The Life of Sally Jackson

Chapter One

Sally Jackson had no idea what she was getting into when she went to the beach that day. Montauk was one of her favorite places. She could finally feel at peace there where she didn't have to worry about her low pay job at the candy store or the rent on her not-too-nice apartment.

Here at Montauk she could breathe  in the fresh sea air and imagine a different reality. Maybe a reality where she was here with her mother and father and they were just waiting in that cabin over there. The one they rented for the weekend. and maybe she met a guy. He would be incredibly handsome and he would treat her like a queen.

They would get married and someday have children. In her own reality, Sally Jackson would've gone to college and gotten her degree. She would have a nice job and a nice apartment where she and her handsome husband would raise their beautiful children.

But that wasn't true, was it? She opened her eyes and looked out over the choppy sea. The weather wasn't the nicest, and she like to joke that some god somewhere was mad at someone. She checked her watch and decided it was time to go. Not before I put my feet in the water, she decided.

So, taking off her shoes and her socks and rolling up her jeans, she dipped her toes in the cold water. She took a deep breath and looked up to the heavens. "Oh god help me," she whispered. She got no reply.

She laughed at herself and sat on the beach as she put her socks back on, her shoes, and returned her wet jeans to their previous state. "I'll come back this weekend," she promised the waves. She didn't work on weekends and this was her new favorite spot. The summer months were just starting and Sally was determined to spend more time in the sun and in the water.

She packed up her things, grabbing her beach towel and her old paperback and climbed in her car. She turned on the radio and sang along as she drove back into town. Songs later, she arrived at her apartment building. She took the stairs up to her apartment on the third floor. She had to step around a few beer bottles to reach her door, though, and already the neighbors were throwing parties. It was like this a lot in this part of the city. Sally was saving up for a little nicer apartment in Queens. She was working at Sweet on America in Grand Central Station full time. It was long hours and she always went home smelling like sugar, but she did have a sweet tooth for the blue candies.

She turned the key in the lock and went inside. It was a three-room apartment with stains on the walls and torn-up carpets. It had a living room/kitchen, a small bedroom, and a small bathroom. Her laptop sat on the kitchen table which also served as her TV. She reached into the fridge and took out some leftover Chinese and sat at her laptop.

The phone rang beside her, scaring her. She picked it up and put it to her ear. "Hello?" she asked. "Hey, Sally, can you come in for a shift on Saturday? Carrie's on vacation." Her boss stated. "Sure thing, Mr. Kent. I'll be there at 7:00." She hung up and sighed. There goes her weekend plans. But, then again, it was only one shift and she only had to be there until 1:00. She could still make it to Montauk.

She packed a bag with a swimsuit and some other essentials and stashed it by the door, reminding herself to grab it on her way out tomorrow. Then it would be one more day until Saturday. And then awaited her day at the beach.