Call Of The Sea
Shadows In The Sea
Chapter Two - Shadows In The Sea
I open the door to reveal the wood panelled hallway beyond. Everything about this place is wooden. I often worry that someone will come here with a match one night, and the whole place will go down ablaze. And everything we've known will go with it. Me, my parents and my little sister have lived here all my life, and I certaintly can't imagine calling anywhere else my home. I flip the light switch in the hallway to reveal my old ladbrador, Sandy. I miss the days she would bark in excitement and dance round my feet each time I came home, and yet she still welcomes me with a wag of her tail.
"Hello, old girl" I tell her fondly, tickling her lowered head as I have always done.
"You home,Angel?" my Dad shouts from the living room. I walk to greet him, seating myself in one of the cozy armchairs opposite him.
"So, how'd it go?" he asks me, hiding the remains of my last slice of birthday cake left over from my sixteenth birthday three days ago. Crafty...
"Umm... it was great! Kristen wowed everyone as usual" I tell him.
"Did you not go in?" he questions, a frown creasing his lips.
"Nah, swimming isn't my thing" I stammer in reply.
"Don't make yourself too comfortable, love; I need you to take Sandy out for a bit" Mum calls from the kitchen.Dad rolls his eyes in mock horror, I giggle in response.
"Sure, Mum" I say, guiding Sandy to the coat pegs near the door, where her leash is also kept. I clip it onto her worn collar, touching the shell pendant attached to it as I do so. I remember me and Dad finding the same shell when Sandy was still a puppy. It had been broken upon the rocks in the shape of a heart, and Dad rounded it off so it wouldn't be sharp anymore. It was a peachy colour, and shimmered purple and silver in the firelight. Very pretty.
"Come on, girl" I say, as I inch open the door and coax her down the gravel path. She follows uncertaintly down the grass verges leading to the beach.
The smell of salt and brine water hits me. I've always loved the beach. You can forge a whole lifestyle here, like I've seen one man do furthur down the coast. He built an entire house with driftwood tied together with twine and netting. He uses the shoreline and sea for everything - food, crafting, tools and whatever else you can imagine.
I lead Sandy away from the rockpools for fear she will slip, and take her nearer the waves. She dabbles her paws in the foam but does not venture furthur. I can't say I blame her.
I hate the fact I'm afraid to swim. Afraid because I can't do it well enough. I need to. I want to!
Well, that's decided then, tomorrow; I am coming down here and swimming! After all, I'm more familiar with the ocean.
Just as I turn around, I notice a dark shape in the water. And why do I get the feeling I'm being watched?
I walk forwards for a better view, my toes sinking beneath the sand. I note its shape, it's nothing like the sealife I've seen before. Strange. The wind picks up and whips my hair in my face. I comb it out the way with my fingers, and quickly search for the dark shape hidden among the sea foam. It has gone.
I see Sandy staring into the distance. So I wasn't the only one who saw it...
I pat her to rid myself of the chills I feel running down my spine. I turn for home, with only the moon to guide me safe from the hazards, and to show me the clearer path to the house. I climb the grass to the front of the cottage, when it suddenly occurs to me that Sandy is not next to me. She has escaped her leash. But she never wanders off...
I race to the verge of the hill and scan the beach from above. There she is, wagging her tail - looking out across the waves. My breath catches in my throat.
"Come on, Sandy!" I plead, as I pat my knees in furthur encouragement. Why won't she come? What has she seen? What WAS that thing in the water?
She turns to look at me, then back at the sea. She barks one small, weak sound and then waddles up the hill towards me. I tug her collar nervously, glaring at the dark water below. One thing I do know, something or someone is watching, and secondly I am strangely compelled by the call of the sea.
I open the door to reveal the wood panelled hallway beyond. Everything about this place is wooden. I often worry that someone will come here with a match one night, and the whole place will go down ablaze. And everything we've known will go with it. Me, my parents and my little sister have lived here all my life, and I certaintly can't imagine calling anywhere else my home. I flip the light switch in the hallway to reveal my old ladbrador, Sandy. I miss the days she would bark in excitement and dance round my feet each time I came home, and yet she still welcomes me with a wag of her tail.
"Hello, old girl" I tell her fondly, tickling her lowered head as I have always done.
"You home,Angel?" my Dad shouts from the living room. I walk to greet him, seating myself in one of the cozy armchairs opposite him.
"So, how'd it go?" he asks me, hiding the remains of my last slice of birthday cake left over from my sixteenth birthday three days ago. Crafty...
"Umm... it was great! Kristen wowed everyone as usual" I tell him.
"Did you not go in?" he questions, a frown creasing his lips.
"Nah, swimming isn't my thing" I stammer in reply.
"Don't make yourself too comfortable, love; I need you to take Sandy out for a bit" Mum calls from the kitchen.Dad rolls his eyes in mock horror, I giggle in response.
"Sure, Mum" I say, guiding Sandy to the coat pegs near the door, where her leash is also kept. I clip it onto her worn collar, touching the shell pendant attached to it as I do so. I remember me and Dad finding the same shell when Sandy was still a puppy. It had been broken upon the rocks in the shape of a heart, and Dad rounded it off so it wouldn't be sharp anymore. It was a peachy colour, and shimmered purple and silver in the firelight. Very pretty.
"Come on, girl" I say, as I inch open the door and coax her down the gravel path. She follows uncertaintly down the grass verges leading to the beach.
The smell of salt and brine water hits me. I've always loved the beach. You can forge a whole lifestyle here, like I've seen one man do furthur down the coast. He built an entire house with driftwood tied together with twine and netting. He uses the shoreline and sea for everything - food, crafting, tools and whatever else you can imagine.
I lead Sandy away from the rockpools for fear she will slip, and take her nearer the waves. She dabbles her paws in the foam but does not venture furthur. I can't say I blame her.
I hate the fact I'm afraid to swim. Afraid because I can't do it well enough. I need to. I want to!
Well, that's decided then, tomorrow; I am coming down here and swimming! After all, I'm more familiar with the ocean.
Just as I turn around, I notice a dark shape in the water. And why do I get the feeling I'm being watched?
I walk forwards for a better view, my toes sinking beneath the sand. I note its shape, it's nothing like the sealife I've seen before. Strange. The wind picks up and whips my hair in my face. I comb it out the way with my fingers, and quickly search for the dark shape hidden among the sea foam. It has gone.
I see Sandy staring into the distance. So I wasn't the only one who saw it...
I pat her to rid myself of the chills I feel running down my spine. I turn for home, with only the moon to guide me safe from the hazards, and to show me the clearer path to the house. I climb the grass to the front of the cottage, when it suddenly occurs to me that Sandy is not next to me. She has escaped her leash. But she never wanders off...
I race to the verge of the hill and scan the beach from above. There she is, wagging her tail - looking out across the waves. My breath catches in my throat.
"Come on, Sandy!" I plead, as I pat my knees in furthur encouragement. Why won't she come? What has she seen? What WAS that thing in the water?
She turns to look at me, then back at the sea. She barks one small, weak sound and then waddles up the hill towards me. I tug her collar nervously, glaring at the dark water below. One thing I do know, something or someone is watching, and secondly I am strangely compelled by the call of the sea.