Lost Souls by the Sea
The young couple would meet at the beach every Saturday afternoon. I used to watch them embrace from my rock pool. When they began their journey to the secret spot, I followed them around the shoreline, clawing my way up to observe the girl who had set me free. I trailed them, past the marina, past the tissue-box houses, along the esplanade, until they found the lonely table. I listened to them talk over the roar of the ocean about nothing and everything. She shivered during the night hours. I saw them kiss under the lonely table once, but only once. "The whitewash looks like wild white horses running towards us." "Then let's race them. First one to touch the jetty wins!" "Wins what?" "You'll see." Together they ran, but her long satin skirt tripped her up and pulled her down. She laughed so hard at the sky that her face turned red. Then he pretended to fall spectacularly next to her. Sprawled out, smiling at each other for a moment, the...