At night, I decided to stroll down to the beach to greet the sea for a moment of solitude. When the gravel path gave way to a large expanse of black sand, I took off my shoes and felt its fine, grainy texture under my soles. So close and grounded to the earth. Walking further, my feet occasionally sunk in between wet footprints that littered endlessly. Reaching a point, the footprints faded with the lapping waves at the shore, disturbed only by my soft footprints. I took in the calm and mighty view. 

The absence of people's conversation and laughter was a stark contrast to the usual large crowd that hoarded its expanse during the day. Now, there is a quality of silence and stillness that provided the seclusion I desperately needed. I inhaled the briny air.

The waves rolled and lapped hungrily at the shore, climbing and reaching out to brush my ankles before retreating to its fortress. Abandoned shells and conches peeked timidly from its blanket of sand, only a glint from the moon betraying its refuge. The moon was a foreboding presence—it loomed large over sharp hills and jagged cliffs in the distance, casting eerie, long shadows on the ground. Bioluminescence glowed deep blue in the dark depths of the sea, a beating heart yet to reveal its enigmatic contents. 

Such a dark, heavy existence, stretching over to the ends of the world, seamlessly merging with the inky black curtains of the galaxy. Only from the faint glint of the moonlight on the sea's surface tracing all the way from shore to the moon could I make out the infinite end of the horizon, faintly traced by a sliver of moonlight. The moon's beauty was like a siren calling out to wandering fishermen, but instead of songs, its light sought to bewitch the mind. Yet I could imagine how some of those fishermen would not mind being beguiled by the sea even if they knew of its deceit. Such is the dark beauty of the night. Once chained by its beauty, you would never want to be released.

As I stood there and took in the grandeur of the night, my mind pondered the expanse of the universe and its endless possibilities. The stars began to reveal themselves—twinkling eyes that are sewn into the tapestry of the galaxy. It was a glimpse into the immeasurable possibilities that the future holds, a fine ground for my imagination.

Before I could contemplate matters even further, the waves became harsh and relentless, their ebb and flow crescendoing. They rose rapidly to my knees, its pull even more irresistible. Peaks of the waves were sharply outlined by moonlight, a testament to the turbulence that lie deep beneath. The wind started to shriek and howl at my presence, clawing at my hair and biting the warmth from my cheeks, waking me from the dark, bewitching splendor of the night. I shook my head and glanced upwards. High above, the moon rested solemnly on its throne of dark nothingness, admiring the symphony of allure and terror it had meticulously crafted. Its prominent stare held a promise of eternity in solitude to its audience. 

I was at the tipping point where the delicate balance of beauty and destruction was about to be disrupted. The curtains were drawn open and this was just a small glimpse into the start of an epic orchestra that the sea has in store for its spectators. Before I let my mind be further overtaken by wonder and curiosity, I removed my ankles which had sunk deep into the sand and turned to walk away. I could hear the sea churning and mourning the loss of my presence behind me, wailing at me to play once more. A dangerous game indeed, one that I was no longer willing to play.