The Shallow Sea - a short story

Farrelly danced on the cobble stone path. The priest waited patiently as she spun past him. Farrelly tiptoed down the grassy steps and leapt onto the sandy bay in front of her. The sand enveloped her toes and the salty air capered through Farrelly’s hair.

Farrelly stood for a moment looking at the ocean. She placed one foot in front of the other - gently. Until she stood on the hard wet sand and the tide crept over her feet.

Farrelly closed her eyes. She sat on the ocean floor, on her knees. And she burped. Farrelly quickly apologised to the sea and closed her eyes again. Farrelly dug her hand into the sand and pulled out a lump of the wet earth, she let it fall through her fingers and then she did it again.

The priest stood there on that cobble path, he kept an eye on the young dancing woman who sat in the shallow sea. He put on his sun hat, fed Percy a treat and continued on the golden coast.

Farrelly opened her eyes, and in front of her sinking into the ocean was the sun. The light shimmering off the sea was warm.

Farrelly felt a hand softly rest on her shoulder but did not check to see who it was. Farrelly kept her eyes on the setting sun. A young girl sat beside Farrelly looking at the horizon with her. The young girl’s hair was messy and unkempt, her fringe fell over her eyes but still the sunlight streaked in.

Farrelly leant over and hugged the young girl. The young girl buried her head into Farrelly’s chest and they watched the sun set.

The priest got to his cottage on the coast just as the light started to fade. Percy sprinted in as soon as the door was open, a cacophony of crashes and bangs in the kitchen sounded out. The priest saw the water dish turned over, and Percy was inhaling his kibble. The priest took his shoes off, and rubbed his socked foot across the soggy floor.

Once the sun set, the young girl fell asleep in Farrelly’s arms. Farrelly looked at the moon - silver light streaming across the cold ocean. An old woman with hair to her feet, approached Farrelly. Farrelly did not say anything to the old woman, she leant her head against the elderly lady’s leg.

And the old woman stroked Farrelly’s head. And the three of them stayed there, in the cold water lit only by moonlight.

The old woman whispered “is it time for bed?” Farrelly nodded and rose carrying the young girl in her arms. The young girl reached out to the old woman and tugged on her sleeve.

The old woman giggled, and handed the young girl her hat. It was a furry purple hat with a small pink plastic flower on it. The young girl took it and put it over her head and fell fast asleep in Farrelly’s arms.

Farrelly shivered - it was the cold night air, she asked the old woman “are you coming with us?” The old woman kissed Farrelly on the cheek, “I think I might stay a while.”

Farrelly smiled, turned and left the sandy shore. The old woman sat on her knees, bowed her head and pushed her hand into the cold earth. She pulled a lump of sand out and let it fall through her hands. And she did it again, and again, and again.

The priest fell into his favourite chair. Letting out a moan that only an old man can make as he falls into his comfiest of thrones.

Percy looked up at the priest imploringly and the priest tapped on his legs and up leapt Percy. Percy folded up into the priest’s lap, drifting away into a soft snooze. The priest stared at the fireplace and listened to its cracks and pops. The priest removed his glasses, rubbed his eyes and soon he could not hold them open any longer.

The old woman was lying down on the cold beach waving at the moon, “goodnight moon!” The old woman burped, “please don’t blush.” She giggled and glanced over the night’s stars. Though she was tired, she would not shut her eyes and miss something so splendid.

The sand lay still, the tide crept away and the moonlight danced on that shallow sea.