Work Text:
The coarse grains of sand glide through my fingers as I close my eyes.
Wind caresses the back of my neck as I listen to the waves lap at the shore, their pace steady and unbothered, as if the world isn’t about to change.
Every breath of air fills my lungs with the subtle scent of salt, filling my mind with something akin to peace.
Somewhere behind me, young children laugh with glee.
People dance across the uneven sand.
Someone calls out a name, instantly swallowed by the quickening wind.
Then,
Slowly, the tide begins to rise.
The ground quakes and a sense of dread settles throughout the crowd.
The horror spreads like a ripple in the sea. At first quiet, then louder and sharper.
Laughter fades. The bustle stills. Someone points.
As the rapidly growing tower of water approaches, screams begin to fill the bustling shore.
They tear through the hush as footsteps pound across the sand. Belongings abandoned, parents tugging their children.
Still, I remain.
The tide lapping at my feet, the cool breeze dances across my skin, my hands burrow into the sand.
Peaceful.
Yet oh so dangerous.
For what is the point in running, when all ends eventually?
At least this way, I go on my own terms.
At least this way, I leave calmly and merrily.
At least this way, I greet the angels with a soft smile.
The noise around me begins to fade, not due to an end but because I let it.
Instead, I focus on the rhythm of the sea and sky, caught in a fierce, endless battle.
Soon, all will end.
Yet I wouldn’t change a thing.
Not the gentle warmth of the sun on my skin.
Not the laughter that once echoed.
In my chest my heart beats steadily, stubbornly refusing to match the destruction rushing towards me.
I take one final, deep breath.
With a gentle smile, my eyelids flutter open as the waves envelop me in their crushing endless embrace.