Promised vacation

Snow-white sand, azure water, fresh salty wind, affectionate sun and endless sea — all this and even more is only a small part of what humanity had lost after the catastrophe. When people had to survive by hiding in underground catacombs, fighting to live and exist, nobody could even dream about vacation or enjoying the beaches. When people had to rebuild cities and get humanity back to life with their own hands, they could only imagine the pleasant breeze and vast expanses of sand and ocean water. But now, when people can recreate the fruits of nature, explore hostile lands and stay afloat by the power of new technologies, they have also learned to develop simulations of things long lost to mankind. Including the sea and the sandy beach. Baretti once said, "Don't worry, there'll be time for proper rest as well." And he wasn't lying. At one point, Danielle announced that they had plans for the following day. Not work plans — rest plans. She told them to prepare swimsuits, sun cream and good spirit. Lou didn't understand right away, but when the five of them — Martin, Weiss, Baretti, Reed and Stone — entered a huge building that from the inside represented a beach, she finally got it. There were screens on all sides providing views of distant horizons, and the pool, acting as the sea, seemed boundless thanks to visual effects. It even had waves! And sand! And a sun that felt so warm! Lou was surprised. Pleasantly surprised. She immediately took off her clothes, remaining in her two-piece yellow swimsuit, and ran to the water, to the waves, to the sea spaces. The water was cold, but it did little to stop the psionic. Her body spawned a bunch of splashes which flew in different directions; it was hard to walk, so Lou dived. She dipped her head, feeling her hair gradually getting wet, her muscles contracting from the cold, her heart beating wildly with joy and anticipation. Resurfacing, Lou licked her lips. Salty. Nice. She heard a noise from behind and turned around. Kay, her partner and friend, took her example. They spent some time like that: paddling in the water, swimming, diving, splashing and trying to catch each other, and even to organize a race. Lou's fun and enthusiasm were transferred to Stone — through the water, through the air, through her very aura. For the first time in a while, the empath seemed to be enjoying his psionic ability. Lou digressed for a moment. She looked at the handmade beach only to find Danielle lying on a sunbed, smiling, some newfangled magazine resting in her hands. She was obviously reading more for fun than out of interest. Then Reed looked at Baretti. He was lying too, and Lou was sure that under the expensive sunglasses, his eyes were closed due to sleep. And Martin was working, same as usual. Sitting on his sunbed, he was staring at a white-blue hologram, lost in the ocean of data and fresh information. Reed stepped out of the water, came up to Ivo. Leaned over, looked at the changing numbers indifferently, and quietly asked, "Even here you find time for work, huh?". A few heavy drops of water dripped down from her ashen hair and fell right on Martin. He was dressed in a strict black swimsuit which immediately absorbed the water, like it was waiting for the next drop to come. "Sorry," she added promptly. "Never mind," Ivo answered. Raised his eyes to her. Looked at her with grace. "I need to validate something; I will accede to you later. Do not restrict yourself and have some good time," he said. "Okey dokey," Lou replied and went back to the sea. The rays of the sun, fake sun, were reflected in the mirror-like waves. Lou was bathing in their heat, catching the freshness of the breeze, feeling herself united with nature, though not real, enjoying freedom, though it was illusion. Kay was lying serenely on the water surface, arms outstretched; Lou decided to join him. She let the waves rock her relaxed body, turned off her heavy, exuberant head for a couple of seconds. When she got bored of all that peace and tranquility, she dived, pulling the empath's leg down into the dark waters. After a while they got out of the water, and Kay sprawled on the sand. Lou hurried to bury him. She worked hard, constantly changed positions, rowed with her bare hands before she found shovels, making her partner laugh at her diligence. For a moment, it caught Baretti's attention. Hector asked them to behave, and then went back to sleep. Danielle approached them when the only thing remaining on the surface was the empath's head. She offered to build a sand castle using plastic buckets and molds. Lou agreed: together they could finish the work faster. Kay did not participate. How can the buried build castles? The construction turned out quite high and majestic. Thanks to Danielle's refined taste and Reed's creative streak, the castle turned out to be beautiful as well. Lou, as she examined the final result, even thought that it was in such castles that princesses should live. Graceful and refined persons, like… Monsieur Martin! Baretti offered to swim to the buoy and back ten times for a bet. "Since I'm your boss, I don't see it appropriate to bet with money or anything of cost. Also, I can't bet with extra days off or unpaid overtime," he said. "So I suggest we do it purely for sport." "I'm okay with that," Lou casually answered. She could swear that during the last swim, Baretti conceded the victory to her in order to ensure a draw in the jocular contest. She was a little tired, a bit hungry and fully ready for revenge, when Baretti returned to his sunbed. Danielle was also sunbathing, and so was Kay. Thankfully, Lou hadn't been left alone for long. Ivo got up from his seat. With light, smooth movements he stretched his muscles and went to the shore; the waves were already reaching his bare feet, tickling the skin. Then he came to Lou. "Shall we swim?" he asked gently. "Uh-huh," Lou answered, visibly pleased. He was a good swimmer, a calm one, a quiet one. Like there was anything that Ivo Martin couldn't do well. Lou doubted that. Following the man, Lou realized that they were swimming in a certain direction. She didn't ask questions, and for the first time she didn't push forward. She only looked with curiosity at his broad back until they reached their destination. A quiet, secluded place. A narrow, shallow bay, hidden by flora and stones, completely invisible from the beach they came from. Lou stared in fascination into the crystal-clear water, which, with the help of special lighting, took on a light blue tint. She looked once again at the rich green bushes and trees, and the jagged stones — the only real thing here. Only then did she finally look at Ivo. He was standing in the middle of the bay, waist-deep in water. The man was also admiring the view. Not the view of nature, but that of his companion. "It's beautiful here," Lou found it right to say. "You knew about this place, didn't you?" Martin blinked slowly in agreement. Lou smirked as she approached him. She had no doubt why Martin showed this place to her, escorted her away from prying eyes. Reed placed her hands on his strong shoulders, barely climbed over the underwater chains and kissed him. With tenderness turning into passion. With a question turning into a statement. In response, Martin put a hand on her back, pulled her closer. Too close. But still not enough. Lou clung to him, belly to belly, heart to heart. She dug her fingers into his black hair and started to kiss him, sometimes inappropriately, while licking the salty drops from his face. A path of kisses circled the line of his chin, went down to his neck. Ivo stroked her back and sides with gentle hands, then moved on to her butt and lifted her up. His lips were also busy, he did not lose to the psionic either in passion or in affection. The air was too hot; every touch, whether accidental or deliberate, felt sharper, more precise. Lou felt, rather than saw, that Ivo pulled her aside. He sat her on a stone before continuing to kiss her, boldly and deeply. The stretchy fabric of the swimsuits, his and hers, was annoying; Lou wouldn't mind taking them off. But she assumed that Ivo would object. They were far from prying eyes, but not alone. So all caresses were limited to light petting, and gradually the kiss, which had begun with sudden passion, faded into sensitive tenderness. After staying a little longer in the bay, Ivo and Lou returned to the beach. By that time, everyone was hungry. The time spent on the seashore resulted in the addition of a variety of its inhabitants to the menu. For the second time in her life, Lou ate fish. Everyone liked the baked red fish and the idle talk at the table, and even though it slipped past Lou's ears, it left a pleasant aftertaste in her soul. Sitting like this with her colleagues and just hanging out was… cozy. After a hearty lunch, it was time to rest. Baretti lay down again, hiding from the afternoon sun under a red umbrella. Danielle picked up a book, probably in her specialty, but after a couple of minutes she put it down and fell asleep. Kay was already seeing the tenth dream. Lou moved her sunbed nearer to the Prior. 'To be in close proximity to the object of protection', she thought and smirked. Ivo didn't mind. He lifted the back of his couch, settling on it. Lou thought he would get back to work, but Martin just stared ahead at the flat horizon line separating the endless sky from the inexhaustible waters of the sea. Lou was lying on her back, a good distance away from Martin. The sound of the waves lulled her, making her drowsy and weary, which seemed to loosen her tongue. "When I was little, I dreamt of riding on a motorbike to the beyond of the Perimeter, so I could find a sea. A real one. Maybe even take a swim." "The salty water, altered by genetic storm, would probably corrode your skin," Ivo replied calmly. "Strangely enough, that wasn't part of my dreams," Reed smirked. She raised her eyes to the clear blue sky. "In fact, I even obtained a pre-storm map and drew a path for myself that led to the sea. Do you know which one is closest to us?" Lou was sure that he did. So she answered her own question. "Celtic sea." Ivo closed his eyes. He smiled as if he imagined little Lou carefully planning her route to uncharted lands. "Have you ever been there? Beyond the Perimeter?" She turned on her side, looking at the man. "Four times," he replied. "It's magnificent, huh?" Lou smiled. "Back then, everything on the other side of the line seemed so… real. And not hostile at all. It was like I realized how big the world really is and how small I am compared to it. And that was… a relief, not a cause for fear or anxiety." Lou got closer to Ivo, moving to the very edge of her sunbed. "Do you think the day will come when people will be able to atone for their sins? To achieve the nature's forgiveness?" she asked without waiting for an answer. "I do," Ivo said in response. Reed buried her face in his forearm and closed her tired eyes. "At least I hope so," Martin whispered. Lou didn't notice how she fell asleep. She woke up late in the evening, catching the last rays of the setting sun. It took a while to realize that Danielle, Kay and monsieur Baretti had already left. Ivo was still lying next to her. Having noticed that she was awake, he offered her water. Reed didn't refuse. "Is everyone gone already?" she asked to be sure. "Yes," Ivo said. "We can stay a few more hours if you wish." "Uh-huh," Lou agreed. She turned her head towards him and smiled as she looked at his face. "Tell me something," she asked. "I like your voice." "Well…" Ivo allowed himself a soft smile. "Have you read 'The Old Man and the Sea'?" Lou did. At the boarding school. She settled herself comfortably and began to listen to Martin's measured speech. It was unlikely that she would cross the Perimeter on a motorbike and see the Celtic sea, but in her heart she felt that she had found her own little ocean lying by her side.