Meet Me by the Seashore | Teen Ink

Meet Me by the Seashore MAG

By Anonymous

     This isn’t the life I planned - it’s not the end I anticipated, either.

I look down at the seashell, the last tangible hope I have. Everything else has been lost. The skin on the back of my neck prickles as the solemn bong of the clock brings his presence closer.

I cannot stop the inevitable, and I cannot control fate. I was a fool to think I could.

There are footsteps outside of the door, and the last sad bong of the clock fades away. He’s there; I can feel him, with his cold eyes and calm smile, as if there were no door and he stood in front of me. The tension crackles in the air, and I ready myself to face death.

Hours ... minutes ... seconds ... the last noises of life blend into the sweet, empty bliss of ignorance. For a shining moment, it’s quite okay to release everything. It’s all right for my heart to leap with joy at the fact that it will all be over soon. For a second, I let go of trouble.

A chuckle outside the church; my eyes fly open and I feel sick with dread. Without warning, the door smashes in. Splinters of wood and metal scraps hail down on me as I crouch like hardened rain. I shriek, dropping to my knees and wrapping my arms around my legs in a pathetic attempt to defend myself. It’s like trying to defend my past decisions. There is no point in trying to hide anymore. Only the last sane part of me dares to dream of escape.

He steps in, his smile bitter and dangerous. The dim white light pools at his feet, and he emerges from the fog. His slender figure is silhouetted against the dank gray of the outside world (which seems to have stopped) and he asks sweetly, “What’s this, darling?” I grip the shell - miraculously still whole - as I look up at him, my insides churning with horror.

“Are you afraid of death?” he coos, dragging a finger down the side of my face. He sounds almost amused by my fear. Is this a natural question for him to ask his prey? I would ask, but I fear he would cut out my tongue. Instead, I shake my head, trying to wish him away. It’s about as effective as trying to bite a flying bullet. He steps back, extending a youthful, willowy hand. His face is suddenly stern, as if he were not pleased with my answer. I keep my eyes on his hand, his fingernails painted the forbidden color. With a sinking feeling, I realize there is nothing this man won’t do.

I look from his hand to his eyes, and then back. He stares at me patiently, his face unreadable. I shake my head, moving my gaze. I’m afraid if I stare into those eyes for too long, the forbidden color will melt into me.

“You have no choice,” he quietly reminds me, his hand extended and waiting. I nod, climbing to my feet to stand on shaky knees. I take one wobbly step, then another. I don’t want to stand this close to him, but I have no choice. I cautiously reach out a hand, wondering if his flesh will sear mine with the heat of sin or damnation. In a fluid movement, he slips his fingers around my wrist; he’s strong for a man his size. He wraps an arm around my waist and hisses, “Sleep ....”



Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 42 comments.


i love this !

This is great. Excellent. I love it.

on Jun. 9 2017 at 10:57 pm
HereSheIs BRONZE, Wellesley, Massachusetts
3 articles 0 photos 187 comments

Favorite Quote:
"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light." -Plato

Spine tingling and descriptive:)

Mesi said...
on Apr. 4 2017 at 11:48 pm
This was absolutely amazing! Thank you for posting

on Nov. 23 2016 at 8:32 pm
zinniaisabella,
0 articles 0 photos 4 comments
Oh my gosh, I love this! it gave me chills throughout the whole story. Amazing work!

on Sep. 2 2016 at 4:01 pm
sophia.french BRONZE, Phoenix, Arizona
1 article 0 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If you get hurt, hurt them back. If you get killed, walk it off." - Captain America

Oh my goodness, what a thrill when reading this. I could feel the goosebumps...

on Jul. 6 2015 at 1:50 pm
MasterSun SILVER, Las Vegas, Nevada
7 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
"History is written by the victors"- Winston Churchill

Very descriptive words and use of language

on Feb. 24 2015 at 8:26 pm
The_Edge SILVER, Teaneck, New Jersey
9 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Wisest is he who knows he does not know.&quot;<br /> -Socrates

That was just plain amazing.

on Nov. 6 2014 at 8:38 am
Brian110 SILVER, Jonesport, Maine
8 articles 1 photo 79 comments

Favorite Quote:
if life gives you lemons..... squeeze them back in life&#039;s eyes!

Its not too often that I read a peice with so much talent and thought put into it. you have real talent.

on Jun. 5 2014 at 1:40 am
Z.V.Oksana PLATINUM, Harrison, Arkansas
22 articles 1 photo 60 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;Maybe you can afford to wait. Maybe for you there&#039;s a tomorrow. Maybe for you there&#039;s one thousand tomorrows, or three thousand, or ten, so much time you can bathe in it, roll around it, let it slide like coins through you fingers. So much time you can waste it.<br /> But for some of us there&#039;s only today. And the truth is, you never really know.&rdquo; <br /> ― Lauren Oliver, Before I Fall

It hooked me in and kept my attention till the very last word. Very eerie, very thought provoking, absolutely wonderful! Thank you for posting :)

Anxette SILVER said...
on Feb. 15 2014 at 3:48 pm
Anxette SILVER, Bronx,, New York
7 articles 0 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by it&#039;s ability to climb a tree, then it will live it&#039;s whole life thinking that it is stupid.&quot; -A. Einstein.

OMG this is insanely good. 

on Nov. 29 2013 at 2:41 pm
Birdsinger SILVER, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
7 articles 1 photo 19 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;I cannot live without books.&rdquo; <br /> ~Thomas Jefferson

The descriptions are so vivid that I feel like I am right beside your narrator. The ending leaves shivers running up and down my spine--if you ever wrote a sequel I would read it in an instant!

instone BRONZE said...
on Jul. 6 2013 at 5:10 am
instone BRONZE, New Plymouth, Other
2 articles 1 photo 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
Does the monster make the war or does the war make the monster?

That was so good, it totally leaves you hanging and wanting to keep reading.

on Jun. 18 2013 at 3:58 pm
Dolly9471 BRONZE, Berkeley Heights, New Jersey
3 articles 0 photos 35 comments

Favorite Quote:
In the end will will not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.<br /> Martin Luther King Jr.

Your story was awesome, and I would love to read a sequel!

on Mar. 24 2013 at 12:15 pm
bookmouse BRONZE, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
1 article 90 photos 251 comments
Wow! Does this continue?

on Mar. 2 2013 at 8:56 am
CurlyGirl17 SILVER, Corydon, Indiana
6 articles 0 photos 95 comments
That was very good! I love your word choice. It makes me wonder what kind of world your character is in that something so scary can happen. The introduction was very intriguing as well. Great job! :)

on Jan. 17 2013 at 10:11 am
In_Love_with_Writing GOLD, Easton, Pennsylvania
12 articles 0 photos 389 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.&quot; Phillipians 4:13

Really amazing story! Nice job! Can you comment and rate some of my work?

Boota BRONZE said...
on Apr. 28 2012 at 5:50 pm
Boota BRONZE, N/A, South Carolina
3 articles 0 photos 38 comments

Favorite Quote:
Bowties are cool!

That is really good

 


on Apr. 6 2012 at 10:12 am
Allicat001 SILVER, Waukesha, Wisconsin
6 articles 0 photos 170 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Love is not someone you can live with, love is someone you can&#039;t live without.&quot; <br /> <br /> &quot;Always stand up for what&#039;s right even if that means you&#039;re standing alone.&quot;

That was really powerful and you made every word count, good job!

kassija said...
on Mar. 15 2012 at 12:36 pm
kassija, Russian Town, Other
0 articles 0 photos 4 comments

this piece is good.

i love this piece because i have a feeling that this piece is more than what it says.

one question: are you trying to say something with this piece?