In The Deep

Lila waited until her mother left before she ventured out of the house. Mother would be mad at me if she found out that I was going down to the beach, She thought, after Tristan died no one in the house was allowed to go to the beach.

Tristan was lila's little brother. He had been only 3 years old when it happened and Lila was only 6. they had been playing out in the ocean body surfing with their father when Tristan got caught in an undertow and was pulled out to sea. They never saw him again after that. Soon after Lila's parents got divorced and Lila's mother gained full custody. She never saw her father again.

It had been a full ten years since then so, you would think Lila's mother would have gotten over the events of the past but she hadn't even come close. She still Blamed Lila for everything that had happened. Lila knew it wasn't her fault that what happened, happened. She never has blamed her self and she wasn't about to start now.

She turned the bronze door handle on the door to her sea blue room and walked out the front door of her bright green Florida style ranch.

She walked down the dark asphalt streets of her neighborhood until she came to the familiar sand and shell path way that lead through the sea of tropical trees and straight to the white sand beaches she used to enjoy with Tristan as a child.

She was wearing nothing but her purple bikini and a coverup. her flip flops poised on her gracefully small feet. Despite the fact that she had lived in Florida all her life she had no tan and never will have a tan. She had pale skin with small reddish brown freckles all over her skin. She also had flaming red hair and sea green eyes that seamed to grew brighter as she neared the ocean.

She took off her flip flops as she neared the smooth graceful white sand beach. she dug her toes in the sand and sighed with relief. then she walked to the edge of the white sand where the tide comes in and waded out until she was ankle deep.

The clear call of a child's laughter sprang through the air. She then looked over to see her little cousin Emily, of only about 2 1/2 years of age squealing with delight as she stood in the surf almost being toppled by the waves.

Lila then skipped through the waters over to her little cousin, who wore a pink little one piece suit with a tutu skirt and pink water shoes.

"Hello aunt Linda!" Lila called as she approached.

"Oh, hello there Lila. good to see you!" Aunt Linda said.

"It's nice to see you to!" Lila said coming to a stop in front of her aunt.

"Lila!!!" Emily screeched as she Trotted over to the two of them, "Lila play with me!!!"

"Alright, alright. I'll play with you!" She sighed

"Yay!!!"

Lila then ran after her little cousin and into the lapping waves. she splashed the warm blue water around as she ran after her cousin. both were giggling and yelping with joy as they neared each other.

Then Lila stopped when she noticed the waves were getting a little to high for Emily and scoped her up. the little girl squealed and giggled and Lila poked her belly.

Lila peered out into the distance to she a young man surfing on the bigger waves out in the distance. She strained her eyes to see if she could make out any details of the boy but couldn't. he must have been as old as her because he was quite skilled. he shredded the waves like they were butter and rode them as if riding a wild bull was a piece of cake. But of course right then as she watched him he lost his balance and was over come by the wave and submerged. Lila caught her breath waiting for him to resurface but he didn't. She was over whelmed by the sadness of her own experience with watching people drown that a tear slipped out of her eye and dribbled down her cheek.