where the sand meets the sea

The sand beneath my feet burns, I never quite missed it’s scorching presence. It pricks me  with each step til’ all that’s left to do is hop to the untouched towel that rests under the  obnoxiously large umbrella. 

I wait… and wait… 

The sun has barely moved since I made it back to safety and no one’s come back to check on  me. It bores me to sit here sizzling with nothing to do, I can’t exactly go home either. I guess  I'll step into the salty beach water, just this once.  

And maybe I wouldn’t be so lonely, maybe I'd get over this silly fear once and for all. I leap through the blazing sand, bolting past the happy families - both human and crustacean,  til’ I finally make it to where the sand meets the sea.  

I swallow down the shell shaped lump sitting at the edge of my throat and warily tip toe into  the cool water that eagerly nudges closer to my feet. My family is quite far from where I am,  I don’t want to swim alone so I trudge forward. I do my best not to disturb the marine life to 

whom I’ve, uninvitingly, entered their sea; to be fair they scare me as well so it’s best we  leave each other be. 

THRASH! 

The waves force me away, as if they were trying to warn me or keep me at bay. With every  painstaking push comes a brutal shove, back and forth like a petty childish fight. This  gruelling brawl is put to hold when one enormous wave drags me beneath the surface, hand  on neck, I can barely breathe. The tiny crabs scurry away while I kick my legs and flay my  arms, what could a tiny crab do to save this great big monster? I’d run away too. My lungs  burn like the sand, and my eyes want to snap shut, and my ears just won't stop ringing. 

It's distant hum only grows stronger... it won’t stop — 

The ocean fluttered open her eyes, observing my sinking body. She embraced me, head-to toe, swallowed me whole, tight to her chest. I whisper back, I try, but all is calm, all is still. 

My family remains at bay.

Written by Char.

i'm char, a non-binary butch artist with a love for photography, zine making, and writing.