Short Passages

Beach

She'd never seen anything like it.

The sky was painted a beautiful deep azure colour. Across it's vast and boundless-seeming pane, thin streaks of white clouds embellish the surface like the deft strokes of an artist's paintbrush. The sun was dazzling in the sky, the piece that brought the whole immaculate artwork together.

Above her, the sky was a type of raw beauty made impossible to perfectly replicate on a canvas. Yes, this was something she could marvel at all day. But what truly took her breath away was what was beneath that very sky.

Miles upon miles of sugar white sand stretched across, it's crumpled surface hiding various sparkling treasures glinting in the sun. The ocean is a sheet of crystal blue, cleanly disappearing beyond the horizon. Cool gusts of wind blow small, rolling waves and whip sheets of salty water into white crests. The placid waves surreptitiously wash up and steal shattered shells diffused amongst and within the wet sand. Further behind the pure sand were lean palm trees that reached for the sky. Their luscious green leaves large and rustling in the breezes, dancing along to the music of the wind and the ocean tides.

She took in what was in front of her, filling her lungs with the smell of fresh sea air and embracing the feel of the sun's beams, hot against her pale skin that seemed to almost glow in the sunlight. The strong wind sent her loose shirt into ripples, and lifted her blonde hair to whip around her, carrying along the sounds of squawking birds and washing waves.

She didn't know how long she stood there; feeling the cool breeze caress her skin and the warmed soft sand beneath her bare feet. A warm, bubbly feeling kindling within her. She was disrupted by the faint sound of a chirpy tune approaching. A tune that she, amidst many others, recognised all too well.

Her assumptions were proven accurate when the ice cream van appeared around the corner, and many small children jumped up to point and yell in excitement. Already, some were tugging at their parents clothes and seemingly begging to them for some spare tips. It wasn't long before the sweet scent of sugar wafted through the air and children eagerly skipped over with beams on their faces.

Colours amaze each child queuing as a myriad of unique fancy treats and ice cream flavours were presented. Their small eyes widened with thought as they weighed their options, but it doesn't take long for a wide smile to form on their faces when they are handed their cones or cups holding perfect balls of their chosen ice cream. Melted sticky drips of colour run down their hands as they clumsily stumble back to their parents, licking and spooning the delicious goodness into their mouths eagerly.

It was only then, when she saw the number of sanguine children and parents, when she realised how many others relaxed on the beach. Families, couples and friends alike dot the area, a range of coloured blankets and beach umbrellas laid out across the sand. It was almost as though she had unconsciously cancelled out the sound before, but now that she realised this it seemed like a sudden burst of noise battered her ear drums. Boisterous mixed conversations, yells and squeals all jumbled together along with the crashing waves, rustling leaves and whistling breezes. How she managed to become oblivious to all these other noises? She had not clue. But mentioning it now, her spirits seem to lift at the liveliness around her.

Surfers surfed the tides, and swimmers splashed in the salty ocean water. Children amused themselves with sea shell collecting and building sandcastles made with the help of shimmering clear ocean water, whereas parents took a break from their chaotic lives at home. Couples and friends hung out, letting the blazing sun rays warm their exposed skin. It was packed, not so much that there was barely any space to walk on, but enough to see splashes of colour everywhere from afar.

It came a few minutes after.

She heard and could almost feel the rumble. She noticed that she was not the only one. The beach seemed to quieten down a notch, anticipating the next noise to make sure they heard right the first time. A second rumble came, somewhere far across the ocean. But they heard it, and they could see it too. The beginning of the storm.

Thick grey clouds accumulated by the horizon, slowly drifting towards them. Already, birds soared away in flocks and raucous calls, the waves became noticeably more aggressive, and the voices of people grew louder. A strong gust of wind brushed by, and abruptly a third rumble sounded. Closer, and louder.

Soon, an ominous storm clouds over the steel blue sea. Tides sent a chorus of voices to the heart of the listening earth as they belligerently collide against the thick grey boulders next to the beach. The ice cream van speeds off into the distance, it's voice no longer able to be heard. Following the demonstration of the ice cream van, everyone began hurriedly packing up their things and leaving the beach as though they were one altogether. Only a scarce few lingered by to risk the time before the storm unleashed it's mighty wrath. A feeling of misery dropped in the girl's stomach as she watched the beach being emptied. As groups of people began packing up to set off far away from the storm. Her family, not too far away, included.

The thick mass of thunder clouds were quickly gaining distance, and the air had turned cold now. But the girl wasn't ready to leave yet, despite being one of the few families left on the sand. How could she, after only just discovering such an incredible place?

But she couldn't go against her parents, who rushed to tug her along with them and to the direction of their blinking silver car. Her darkened sapphire eyes watched, the last of the beach. A large shadow abruptly lapsed over, and she looked up to sight the sun's faint glow concealed behind thick clouds. A sudden lightning strike flashed and tore through the sky, striking the ocean surface somewhere further away. This finally had the girl snapping back and rushing with her parents to duck into the car. The first sprinkling drops of rain sprayed from the clouds quickly grouping overhead, and once the car zoomed off they could see the storm take action over the abandoned beach. It's screaming voice could be heard miles away from across the coastline, the moaning wind rushing with it.

Next time. She promised to herself and the beach. I will come back.