Distortion

Stacey

"Where are we going?" I ask as we run, my toes squishing in the sand, I have a sudden thought, where are my shoes? But I shrug it off, all that matters right now is me and Stacey. As she leads me down the beach, a soft breeze flows through my hair. I can hear the sound of the ocean getting closer, the world is spinning but it doesn't matter. I close my eyes, right now I am free.

We stop and she pulls me close, my feet are wet and I realize we are at the edge of the ocean. The water washes over my toes, it feels nice, I smile at my best friend, she gives me a small smile back and puts her arms around me and we sway, staying like that for a while, holding each other. She is soft in my arms, but suddenly

She pulls away and turns to face the ocean. She kneels down to graze the water with her hands. I watch her questionably, "Stacey"? I whisper she turns back to me and takes my hands in hers, squeezing them, "goodbye" she says sadly, why goodbye? I think, she lets go and turns away so her back is to me, and she's facing the wide shore of the ocean. When I reach for her she doesn't take my hand.

I stand there watching her as she takes a step into the deep, then another and another, until she is almost fully emerged in the water, I don't understand, I try to go after her but I can't move, "Stacey!" I call but she doesn't answer. I scan the waves but there's nothing; no sign of her anywhere.

Where did she go?

I call out to her again, still no answer, my feet are planted to the spot where she left me, the water swirling around them like glue. I stand there waiting for her to appear, come back to me, put her arms around me again, but she doesn't. There's nothing. Only the haunting sound of the ocean crashing into the beach, flooding my ears.

Tears stream down my cheeks, my head aches and my stomach churns. I can't think properly through the haze settling over my head. Everything is unclear, everything is blurred. All I can think is that she will come back. Surely she will come back to me. She's my best friend, she loves me, doesn't she? I know she will. Won't she?

But no, she never does.

She disappeared into the waves.

Sadness overcomes me through my blurred haze, my legs collapse under me and I fall hard to the wet sand.

I stare at the ocean, letting it wash over my thoughts, blending with my tears.

She's never coming back.

She's gone.