Boat

Alex pulled the oars into his small rowboat and moved carefully to the edge, peering over the side and into the water. He had been rowing down the river for most of the day, and as much as he may enjoy the burn in his back and shoulders that resulted from it, he needed a break. The water was clear, and dipping his hand in, it was cold and refreshing as well. He'd love to take a swim, though if he couldn't dock, he wasn't sure that he could get back in without tipping and losing the supplies he had brought with him.

Instead, he scooped some water in his hands and splashed into his face. He opened his eyes afterwards to see a set of paws beside his hands, and he smiled over at his dog, Leandro. The dog wagged his tail as he smiled back at Alex, and barked once excitedly. He could tell that Leandro wanted to go for a swim just as badly as he did. Leandro may not have been rowing the boat all day, but the water had been calling to him, even though he knew better than to go in without his owner's permission. "Alright, buddy," he conceded. "Get in."

There wasn't a moment of hesitation before the dog was flying through the air and diving into the water, splashing his master, who just laughed. He couldn't help but smile, seeing the excitement in that dog's face as he paddled around in the river, whipping his fur all over the place and chasing fish that he had no hope of keeping up with.

It was their third day out on the river, traveling downstream towards the ocean. Near the end of the river, they knew that they would find a port town, where Alex would hopefully be able to get a job. It would be the start of a new life for him - one that he had dreamed of for a long time. He had always loved the water, and the thought of being able to live and work on it filled his heart. But his parents had never been big on the thought.

Living on the water wasn't a great way to live. Alex had heard it many times throughout his life. The water workers had some of the highest death rates, and they were hardly paid enough to compensate for that. Alex understood that. It didn't change his mind.

After some time, Leandro came back up to the boat, and Alex reached over to pull him back into the boat. The water was flying off of his fur the moment his feet touched the boards of the boat, which just made Alex laugh more.

The sun was shining. The water was cool. The air was fresh.

This was worth dying for.