Writers Block || Jimmy Page

ONE

The air was humid. Toes wrinkled like prunes and my eyes burned from the salt, but I kept swimming. Dipping in and out of the waves, the sunlight burning my pale shoulders but I knew soon my summer freckles would return and all would be well.

1971 had been good to me so far. My novel had been published and the checks were rolling in. Growing up on hand-me-downs and Vienna Sausages had finally paid off. My family had slimmed down to just one, going on eight years without mom. I had left Florida for a few years but the sand and the waves had called me back. I longed for the environment and constant heat. Packing sweaters and long johns served me no good, brought me no happiness.

"Nell," my friend shouted at me. Pulling me from my tropical thoughts and back to the realness of the east coast. Pushing against the weight of the water as I trudged my way back to shore, each wave begging me to return. The dry sand stuck to my feet creating a barrier on my skin as if it was my armor.

Writers block had been weighing on my shoulders and clawing at my ankles. However, the bright month of May and spending time with new friends had brought some light to the tunnel.

The beach had gained a few more visitors. A couple to the left that refused to come for air as they kissed. A group of men to the right, laughing and pushing each other around. They passed around a bottle filled with an amber liquid. I could imagine it's strong smell. I wore the alcoholic scent after my mother passed, it stuck to me like a luxury perfume.

I was still dripping wet when Kelly placed a lit cigarette between my fingers. The inhale made the sun feel brighter. Our belongings were scattered about the multicolored blanket we were lounging on. The air smelled like sunscreen, salt, and smoke. It was a Wednesday in May so any normal do-ers with jobs weren't out and about. It was the rich, the famous, the degenerates and the bums. Kelly and I felt like all of the above.

After the cigarette, Kelly immediately placed a glass in my hand. The light pink liquid splashed in the cup, pieces of sand inside. We chugged the warm wine despite it.

"I can feel it in the air, Nell," Kelly said, swirling her moscato. We had decided this summer would be full of adventure. That I would free myself from the chains of this writer block.

I had begged and prayed for a big break, to be an author. I had made it but my mind fog was holding me back. One popular and published book would only last so long and I was not built for the 9-5 life. I wanted to create and inspire.

Fantasy is hard to write when you feel as you are surviving and not living. I dabbled in the writing of the dark and dastardly. Characters full of mysticism and energy. Kelly was a muse to me, she became my best friend after we had met three years ago at a market. The tarot card reading she gave me pointed my towards the direction I needed to head, and now here we were, on the beach rolling in money I had made on a simple book about a witch finding love.

Kelly grabbed my hands pulling me towards her as she reached in her satchel to pull out a deck of tarot cards. She gave me a raised eyebrow look, I rolled my eyes humorously.

I ran my fingers softly over the deck of cards clearing my mind. It was just me, the beach, and my desires.

"Pull with meaning, Nell," Kelly whispered to me, allowing me to dabble my hands once more before pointing at some cards.

Kelly laid out three. She flipped the first one. The Empress. She stared at me on the card as though studying me. I felt a heat at the top of my head, someone was looking and wanted me to know.

The men next to us has quieted down, two of them staring at me and Kelly. I tried not to stare back, focused on my reading. I could make out a figure with dark hair and soft features, rubbing his chin with his finger as he watched us.

Kelly flipped two more. 7 of Pentacles. Then 6.

My breath hitched in my throat, it felt good. "That's good, Nell. Bountiful and successful." Kelly smiled at me.

Someone next to us cleared their throat. The men from next to us, well two of them, stood above us smiling. Although both skinny in stature they stood proud and tall and the light sculpted both of them beautifully. The one on the left had long blonde locks and shining eyes while the one on the right looked more sullen but equally as gorgeous.

The blonde man flipped his hair over his shoulder and it was as if my brain played a bright shining sign in my head. Led Zeppelin. I listened to them quite often and knew they were in town but was not a big enough fan to stalk their south Florida stops. Kelly smiled at them, I assumed she recognized Robert Plant but didn't dare bring it up.

"May we?" Robert asked, gesturing towards our blanket where Kelly and I sat cross legged, the cards splayed between us.

"Of course," Kelly said, making room for them. They sat down cross legged as well. Robert next to me and the other who I knew as Jimmy Page next to Kelly. Jimmy gave me another connecting glance and the heat in my head began again.

"I'm Jimmy, this is Robert," Jimmy spoke for the first time. His voice was soft but spoken with meaning.

"Kelly," Kelly smiled, "and that's Nell." She gestured towards me while quickly cleaning up my lineup of cards.

"Tarot cards?" Jimmy asked, his question mostly directed at Kelly since she was flipping the cards between her skinny fingers. She nodded yes excitedly as we began.