Untitled; Written in 2005.

She walked along the white sands of the beach and waited. Nothing

seemed to bother her. A stray dog trotted by tongue hanging out in its

characteristic doggie way, sniffed at her ankles, and went past. She

just stood and smiled.

The evening wind was gentle and it lifted her longish summery dress

just a wee bit, and made wisps of her hair enter her eyes and her

mouth when she smiled to herself.

She then began to walk towards the water's edge and faltered only when

the waves began to swirl against her calves, wetting the edge of her

dress. She smiled at a memory and continued her difficult walk into

the sea.

Higher and higher the waves crept and her pace slackened, but she

continued on. This had to be done. She was up to her shoulders in the

swirling mass and couldn't turn around now. Each new wave threatened

to sweep her off her feet, but she stood stock-still and she smiled.

Her face was now wet with the salty water and with her own tears, and

she took one more step, and was swallowed by the sea.

She fought to break free, she held her breath, closed her eyes tight

against the stinging in her eyes. She wished she hadn't done this,

wished she had stopped and turned back when she could, wished… Things

swirled around in her head, while the current tossed her – smiles,

babies, chocolate, unread books, phone bills, ruined friends,

relationships, goldfish, cats, spiders, nursery rhymes, pretty paper…

and everything blacked out when she tried to scream.