Writing to Describe a Beach

That Terrible Day

Rain fell heavily upon me, and the wind tugged hard at my hair, as I stood silent and solitary upon the beach that day…this terrible, terrible day. The sand was wet and gritty to the touch and sticking to my bare feet like glue. The whole beach was just a coat of sodden, chestnut dog fur, akin to the fur of the wild-eyed dog that ran and jumped along the waters edge like an uncontrollable firecracker, ever speeding in it’s frolics. If only I could be as careless as that dog, then my life would forever be a blissful dream of playing, and full of people who loved me. So unlike the hell my life is now, so full of disappointments and empty promises…and abusers like him.

That horrible man has taken her away from me, and I’ll never forgive him. My beautiful little daughter…Bethany…gone forever.

I looked out to the blue-grey waters of the sea, the colour of the tears that started to well up in my eyes. It was a field of smoke; it’s ethereal movement forever in motion, as it ran back and forth onto the shore. The foam of these waves were meagre creatures forever hoping to make it to shore, only for courage to fail them, making them retreat back into the sea. These creatures had the same, frail courage that I always had: no wonder I was such a push over. No wonder I let that man have me last year, when I was only 16. Now, as easily as he gave me Bethany, he has taken her away again.

Why didn’t I have the wisdom to not fall for that creep?

Rocks lay solitary in the water, their surface like protruding scales and rough like tree bark. A boat dropping anchor on the shore leant from side to side, tossed gently like a log carried away in a stream. Like the stream of tears running down my bruised cheeks.

The heavy grey clouds in the sky above were like a creased woollen sheet that supported the sky, blotting the Sun from view; much in the same way he has blotted my Bethany from view. The rain falling from the clouds like cold bullets and the wind cutting through the air like a blade were themselves harbingers of a cruel tempest that could stir the sea into anger, that man’s same uncontrollable, unbound anger.

Why did he always get so angry? Why did he always have to take his anger and frustration out on Bethany and me? If he hadn’t beat her the way he did…she’d still be here. I’d still have my darling baby daughter in my arms.

“Debbie! Debbie!” A voice called out from the distance, getting closer and closer. Why couldn’t people just leave me alone and let me stand here on the beach with my grief? I turned around and watched as my best friend Ellie ran up to me, my shoes and socks in tow. She stopped, and stood close next to me.

“Listen Debbie, everything will be fine.” Her voice was reassuring, yet I tried to block out her innocent lie.

“W-what do y-you mean? My d-d-daughter’s dead.” I sobbed, a lump now rising in my throat.

“They’ve caught Darren, and they’re taking him down for manslaughter.”

“The P-police can’t have. H-h-he t-t-told –” I stopped. It was getting harder to speak now. Why couldn’t Ellie just leave me alone?

“There’s too much evidence for them to think it’s a cot death.” What was wrong with her? How could she be so calm? But… then again: Ellie was always so much more braver than me. Always so much more better at putting aside her emotions than I was.

“S-so he’s?”

“In jail for life, yes.” I wanted to tell her. Tell her go away. But I couldn’t: There just wasn’t enough strength for me to do so.

“Don’t worry Debbs,” she squeezed my hand reassuringly, “You can live with me until this storm clears.” She just wants me out of the way while the Police investigate my house, I know that. But…it was nice knowing that at least one person in a world of millions cared for me.

I just nodded my head silently, “O-okay.” I told her, as I watched the tide come in and out again and again, oblivious to the worlds pain…my pain.

However I know for certain that – no matter how much Ellie tried to convince me – the storm was never going to clear, and while everyone else was in Sun shine… I would just have to ride out this Tempest.