Things Unsaid

What Should Not Have Been Found

It was a calm, slightly windy, late august day. I was out by the pier with my friends. They were laughing and talking, having a good time. As for myself, I was sitting out by the crisp water, facing the wind, and reading a stellar book.

The book focused on a lady trying to find her place in the world. Come to think of it, most books have the same few skeletal story basics, but the way they are written and the details given are truly what makes the stories as amazing and different as they are. Uniqueness is key to a great story, right?

Pondering about stories and the book, I saw something glimmer out on a boulder. There were a whole bunch of boulders at the edge of the pier by the lighthouse. At first, I thought my eye was just playing little tricks on me, but then, I realized that it wasn't necessarily the case. Something was out there.

As if it was calling out for my attention, the glimmer got brighter as I got closer. Being very cautious of the slippery surface of the rocks, and more prominent waves crashing over them, I made my way to the origin of the glimmer. There lied a bracelet. I picked it up and took it back to the bench where my book was, getting back to sturdier ground, and inspected it.

With exquisite detail and a unique glow, the bracelet was a golden band with a name sketched into the inside. Not just any name... but my name. Angie Marie Ricci. On the outer edge of the band, there were etched in flowers and swirly designs and the number 108 sketched in. The bracelet was beautiful in every way, but I just couldn't shake the creepiness of it all.

The winds started to dramatically pick up and the waves crashed harder and harder, getting closer to where I was standing. For safe keeping, I put the bracelet on my arm and stuffed my book into my duffel bag. As the winds continued to pick up, I chased down the boardwalk and made it back to the car right before it started to drizzle. I didn't remember the weather forecast predicting rain today, but hey, who can truly predict nature, right?

Driving home, I ended up waiting at several red lights. The red hue glared down at me like evil eyes torturing my impatient soul. While waiting, I gave a quick glance over to the bracelet on my arm.

108. What does that symbolize?

Pondering on various solutions, I kept getting stumped. A house number? Last three digits of a phone number? Secret code? Password? The number had never been prominent in my life before, so why is it attached to a bracelet with my name?

A throbbing headache began to form, and throughout the rest of the night it didn't appear to be getting any better. I took a hot bath, drank some tea with honey, and tried to stop thinking about the bracelet. Right before bed, I finally decided to take it off for the night.

But I couldn't. The bracelet wouldn't budge.

As if it was a part of me, I felt pain trying to take it off. This wasn't like when you try on a ring too small for your finger and can't get it off. Oh heavens no, this was far worse. I panicked.

Eventually, I came to the conclusion that I was just far too tired, and hit the hay. Being back in my own bed felt wonderful. Before I fell asleep I lied there just rethinking through the day. Eventful day indeed.

The next moment I knew, sunlight was coming through my bedroom windows. Flashes of images of the wind and bracelet crossed my mind.

Could it have been all a dream?

Looking at my arm, the bracelet still was there. Very real. But something was different. A small detail indeed, but I remembered in detail what it looked like previously.

Today, instead of 108 etched into the metal band, it was a 107.

What was going on?