The Ignorance of Suffering

The black sky, peppered with pale lights, looked as though a moth-eaten blanket had been thrown carelessly over the sun, throwing the choppy coast below it into temporary darkness. The ghostly moonlight filtered down, penetrating the night with its eerie glow and casting shadows over the deserted beach huts which were scattered sparingly along the coast line. Waves lapped against the pebbled beach, frothy fingers emerging from the water to claim objects left behind by the visiting tourists.

A lone figure stood silhouetted on the harbour wall, bare toes curled over the edge of the rough brick. Below her, the waves continued to crash against the small stones, whispering to her, beckoning her. Her pale blonde hair whipped against her tanned skin; the wind whistled in her ears; the girl swayed. The dull acceptance in her eyes was concealed by the darkness, the happy glow which usually resided banished indefinitely. Wrapped loosely around her wrist was a cheap wrist-watch, the clasp broken and held together with sellotape. Goosebumps on her bare arms were partially covered by a baggy t-shirt which fluttered angrily in the breeze and bore the faded words ‘you only live once’. Below this, tight denim jeans clung desperately to her slim legs, a small rip on the left thigh revealing part of a tattoo. The figure breathed in deeply, the sea salt trespassing onto her tongue, and spread her arms out, the wind buffeting them and threatening her balance.

Behind her, a quiet road lit by unassuming streetlights led to a small town which was preparing for a night of alcohol and abrasive music. Small, family-run nightclubs flashed neon signs advertising their business, where young people loitered around the doorways. Walking down the road was a middle-aged man, a young woman attached to his arm, heading towards the town’s down-trodden motel. The strong smell of weed and urine filled the nostrils of those wandering the streets, although most paid it no heed. A large water feature stood in the centre of the town, where two boys sat on the concrete rim, fingers entwined and lips locked in an intense battle for dominance. A few feet away, a group of girls emerged from a generic nightclub, cigarettes in hand, followed by two boys with lust-filled eyes.

None of them heard the deep splash which came from the harbour. The accompanying cry of fear caught the attention of the couple by the fountain, who broke apart and looked wide-eyed down the road. The group of girls shook their carefully made-up heads and turned back into the club, ignoring the disturbance. The middle-aged man and his undisclosed lover continued on their way to the motel, completely oblivious to what was happening around them.

The next day, a group of tourists found a broken wrist-watch on the beach and tossed it back into the water, where it was reclaimed by the sea.