Hi guys! Today’s short story was inspired by an article I read in the New York Times about a couple of men who, many years after the Japanese earthquake and tsunami of 2011, still go diving every day looking for remains of their loved ones. It’s so sad, they understand I think the futility of the search, but something compels them to never give up, and it becomes a ritual to honor the dead, or sorts, or at least that’s what I thought of it. So as I’m reading this article, of course, I say to myself, “What if…?” and this story spilled out of my head, complete.
By the way, the title “Dakō” means “we embrace” in Japanese.
Listen to the Audio (12 min):
This audio sci-fi short story is now available exclusively in my audiobook, Listen To The Signal: Short Stories Volume 1, available at Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. The stories will continue right here each month or so, so if you’d like, subscribe below to be notified when a new episode is published:
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Subscribe to the podcast on iTunesRead the Story (1,500 words / 7-minute read):
“Dakō”
Written and narrated by Rob Dircks
Today will be different.
Today I will find her.
The others have all given up. I do not judge them. 2,703 days is a very long time.
But they do not know the secret.
The secret is to surrender completely to the sea, to allow it to embrace you completely, allow it to pull you into its darkness just like it did my dear Himari. For only then can you hear the voice, each day growing stronger, not fainter, drawing you closer, pushing you onward, not giving up, never giving up. I can do nothing else. I still hear her voice.
To read on, check out Listen To The Signal: Short Stories Volume 1 at Amazon.
2 Responses
Pauline Easter
OMG what a wild twist!!! I loved it! Thanks for these short story podcasts. I hope some day there will be a compilation of them into a single book. I’d buy it right away despite having heard them in your voice. They’ll likely replay that way in my head anyway (in your voice). Sharing this pod cast with fellow Dircks fans!
Nicole Clapper
This story is so hauntingly beautiful and so heartbreaking at the same time. Sometime when I’m driving, this story pops into my head again and I get chills. Thank you Rob, I love your writing and your stories are great. They have become comfort reads (or listens) during road trips.