Angie
#1 of Angie
I'm happy I can get this out in the open after so many years. Here I am, a wealthy unmarried man, about to tell you something no one has known about for ten years.
The story begins in 1995, on my personally owned and operated island. I was 25 then, and had inherited the island from my father, an oil tycoon. The island was located somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico, but I'm disclosing its location, since I want my identity kept secret too. He owned it as a vacation spot, and I remember it being a great pride in the family. I used to sit with my brother on a small peninsula of flat rocks that jetted out about 50 feet into the ocean, and the water was about 20 feet deep at the end. We would sit there all day, just talking and watching groups of wild dolphins catch fish and play around. Nobody else was on the island except my family.
Then things got ugly.
I was 23 when my Dad and Brother died in a jet crash. In his will, my father left me $5,000,000 and the island. I didn't actually want the money, so I spent it to renovate our pride to be a tourist attraction. I spent money on a few jetties, a store, a nice luxury spa, and of course, a shark proof net to surround parts of the island. I also hired a man to drive a ferry from the Florida coast. However, this isn't very important. All that matters is what happened to me there.
A quarter of the island was my private property, the area my father owned when he was alive and was now mine. I didn't allow people to swim in the area or come through the gates I had set up. However, that was fine since they had the biggest part. I just made sure I got the part with the peninsula all to myself. I would go there at the time the tourist level was high, since the caretakers of the island claimed they couldn't control the surge of people. So between May and July, I would stay on the island. I would clean it, check the shark nets, watch over the tourists, control the income of supplies, speak at meetings, and live in a small condo that we used to stay in when my father was alive.
With that out of the way, I should probably tell you about what happened.
I had awoken one morning to clear skies and calm waters. This was the perfect chance to go for a dive. After heading down to the restaurant for breakfast, I went to the rental shop where tourists could get supplies for diving. I got a double gauged oxygen tank, with a blue wetsuit and some flippers. I headed to Jetty 5 on my private land and dived in. The water was transparent that day, which was a major blessing for me. The marine life in the area was stunning and usually the water would be just murky enough to miss it.
I dove down to about 30ft when an idea hit me. The net was probably in need of checking. So that's what I did. The black nets that surrounded the area were about 1 inch thick and were harvested by hooks and buoys. Sometimes sharks were caught in them, but I was trained to have them released. Today, though, things would change.
I swam around the bottom curve of the island, checking the traps. As I got closer, I noticed the net was vibrating and rustling violently. I looked up ahead and saw that there was something wiggling in the net up ahead. Cautiously, I swam below, expecting to find a shark. But what I did find was deeply saddening. There, stuck in the nets and fighting for its life, was a wild dolphin.
"You poor thing", I said to myself , "You don't deserve to be trapped like the sharks."
I still swam cautiously, since most of the time a wild dolphin can be just as dangerous as a shark, if not more so. Its head was caught in the nets and the dorsal fin was tangled in another part. I couldn't see whether it was male or female. As I got closer, the dolphin turned her head (I saw it was a she when I noticed a smaller head or melon) and looked me straight in the eyes. She let out a low creaking squeal, a warning. Then she began to struggle again.
Determined to save her, I reached for my knife I kept handy on my tool belt. I grabbed a hold on one piece of net above me, and then began to saw at a piece right next to her. Obviously surprised and blinded in fear and confusion, she snapped her head over and bit my hand. Her sharp teeth and strong jaws easily broke my skin. I screamed in pain and lost my knife to the water below. Luckily, I had a backup knife. Despite the pain of salt water in my cuts and the fear of my blood attracting sharks, I began to work again on the net. I first cut the net above her to release her dorsal fin, occasionally having to move away from her jaws, and then the ones wrapping around her side fins. She wiggled violently but got out. Satisfied, I watched her swim forward and up to get a breath. She stayed for a moment and then I expected she'd leave. But to my surprise, she came back down and swam right into the hole in the net! I was almost positive she was stuck again, but I felt relieved when she squirmed out of its hold. She swam though it and came back to where I was. That's when I got a good look at her.
She was a small dolphin, a little over six feet in length, not much farther than my 5'11 stance. I guessed she was still young, yet most likely a mature dolphin. She didn't have as many scars as the other dolphins I had seen. She began checking me out too, with her sonar. She made a bizarre noise that crackled in the water. Suddenly I felt something seem to hit me, a mild prickling feeling. It felt like my entire body was being penetrated by the sound waves she let out. Her head would tilt if I was moved by the current, keeping me locked in position with her magnificent "sight". Then she swam around me in circles to get a better view. After that, she stopped and faced me, seemingly curious about why I was here.
I was getting tired of this, but waited patiently as she scanned me, as not to scare her off. After nearly 3 minutes, she stopped creaking and swam closer to me, about arms length away. For some reason, I wondered if she would let me touch her. I slowly raised my hand, almost as if she as a menacing attack dog rather than this curious grinning sea mammal. I felt optimistic as my hand reached near her melon, but she ducked down to avoid my touch, she still keeping her eyes on me. She let out a coo and turned on her side. There I saw she had an amazing scar.
The scar was two thin lines intersecting to look like a cross on her pale grey belly, reaching from the bottom of her headline to near the beginning of her genital slit, with a horizontal line running between her pectoral fins. It looked just like the cross Jesus was crucified on. I just sat there, amazed, and wondered how she could have gotten this. But before I knew it, she swam off.
She disappeared into the distance, swimming at a fast speed. I seemed to wake up from a daze. Why did this dolphin have a scar just like a cross? What could have done that? It certainly wasn't a motorboat. But I viewed my oxygen and came to a frightening discovery that it had only about a quarter tank left. Instead of swim to the surface, I turned around and swam the other way, back to a supply cave I knew about.
I kept oxygen tanks there in case of an emergency. The cave was small with only enough height to stand, about 10 feet long and 12 feet across. The cave went upwards until you passed an overhang, and then opened up into it. I found the opening and swam upwards into the dark ring. With one hand still steering me, I used the other to feel the rocky surface below. When it reached an upward curve, I knew I was there.
I climbed out of the tiny pool, wincing at the pain in my palm where the dolphin bit me. The extra weight stored in my wetsuit also didn't help when I climbed out. It felt like my hand was forced hard onto jagged spikes by massive boulders. I removed my mask and rubbed the red ring around my eyes. Then I waved my hand around a bit, looking for the light switch I set up. I found the switch and flicked it. A pale orange light illuminated the small cave. Still facing the pool with my feet lightly dangling in the water, I removed my oxygen tank and set it beside me. There were the extra tanks sitting in the corner but right now, I decided to rest a bit. Exhausted from the rescue, I fell asleep parallel to the pool.
"Eeee!"
I awoke with a start. A sudden squeal had scared me. I waited for a minute to be readjusted to the light, and then looked around. The cave lay empty. However, I turned to the pool and saw the dolphin, resting on her pectoral fins where the passage curved up. I saved this same dolphin earlier. I could see her magnificent scar in the dim light. She sat there, looking at me with those beady curious eyes. My heart must have been beating a mile and minute, since I was so surprised that she had just shown up and scared me awake! She still sat there, staring at me silently. I felt myself begin to smile a bit. She did look very goofy, with her pectoral fins resting on the edge of the pool, looking up at me. I spoke slowly and softly, as not to frighten her.
"Hi there, friend. Have you come back to thank me?"
"ee-aa!
Not really expecting a response, I must have nearly jumped out of my skin as she made that quick squeak. I could have sworn she just said 'yeah'.
She began to make a chattering sort of laughing noise, which also made me half grin with delight and stare with amazement. Did she understand what I was thinking?
I shook off the feeling and lay down on my stomach, facing her with my head resting on my hands. She backed up, making a creaking noise in a low tone at me, warning me again.
"br-br-br-br-br-br-brrr-brr-brr-br-"
I shrugged a bit. She was wild; I couldn't expect her to want to be face to face with me.
"Well, you're welcome. It's what I do. Just keep an eye out for the net next time, ok?"
The dolphin cocked her head and sat silent. She was still checking me out.
I laid my hand with the bite marks in the water. I expected her to leave, since she knew I had said, "You're welcome." Yet she decided to stay. I was fine with that, though. She had the island to herself. I was on the verge of sleep, half-dreaming already, when I noticed she moved cautiously forward, toward my hand, whistling softly at me. Then she stopped and began swishing her tail, to stay in place. Her black twinkling eyes, halfway out of the water, looked up at me.
I took this as an invitation. With my head still on my other hand, I gradually rose my hurt hand out of the water. The dolphin still kept her curious eyes on me, barely moving and watching me silently. Slowly, I extended my hand until it was about and inch from her melon. I optimistically spread my fingers, ready to stroke her. Yet to my dismay, she backed up away from my touch, squeaking faintly.
"eee-ooo"
My heart sank. I sat up and looked at her. If she had come close to my hand, why didn't she want to be stroked?
"Hey now," I said softly "It's alright. I wont hurt you, girl. I just want to touch you. That's all."
She looked up at me with those questioning yet cautious eyes and squeaked again.
I was a little annoyed now. I knew, deep down, that she could understand me. Right now, she was just reluctant. Obviously, she had never been touched by human hands before.
"If I wanted to harm you, I would have let you stay in the net, right? Come on, I promise I wont hurt you."
She looked at me, and then at my hand, thinking over if I was reliable. The dolphin then moved somewhat forward, and then stopped once again. Her breathing had increased and I noticed that she was shivering from fear. She let out a high-pitched whistle, pleading with me not to harm her.
I felt saddened. She must have experienced a lot to not trust humans. However, why would she be scared of me? After all, I saved her life. How could she see me as a threat?
That's when I noticed my knife lying beside me.
No wonder! She was scared I was going to hurt her with my knife. Feeling like an idiot, I grabbed it and tossed it near the back of the cave.
"I am SO sorry, girl! I forgot that was there."
The dolphin seemed only slightly relieved. She kept glancing from my hand to my face, scanning me in case of any sudden moves.
I reached out once again. She still backed up, making low clicking noises again.
I was distraught.
"PLEASE, girl. I'm NOT going to hurt you. I promise." I still spoke soft and slow. Maybe she'd trust me better if she felt relaxed.
She didn't move except for swishing her tail to the side, to stay in her spot. Maybe I was going a little too fast for her. I withdrew my hand; almost sure she didn't want to be touched. Yet to my surprise, she swam closer to me, still looking at my hand. Now I was just confused. She wanted to be touched, but why did she keep moving away from my hand? I stuck it out once again, slow as not to startle her, and waited for her to move closer. The dolphin was just out of my reach.
Slowly and steadily, she crept forward, making a choked squeal and shaking from fear, begging me not to prove her wrong that she thought I was truthful. Patiently I waited, my hand extended, for her to reach me. She stopped and looked up, and I felt her scanning me again, fearful.
"Please."
The dolphin decided to bite the bullet. Her eyes clenched closed and she still shook, but she swam forward quick to avoid her second thoughts. She went a tad to fast, and I had to move my hand back a little. If my hand had jabbed her melon at that speed, she would've been hurt and left. I switched to two fingers right when her head reached my hand.
Almost instantly, she showed a change of feeling between fear and relaxation. Her eyes were closed but not clenched, and she shook only slightly. Her mouth began to gape, caught up in the good feeling. I rubbed my fingers along her smooth yet firm head, very gently, and felt her shudder a little. Her body drifted closer to me, to gain better access. There was no doubt that she enjoyed the feeling of being stroked. I enjoyed it too, rubbing my fingers slowly along her rubbery skin. I rubbed around her blowhole and down the side of her face behind her eyes. She began to gently squeal at a low sound, a bit like a moan.
"rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr"
I lightly rubbed her dorsal fin with my palm. Her head rose up, almost as if she were a cat, totally loving me petting her. With her head out of the water, I raised my hurt hand and lightly rubbed her beneath her rostrum, simultaneously rubbing her head. She kept giving off the moaning sound and would occasionally shudder.
After about five minutes, she opened her eyes and backed off from my hand. I guessed she was ready to leave, which I wasn't about to stop her.
Instead of leaving, she moved up close to my hurt hand. With the side of her rostrum, she stroked the wound, her gleaming eyes looking up at me and she grinned with that average grin all dolphins have.
I was heart warmed at this gesture. She seemed to be thanking me for the petting, and apologizing for the bite.
"Don't worry, girl. It's already healing."
I stroked her melon once again. Then with a splash, I let her swim off.
I smiled and watched her shadow disappear again. Then I rested my hands behind me and stretched. I grabbed my new air tank and put my mask back on. Finally, ignoring the slight chill, I dove into the water. I didn't know where to go and hardly cared. I seemed to have met a new companion, and felt deep down that she would be back to see me. I was in ecstasy as I thought about how much she seemed to trust me, though I was human. It was amazing how strong our bond seemed to be after that short twenty minutes.
And just as I had thought, the bond would only become stronger.
Part 2
I finally ended my dive around noon, to go to a meeting with my employees who worked around the island. Everyone kept asking me how I got the nasty looking bite mark, but I truthfully told them that a dolphin was stuck and I released it. I left out the rest, since it was clearly none of their business.
The meeting dragged on, and I could barely concentrate. The droning of the employees made me shuffle in my seat. I kept thinking about the dolphin, who I had rescued from a spot that had brought down many of her kind before, who was surprisingly intelligent, even for a dolphin, and seemed to understand English as well as anyone and could communicate easily. She was a wild dolphin who actually allowed interaction with a human, and bore a surprisingly coincidental scar to a cross. I was astonished. I had saved her, and she seemed to have taken a liking to me, after confirming I wasn't at all a threat.
That night a small storm hit the island. I stayed in my house, watching the storm with disappointment. I wanted to go out and see if I could find the dolphin again. Instead, I watched the wind blow by with lost hopes. I decided I should go to bed.
I woke up early the next morning, around 5:00 am. The sun was just a sliver in the pale grey sky. I thought this would be a good opportunity to see my dolphin friend. I got dressed and ate a quick breakfast before leaving through the sliding glass door.
My house was on the top of a hill overlooking the ocean. The house was only one story but that was all I needed. It was surrounded by trees, shadowing the small condo permanently. A path used for cars and hikers went straight in front of my house, one way leading to the beach and the other to the marina. I took the way to the beach, about a ten-minute walk down the hill. Then it was about a five-minute walk from the opening on the beach to the small rocky peninsula I used to visit. I hoped the dolphin would know I was there.
I reached the peninsula to find that there was a pod of dolphins playing out in the water. It was a little early for the anglers to be out yet, so they had the area all to themselves. I didn't see my friend out there, so I sat down about 10 feet out on the rocks and watched the pod out there. They would leap from the water and swim around with grace and fantastic agility, darting in many directions. They would nibble and nudge each other in playful fashions, while making squeals, grunts, and whistles the whole time. They were amazing to watch.
Suddenly I felt some water splash upon my sweatshirt. Startled, I jerked my head around to see my dolphin friend sitting there, her tail raised, eyes twinkling at me.
"Hey there, girl" I said, this time at my normal pace, "You sure know how to grab someone's attention."
She turned around and swam closer to me, gently chattering sounds of greetings.
"Yes, it's good to see you too."
Wait; did I just understand what she said?
I reached my hand out to her, waiting for her to move closer. She seemed to remember that she liked the feeling of me petting her, so she moved up to me, raising her head out of the water. I began to stroke the end of her rostrum. Her eyes closed again and she moved parallel to the rocks, lazily floating there. I stroked her melon and behind her dorsal fin, near her tail. She never experienced being touched like this before and was in total ecstasy. She shuddered now and then, as if she was cold, and made the low moaning sound for what seemed like minutes on end.
"rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr"
Since she didn't seem to be paying attention to staying in place, I thought maybe I could give her a belly rub. If she thought being just petted felt well, she would most likely love a belly rub. I leisurely reached out with the other hand and grabbed her pectoral fin. With a hard push, I was able to move her. Her eyes opened and she looked around, clicking curiously, but made no effort to stop me. When she was on her back, I saw the magnificent scar beam out at me. She held her head up to get a good look at me and clicked again. I stroked her side right behind her pectoral fin, and with the other hand began to rub her pale belly.
She uttered a squeak in pleasure and her eyes closed. The skin on her stomach was tougher and had more muscles than on the top of her. I could feel them tense up and relax as I went over them. Her back arched up to be closer to my hand, which I'm sure was an unconscious gesture. Her jaws were gaping and her tongue began to roll out of her mouth. I beamed at this. She loved having a belly rub, just as I had expected.
I ran my finger along her scar, to observe it more. It was only about .1 centimeter deep, not as much as it looked. I traced it with my fingernail, but the dolphin didn't seem to notice. She was too into being rubbed on her belly. She began to spasm a little, jerking her head and then her tail. I kept stroking her lightly with my hand.
Suddenly, when my hand was up near her head, she opened her eyes and grabbed my hand with her teeth.
"Oh come on. Not my other hand!"
But I didn't feel pain. She hadn't bitten hard enough to break the skin and didn't show any means of harming me. I let out a surprised laugh as she yanked me hard into the water. I landed headfirst into the translucent shallows. My eyes opened and I saw through the water the dolphin was staring at me. She swam close and nudged me beneath my chin, asking me to stand up. I arose and leaned back on rocks, the dolphin leisurely swimming back and forth in front of me. The water was shallow, but below my shoulders everything was underwater. I was glad I didn't go to the end of the peninsula.
"Next time," I said, gasping for air, "warn me if you're going to do that."
The dolphin stopped swimming and began to make chattering laugh noises, causing me to smile.
"You know, I'm not sure if dolphins worry about it or not, but it's a major thing people care about. I need to tell you my name."
The dolphin cocked her head to the side, not understanding what I was saying.
"My name is Cameron. I own this island, and I'm not sure if you recognize me now, but I saved you from the net yesterday."
She let out a happy click.
"That's good. I don't think you have a name, so I was wondering could I give you one. It's sort of a social thing for humans."
Despite not understanding what names were, she vigorously shook her head up and down. I felt as dumbfounded as I did when she had first said "yeah" in the cave.
I had to think. What should I call her? The scar was the first thing to come to my mind. It seemed to be a religious thing, so she deserved a religious name. Virgin Mary? Mary?
"How about 'Mary'?"
She shook her head to the side, whirring.
"Yeah, I don't really like it either."
I wasn't highly religious, so I didn't know the saints by heart. The next thing that came to my mind was 'angel'. But that sounded too much like a pet name. So I shortened it.
"How about, 'Angie'?"
"ooooooeeeeeeee". She let out a happy squeal, while nodding her head. I let out a short laugh, still not used to how well she communicated.
"Angie it is then."
She swam up and floated face to face with me. This is when I became aware of her real size. She was small compared to most dolphins, but was also muscular and heavy. Her head was at least twice the size of mine and was longer in length than I was in height. I felt the smile drain from my face. I guess that maybe I was shaking a little, because I sure felt scared by her size. I had never been this close to her before, and I could tell that if she wanted to, she would be able to injure (maybe even kill) me in a split second.
Angie sensed I was scared, causing her to trill. She moved her head next to mine and began to stroke her rostrum gently on the side of my face, along my cheek and down to my shoulder. This felt marvelous, her smooth skin rubbing against my head. I felt the hair on my arms and legs rise into goosebumps. She had convinced me easily enough not to be scared of her size. Almost instinctively, I wrapped my arms around her. She rose to a vertical position.
One side of me began to shout 'What are you doing? That's a little to intimate for you to be to a wild animal!' while the other side shouted back 'But it feels so right!'
The first side shut up when Angie embraced me with her fins. She had floated above me a little, her head level with mine, with her rostrum sticking up like a lightning rod. I listened to her relaxed breathing and could feel her pulse run through her body. I began to rub her down with one of my hands, making her shiver a little. She craned her neck down to look at me, and I looked slightly up at her, seeing her eyes gleaming at me.
"So where's your pod, Angie?" I asked after a long silence.
She backed off and was once again face to face with me. I looked deep into her eyes. This time, though, she didn't have the usual gleam. I could almost read what she was thinking.
I had read many times before that dolphins were social, but a dolphin would be banished, while some just became anti-social.
"They kicked you out, didn't they?"
"rrrrrr-ooooooo." She let out a sad but confirming squeal.
I felt deeply saddened for her, and before I even realized it, kissed her lightly on her beak.
At this point, I only kissed her because I felt sorry for her. Why would her own pod kick her out?
However, something seemed to spark. That kiss felt like it was the only natural thing we could do. I had only known her for a day, yet I felt like I had known her forever.
Angie seemed to have felt the same way, because she didn't try to move her head. She sat there, her beak touching my lips, clicking contently. I could feel her lips, smooth and thin, pressing against mine, and occasionally her tongue would flick out and lick my lips. This was an amazing experience!
Then, with some hesitation, Angie and I backed off from each other. The kiss was ended.
I looked deep into Angie's eyes. I felt that this was more than a friendship; it was becoming a relationship.
I gave her another quick peck and stepped backwards. I was letting the first side of my brain take over a little. I didn't want to be too intimate with a dolphin.
So, I decided maybe to get to know her personality better.
"Come on, Angie, I'll race you to the other side of the peninsula!"
Before I had time to start, she swam back and in one smooth silent motion, leapt the rocks. I climbed back onto the peninsula and looked over to the other side to see Angie sitting upright, clapping her pecs and making a happy squeal.
"eeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrr!"
I grinned at her.
"Come here, you cheater!"
I leaped into the air and landed flat into the water, right by her. The clear ocean was in a frenzy of bubbles and sand. I gathered my bearings and stood up. Now, the water was to my chest.
Angie was gone!
I turned around; expecting to see her, but the water lay empty. I turned around a few more times but I didn't see her.
Saddened, I started making my way back toward the rocks.
"OW!"
I felt a hard jab on the small of my back.
I spun around and saw Angie's head sticking out of the water.
"Eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh!"
I smirked and began to rub her beak. She was such a trickster!
"Well, Angie, it's almost six. I should get going."
She cocked her head and squeaked. Then she swam up close and lifted her head. I wrapped my arms warmly around her, looking down on her. She kissed me on the lips and swam away with a splash.
I climbed up onto the rocks and watched her figure disappear. I wished I didn't have to leave. I was beginning to like her.
Part 3
Angie and I were inseparable over the next few weeks. We would meet by the rock peninsula every morning. Sometimes she'd be there, hiding and waiting to surprise me, or I would be there first, lazily watching the undulating waves wash over the land, and she would swim up and nudge my hand. After some time, I began to understand Angie's 'language'. If she nudged my hand, she wanted petted. If pulled at my hand , then she wanted me in the water. I would wear swimmers and a shirt just in case she wanted me to be in the water with her, but if I didn't have those on; she understood and didn't ask me in that day. She would rub me with her beak as a sign of affection, and I would give her belly rubs if she turned over.
The contradicting side of my brain was dying as I began to give into my love for Angie. Of course, I would only kiss and hold her. It started out casual, and then grew more affectionate. She was as lonely as me, so she always would hold or kiss back. In fact, she would usually hold or kiss me first. If we ever wanted to be close, we would head up to the beach and I would wade into the shallows. She was patient and never forced me to do anything, yet firm and would let me know if she didn't want me doing something she didn't like, (like not petting her when she rolled over, which she responded to by a quick squeal). She was very affectionate and occasionally would rub against me if I was in the water. She seemed happy and content to be around me, and I never recalled her being angry or sad.
Angie was also very comical. She had a somewhat sarcastic sense of humor, mimicking my actions occasionally. Yet she never did it in a mocking or mean way. Sometimes, she would even toss things at me, playfully. She would throw small fish, rocks, and even things she stole from tourists (I had to tell her to stop). I would toss it back, and she would grab it with her teeth. Then, in a snapping motion, she'd whip her head and send it flying back to me. Other times, she'd flick her tail. These games would go on for a few minutes, with me laughing and Angie making the parody laughing noise.
"Eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh!"
After about five days after meeting her, I could understand almost what she was trying to convey to me. By changing pitches, she nearly sounded like she was talking. Angie, though, communicated more with actions and touch. She knew that language best.
When I wasn't around Angie, people could see me sitting gloomily at the Marina watching tourists' splash in the murky water. Other times I could be seen going to assigned places where I had give a presentation, but everyone who saw me noticed my glum expression and too casual speech. I overheard an old woman whisper to her girlfriend in a sarcastic way, "He's just a rich kid. Why would he be happy around simple folk like us?"
I was unhappy to be around them, true, but not because they were 'simple folk'. I missed being around Angie. She had more personality than the people on the island. I had grown accustomed to her being around, and I felt lonely whenever she wasn't. Before her, I have never really had any companions or real friends.
Of course, I could have seen Angie anytime throughout the day, but I didn't want to attract attention. The area we were near was a prime fishing spot, and if the anglers saw me messing with a dolphin, breaking the 'no interaction' rule on the island, that would look bad on my side. So I always went to see Angie early in the morning. After a while, Angie only started showing up at the rock peninsula, while before she would follow me if I were snorkeling or swimming, clicking in confusion when I seemed to ignore her. I never knew what she did while I was away, most likely feeding or thinking of ways to surprise me. For Angie and me, nothing could go wrong.
But one day, something did go wrong.
I was early that morning, by about ten minutes. The other pod of dolphins were playing around a few miles out, seeming as tiny black figures jumping around on the great stretch of blue water. I had lost interest in this pod long ago; especially after I had asked Angie if that was her old pod. She seemed to nod and let out a sort of sighing noise.
Nevertheless, I watched the open water, expecting maybe to see a whale or perhaps a shark.
Angie wasn't showing up, which was normal for me. This wouldn't be the first time she kept me waiting. I waited patiently, excited about what we might do that day.
Nearly half an hour passed, and I was getting a little drowsy. I decided to sprawl out on the rocks and take a short nap. Angie would wake me up when she got here, and I didn't have to be anywhere until noon.
I was near deep sleep when Angie finally showed up. To wake me up, she splashed some water on my shirtless back. I slowly raised my eyelids until I could just see her outline. I decided maybe to play a trick. I kept my eyes slightly open, just so I could see her but she couldn't see I was awake. She was sitting with her head out of the water and was eyeing me patiently. She knew I was a heavy sleeper.
But I didn't rise. Her patience died down and she splashed me again, sounding slightly annoyed. She starting to make the creaking noise and I felt the prickling feeling. Now she knew that I was somewhat awake, but was confused to why I didn't arise. She sucked in water with her blowhole and shot a short jet of water at me, something that she had done many times before. I still kept in my spot, ignoring the chilly water on my back. The dolphin cocked her head and tried again. I still sat there. She let out a loud squeal, but I ignored the sound. It was getting hard to suppress my laughs. Finally, her eyes got curious and wider. She swam up and gently nibbled my fingers, cooing inquisitively. She backed off and looked up. By now, her eyes were wide with a mix of confusion, annoyance, and curiosity.
I couldn't take it any more. I snapped my eyes open and lunged close to her.
"Boo!"
Angie, seeing I was awake, feigned a surprise by sitting upwards and waving both of her flippers. She squealed, then fell back to the horizontal position, chattering in amusement. I should have been laughing, but something was different today.
Angie was a lot more skittish than normal, and when she had risen up in her mock surprise, I noticed her underside was flushed in bright pink.
She swam up and roughly nudged my hand, awaking me from my thoughts.
'That doesn't mean anything', I told myself, and 'maybe she had met another male dolphin on the way. That would explain why she was late. They must have mated and she's still in an afterglow. That's usual for dolphins.'
Angie continued to nudge my hand rapidly.
"Angie, if you wanted pet so badly, you could've asked," I said, beginning to smile. She was quite excited today! This seemed to stop her and she rolled over, exposing her still pink belly.
I also noticed that her vaginal slit was swollen. I told myself once again that she was still in an afterglow and she'd be out soon. I still reached out and stroked her belly. It felt warmer than usual, almost like how a runner feels after they run a few laps in cold weather.
I sat there, lazily moving my hand back and forth, switching from my fingernails and fingertips, and occasionally my knuckles. Angie's belly was still warm, but it wasn't as bad. I could hear her squeak and whir in contentment, while her muscles tightened and relaxed as I moved my hand over her underside. My eyes closed I began to breathe slower, my hands still rubbing her in their unconscious routine.
Suddenly, her smooth skin disappeared, replaced by a swollen patch of tough skin. It felt hot to the touch. I opened my eyes and saw that my hand was rubbing the top of her vaginal slit, near her bulging clit.
I let out a startled gasp removed my hands. She looked up at me with wide eyes, curious at why I had stopped.
"I'm sorry, Angie, I didn't mean to touch you, err, down there."
I sat up and looked at my hand. It felt dirty. I looked back at Angie, sitting there with her belly now a dark pink, and I felt like I needed to get away from her.
"I'm sorry. It was a mistake."
I was clueless then.
I didn't leave Angie. Instead, I decided to experiment. Maybe Angie made a mistake and the feeling blocked her thoughts. I began to rub her again, slower, far away from her vaginal area. I kept my eyes on her this time.
Things calmed down after a minute or so and I was satisfied that it was just a mistake. I got back into the dreamy state again and was nearly asleep.
I figured she was just getting comfortable when she started moving her flippers back and forth, moving her body to where my hand was rubbing. Or, where she wanted to be rubbed. However, I couldn't get over my suspicion and looked down at her. Sure enough, Angie was scooting her body upwards, moving my hand down her body. She stopped when my hand was near her slit again, and I watched in surprise as she starting thrusting her tail. It all became clear. Angie wanted to have SEX with ME!
I pulled my hand away once again, and didn't say a word. I just stood up and left. Angie started following me, clicking loudly. I turned back and saw her wide hurt eyes. I guess I felt a little guilty for walking out. I bent down and kissed her, while rubbing beneath her rostrum. This was a sign that I wasn't angry, especially not at her, and she gave a sort of grin. She turned and flashed her scar, still pink, and was off. It was true, though, I wasn't angry with her.
But I was thinking of her in a completely different light.
Angie, this wild dolphin I had saved from drowning, that had allowed contact with me, whom I had gotten to know and love over a multiple week period, wanted to have sex with me. We trusted each other, and I loved her more than anything, but I never thought of sex with her. She was an animal and I was a human. It just wasn't right.
But was it really?
I was thinking of her all day, but I avoided the picture of her pussy working itself against my fingers. I could only think of the shock this had come to me. I had never thought of dolphins wanting to mate with humans. I was deeply confused and needed answers.
I had to see her.
I left my house the next morning, wearing jogging gear, since I didn't expect I'd be in the water. The sea breeze rustled my hair, but I merely put up my hood, flushing out its cool smell and gentle push. I suspected that my dolphin friend would be waiting eagerly for me, most likely ready for sex.
Sure enough, Angie was waiting for me there.
She let out a squeak and swam up, grinning at me with an open mouth. Usually this would make me happy, but yesterday's events clouded my emotions.
"Hello Angie." I said politely, as she looked up at me. "You're here early."
"Aeeeeooo" she replied.
I looked away. She seemed happy, but I sure wasn't. I didn't want to have to talk to her like I was about to. She was smarter than to have to listen to a lecture. I counted to ten, hoping that Angie would still be there. I looked back at her. She cocked her head, wondering why I was acting strangely. I cleared my throat and squatted down, face to face with the dolphin.
"Look, Angie, about yesterday," I slowly spoke, making sure she understood, "I love you, but I don't think I'm ready to have THAT sort of bond with you."
Angie was confused. Sex wasn't a bond, it was a natural thing, that no one should be against or ashamed of. Since she didn't understand, she dismissed the idea, taking it as another factor of my odd behavior. The dolphin nudged my hand quickly and rolled over, and I saw her bright pink underside with matching swollen pussy lips and clit. Not again, girl, please.
"I said I don't, Angie." I said, a bit firmer, "Please don't make this any harder. I don't feel right talking to you this way."
She ignored me and nudged my hand again.
"Angie, are you listening?"
She arched her back, clearly showing she was ready for me to begin.
"Angie, come on, I don't want to-"
She cut me off with a few clicks.
"Please, Angie, listen to me. I can't have that relationship with you. Not yet, at least."
This sounds like I was pleading, but I was more ordering, my patience running low.
She thrust her pelvis, coaxing me.
"Angie," I said firmly. My anger was bubbling in my blood, and I was losing my control.
She nudged my hand once again. That sent me over.
"ANGIE!" I exploded.
She flipped over and stared at me. It wasn't my nature to be angry like that. Instead of calming down, I let all my stress jump out at her.
"I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP LIKE THIS WITH YOU! IT ISNT EVEN RIGHT FOR ME TO BE AROUND YOU IF YOU'RE JUST GOING TO IGNORE WHAT I SAY AND TRY TO USE ME FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL LUST! NOW, AM I GOING TO HAVE TO SAY THAT AGAIN, OR AM I GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND, YOU STUPID FISH!?!"
I rose up my hand as if ready to hit, and Angie 'flinched'. My eyes were wide in shock, surprised at my outburst. I looked up at my raised arm, and down at Angie, who was staring back at me with big, black, hurt eyes. She let out a frightened squeal and backed up.
Still slightly angry, with Angie and myself, I lowered my hand. I spoke to the poor dolphin as calmly as I could, with a tint of anger and firmness still in my voice.
"Angie..."
She let out another frightened squeal and turned. My rage quickly turned into desperation and remorse.
"Angie!" I cried after her. Her dark figure sunk below the waves and out of sight. I reached out my hand, as if trying to coax her back.
"Angie! Come back! I'm sorry, girl! Please! Come back!"
But Angie was gone, now just a dark figure in the ocean.
I sat back and curled into a ball on the rocks.
I didn't cry, though I thought I should have. I hated myself more than ever. It wasn't Angie's fault; she was just going by instinct. It was all my fault, for not understanding her ways, and for losing my temper and ready to harm her.
But I would never have hurt Angie! I loved her more than the island itself! How could I have been so stupid? What was I thinking? These thoughts raced through my head as I felt my jaw shake. The cool sea breeze rustled my dark brown hair again, but I ignored it.
I looked up and saw that the pod of dolphins had also left. Now it was just an empty ocean and me. Without Angie.
I got to my feet and turned away from the water. Slowly, I moved back toward my house. The employees would expect to see me in an hour, but I decided to let them wait.
Angie, sad and hurt, was somewhere in the ocean right now. I wanted to be far away from it.
Part 4
I sat in my big leather chair back at the condo, facing away from the water, my head in my hands.
All I could think of was Angie. I wanted her back. I was nothing without her. Would she ever forgive me?
Suddenly, there was a knock on my glass balcony door.
"Hey, boss?"
It was an employee. I didn't answer.
"Boss?"
I drowned out his words the best I could.
"Hey boss, the group was wondering where you were at. Now I see you, your leg's sticking out, how about coming outside and to the building?"
I slowly rose my hand up and showed him exactly what I thought of him right then.
"Come on, boss, that isn't really necessary. Maybe you just had a rough night. Did your lady friend leave you?"
He made this to mean a girlfriend, but I thought he meant Angie.
"YOU BASTARD!!"
I jumped up and grabbed a paperweight, hurling it across the room. It hit the balcony door and shattered it into millions of tiny pieces. The employee's nose was red but unbroken. With angry eyes, he wiped to check for blood.
"Sorry, if I would've known she left, I wouldn't have said anything"
This got me angrier, and I reached for a fire-poker and swung it near him, menacingly.
"GET OUT! GET OUT NOW! YOU SON OF A BITCH !"
The employee ran off, his pupils wide with fear. The fire-poker fell with a clang to the floor. I had scared off two living creatures in just a few hours, and the pain of it was killing me. I too fell to the floor. Ignoring the pain in my back where I landed, I curled into a ball and began to sob dryly. Not for the employee, but for Angie. The wide look in his eyes was the same as Angie's right before she swam off.
I know that dolphins don't really smile. They may appear to, but it's just the structure of their jaws. But I can assure you, when I yelled at Angie the smile disappeared. Honest to God. That melted my heart.
During the time away from Angie, I stayed in my house, on the floor, barely sleeping and not getting up to eat. The room filled up with the sea breeze draft, but I merely faced away, hating how it taunted me.
Near the end of the first day, after I had dry sobbed myself to silence, another employee visited me. She was young and was fearful when she found me.
"Are you ok? What happened? Jake said you threw a paperweight at him"
I didn't move; I just sat there.
"You need some water, you're lips are badly chapped"
She grabbed me beneath the arms and lifted me. Then she walked me slowly over to the sink and filled a cup. I hated the feeling of her skin. Angie's skin felt better.
"Here, drink this."
I gave her an angry look.
"I hate to do this, but-"
She opened my mouth and poured the icy water down my throat. I made no effort to stop her.
She also gave me some food and put me on the couch. She kept thinking I needed help, that I had a nervous breakdown and was now catatonic. I wish I were though. Then I wouldn't be able to think about Angie.
"I'll check on you later, ok? And please, try to take care of yourself."
I looked away.
She returned on the second day too. She gave me water and force-fed me, talking all the time.
"You know, the group is worried about you, and I think the tourists are too. They think that you went crazy or something and some have been spreading rumors that you committed suicide. That's just silly, isn't it?" She let out a forced laugh, nervous that her little joke might make me angrier. I just looked up at her with a furrowed brow.
"Please, Cam, I'm doing my best. I can't stand to see you like this."
I rose up and spoke, finally after two days.
"Then get the hell out of my house."
Sure enough, she left.
On the third day I decided to go to the water. Not to see Angie, since I was certain she wasn't coming back. I had stopped thinking about her and only felt empty inside, as if half of me was cut away. I found a spot far away from the peninsula and sat down, the waves gently pressing against my chest.
The water was still empty, with no signs of Angie at all. I tried hard to get back into the dreamlike state that I had always achieved when she was around, but the empty feeling blocked me from my altered state. The waves gently rocked me, but I still felt uncomfortable. I still had no idea why I was in the water, sitting chest deep, and my pudgy figure being worked over by the current, the tide receding.
I heard some irregular splashing, and despite not caring, I opened my eyes. There was a dark figure about ten yards out. I thought it was maybe just a shark or something, hunting food in the shallows.
But the figure got up closer. My jaws dropped and my eyes widened as I saw the light grey, streamlined body of a dolphin surface. But I knew right away that this wasn't just a dolphin. It was Angie.
She was about five meters out now, her head below the surface and her cape (the part of the dolphin's body, starting near the top of the melon and extending to the dorsal fin) shimmering in the morning sun.
I couldn't speak or move. Cheer or cry, I couldn't decide which to do. She rose up slightly and so her eyes and blowhole were out of the water.
Angie was silent. I looked into her eyes and saw that she too looked like half of her was missing. Her once sparkling eyes were now dim and sad, with a small tint of fear.
We sat there, staring back at each other, my jaws gaping and Angie's breathing slightly choked.
Finally, I broke the silence.
"Angie... you came back..." I felt tears well up in my eyes and a lump growing in my throat. Had she forgiven me? Why was she here?
Angie swam up by me, half behind me yet about two meters away. I was afraid she might beach herself and scooted into the water deeper. She obediently followed, but still stayed the same amount away from me. When I saw she was floating farther away from the sand, I spoke again. My voice was cracking as I held back tears.
"Angie, I'm so happy you're back. I wasn't the same without you."
I could tell she agreed, but she kept quiet. She wasn't giving me silent treatment just to make me grovel, obviously. I had betrayed her trust in me, and I felt that she didn't trust or love me anymore. She wasn't doing it to torture me, and I was well aware. The whole thing was my fault.
"Angie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean the things I said then. I would never hurt you, girl. I-" I stopped to wipe away some tears from my eyes. The pressure in the back of my eyes was like a dam ready to burst, and the pain in my throat felt like a baseball that was stuck yet had to be held in the spot. "I'm so sorry, Angie. I shouldn't have yelled at you. That was wrong of me. I forgive you, Angie. If you like me like that, I can accept it, but I need time. I love you, girl." A few tears were running down my cheeks. Angie looked up at me and let out a quiet squeak.
She had forgiven me.
I reached out to touch her, but she quickly moved away. Her breathing had increased, and she was beginning to shiver again. Just like in the cave, before she trusted me. This was about the same thing; she didn't trust me.
"Please, Angie. I won't hurt you. I would never do that. I wasn't thinking then. Please girl, I just want you back."
She had a sad look in her eyes. It was as if she wanted to trust me, but something was holding her back. She uttered a high pitched, almost stammering, squeal.
Just like in the cave.
It was no use, I told myself. I had broken her trust and I'd have to live with the pain. Before she didn't trust me because I was human and she couldn't trust them. Now, I was someone who had hurt her, even though not physically, and she couldn't be sure if I'd do it again. I let my outstretched hand drop, making a soft splash. I put my eyes into my other palm and forced the tears to stay put. Angie didn't love me anymore. What was I to do now?
I heard Angie splash her tail, and figured she was leaving. I knew it would be no use to stop her.
However, I felt something warm and smooth rub against my hand, up and down. I removed my other hand from over my eyes and saw Angie's rostrum rubbing my palm. Her eyes looked up at me, and I saw that she seemed to be back to her usual self again, her eyes twinkling.
"Oh, Angie..."
The words were choked up by the lump in my throat, now near my mouth. The tears began to flow out.
I reached out and wrapped my arms around her, the lump now turning into soft sobs. Angie responded by holding me with her flippers. I tilted my head and kissed her, happy that she had taken me back. My head was pressed up underneath her melon, and I was sobbing quietly. I thought for sure Angie was doing the same thing, making short, sad squeaks.
"I'm sorry girl, I really am." I said through sobs, "Please don't leave again! I need you, Angie."
She agreed with a whirr, and I don't remember if she was stroking me back or not. After some time, I stopped sobbing and we just held each other there, in a loving embrace. Time slowed down and the world seemed to stop, as we held each other silently. Occasionally a wave would wash over us, but I took no notice of the salt water swallowing me up. My hand kept rubbing her gently, caressing every reachable area. Her slippery skin and warm body calmed me down, and I kissed her again. She began to caress me back, rubbing her rostrum slowly over my upper body. I shuddered in pleasure, since she never did this sort of caressing very often. My eyes became half lidded and I think I began to fall asleep, in pure bliss over Angie accepting me back, and lack of sleep. As I slept, Angie backed off and began to push me with her beak up onto the beach, since she seemed to figure that was the spot I was most comfortable to be in. Then, she sat back and watched me happily as I dozed gently, the waves lapping at my feet.
I slowly awoke after a short time. Something was missing. Angie's warm body, perhaps. I sat up and saw her sitting a short way out, her eyes full of love. I smiled wearily at her, and lay on my stomach. She swam up close, nearly out of the water, and kissed me on the cheek, a sign meaning she was happy to have me back.
"I'm happy you're back too, Angie." I muttered sleepily, lightly stroking her melon with my fingertips. Angie never made her moaning sounds anymore, since she had become accustomed to the feeling. Her eyes would half lid though, just as a sign she was enjoying it. Her mouth gaped and she nibbled my fingers, licking them occasionally; this was another sign of affection that was rare for her. I smiled again, tenderly stroking her beak with my free hand.
Angie opened her mouth a little wider, letting my hand have more movement space. I was reminded of something I had read about dolphins; they love having their tongues stroked. I turned my hand over and reached for her tongue. Her eyes opened in surprise, but closed tightly as I began to rub her tongue. It felt slippery like her skin, yet warmer and with millions of tiny raised bumps. Her body jerked a little while her tail splashed the water. This action is similar to when a dog gets petted by nicely skilled hands. I felt her extend her tongue out a bit farther, urging me to stroke her more. She warbled happily, letting me know she loved this. Her tongue would wrap around my fingers occasionally in an embrace. She shifted in place, moving upwards to me. Our bond had been restored, and this moment was patching it up, making it stronger, so it couldn't break again. I gave her another kiss and removed my hand. Angie gave a sort of sigh, disappointed that it was over, yet content. I stood up, but I wasn't ready to leave her yet.
"Well, Angie, what do you say we head to the rock peninsula?"
" Wheeeeeeeee!" Angie whistled an agreement. I noticed she seemed a bit quieter, but I shook this off.
"Ok, we'll head over there now. If I run and you drift there, we might make it there at the same time." I turned and started walking. Behind me, Angie let out a loud squeak, to grab my attention. I turned back, Angie sitting there, shaking her head to the sides. I stared at her with curious eyes.
"You mean you're too quick for me to get there before you? ...I'm sorry, don't get it."
She snapped her head back, coaxing me back into the water.
"Swim there? Angie, I don't have as great of stamina as you do. I doubt I could get over there. It's at least five miles!"
Angie let out an agitated chuff, and coaxed me out again. I obliged but I didn't even get to the water when Angie was right at my feet. That's when I detected something was wrong.
"Whoa, Angie, I didn't know you were this far out of the water. We can't have you beaching yourself."
Angie seemed to notice for the first time, and began to struggle around a bit, working to get back. I realized why she had seemed quieter earlier. I felt guilty that she was up this far, and decided to chip in.
"Wait, Angie, I'll help you."
She stopped and looked up at me, her eyes wide with desperation. I calmly bent down and splashed some water onto her back, just so she wouldn't dry out anymore than she already was. I cursed myself under my breath, feeling stupid for not noticing before.
"Ok, I'm going to try to lift you a bit. Just stay calm, ok?"
Angie clicked.
"Alright then. I think I should hurry."
I pried my fingers beneath her body. With a groan, I struggled to lift her. She tried to roll on her side, but the lack of water prevented this. She still shifted her weight away from my hands, but this didn't help at all. As I tried to use my legs they kicked up the sand behind me and I couldn't get a firm grip in the ground. Frustrated and a little stressed, I pushed her side as hard as I could, my muscles straining. Angie seemed to be getting physically weaker, from being on the beach that long. I splashed her again all over her body, and gently spoke to her, trying my best to sound calm.
"It's ok, girl. We'll have you back in the water in no time."
She let out a weak squeal, weaker than I wished for it to be. She tried once again to work her way into the water, but I stopped her.
"Angie, please stay calm. You're not going to be beached. Not on my watch."
I went behind her and straddled her tail. I wanted to be away from her blowhole, pretending that her breathing was still at a normal rate. My heart began to pound as I lifted up her tail and tried to drag her back to the water. Angie helped me by lifting her body, but she was getting powerless and couldn't lift it very far. The weaker she got, the more desperate I became. I grimaced and groaned as I tried to drag her, but she was only moving a little bit. With a final burst of strength, I yanked her as hard as I could, falling back into the water. I felt beads of sweat begin to run down my forehead as I ran up to her.
Angie was barely moving, and I was running out of time! She had to be immersed before she could gather enough strength to swim. Once again, I splashed her drying skin with cool salt water. Angie let out a rising and falling whistle.
"I'm trying my best, girl. Please don't give up!"
I pulled her again a few inches, and then set her tail down. It was underwater, a good start. I felt optimistic, but it died down as I saw her not responding. With frightened tears in my eyes, I ran up to check on her. Her eyes moved around bit, but they were getting dimmer and seemingly empty. Her body began to shake a little, not like when she was petted, but like she was fading away.
"No, Angie! Please! You have to be strong!"
She clicked feebly. Her eyes closed tight.
I ignored the pain in my chest; I pushed her again, heaving with all my might. Sand started to fly as my adrenaline kicked in, desperate to save her at all costs. I started to doubt if I would be able to move her myself.
Suddenly, a wave came up and splashed over her. I stood back and watched as the ocean pulled her in, now submerged.
I waited. She seemed lifeless, but I was sure I could hear her heart beating. Her limp figure neither floated nor sank, but merely hung there. I refused to give up. I splashed up to her and supported her body up, which was now cold, so she could get air. But her blowhole was shut tight. I stared back at her, my mouth gaping and my heart breaking. She had just accepted me back, but she was now lay dead in my hands.