The Green Room

The Green Room 

by Jake Campbell

The long wait is finally over. The perfect wave is before me. Kicking frantically, propelling myself forward with each stroke, I feel the surge of a mountain behind me and push down with my hands, my wrinkly fingers clawing at the slippery board under me. I swing my legs through in one swift movement, something I’ve done a million times before, but this time hoping for a better result. My board dives forward like an eagle spotting its prey, and all of a sudden, the wave rolls over me and I am here.

Walls of shimmering green surround me. A rush of salt tinged air pushes pastme.  The rays of the sun penetrate through the crystal-clear water, illuminating schools of fish being taken by the force of the wave, crashing down onto the soft sands below.

Smooth aqua water gushing over me with the force of a freight train, the heavy crash as the foam races towards the shore. I can see the end, but the closer I get, the further away it seems, like my shadow refusing to leave me.

Salt water whips around my face, my legs ache from balancing on my board, but despite the roaring of the wave and the fear of falling, I feel calm. I am in my own world. Nobody can bother me here. I am in The Green Room.