AU One-Shots

Beach Storms

Written by Ren
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I strolled alone along the beach while sand melted beneath my toes and cold waves kissed my ankles. Sunlight streamed about, but my eyes remained in shadow. Why?

I glanced up, hoping. Nope, it was still there.

A single, dark cloud hovering, swirling above my head. Its vapors teased me. I tried swiping it away, but it pressed closer to my face, caressing my cheeks and choking me.

I gave up and moved onward. Well, I tried to. My legs seemed to have sunk into the sand, and now I was waist deep. Was it always like this? Wasn't I just meandering peacefully a moment before?

After an hour's worth of struggling, I was ready to give up to the ocean. "If you could just wash the sand away," I thought, "I'd let you take me." The cloud above my head let out a small, thunderous agreement.

But then I heard footsteps crunching behind me. I turned, and saw bruised and muddy feet approaching.

I was too tired to lift my face. Besides, the cloud would just block my view, anyway.

With my head on the ground, my view was suddenly cut off by a pair of kind, hazel eyes. They reflected light that dappled and churned like crashing waves before a storm.

"Hi," I croaked, tired.

"Hey." The girl had dark, brown hair as long as the coast and a smile as wide as the open sky. "Need some help?"

I exhaled in reply. She reached out a small hand, and I took it. Almost effortlessly, the girl pulled me out of the sand pit and onto my feet.

Looking around, I realized we weren't alone. In fact, I had never been alone. Dozens of people skipped and played along the shoreline, singing, talking, laughing. A voice interrupted my thoughts.

"What's that there for?" The girl was referring to the dark vapor still looming above me.

Before I could reply or even think of a reasonable answer, she pursed her lips and blew; the cloud dispersed into thin air, leaving me amazed.

"How did you...?" I started, but stopped when she laughed. I started laughing, too. What was so funny?

I didn't care. With my cloud gone, the sun reached down and embraced me warmly, making me feel happier than I had in a long time.

"Thanks," I whispered.

But then she was gone. I panicked, turning around, straining my eyes across the beach. She had disappeared as quickly as the vapor had.

"Hey!" I screamed, "HEY!"

No one heard me. I ran around. I shook people, shoved their shoulders, but to no avail.

I then noticed the sun was gone, too. People were leaving. Some fell onto the sand. Some sprinted towards the gray, cold ocean, trying to escape.

What could I do? I was the only one who saw, the only one. But I had to stay calm. I had to keep focused on one thing at a time.

There was somebody lying near me. Another girl. I walked over. Her hands and legs were being swallowed by sand, her hair in clumps and eyes shut tight.