553. She had known this moment would come. Everyone from coast to coast had warned her about the sea and her temperaments. She'd pretended not to care, though, of course. Or not to know, maybe. The sea was fickle, and was never going to play by anyone else's rules, certainly not hers.

554. It was humbling, in a way to come with something this uncaring for once. Usually there'd be a face to stare into, a person to talk down, someone or something to confront. But not here. Not today. Not now.

555. And so ended Avi's seventh day at sea.