Mermaids and Vampires

7: That Night On The Beach ~ pt. 2

~~~~~~~~~~Dylan~~~~~~~~~

The water is calm. The air is warm. And the sun is setting.

Me, Blane, and a couple of his friends sit around a bonfire on the sand.

Red flames flicker in the breeze.

We toss around some casual conversation, leaning back and letting the night take over.

This is nice. This is what I like about living here.

I look out onto the ocean as the others chat.

It's crystal clear water that I've yet to touch.

I stand up and dust the sand off of myself.

"I'm gonna go dip my feet in," I say, sauntering over to the water.

The film of white turbulence bubbles as it recedes. I smile at the familiarity.

I've missed this feeling.

My childhood was spent around beaches like this but these last two years were logged away from the water. It feels like it's been an eternity since I've watched the waves eat up the sore of a sandy beach. I still don't understand why my Dad decided to put me in a boarding school for the first two years of high school, but I'm glad I'm out now, back where I belong.

I skim the top of the cold water with my toes, letting the feeling sink in.

I step in with both feet and wade out a few steps.

I breath in deep and let myself relax, my feet sinking deeper into the sand beneath me with each passing wave.

I feel like jumping in. I'm really compelled to. Something about the weather and the way the orange sunshine hits the water, it's just so inviting.

But it'd be stupid. I'd get all wet and cold.

Not today.

I step out and walk over to the others, sand collecting on my wet feet.

I sit back down in my place and let the orange sky fade to purple in a blur of laughter and conversation.

"I'm gonna head home," Mark says, getting up.

"Later," Blane responds.

I wave goodbye as his silhouette disappears into the blackened shadows.

It's late, but not too late. The sky is a dark bluish purple. The sun's long gone but the stars aren't out just yet.

I dig my hands into the sand and sift it through my fingers.

"You're staying a little longer right?" I ask Blane.

"Yeah." He replies.

"Another half hour." His other friend says.

I look back at the water. Something keeps catching my eye, just off my peripherals.

I hear a splash.

"Did you hear that?" I ask, looking at blane. "Do you guys have like whales here, or dolphins or something.

Blane gives a little laugh. "Not at the beach. It was probably a fish. They jump sometimes, y'know."

I shrug it away and cast my gaze on the fire.

Seconds later a hand touches my back and I jump.

I snap my head around and come face to face with this girl. She's got brown hair and a rosy face. Her nose is small and her eyes are big like a dolls.

"I'm sorry," she whispers. "I didn't mean to scare you..."

She keeps talking but the rest of her words fly over my head. My heart pounds as I fixate on her moving lips, captivated. I get this feeling, this all encompassing magnetic pull towards her.

She's mesmerizing.