Finding Melody

62: Crashing Waves

Sand was flown towards me, running down the side of my cheek as laughter erupted from behind my book. I slowly lowered my book down to my chest and faced the giggling rascals that had sprayed sand over me. The war had started.

I met Dallas and Vi's eyes. Transparency lied in their gazes as they stared at me wondering what my revenge would consist of. "Sorry we didn't see you there". Dallas said, smirking proudly as my legs went into action, sending him running down the beach as I followed.

"I'm gonna get you". I screamed running after him as Vi followed behind me and I grabbed ahold of him finally, him falling on the sand in a desperate plea.

"I say we bury him in sand". Vi said, from afar as she hurried to catch up, leaving her with a loss of breath as she breathed. My heart ached, every time I could hear her physical strain, every time I could see how she looked at the other kids wanting to do the same as them, have the same as them.

"That sounds about fair". I said, as Dallas refused to be buried. "There must be something better you can do with your time". Dallas smirked, laying on the ground as Vi and I tunneled buckets of sand on his body.

"How about this, Vi? Why don't you bury both of us?" I suddenly felt a tug on my leg as I fell on top of him, only the thin layer of sand separated us.

"You're the one that put sand on me".

"Actually it was me". A mute voice said loudly as Dallas and I exchanged a glance and we plopped up, chasing Vi down the beach.

We exchanged glances as we both sprung up and chased Vi down the beach. Her squeals of laughter and joy filled my ears with harmony. The world around us went black as it was just us three enjoying the time we had.

Vi gradually stopped and planted herself in the ground as Dallas and I buried her in the sand. As soon as we had packed her in, she ran to the ocean. Fleeing with the sand that peeled off her skin quite dramatically.

I raced after her, joining her in the chilling water. The cold water prickled up my ankles as the waves crashed and hurled towards us and pulled back quickly.

Vi's smile beamed at the ocean. "There's something freeing about the ocean". Vi murmured, as she flicked the water with her feet.

Something somber set over her as her smile faded and she turned towards me. "When the time... comes...", she started, nervous tensions rising through her voice.

"I want to be here after I'm gone". She said, her voice trickling on what seemed to be her tears. She looked over at me as I nodded, everytime she spoke about this I was shocked to see her so certain of her future. To see her so certain about how little of a future she had, it angered me that she was so certain about this.

I knew what she meant, her ashes spread here. Where she felt most at home. This is where she felt connected to Dallas the most. Somewhere only they would have for the rest of eternity, remembered by them, for the memories they created and the laughter they surrounded themselves with. For it was so much that his love for her was how infinite the ocean is.

"He'll want me close... but I want to be here". She said, as if this was something they had already spoken about.

I looked back at Dallas, ordering drinks for us by the bar area. He didn't know about the confidence she had in dying, the thought she had put into this alone.

She looked over at me, her eyes noticing mine, deep in thought. "Promise me... that you'll bring him back here". Her promise she wanted was so vague as she looked at me with earnest eyes, she always asked of me to look after him, never leave him, but never something like this, like in the worst case scenario something were to happen I would engage in a promise that would consist of me dragging a screaming sorrowed man to a small beach in Sussex.