Journey to Ohmani (Across the Infinite Void Book 1)

by Ashley Grapes

  Realizing his pleas were ineffective, Levi turned his attention out into the street and tried to concentrate on breathing instead. They lived in a little three bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath bungalow on the outskirts of the Hillcrest neighborhood in Fort Bragg, California. It was a colorful lot from the curb, with pink azaleas spawning up the sandstone walls of the house and various fruits bobbing brightly on citrus trees in the late afternoon sun. Years ago he had helped Axella truss out an herb garden, and saw that its weeping Japanese maple centerpiece seemed to be drooping its golden leaves more than usual. As he looked around his childhood home, intense nostalgia and pain shot through his chest. How could one feel such opposing things at the same time? His father, Levi thought.

  Memories of his dad, Kaylan Christiano, were sparse and faded like trying to recall a dream. Sometimes he would try and focus on a memory that floated up from somewhere deep, only to have it break into foggy pieces and sink away once more under its own heaviness. Levi remembered jogging in the morning, throwing the football in the evenings and watching sports on the weekends. He remembered being happy and loved.

  Anger and confusion hit Levi like a tidal wave as he sat in reverie. Levi had no recollection of his parents’ downfall — not one raised voice or slammed door. What had happened? And more importantly, why had his father abandoned him after the divorce? Not one visit or phone call? Not one explanation or goodbye letter? Try as he must, Levi could not play out the details. Nothing seemed to explain his father’s sudden departure or silence thereafter. Really, the only legacy Kaylan left his son was the pain that came with the tossing away of fatherhood as casually as they had tossed that football. Levi was left with a single mom and a misguided sense of accountability that no eight year old deserves.

  Levi changed then. He became reclusive and aloof to all things that make a child vibrant. Grades and relationships suffered, and all of Axella’s efforts could not seem to reverse the dangerous path her beloved son was on. When Levi was ten, the second missed birthday was too much for him to handle. His school drew the line when Levi punched Jesse Keller for asking what his dad got him as a birthday present. Another incident like that, they threatened, and Levi would be suspended indefinitely. Axella feared for her son. He needed someone to help guide him – someone with a strong hand, a good heart, and the time. The same person who had more crumbs in her lap now than cookies on the plate.

  Bockie moved into the bungalow at the ripe old age of eighty-two. In the space of a few short months, she saved Levi from folding in on himself – a path that would have inevitably led to Levi re-emerging as a person incapable of trusting, loving, and pursuing happiness. Bockie did many things for Levi in her usual abrasive manner, but one thing she did truly changed his life in a way that would make him forever grateful to her. She introduced Levi to surfing.

  Bockie grew up an avid surfer in Charleston, South Carolina. Levi had had no idea how talented his grandmother was until she burst through his bedroom door seven and a half years ago with a box she could barely wrap her arms around.

  “Well, isn’t this room filthy?” she remarked dryly that day. “Can I at least stick a broom up your butt so you can play your video games and clean at the same time?” She then emptied the box’s contents on the floor. “I would have used your bed, but it stinks and who knows what is growing in there,” she had griped, dropping to her knees and sifting through her collection.

  Levi, although slightly annoyed by her abrupt intrusion, had been amazed by the historical collection of pictures, medals and newspaper articles. He hadn’t known anything about his grandmother’s life before wrinkles, especially that she had once been a famous sporting figure. But on that particular day, the name Orella Avondale shot up from the newspapers and magazines splayed across his floor. Pictures of a beautiful young woman with a face tense in concentration and a body flexed in perfect form caught his attention. He was both in awe of the evident prowess displayed in the pictures and curiously excited about the woman he just realized he knew very little about.

  Morning jogs with his father were replaced by surfing lessons with his grandmother. Although she never entered the water during their trainings, her expertise and aptitude for teaching verbally proved more than efficient. Levi took to the ocean naturally, to no surprise of the Avondale women who claimed to carry the Sea Gene. Within months, Levi was up on a surfboard riding the waves. Bockie used the time with her grandson wisely, taking advantage of teachable moments and helping Levi refocus his life on the present. After just five months of rigorous one-on-one training from Orella “Bockie” Avondale, Levi sought out surfing time on his own accord. For the first time since his father left, Levi found passion again. Over the next eight years, he would rarely miss a sunset on the water.

  The waves taught him the importance of patience and punished him for laxity, let him fly when it was earned and slammed him down when he became arrogant. He learned the values of commitment, courage, humility, and persistence. The ocean became his father-figure and, unlike his own father, it was always there as sure as the moon was in the sky and the tides licked the shores. Over time, the ocean almost completely filled the gaping hole in his heart that Kaylen had left.

  His natural talent for surfing, combined with his daily regimen, quickly made Levi a true gem in the sport. His gifts quickly became publically recognized and over the years Levi collected enough media and trophy paraphernalia to fill his own cardboard box. Even though he was just a high school student, he was in high demand for surfing lessons and had to choose his students methodically. He wanted to share the healing powers of the ocean with other young souls struggling with the problems and heartaches of life. Levi watched the ocean become a father, a mother, a therapist – a savior – time after time for many of his students.

  Levi had three surfing competitions lined up this year, where he was going to compete and hopefully catch the eye of a college scout. The first one, the NSSA amateur surfing competition in Huntington Beach, was in only a few weeks. He had saved up enough money to take the Skyway there, cutting his travel time in half. Now, he wouldn’t even be on the same planet. He was going to lose everything.

  That thought snapped him back to the reality of the afternoon’s unwelcome announcement. His chest grew hot and tight with anger wondering how this could have happened at such a pivotal time in his life. The enormity of the impending changes was overwhelming. Without premeditation, Levi shot out of his chair and headed for his jeep.

  “Vi!” Axella called after him. “Please don’t leave! Can we talk about th…,” but before she could finish her sentence Levi was ripping out of the driveway sending gravel shooting out from under the tires. He did a two-point turn and screeched loudly down the street.

  Bockie watched, rocking back and forth. “Let him go,” she advised, “he just needs to cool down a bit.” A wry smile crept on her face for she knew where Levi was going. He needed his father.

  …

  Levi sat bobbing on the waves well beyond the surf, the ocean rocking him back and forth in a loving cradle. He had never suffered from sea sickness, but he thought the feeling in his stomach now was perhaps what it would be like. He watched the sun slowly set on the horizon like it was a dying artist’s last masterpiece in the western sky. He savored the salt in the air, the breeze on his skin and the sound of crashing waves. It wouldn’t be long before there was only space around him…or ‘the void’ as the alien translation described it. Levi thought about the subtle difference between the words ‘void’ and ‘space.’ It seemed to him that there was something more three-dimensionally lonely about recognizing its vast blackness as the nonexistence of matter, rather than the more optimistic human-version of the word that sounded like it was just space between pockets of sunshine. There was a void in his chest now, he thought, as he could not see anything bright in his future. Were those tears welling up in his eyes?

  A playful shriek came from the beach. Levi sat up on his board and used the monocular app on h
is watch to peer towards the sand. Kierra Wharran was being tickled rather violently by one of his best friends, Marco Jenikee. He crouched low on his surfboard to avoid being seen. The last thing he wanted to do right now was endure a goodbye along with everything else that had been dumped on him that afternoon. Marco, although only a year younger than he, had been one of Levi’s surf lesson students. They had built a strong bond during their months of surfing together. He knew Kierra also, but not as well. She had pursued him last summer, and one night at a party practically threw herself at him. They had both been rather tipsy and let the intimate encounter get out of hand. Now he felt guilty, knowing she was the one with stronger feelings. He really did try to be open-minded about dating her, but it just didn’t feel right so he ended it.

  Levi felt a cold drop fall on his face, then two, then three. Darn, he forgot Weathernet had scheduled a thirty minute rainfall for the evening. The drops came faster and faster until a steady cold rain fell around him. He turned over on his back and held out his arms in complete surrender. Levi lay for several minutes, surrounded by water in the blackening sky. The pounding of the rain around him helped drown his racing thoughts and he began to concentrate on his breathing. He felt peace in the moment…then he sniffled. In his haste to leave the house, Levi forgot to dress appropriately for an early spring excursion in the water. Grudgingly, he let the waves carry him back to the beach.

  Marco was grabbing a few things from his jeep and caught sight of Levi coming out of the surf. “Hey, Vi!” he called.

  He and Kierra had set-up an Airbrella to protect themselves from the rain. Light pink air shot up from a center metal rod that they had dug into the sand, its current rising and spreading over them like a round Jell-O mold. The pellets of rain were deflected sideways upon hitting the swoosh of air current that domed around the dry center. “Come in here!” Marco shouted over the rain and disappeared through the wall of air.

  Levi made his way over to them, not wanting to be rude. As he crossed the threshold into their protected shelter, the pink air blasted around his body, almost drying his skin completely. His full head of bronze hair spun in a disheveled mass atop his head. After shaking the wild locks out of his face he turned to his friend.

  “Well, I was wanting to tell you anyways,” Marco grinned ear to ear. He held Kierra’s hand tightly as they sat together on a pink blanket. Were those candles all over the ground?

  “Oh…uh…congratulations, man. That’s great,” Levi sputtered, suddenly feeling intrusive.

  “Thanks. How are you? What are you doing out here?” Marco asked.

  Levi sighed. He knew he owed Marco the truth but he didn’t want to ruin the poor man’s rain date. He opted for a half-truth instead. “I just really needed the water, you know?”

  Marco did know. Levi had succeeded in showing a young Marco the medicinal capability of the ocean. They were connected that way. “I got you. But didn’t you hear the announcements about the seven o’clock shower?”

  “Yeah, I guess I forgot.” Levi wanted to the change the subject. He directed his gaze at Kierra. She was looking nervous, perhaps because she thought Levi would tell Marco about their brief romantic interlude. “Were you all surfing earlier?”

  “A little bit,” Kierra answered, blinking rapidly.

  “I’m trying to teach her, but I’m just not as good of an instructor as you.”

  “Maybe Levi could teach us after the shower,” Kierra suggested glancing up coyly at Levi.

  This took Levi slightly aback. Did Kierra just get doe-eyes with him or did he imagine it?

  “Oh, we should! He’s the best teacher in Fort Bragg, hands down,” Marco agreed enthusiastically while rubbing her thigh.

  Kierra was more of a beach bunny than anything. She even looked pretty when she fell, which was rare. Falling required standing up.

  “Seriously, the way you teach makes me feel like I’m in a yoga class or something.” Marco’s voice rose up to a mimicking falsetto, “‘Let your collarbone shine up to the sky and lead you…let your breath become one with the ocean’s sighs.’” Marco chuckled and waved his hand in dismissal of his tomfoolery, “Oh man, I’m not really making fun of you, bro. I mean, it’s awesome and it works but I just can’t talk like that.”

  “I see.” Levi did smile then. He liked yoga. “Well, it’s a good thing you’re not making fun of me, Marco. Otherwise, I would have to remind you of this fluffy pink air tent and all the scented e-candles in here.”

  “It smells good, right?” Marco leaned in and gave Kierra a kiss on the cheek. It was obvious Marco was in love. Levi would have thought the feeling was mutual if Kierra hadn’t been staring intently at him during the exchange.

  “Sure, Marco,” Levi hedged. In truth, he thought the ocean breeze smelled better than anything they could have brought with them.

  “All we need is to find you a girlfriend, too. Then we could have fluffy pink double dates,” Marco laughed. “Seriously, it’s not like you don’t have a lot of options. Girls fall all over you...literally. Remember that time Aurora fell on you in chemistry class?” He held up his fingers in air quotes.

  “She breathed in too much ethyl ether in O-chem and passed out, Marco. Not really her fault,” Levi countered.

  “Oh, suuure. Is that why her shirt almost flew off in the process. Check the inventory. I bet she was testing it out to use on you later,” Marco jested.

  “Yeah, I don’t think so,” Levi conceded with little conviction. He had never questioned a fainting girl’s motives before.

  “I know! How about Talon? She’s perfect for you. You all hang out all the time, she’s gorgeous, and let’s face it, she surfs almost as well as you. Don’t you think so, Kierra?” Marco asked.

  “Well, she is pretty but everyone thinks she’s really weird,” Kierra responded flatly.

  “Maybe they would make a perfect couple then. Levi isn’t exactly a portrait of normality,” Marco observed with a wink.

  Weird wasn’t really on Levi’s deal-breaker list. On the contrary, he rather liked when women were a little unconventional. To him it showed a sense of independence and individuality. Levi would have actually pursued Talon Terry, but there were many factors keeping him from doing just that. First off, their parents were best friends and they grew up together since diapers, essentially regarding each other as brother and sister. When everyone else hit their awkward middle school years, Talon soared into womanhood with grace and fearlessness. Her auburn hair turned the color of a red-tailed hawk and her hips curved out like a bird stretching its wings. She became the most beautiful woman he had ever seen; a woman that Levi was very attracted too.

  He felt guilty for his feelings toward her and hated the curse of their familial connection. In an attempt at self-preservation, he stopped surfing with her as much as he had been. In the past year he had only seen her in the hallways at school and the dining room table on holidays. Despite his efforts to date other women, he could not get Talon Terry out of his mind. Levi’s stomach twisted at the thought of having to leave her and he searched his brain for anything that could help change the subject. Luckily, Kierra did that before he had the chance.

  “So, it’s settled. We should go for a night surf when they turn the shower off,” she suggested with more enthusiasm than Levi had heard from her so far tonight. She smiled at him then.

  “It’s pretty chilly out there. I don’t think you want to go for a swim.” Levi wanted to divert any group activities that included Kierra.

  “It’s not that chilly,” Kierra countered.

  Your Goosebumps would suggest otherwise, Levi thought to himself.

  “And you only live once, right?” Kierra persisted as she bit her smiling lip.

  “Let’s do it!” Marco agreed enthusiastically.

  “You all should go but I’m really not up for it tonight…a lot of things going on,” Levi waved at the air. He might not be in-tune with the motives of fainting girls but he was almost certain now that Kierr
a had straying eyes.

  “Oh, yeah. Levi is training for the NSSA amateur competition in a few weeks. What is this? Your third time, Vi?” asked Marco.

  Levi nodded and his heart sunk so deep in his chest he almost grabbed his stomach to find it. Not from space he’s not. It was getting increasingly more difficult for Levi to keep up the smokescreen holding back the fire inside of him.

  “Well this is a perfect time to tell you that I signed up, too!” Marco smiled widely. “I’m not nearly as good as you but I just want to experience it, man. The swells they make for it are so killer and I’ll learn a lot, I think.”

  “Oh, wow, that’s great. I really am so excited to hear that.” Levi tried to inject as much enthusiasm into his reply as he could for Marco’s benefit. It was not quite whole-hearted. Before Levi had to muster more enthusiasm, the rain stopped.

  “It’s stopped raining,” Kierra voiced the obvious. “I’m going to at least go for a swim. Do you all want to join?” She didn’t wait for an answer and hopped up from her seated position. “Let me go change into my suit and I’ll be right back.” She looked at Levi as she walked through the air wall and into the night.

  If it stopped raining, it must be seven-thirty. He was sure Axella and Bockie were getting worried. Levi looked at Marco, who sat flashing his pearly whites in complete surrender to the joy he felt in this moment. How could he say goodbye? How could he have taken his friends and this ocean for granted before today? He had spent so much time being weighed down by the rejection and absence of his father that he failed to see the beauty around him. Now he had to leave it without ever really getting to appreciate it in the moment.