The air around me smelled of salt and sea. Waves lapped lazily at the shore, harmonizing with the whistling of the wind. Vacation was upon me, and I had chosen to go to a place that harbored a bittersweet nostalgia.
Amelia's Cove was a place for family fun. Fractured as my family was, (raised by a single father) I thoroughly enjoyed every second there. The resort of the same name was a kid's paradise. A mini water park and an arcade had little me in heaven.
Walking through those doors again gave me the rush it always had, even all these years later. With a big grin on my face, I approached the front desk clerk and got the keys to my room.
I saw very few people in passing, which I thought was strange, because this was decidedly the "busy season". But as soon as I opened the door to my room, all other thoughts were swept away.
The sun beamed in from the balcony, sending a golden light over everything in the room. A vintage looking vanity sat at the foot of the room. The bed was draped in sand and cerulean bedding, with a handwritten note placed neatly on the pillow.
"Welcome to Amelia's Cove. We are pleased to have you as you enjoy our many amenities. Relax by the pool or jump right in with the Superslide , get in your gaming at The Arcade , eat at our award winning seafood restaurant The Wharf, or enjoy riveting evening entertainment at The Lounge. Thank you, and please, enjoy your stay. P.S please stay off of the beach after 12:00 am, the rocks are slippery when wet, and our lifeguards and safety personnel will not be there to assist."
The Lounge...maybe I'll check that out tonight. After I take a nap. I chuckled to myself. I quickly threw on my oversized tee shirt and climbed into bed. No sooner than my head hit the pillow, and I was out like a light.
Walking barefoot on the sand, I felt an unease I had never felt before.The night sky above me glimmered with stars. I was not alone. A woman followed closely behind me, humming an unrecognizable tune. I was horrified, but kept my pace, hoping she'd let me be.
Abruptly, she grabbed me by the shoulders and spun me around, hard. What I saw terrified me. Someone or something had inflicted massive damage upon her. Her face had been utterly destroyed. Blood covered her, matted into her hair and clothing.
A sudden feeling of sadness, betrayal, and melancholy washed over me in waves that mimicked the ones that lap at the shore. She felt familiar...almost like...
I woke up in a cold sweat. I rushed to the bathroom as my gut began to twist violently. The contents of my stomach voided themselves just in time for me to reach the toilet.
What was that? I barely even dream, and when I do it's just nonsensical. That felt very visceral. Like someone was trying to tell me something. I closed my eyes and sighed deeply, willing myself to forget.
Suddenly the walls were too close and the air was too stale and I needed out. I slipped into some clothes and then slipped out the door, ready for a distraction.
The halls were eerily empty, quiet too. Usually you would at least hear the murmur of a hushed conversation, the giggle of children playing nearby. This was what it felt like being the last person on earth.I didn't like it.
I speed walked the halls, following the arrows that led to the mysterious Lounge, glancing behind me. I had the uncanny sensation that something insidious was looming.
Finally, I reached the archway donned with a plaque reading "The Lounge." Approaching the bar, I was greeted by a solemn looking barkeep. "What can I get you, Ma'am?" In a shaky voice, I ordered a rum and coke.
I took a big gulp and tried to calm my nerves. But there would be no reprieve. The sound of a band beginning to play on the stage startled me. Then my eyes turned to the stage.
The light flicked on to reveal a woman. Her dark brown hair was curled in tight ringlets, makeup applied expertly, dressed in an emerald sequin gown.
She was stunningly beautiful, but also strikingly familiar. Slipping through my fingertips was the only thing my memory could do. It was frustrating. The world seemed to stop for a second, and then she began to sing.
The words seemed to melt away as a scene began to play inside my head. A woman cradling a baby, with a tall broad man by her side. They walk into the front doors of the resort.
Next, they're in the room...the woman carefully places the child in a crib. Her face is hidden by her dark hair, but her shoulders heave with silent sobs. I feel a sharp ache in my chest.
The man is sat at the bar. A woman is sitting next to him, whispering into his ear. His wedding band glints in the dim lights of the bar. He slips it into his pocket.
I hate him.
The dark haired woman happened upon the scene. My eyes filled with tears as hers had. They spun around as the feeling of eyes on them registered. Abruptly, the woman lunged forward, landing a slap on the man's face.
A face that i suddenly recognized.
As the other woman scurries away in shock, the man, my father firmly but calmly grabs the woman's arm and leads her outside towards the beach. She pulls away from him and begins to run away, hair wild and eyes filled with terror.
He chases, his face a mask of anger. Closing in on her at a secluded part of the beach, he lunges forward and slips, but manages to grab her ankle, causing her to fall face first into the slippery rocks.
He drags her, flips her over and begins to pummel her. I want to look away. I don't want to see this. He's evil. I hate him.
He is the devil incarnate.
Once he stops, covered in blood and sweat and sea, he just... stares out into the water. He almost looks remorseful. He grabs the poor woman's hand...and then I see it.
A ring with a gold band and a tiny opal stone. The very same ring that hung around my neck. The very same ring that my mother had left behind for me when she left us.
Suddenly snapping back to reality, I realized the bar was closing up, and the woman...my mother, had disappeared along with the band. "Ma'am? Are you okay?" The barkeep asked.
It was then that I felt the tears on my face. "Yes...I..I'm fine. Where did the singer go, if I may ask? I want to tell her how lovely her voice is." I forced a smile. He looked confused.
"There was no singer...are you sure you're ok?" Confused, I simply nodded and headed back to my room.
As I shut the door and spun around, I saw her. In that same shimmering dress, with a sad smile on her face. "Do you know how long I've waited here for you?" Unable to speak, I shook my head solemnly.
"I watched you when you were younger. I couldn't possibly have shown you the truth then. You were too young. And then you stopped coming. I've waited so long. And now you're here." She walked towards me, cupping my face in her hands.
I finally found the nerve to speak. " I saw what he did to you. He lied to me. Because of him, I never got to know you. You never got to know me. I hate him." She nodded.
"I know, dove. Trust me. The hate I have for that man is part of what keeps me here. The coward...couldn't even face up to what he'd done. But that's ok. He has your hatred, and you have his truth. What we do with that...is up to you."
I smiled. My sanity was on a tightrope, losing the battle against gravity. I no longer cared.
"I think it's time for some family bonding.I haven't seen Daddy in so long...."
