By the Sea

It's the peak of summer. The days are long and warm. A sticky, ever so slightly oppressive humidity hangs in the air. Today is another typical summer day. A light rain has just fallen, bringing with it welcome relief from the damp heat of the day. The last banks of rainclouds begin to dissipate, parting to reveal a summer sky so vividly blue it's almost painful to look at. As I stroll along the tree-lined path, the first rays of brilliant sunlight break through the clouds and filter through the gaps in the trees overhead, dappling the path forward with patches of bright, almost incandescent light. My footsteps begin to slow, ever so imperceptibly, until I find myself at a complete standstill. From where I am right now, I have the luxury of an unparalleled view of the sea before me. The shimmering, boundless expanse of blue stretches as far as I can see, catching the eye as it reflects the sunbeams that strike its gleaming surface. A serene smile curls itself around my lips as I draw in a deep breath, savouring the salty tang of the sea spray on my tongue. With footfalls as light as a feather, I tread on this world of mine; this world I've created, this world I've shaped. For reasons that even I don't fully understand, I can never stay away from this world for too long. There's an inexplicable attraction that always draws me back to it, no matter how far away I stray. Here I am again, retracing my steps along this well-worn path by the coast, and here I am again, losing myself in the serene sea that lies before my eyes. Smoothing down the light one-piece summer dress that I'm wearing, I find a nice, shady spot beneath a hundred-year-old tree and settle down, content to let myself be carried along by the currents of time. As the minutes swirl past, the overpowering heat of the summer day begins to subside, and in its wake comes a relaxing warmth that makes me want to curl up for a nap. Leaning back against the trunk of the venerable tree, I let my eyelids drift shut. I hear the cry of a solitary seagull soaring in the skies. I smell the smell of earth, freshly damp from the fleeting rain. I hear the breeze playing with the trees lining the coast, rustling their emerald finery. And in my mind's eye, I see the sparkling sea, a canvas dyed in deepest azure, stretching far beyond the horizon to a place I can't reach. Lulled by the gentle caress of the stiff sea breeze, I uncouple my consciousness and allow it to drift, ever so slowly, away into the void. The seconds gradually blend into each other as time slows to a crawl, and I close my eyes, happy in the realisation that I'm surrounded by that which I love. Author's note - Hey, Kyrin here! This is yet another short one shot that I wrote a few years ago, telling the story of a blind girl who lives by the sea. I happened to stumble across it a couple of days ago while browsing a site that I used to frequent, so I thought I'd polish it and share it with you guys. Enjoy~