The Ocean's Call

The ocean breeze swept through the curtains hanging over the door that lead outside, washing the scent of saltwater throughout the room and over my sleeping form. The cool air stirred me and I opened my eyes slowly, a small smile gracing my face. This place was… beautiful. A paradise I never wanted to leave. The sound of the waves crashing against the sand bringing a sense of peacefulness.

I had always wanted to go to the beach and when my boss had offered me the vacation of my dreams, I had practically jumped up and down with glee. He set me and my best friend, Cassy, up here in a condo on the beach right outside of a small town. The townspeople are very nice and accommodating, they love to talk and it’s easy to get lost in conversation. So far we have only been here for a week, and I have never felt more free or relaxed in my life.

Slowly, I removed the blanket from over my body and set my bare feet on the cold tiles, a shiver running down my back. The white lace nightgown I wore fell around my ankles. I strode across the room to the glass doors I had left open for the night and slipped through the curtains.

The beach at night is beautiful, the water reflects the full moon’s light and the sand seems to glow and shimmer as the waves hit the shore. Walking along the edge of water makes you feel like you are walking on moonlight with how bright it is.

I walk over to the white, wooden fence that marked the edge of the condos little yard. Leaning forward, I placed my arms on the fence. A gust of wind rippled through my black hair and blew sand over my feet and into the hem of my dress. My eyes closed and I breathed deeply, drinking in everything around me. It always felt as if time slowed to a standstill and that this moment would last an eternity whenever I came out here at night. But no matter how much I wished for it to be true, the moment was wrenched from me and I am thrown back into reality.

As if on cue a voice pierced my thoughts, “Figured you’d be out here, Mel.” I turn to smile at my longtime friend who stood in the doorway, dressed in a sweatshirt and jeans, holding a small box. “I got you more croissants if you want some.” She tapped a finger against the side of the box.

“Yes, please. I wouldn’t mind one or two.” I glided over and relieved Cassy of the croissant box. “After we have a snack, would you want to walk the beach? It’s so pretty out it would be a waste not to.”

Cassy nodded and turned, holding the curtains aside with a hand, “Sure, but make it a somewhat long snack, I need to catch my breath and rest a little.” I swept past her inside and made for the small kitchen table.

I set the box down, “You know, our sleep schedules have gotten severely messed up since being here. I keep waking up in the middle of the night and can never fall back asleep and you are usually already up.”

I sat down at the table and opened the box of croissants and eagerly picked one and took a bite, loving how it just seemed to melt in my mouth. “I know what you mean, I have barely slept at all here but I don’t feel tired. And it almost seems like everyone in town never sleeps.” Cassy said, opening the fridge and grabbing the iced tea she had gotten earlier in the day, before joining me at the table.

I shrugged, crumbs falling down my chin, “It’s probably because of the peaceful atmosphere here. I honestly can’t think of a time I’ve ever felt more relaxed.”

She nodded in agreement and seemed to get lost in thought, her hands wrapped around the base of her drink. I finished off my croissant and reached for another one eating half by the time Cassy spoke.

“I wish…” She paused and looked at me, eyes wavering slightly. “I almost wish we had never come here.”

“And why is that?” I frowned and bit into the croissant, watching her shift around uncomfortably.

She paused for a moment, seeming to think about what she was going to say. “I just think… It will be hard to adjust to being back in a large city like Chicago, where it is hectic and stressful after being here, where it is nice and calming.”

I finished off my second croissant and reached for another one before replying, “I see where you are coming from and you are right, it will certainly be hard to go back to all that craziness. But we will face that when the time to go back comes, alright?” I reached over, crumbs falling from my lap to the floor, and placed my hand on hers.

“In the meantime,” I smiled brightly and stood up, leaning over the table, the rest of the crumbs that had been residing safely on my nightgown joined the rest of the crumbs on the ground, “Let’s go enjoy the beach while we still have time!”

I moved around the table, still holding Cassy’s hand and pulled her to her feet, shoving the rest of the croissant I held into my mouth, making a mental note to clean up the mess I made when we got back.

“You are impossibly happy, you know that?” Cassy chuckled, taking one last swig of her tea before allowing me to lead her back out the curtains we had entered through and across the quaint little sandy yard, through the gate and down the path that lead to the beach.

I immediately went to the water's edge, Cassy choosing to stay just at the edge of where the waves ended. We walked for what felt like only a few moments, but was likely much longer. Walking side by side, we stopped only once we reached the cliff face a couple of miles down from the condo.

Cassy stayed back where the wet sand met the dry while I went far enough out to where the water was at my ankles, the hem of my gown getting soaked. I gazed at the horizon, watching the waves disturb the moon's reflection. The sight enraptured me, drew my soul towards it, the beauty of it all.

“Shall we head back now?” Cassy’s voice drifted to me as I stared out across the water, her voice muffled as if I were in a daze.

“Mel? Are you ok?” Worry started to enter her voice, but I continued to ignore her, my sole focus on the waves that rose and fell like a heartbeat.

I turned slightly towards her, giving her a lazy smile, “ I’m… perfect. You were right earlier, it’s going to be impossible to go back to the city when it’s so perfect here.” I motioned around me, a wave splashing against my legs, making me stumble some, but I stayed upright and turned fully to Cassy.

“You don’t look ok, Mel. Come here and let’s head back to the house.” She stepped into the water, her jeans getting soaked.

“I don’t ever want to leave this place, it’s everything I have been searching for.” I hadn't realized I had backed up more into the water, not until I felt a wave hit my lower back, my nightgown completely soaked. Hadn’t realized it until Cassy started towards me, concern written on her face. I should have been cold from the water, but all I felt was warmth as if I belonged to it.

“Come back to the shore Mel, please. Something isn’t right with you.” She held a hand out to me, a frown on her face.

My smile faltered and I looked at her hand, something isn’t right? What does she mean by that? I feel fine. Cassy came closer, the water up to her stomach. Stomach? But we were on the beach a minute ago, sure I had gotten a little wet, but we shouldn’t have been this deep. I felt as if I was coming out of a daze, the water finally feeling chilly, my body cold.

Cassy leaped towards me when I stopped moving, using my shock as an opportunity to get to me. Her hands gripped my shoulders, but I was too numb from the cold to register just how hard she grasped me. She sputtered, saltwater invading her mouth as she struggled to find her footing. I numbly grabbed her under the arms and held her up until she could stand on her own.

I looked at Cassy, confusion in my eyes and opened my mouth to ask what had happened when I felt it. I felt the wave even before it hit me, before I heard that awful scream rip from my best friend's throat as we were thrown apart. The scream that I knew would haunt me till the end of my days and after. And then I was gone; my body, the ocean's new toy, with which it gently, but sternly drew out into its depths, refusing my attempts at freedom.

The ocean forced itself upon me, filling my mouth, my nose, my ears. There was that initial panic as I felt my air supply cut off and I only knew the taste of the saltwater that I had spent the past week enjoying myself in. After a few agonizing moments, the ocean released its grip on me, my body too weak now to fight against it and I felt the darkness closing in, the light of the moon falling around me in shafts of light as I gazed up at the surface, so close yet so far away. If I hadn’t known what was coming to me, what was about to happen, I would have thought this sight to be pretty. Would have enjoyed trying to paint it.

And it was with that sight, that last terrifying yet beautiful sight that I let the darkness consume me and let the ocean claim me fully. My spirit to remain drifting through the world for as long as the moon and sea kept their claim upon me.