Cassandra's
dolphin
by Sheila N. Eskew
a SHORT sTORY OF lOVE
AND THE pARANORMAL
dolphin
by Sheila N. Eskew
a SHORT sTORY OF lOVE
AND THE pARANORMAL
CHAPTER
ONE
ONE
A hot sunny day with blue skies, and light fluffy clouds presided over the
blue green waters of the Florida Keys. Cassi drew in a deep breath of the
sun-warmed air, glad she had rented a convertible Mustang when her flight
from Chicago landed in Miami. Driving down the Overseas Highway was
heavenly. The warm tropical breeze was flowing through her honey blonde-
streaked hair caressing her shoulders, and relaxing her more than any
masseuse in Chicago could have achieved with their best efforts.
No stress or responsibilities for two weeks, complete relaxation, Cassi
looked forward to lying in the sun, wearing loose sundresses over her
bathing suit after swimming in the crystal-clear waters around the many
islands that connected the Overseas Highway to the mainland. Cassi had
arranged to rent a Hobe Cat sailboat and planned to spend several days
sailing and snorkeling. But, for today, she would check into her hotel in Key
West and rest, tomorrow she would start the recreation.
As she had requested upon making reservations, the room was spacious
with a large bathroom and a spectacular view looking out over the Florida
Straights where the water of the Gulf of Mexico merged with the water of
the Atlantic Ocean. Cassi took few vacations and had saved several
weeks’ pay to splurge on this one. She popped the cork on the small bottle
of chilled champagne left by the management, stood on the fifth floor
balcony, and relaxed as she looked over the open water. She changed and
went for a short swim in the pool then returned to her room, changed into
her evening clothes, finished off the small bottle of champagne, and went to
dinner.
Coconut shrimp was the specialty of the local restaurant suggested by the
hotel desk, which proved as delicious as promised. She was tired, wrapped
up in her own affairs, and failed to notice the handsome blonde man who
watched her from the bar with interest. When she left the restaurant to tour
the small shops of Duval Street, he discreetly followed her. He watched her
savor a drink or two before she returned to her hotel, declining the
attentions of several other males on the prowl. A little lightheaded, but in
high spirits, Cassi turned in for the night so she could get an early start on
her next day's adventures.
Her admirer now knew what hotel she was staying at and that she was more
interested in relaxing than dating every man interested in her. Parking his
black Jaguar next to the water, he slipped out of his clothes and into the
water naked for a late swim under a full moon. He dove into the water as a
muscular, handsome man and surfaced as a dolphin. With a terrific breach
into the air, his sleek wet skin reflected the almost full moon's light.
Suspended for seconds in midair, almost flying, to fall and merge again with
the warm water, he swam straight out to sea looking for the night's
adventures.
After breakfast, renting the sailboat took only a few moments, a small
cooler with water, drinks, and snacks went with the deal. The clerk at the
rental office warned her to wear a heavy sun block, commenting on her fair
skin, and Cassi thanked her, loaded her snorkeling gear onto the trampoline
of the boat, then set sail. She was an experienced sailor – on Lake
Michigan – not on the Atlantic Ocean.
The clarity of the water astonished Cassi. She sailed over her first
extensive reef in amazement at the submerged beauty. Unable to resist the
lure of the sea she dropped her sails, tossed out the dive float/flag, and
holding a long line to the boat, she snorkeled around the boat. Anchoring a
boat could damage the coral reef system and coral is slow to recover, so
anchors are discouraged. Hobe Cats were light in the water, so holding on
to the line with the negligible breeze was easy, the boat moved little except
where she pulled it. Cassi finished looking over the reef and climbed back
aboard the boat, drank some of the water, and ate a candy bar.
Following the advice of the woman from whom she had rented the boat, she
smoothed on more sunscreen, stretched out on the trampoline of the Hobe
cat, and dozed for a while.
Water splashed on her startling her awake. She sat up and looked around.
She was alone, what or who had splashed her? Only a dolphin swam near
by, the creature jumped a little further away and splashed. Cassi laughed,
feeling privileged to have seen the animal jump, let alone to have been so
close that it splashed her. Putting her mask and fins on she slipped gently
into the water. Only moments passed and the dolphin swam past her only a
few feet away, turned and came closer, watching her. It fussed at her and
shook its head. Cassi laughed, pleased at the experience, wishing she had
a waterproof camera. No one in her office would believe this story when
she told them.
It suddenly occurred to Cassi she had no one else to tell. She didn't care,
she would remember this for the rest of her life. Cassi's experience with
men was limited to two failed relationships that left her less than anxious to
become involved in a third. The opportunities existed, Cassi was attractive
with a lively wit, but she had yet to find the right man.
The dolphin swam past her, close enough to touch her, and gently caressed
her thigh in a soothing gesture, leaving a sensation of peacefulness in its
wake. She stayed in the water hoping the animal would stay and play with
her longer, but it swam away and she noticed the sun was getting late into
the afternoon. Climbing back onto the trampoline of the sailboat she sailed
back to the marina where she had rented the boat, and arranged to rent it
again the next day.
"Do you ever have guests who are honored by playful dolphins?" Cassi
asked the clerk.
The woman looked at her strangely. "No, that doesn't happen, really it is
against the law here to fool around with the dolphins or the manatees."
"Just wondered," Cassi replied not wanting to say anything further about her
experience. "I'll be back about the same time in the morning."
"Ok, I'll have the boat ready," the clerk told her and looked at her again a
little strangely.
blue green waters of the Florida Keys. Cassi drew in a deep breath of the
sun-warmed air, glad she had rented a convertible Mustang when her flight
from Chicago landed in Miami. Driving down the Overseas Highway was
heavenly. The warm tropical breeze was flowing through her honey blonde-
streaked hair caressing her shoulders, and relaxing her more than any
masseuse in Chicago could have achieved with their best efforts.
No stress or responsibilities for two weeks, complete relaxation, Cassi
looked forward to lying in the sun, wearing loose sundresses over her
bathing suit after swimming in the crystal-clear waters around the many
islands that connected the Overseas Highway to the mainland. Cassi had
arranged to rent a Hobe Cat sailboat and planned to spend several days
sailing and snorkeling. But, for today, she would check into her hotel in Key
West and rest, tomorrow she would start the recreation.
As she had requested upon making reservations, the room was spacious
with a large bathroom and a spectacular view looking out over the Florida
Straights where the water of the Gulf of Mexico merged with the water of
the Atlantic Ocean. Cassi took few vacations and had saved several
weeks’ pay to splurge on this one. She popped the cork on the small bottle
of chilled champagne left by the management, stood on the fifth floor
balcony, and relaxed as she looked over the open water. She changed and
went for a short swim in the pool then returned to her room, changed into
her evening clothes, finished off the small bottle of champagne, and went to
dinner.
Coconut shrimp was the specialty of the local restaurant suggested by the
hotel desk, which proved as delicious as promised. She was tired, wrapped
up in her own affairs, and failed to notice the handsome blonde man who
watched her from the bar with interest. When she left the restaurant to tour
the small shops of Duval Street, he discreetly followed her. He watched her
savor a drink or two before she returned to her hotel, declining the
attentions of several other males on the prowl. A little lightheaded, but in
high spirits, Cassi turned in for the night so she could get an early start on
her next day's adventures.
Her admirer now knew what hotel she was staying at and that she was more
interested in relaxing than dating every man interested in her. Parking his
black Jaguar next to the water, he slipped out of his clothes and into the
water naked for a late swim under a full moon. He dove into the water as a
muscular, handsome man and surfaced as a dolphin. With a terrific breach
into the air, his sleek wet skin reflected the almost full moon's light.
Suspended for seconds in midair, almost flying, to fall and merge again with
the warm water, he swam straight out to sea looking for the night's
adventures.
After breakfast, renting the sailboat took only a few moments, a small
cooler with water, drinks, and snacks went with the deal. The clerk at the
rental office warned her to wear a heavy sun block, commenting on her fair
skin, and Cassi thanked her, loaded her snorkeling gear onto the trampoline
of the boat, then set sail. She was an experienced sailor – on Lake
Michigan – not on the Atlantic Ocean.
The clarity of the water astonished Cassi. She sailed over her first
extensive reef in amazement at the submerged beauty. Unable to resist the
lure of the sea she dropped her sails, tossed out the dive float/flag, and
holding a long line to the boat, she snorkeled around the boat. Anchoring a
boat could damage the coral reef system and coral is slow to recover, so
anchors are discouraged. Hobe Cats were light in the water, so holding on
to the line with the negligible breeze was easy, the boat moved little except
where she pulled it. Cassi finished looking over the reef and climbed back
aboard the boat, drank some of the water, and ate a candy bar.
Following the advice of the woman from whom she had rented the boat, she
smoothed on more sunscreen, stretched out on the trampoline of the Hobe
cat, and dozed for a while.
Water splashed on her startling her awake. She sat up and looked around.
She was alone, what or who had splashed her? Only a dolphin swam near
by, the creature jumped a little further away and splashed. Cassi laughed,
feeling privileged to have seen the animal jump, let alone to have been so
close that it splashed her. Putting her mask and fins on she slipped gently
into the water. Only moments passed and the dolphin swam past her only a
few feet away, turned and came closer, watching her. It fussed at her and
shook its head. Cassi laughed, pleased at the experience, wishing she had
a waterproof camera. No one in her office would believe this story when
she told them.
It suddenly occurred to Cassi she had no one else to tell. She didn't care,
she would remember this for the rest of her life. Cassi's experience with
men was limited to two failed relationships that left her less than anxious to
become involved in a third. The opportunities existed, Cassi was attractive
with a lively wit, but she had yet to find the right man.
The dolphin swam past her, close enough to touch her, and gently caressed
her thigh in a soothing gesture, leaving a sensation of peacefulness in its
wake. She stayed in the water hoping the animal would stay and play with
her longer, but it swam away and she noticed the sun was getting late into
the afternoon. Climbing back onto the trampoline of the sailboat she sailed
back to the marina where she had rented the boat, and arranged to rent it
again the next day.
"Do you ever have guests who are honored by playful dolphins?" Cassi
asked the clerk.
The woman looked at her strangely. "No, that doesn't happen, really it is
against the law here to fool around with the dolphins or the manatees."
"Just wondered," Cassi replied not wanting to say anything further about her
experience. "I'll be back about the same time in the morning."
"Ok, I'll have the boat ready," the clerk told her and looked at her again a
little strangely.
HOME
Chapter Two , Three, End.