I clung to the shore with the last of my strength. I crawled until my body gave out. The sun beat down upon me as I tried to catch my breathe and regulate the tears that began to fall once more. My body trembled and as the water came closer once more and I felt like giving up. Maybe I should just go limp and let the water fill my lungs. I heard there is a brief moment in drowning where you feel absolute peace. I needed that.

The water crawled over to me and I could feel the salt water drops leap onto my lips. My mouth opened and tongue relaxed almost begging for the sea to consume me. It was then I could hear music in the distance and my habitual response has always been to write when I hear such beauty. I willed myself to roll over and curl onto my side. I must do this….I must write my story before I let go. Something inside urged my fingers to stretch and carve my sadness, joy, pain, and desires into the sand.

Exhaustion took hold of me as I could no longer write…my words were gone. My eyes stung from the mixture of sand and tears and my mouth was so dry even though there was water all around. I finally surrendered……

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He had been walking for so long and great distances. He sat down with the only possession he had left…his guitar. The storms had been bad for days and they finally broke so he sat down to rest. Inspired by the colors left behind after the rain, he began to play and let the music allow his soul to soar.

As he played his heart picked up on something that had not quite reached his ears yet. His eyes scanned the horizon to see what was pulling at him. He set down his guitar to allow whatever it was to come to him. His heart felt pain, his ears heard sorrow fill the air but his soaring soul told him to go find the treasure ahead.

He felt distraught and went to find what made him feel weak yet he could push himself forward. He stepped out of the tree line and saw the beach being over run by the ocean. His heart was still racing but something told him to be still. He obeyed and that is when he heard the sound again but this time he knew what it was. Someone was crying….she was calling out to him.

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The water started to cover me more so I tried to drink the water to hasten what was to come. My fingers almost moved on their own as they wrote two more words…..”I’m sorry” and then  I closed my eyes. I started drifting in and out of what seemed like a dream.

I heard a voice…but could not make out what it said. It felt warm but foreign at the same time. I tightened my eyes to brace for more pain but then I felt as if something was lifting me up. My arms went limp and my head tilted back some. I felt warmth on the side of my face as sweet words poured into my ears.

Opening my eyes I saw that he was holding me close against him. I had no idea who he was but my soul told me to hold on.

He laid me down under some trees and I caught glimpses of his face as I tried to focus. When I tried to speak he put his finger on my mouth and told me to rest. I didn’t have the resolve to argue so I just let go.

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He was happy to see her finally fall asleep and get some rest. He took off his shirt and covered her, then stopping to move the hair from her face. He had no idea how she got to where he was but he would take care of her. He gently lifted her hands and noticed the sand in her nails. He glanced back over and could read all she had written. It spoke to his heart and soul but slowly nature reclaimed the area she had carved all her words.

He cleaned her up but the whole time tried not to disturb her. She looked like a mermaid washed upon the shore. So beautiful, delicate but you could sense the fight in her. He yearned to touch her so he went to her side, pulled her close against him. With her head on his chest he finally felt a sense of peace as well. Closing his eyes he finally could sleep.

The red thread tightened around them both….they found each other.