to it.
Liz climbed in, and intied the ropes that kept the boat docked. After setting up the sails, and slowly making her way out of the marina, Liz slowed to a stop. Resting her head in her palms, she took in the veiw, and scenery, especially the silence. Dusky stars glimmered in the smooth water, and a slight breeze ruffled her fur. The last of the sun's rays outlined puffy clouds in the sky, a rare sight for the beach-side city. Sighing contently, Liz felt a knot of happiness form in her chest. This had been everything she'd hoped for.