Chapter 7 - whispers of the sea

Tristin entered the classroom, his mind filled with problems no other student could comprehend. His biggest challenge now was making his mark in this city. Who would follow a 17-year-old kid who still had homework to do? Tristin sighed as he sat at his desk.

With fifteen minutes before class started, he thought, "If people knew my true identity, only trouble would come from it. Besides, money can't buy loyalty. If I use money to convince people, I'll just be another rich kid taken advantage of. What I need is strength—my own strength, free from my father's shadow."

While Tristin was lost in thought, Zinhle appeared in front of him, her eyes full of sincerity. "Tristin, I'm sorry for what you went through this past month. It must have been really hard."

Tristin was stunned for a moment, unsure how to respond. From what he had observed yesterday, Zinhle was a shy girl who rarely spoke. For her to come up and talk to him must have taken a lot of courage.

"Thanks, Zinhle. I appreciate your sympathy, but where did you hear that from?" he asked after regaining his composure.

Zinhle looked confused. "It was posted on the school page this morning," she said, showing him the post on her phone.

Tristin glanced at the screen and smiled. He already figured that the only person in this school with the power and the guts to do this was Thomas.

"Oh, I see." He chuckled and handed the phone back. "I need to thank Thomas for doing me such a big favor."

Zinhle was even more confused by Tristin's reaction. Summoning her courage, she asked, "If this post doesn't bother you, why were you looking so sad and troubled?"

Tristin, amused, responded, "So, from my troubled face and the post, you thought they were connected?"

"Yes," Zinhle admitted. "And after I learned that you just lost your parents, as a classmate and a friend, I couldn't just sit by, could I?"

Tristin was touched by Zinhle's words and wanted to ease her burden. "I wasn't troubled by the post. I was thinking about a dream I kept having last night," he said, not wanting to reveal his real problems.

Zinhle's eyes lit up. "What were you dreaming about?"

Tristin was baffled by her sudden enthusiasm. "I dreamt that I was sinking to the bottom of the sea. It didn't feel like drowning, but I couldn't swim back up no matter how hard I tried. The same dream kept happening over and over."

Zinhle became serious. "Tristin, do not fight against water, no matter what."

"Why not?" Tristin was confused. "Usually, the first instinct when underwater is to try to swim for air."

"Water is the source of all life," Zinhle explained. "You can't win against it. With the power of life and destruction, it's a true force of nature. Most people who drown do so because they fight against it. If they could relax, the water would lift them up and float them to safety. All currents eventually lead to land."

Tristin was amazed by the information. It made sense and felt like a revelation. "How do you know all this?" he asked, curious.

Zinhle smiled, lighting a candle in Tristin's heart. "My family comes from a long line of traditional healers. My great-grandfather was the most powerful. It's said that his Sangoma training took place underwater, and he was trained by a Leviathan. Even now, our family business is connected to traditional medicine and healing."

"Leviathan?" Tristin's curiosity was piqued. "What do you know about the Leviathan?"

"Not much, really," Zinhle admitted. She felt puzzled by her own willingness to share so much. "All I can say is that it's a force of nature. Those who anger it will die, and those it favors will prosper."

Tristin was hooked. He needed to know more. "Is there someone in your family who knows more about it? Could I talk to that person?"

Zinhle thought for a moment. "Grandma must know something. She said the storm this morning was probably due to a Leviathan. Why are you so interested in this? Most people think traditional medicine is bogus."

"I have my reasons," Tristin said, his tone serious. "I can't disclose them now, but I promise you'll be the first to know once I make sense of everything."

"Okay, if you say so," Zinhle replied, feeling a bit exhausted. She had spoken more that morning than she usually did all day.

Tristin noticed her fatigue and smiled. "Zinhle, you've solved two of my problems this morning. I need to repay you. Anything you need, as long as I can do it."

As more students filed into the classroom, Tristin and Zinhle realized they had forgotten about the post. Gossip about Tristin spread quickly. Without his knowledge, the post had made him the hottest topic in school.