It was a day very much like the one earlier, and every day before that. Bear was stuck in the mud, and though the sediment had built up more layers; he was still there. A shadow of an object swiftly interrupted the day, blocking out what little light Bear had, making him temporarily unable to see. A large object was being lowered down, almost in the shape of an upside down T, it was closer, closer, closer, down. It had interrupted the grime that filled the seabed, pushing debris up into the water, throwing tranquility into dismay. Bear hoped again for the first time in years. Hoped that this was a sign that this would be his opportunity to live his life to completion. The iron object stayed for many minutes, then hours. Bear was starting to lose any of the hope he had gained. Then it started to move again. In one sweeping movement, it pushed towards Bear and pulled him to the surface to start his new life. Bear rose quickly with the anchor he could now see. The light bleeding through the water seemed to get brighter, or maybe he was getting closer to the surface. His heart, made of fluff and small threads of plastic, almost burst as he hoped his dream was finally coming true. Nearing the top of the water, the surface was close and only getting closer. He was only inches away when the anchor gave a sudden jerk, and Bear slipped off the anchor and into the water once again. If Bear had had tears to give, he would've filled the continents with them, drowning that anchor and the world which had wronged him. Just as he looked at the sun for what he thought would be the final time, a muscular hand reached down towards him and pulled him up into the open expanse that was the wide world. Bear looked around in wonder. The man who had grabbed hold of him was around six feet tall with a mahogany beard that twirled at the end. He was strong, and had eyes that matched the kelp in the sea below, of which Bear was all too familiar. His voice was raspy, deep and accented beyond his years. He added twang to the letter's, turning the inside out and upside down. "Deep the waters are eh? Murky green can hide sins. Yo gotta be mo' careful.” He said while chewing a piece of what appeared to be a vegetable and showering Bear with his breath, of which —Bear was not all that pleased. But Bear was free, he was in the open ocean feeling the open air above the open waves. He had yearned for this time, this moment for years—and now, it was here. The man, while humming an old rustic tune, set Bear into a small crate next to the keel of the boat. As far as boats go, this was not super big but at the same time not miniscule. It had enough space for a party of people, maybe a dozen and had a small crew of hired fishers. It was newly painted on the outside, with large black letters spelling out its name, L'appuntamento Viaggio. Bear did not know these letters or what they meant, nor could he see them. The man on the boat knew though, for he had lived his whole life aboard the Rendezvous Journey. Bear could not typically fall asleep, it was unnecessary as he did not need to rest his body; however ,in that crate, above those southing waves, he could only but succumb to some much needed soft, gentle rest.
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