17 Jul Chapter 1

FICTION

One by one, they dropped like flies. Snot streaming, bones aching and hyena-like coughs.  The upside? The deathly quiet that descended while the whole house slept on beds, couches and mattresses on the floor.

The other upside?  The brain fog and lergy masked her normal anxious state. When sickness wasn’t invading her veins, she was losing her mind. Most days, if you could put a tap into her veins, pure adrenaline would drain out.  If only it could be used for good, not evil!

It was like the clutter on every surface crowded her brain, making the struggle to think straight real. Salvation was on the way, down on the white sand buffering the clear waters. In and out, in and out it went. Mesmerising and calming, it was like the water washed her mind and soul clean, inviting a new beginning. There is no other way to describe it, really.

From the deck, we could see her and the bottom of the bay. Both were as transparent as the day was cold. Joyful, brimming with possibility and discovery.  Mother Nature can be mean.  When there are icy waters, she lets you see the bottom of the ocean and all it reveals.  When it’s summer, Mother Nature’s mood is not so good and she hides all the gems of the ocean in her grey depths.  You might feel the flutter of creatures move past your legs and rubbery skin squishes into the sand under your tired feet.