The cove was tucked away, hidden from prying eyes. It was serene and the water was crystal clear. The temperature always seemed to be perfect, no matter the outside weather. Amelia loved the cove for precisely those reasons. She would swim or picnic. Sometimes, she simply stared at the water. She never brought anyone with her. As far as she knew, no one else knew about this slice of paradise. She was determined to keep it that way.
She almost always went swimming in it when she went, even if she didn’t have the proper clothes. Amelia tended to go closer to night. The cove felt more magical surrounded by the inky darkness. On clear nights, you could see the moon and stars so clearly. The few, wispy clouds only added to its natural beauty.
It is on one such night that we find Amelia. She glides atop the smooth sand, the sky above her only source of light. A light breeze blows through her hair. Despite being right next to the water, it’s warm out. She wears a lightweight white cotton dress, the hem touching her knees. Amelia didn’t bring a picnic, just an apple and some water. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, enjoying the briny scent. A small boulder nestled in the sand is where she places her shoes and the rest of her belongings. The sea is calm, as it always is. A dark mirror reflecting the sky above. Amelia stands at the edge of the water. The invisible tide ebbs and flows over her bare feet.
Amelia reaches a hand back to her hair. A thin white ribbon comes undone from her braid. Her hair falls in soft waves. She takes a step. Continues. Going steadily deeper into the water. It is the perfect temperature, not warm, but not freezing. Her cotton dress floats around her underneath. It brushes against her legs, delicate as a gentle breeze. The water is to her neck now. Her hair fans around her head. Her toes barely brush the sandy bottom. Amelia likes to go farther, likes feeling weightless. Turning onto her back, she blinks slowly.
She gazes upwards towards the sky. The moon is full tonight. A silver dot in the sky. The stars are shattered pieces of glass, scattered across the dark velvet ceiling above. Much like the smooth expanse of water, her eyes reflect all she sees. Amelia floats in the water, buffeted by the gentle waves. Taking another salty breath, relaxing, she shuts her eyes. She feels like she could reach above her head and scoop up a handful of stars. The stars reflected in the water around allow her to imagine she’s swimming in the sky. Swimming amongst the stars. Wouldn’t that be something? Reality drops away from Amelia as she unwinds.
Eventually she turns back towards the shore and returns to land. As Amelia emerges from the water, her dress clings ever so lightly to her body. Once fully on shore, she heads to the boulder to dry off. Her apple is a pop of color amidst all the gray rocks, tan sand, dark water and sky. It is crisp and sweet. The water is cool and refreshing, different from the salty spray coming off the sea. She settles against the boulder, uncaring of the sand sticking to her. Amelia isn’t in a rush tonight. She is content to sit and gaze at the star-scattered sky.
Leaning back on her hands, she feels something hard pressing against her palm. The beach is always so smooth and untouched by flotsam and jetsam. No fish or objects litter the water and sand respectively. To feel something protruding is strange. She turns around and digs it from the sand. Her eyes widen when she sees it’s a clam, perfectly closed and untouched. She runs her fingertips lightly against the seam. The sudden appearance of the clam makes her wonder if there is something inside it. Amelia has always been alone when at the beach. Interest piqued, she pulls out her pocket knife. Placing the blade between the two edges of the seam, she holds the clam firmly in her hand and pries it open. Once she can see inside, a glimmer of something iridescent catches her attention. Eagerly, she finishes prying the shell open and stares in wonder at the perfect pearl nestled amongst the clam meat.
After washing it off, Amelia gazes in delight at the round ball. It is barely bigger than a pea, yet perfectly round. Rolling it between her thumb and forefinger gently, Amelia views the natural, yet unnatural, beauty that comes from the pearl. The shimmery sheen the surface holds is mesmerizing. She can see herself getting lost in it for hours. Forcing her eyes from the pearl, she returns to her previous position. Her palms are covered in sand again and her dress is dirtier than before, but she doesn’t care. Despite her movement, the pearl never loses its sheen or gets sandy. The sand seems unable to stick to it. Just like the stars in the sky, no matter how much she wants to be able to hold onto one, she cannot. They are untouchable.
She almost always went swimming in it when she went, even if she didn’t have the proper clothes. Amelia tended to go closer to night. The cove felt more magical surrounded by the inky darkness. On clear nights, you could see the moon and stars so clearly. The few, wispy clouds only added to its natural beauty.
It is on one such night that we find Amelia. She glides atop the smooth sand, the sky above her only source of light. A light breeze blows through her hair. Despite being right next to the water, it’s warm out. She wears a lightweight white cotton dress, the hem touching her knees. Amelia didn’t bring a picnic, just an apple and some water. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, enjoying the briny scent. A small boulder nestled in the sand is where she places her shoes and the rest of her belongings. The sea is calm, as it always is. A dark mirror reflecting the sky above. Amelia stands at the edge of the water. The invisible tide ebbs and flows over her bare feet.
Amelia reaches a hand back to her hair. A thin white ribbon comes undone from her braid. Her hair falls in soft waves. She takes a step. Continues. Going steadily deeper into the water. It is the perfect temperature, not warm, but not freezing. Her cotton dress floats around her underneath. It brushes against her legs, delicate as a gentle breeze. The water is to her neck now. Her hair fans around her head. Her toes barely brush the sandy bottom. Amelia likes to go farther, likes feeling weightless. Turning onto her back, she blinks slowly.
She gazes upwards towards the sky. The moon is full tonight. A silver dot in the sky. The stars are shattered pieces of glass, scattered across the dark velvet ceiling above. Much like the smooth expanse of water, her eyes reflect all she sees. Amelia floats in the water, buffeted by the gentle waves. Taking another salty breath, relaxing, she shuts her eyes. She feels like she could reach above her head and scoop up a handful of stars. The stars reflected in the water around allow her to imagine she’s swimming in the sky. Swimming amongst the stars. Wouldn’t that be something? Reality drops away from Amelia as she unwinds.
Eventually she turns back towards the shore and returns to land. As Amelia emerges from the water, her dress clings ever so lightly to her body. Once fully on shore, she heads to the boulder to dry off. Her apple is a pop of color amidst all the gray rocks, tan sand, dark water and sky. It is crisp and sweet. The water is cool and refreshing, different from the salty spray coming off the sea. She settles against the boulder, uncaring of the sand sticking to her. Amelia isn’t in a rush tonight. She is content to sit and gaze at the star-scattered sky.
Leaning back on her hands, she feels something hard pressing against her palm. The beach is always so smooth and untouched by flotsam and jetsam. No fish or objects litter the water and sand respectively. To feel something protruding is strange. She turns around and digs it from the sand. Her eyes widen when she sees it’s a clam, perfectly closed and untouched. She runs her fingertips lightly against the seam. The sudden appearance of the clam makes her wonder if there is something inside it. Amelia has always been alone when at the beach. Interest piqued, she pulls out her pocket knife. Placing the blade between the two edges of the seam, she holds the clam firmly in her hand and pries it open. Once she can see inside, a glimmer of something iridescent catches her attention. Eagerly, she finishes prying the shell open and stares in wonder at the perfect pearl nestled amongst the clam meat.
After washing it off, Amelia gazes in delight at the round ball. It is barely bigger than a pea, yet perfectly round. Rolling it between her thumb and forefinger gently, Amelia views the natural, yet unnatural, beauty that comes from the pearl. The shimmery sheen the surface holds is mesmerizing. She can see herself getting lost in it for hours. Forcing her eyes from the pearl, she returns to her previous position. Her palms are covered in sand again and her dress is dirtier than before, but she doesn’t care. Despite her movement, the pearl never loses its sheen or gets sandy. The sand seems unable to stick to it. Just like the stars in the sky, no matter how much she wants to be able to hold onto one, she cannot. They are untouchable.