Dellys Depths
"Bahia dives for sea urchins in Dellys' waters. When marine biologist Petros arrives studying coastal ecosystems, she shows him that some depths can't be measured. 'El 'omq f'el qalb' (العمق في القلب) - Depth is in the heart."
Dellys' waters held treasures only certain hands could find. Bahia's hands knew.
"Traditional sea urchin harvesting?" Petros documented.
"Machi harvest." Not harvest. "Lqaya."
Meeting.
She dove without tanks—ancient method, breath that lasted impossibly long.
"Free diving that deep?"
"El 'omq ma y'arefch deep."
"Depth doesn't know deep?"
"El 'omq f'el qalb."
She was substantial—built for pressure, body that floated and sank at will.
"How do you find urchins?"
"Ylqawni."
"They find you?"
"El bahr y'aref man yhtaj."
Days of observation taught him. Petros saw her communicate with water—speaking in bubbles, listening in currents.
"Impossible buoyancy control."
"El bahr ycontrol."
"The sea controls you?"
"Nhna net'awnou."
"Cooperate how?"
"El bahr y'ti. Ana nakhed bass wach yhtaj."
Night brought different diving—bioluminescent waters, depths that glowed.
"Ya latif."
"El 'omq el haqiqi."
"True depth?"
"Ma yet'ddelch b'el metre."
"Bahia..."
"El bahr qalli."
"The sea told you?"
"Yqoul you're surface."
She kissed him underwater-brief, surfacing for breath.
"Hada..."
"El 'omq."
She undressed dripping, her curves aquatic.
"Thee mou," he breathed.
"El bahr," she said. "Ana bahr."
He dove into her like learning to free-dive—slowly, carefully, completely.
"Petros," she moaned.
"Hna." He found her deep. "El qa'."
She deepened beneath him, pleasure pressurized.
"Dkhol," she gasped. "Ghouss."
He dove into her, and understood what depth meant.
"El 'omq f'el qalb," she cried.
"N'aref tawa."
Their rhythm was diving—descending, holding, ascending.
"Qrib," she warned.
"M'aya." He dove into her. "El 'omq f'el qalb."
They surfaced together, pleasure deep. Petros held her through decompression.
"El research?" she asked.
"Deeper."
"Kifeh?"
"Below measurement."
His papers transformed marine biology—traditional knowledge valued, sonar questioned.
"El approach?" science asked.
"El 'omq f'el qalb."
Now he dives beside her, learning what instruments miss.
"El biologist w el ghawwassa," they say.
"El bahr jab'na," Bahia smiles.
"El bahr ykhallina," Petros adds.
Some depths sound themselves.