Shine On

The waves lapped gently at her feet, carving imprints around her shoes and washing them away. A breeze blew by, picking up her hair and swirling it about her in a mass of inky tendrils. She shivered, pulling her frayed jacket closer to her, crossing her arms, and clutching at her sides as though she was binding the warmth to her so it couldn't escape.

"It's January again..." She thought absentmindedly.

Her gaze across the ocean was distant, as though she saw something beyond the roar of the sea, further than the stretch of the waves; something that captured the intensity of her person that the heat of her gaze burned through the chilly atmosphere.

The sea... What was it about the sea that captured her attention? What was it that pulled her towards the liquid abyss; what was it that made her long to feel the waves at her fingertips and to breathe in the salty air? Why was the gentle lapping of the water so seductive, as though the sea was whispering in her ears as a lover would?

She let out a sigh; a white puff formed infront of her parted lips and quickly disappeared. Three years ago she stood in this exact spot, gazing out at the water, disregarding time and all rational thought. Through younger eyes, she saw the destruction in her surroundings; her lifestory torn and ripped at the seams.

"Oh how time flies..."

Her memories took her back to the cold bitter day, similar to the present time, where she first felt the anguish and sorrow of... The waves had roared that day, almost reflecting her heart's disarray. The sea rose high above the closest city, intimidating and mighty, washing away the hopes of the innocent and the sins of the tainted. It showed no mercy, crushing everything in its path. She revelled in the sea's strength, remembering the sensation as it rendered her breathless. That day, the calm waves became a stranger, something she could not recognize.

Now, back in a place of familiarity, a place where she spent her childhood rolling in the silky sand, she could almost relax. She had come back to make peace with the sea - her long lost friend. Slowly but surely, she took a step, and another step into the water. The icyness bit at her skin but she was already numb to sensation. Laying on her back, gazing at the infinite sky, she finally felt at peace and let the serene sounds of the waves wash over her. She closed her eyes and sang softly, "the sea, the sea, the sea...", as she felt the ocean carry her away. In her mass of tangled raven hair and shabby clothing, she drifted on, finally letting go.