The Beach

Beach

Early morning beach, my favorite time. Mostly deserted save for fisherman or runners. Nobody who wanted to chat.

I moved to the beach in the winter. Falling in love with deserted beaches, miles to walk. Heaven for a recluse. Enough people year round that there were grocery stores, restaurants open all year, perfect. But then came summer.

To even get an empty beach you had to leave your house in the dark, even me who lived so close. I almost moved again, but then I discovered there were bogs and deserted roads away from the beach that would suit my solitude. But the beach was still my favorite, so I had gotten into the habit of very early morning walks.

Today had been perfect, I hadn’t seen another soul. I’d been walking for an hour before I realized it. At first I was delighted, but then I started getting nervous. It had been light for a good while and today was expected to be a scorcher, where were the people? I turned back to go home, no longer serene in my solitude.

Behind me was white, just white. There was no beach, no water, just whiteness, like a smooth white cloud was following me. I could actually see it getting closer. Panic hit.

I turned back quickly to run, but ahead was all white too. As I stood there a voice came wafting through the white. “Megan, we have been waiting for you.” But that’s when I woke up. My mother was standing over my bed, shaking me. “Time for school little girl!”

So, the story would have to wait. I always get my best ideas when I’m sleeping, but I had plenty of time to figure it out. After all I was only in the sixth grade.