This is a free writing short that I wrote today at Writer’s Group. We used a nonlyric musical track as the prompt.

The ocean, just the smell was enough to make me smile. I couldn’t see it, but I knew it was there, just over the hill and through the bushes. Alex brushed past me, pedaling as hard as he could. It didn’t take him long to realize I wasn’t following him.

“Come on.”

I nodded, a small smile on my face. He wouldn’t see it; it was just for me.

As we rounded the bend the ground dipped around us, bringing the sparkling water into view, like some shining road paved in pale white stones. It was too far to hear the sound of the waves, but I still could.

“Hey.” Alex nudged my arm. “Come on.”

I nodded again, driving my foot into the pedal. Soon the ocean disappeared again, but I could still see it on the edges of my vision. Swamps on my left, sea on my right, and a salty smell to the wind, life was good.

Eventually we reached the pier, massive docks that loomed over the sand, boards the color of earth and moss, more pitted than the barnacles that clung to them. Up above we could hear music, a carnival, but down here it was quiet, a secret place.

Something stirred in the rocks, a woman. Seaweed clung to her hair, and a patch of sand covered one cheek.

“Hi,” she said, wiping her brow, replacing sweat with more sand.

“Hello,” I said, waiting a moment before asking “What are you doing?”

“Just getting Muddy.”

She reached down into the rocks and lifted a bedraggled puppy, who promptly raced to meet us, ignoring the fact that his paws had no purchase.

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