This is a short story I wrote way back in 1985 and got first prize in the Spring Literary Festival for. I was a 14 year old emo before there was a word for it!
The End of The Road
The waves rolled by, continuously, in rythm, in beat with her heart. The sky was cloudy and grew dimmer as she watched. The seagulls flew by crying, feeling the pain they saw in her eyes. Summer is over. The sun had grown shy and only came out occassionally when the strangers had gone, coming back at the end of Spring to welcome the visitors once again.
She sat on the rocks, her knees to her chest as if to keep everything inside her to hrself. Although she looked relaxed her hands were clenched in anger, desperation. Her bare toes creating small waves and shattering the crystal clearness of the mirror-like pool: just like a shattered dream.
Her hair hung across her face, stringy, wind-blown hair that defied the lavish call and attention it once had had. Her face was pale against her tan. Her features were drawn and tired as though there was no life left in them. In her eyes, you could see pain, but more so, maturity. Even though she was so young her eyes looked thousands of years old. Her lips hung low and were lined with sadness, as was the rest of her face.
She looked up at the seagulls. They seemed to be crying the words for her. "A shattered dream" they seemed to call. "So much hope for nothing. My love has gone. Why the pain? Why me? Why me?"
They cry on and on. They have said what she was afraid to, what could not be spoken for fear of the truth being known to herself.
Once again she looked to the ground and slowly a tear rolled down her cheek. Not a sound did she make, just the tears lining her face. She didn't need to make a noise, for the seagulls were calling her monotonous cry. "Why me? Why me?"
She lifted her hand from her knee and wiped her eyes. A gust of wind blew hair over her face. She pulled it from her eyes but it fell back hiding depression behind a veil.
Laughter was heard across the horizon. Sharply she looked up to see two girls chasing each other along the beach. Everything about them was perfect. The way they smiled and their mouths took shape when they talked, their figures, even the way they walked. For a moment they stopped and one looked up at the girl on the rocks. Her face was full of fear, but it soon changed back to its almost permanent smile. Again she joined her friend running along the beach. They started a sand fight, laughing and joking, so happy, so content. If only, she seemed to say. If only it was me. They disappeared behind the cliffs. Her head went to her knees, drawing herself into an even tighter circle.
The waves rolled by with their monotonous story of sadness, anguish, loneliness. A swell began its life far out in the sea growing larger with excitement as it came nearer to land. Suddenly it opened it's mouth as wide as possible and gave out an ear piercing roar. It came nearer and nearer. Then with a final roar crashed across the rocks, spraying her with a fragment from the ocean itself. The tide was coming in.
She felt a slight movement beside her and looked to see a small black crab crawling sideways towards the ocean. It's black, beady eyes were searching around her for a hiding place Seemingly thinking that its shell was not enough to shield it from this human being who was really no threat at all. After a split second, it dashed into a nearby pool, disappearing beneath the rocks. She was alone once again.
Finally she lifted her head to look at the ocean and then to the cliffs. The sky had grown dim. The sun was hiding. The seagulls gave their final cry as they watched her rise and turn towards the cliffs. "Why me? Why me?"
The End of The Road
The waves rolled by, continuously, in rythm, in beat with her heart. The sky was cloudy and grew dimmer as she watched. The seagulls flew by crying, feeling the pain they saw in her eyes. Summer is over. The sun had grown shy and only came out occassionally when the strangers had gone, coming back at the end of Spring to welcome the visitors once again.
She sat on the rocks, her knees to her chest as if to keep everything inside her to hrself. Although she looked relaxed her hands were clenched in anger, desperation. Her bare toes creating small waves and shattering the crystal clearness of the mirror-like pool: just like a shattered dream.
Her hair hung across her face, stringy, wind-blown hair that defied the lavish call and attention it once had had. Her face was pale against her tan. Her features were drawn and tired as though there was no life left in them. In her eyes, you could see pain, but more so, maturity. Even though she was so young her eyes looked thousands of years old. Her lips hung low and were lined with sadness, as was the rest of her face.
She looked up at the seagulls. They seemed to be crying the words for her. "A shattered dream" they seemed to call. "So much hope for nothing. My love has gone. Why the pain? Why me? Why me?"
They cry on and on. They have said what she was afraid to, what could not be spoken for fear of the truth being known to herself.
Once again she looked to the ground and slowly a tear rolled down her cheek. Not a sound did she make, just the tears lining her face. She didn't need to make a noise, for the seagulls were calling her monotonous cry. "Why me? Why me?"
She lifted her hand from her knee and wiped her eyes. A gust of wind blew hair over her face. She pulled it from her eyes but it fell back hiding depression behind a veil.
Laughter was heard across the horizon. Sharply she looked up to see two girls chasing each other along the beach. Everything about them was perfect. The way they smiled and their mouths took shape when they talked, their figures, even the way they walked. For a moment they stopped and one looked up at the girl on the rocks. Her face was full of fear, but it soon changed back to its almost permanent smile. Again she joined her friend running along the beach. They started a sand fight, laughing and joking, so happy, so content. If only, she seemed to say. If only it was me. They disappeared behind the cliffs. Her head went to her knees, drawing herself into an even tighter circle.
The waves rolled by with their monotonous story of sadness, anguish, loneliness. A swell began its life far out in the sea growing larger with excitement as it came nearer to land. Suddenly it opened it's mouth as wide as possible and gave out an ear piercing roar. It came nearer and nearer. Then with a final roar crashed across the rocks, spraying her with a fragment from the ocean itself. The tide was coming in.
She felt a slight movement beside her and looked to see a small black crab crawling sideways towards the ocean. It's black, beady eyes were searching around her for a hiding place Seemingly thinking that its shell was not enough to shield it from this human being who was really no threat at all. After a split second, it dashed into a nearby pool, disappearing beneath the rocks. She was alone once again.
Finally she lifted her head to look at the ocean and then to the cliffs. The sky had grown dim. The sun was hiding. The seagulls gave their final cry as they watched her rise and turn towards the cliffs. "Why me? Why me?"
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