He whispered hoarsely, “Thank you,” though the words vanished into wind and spray. The whale dipped slowly beneath the surface, its great shadow dissolving into blue depths. The sea fell calm, as though closing the curtain on a scene no human audience was ever meant to witness.
Back on deck, reporters clamored, radios buzzed, and speculation surged. “Swallowed alive, spit back out!” the narrative spun, feeding on spectacle. Nathaniel closed his eyes, drained by the thought. What he had lived was no accident of digestion. It was intentional, as clear as the reef’s fragile heartbeat below.