Waving, Not Drowning

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Inspired by Saturdays photo prompt…..

Marisha stood on the damp sand and stared out to sea. Normally, on a clear day, you could see Essex. But not today, as a dense bank of fog swept its way, creeping silently up the Thames Estuary. She shivered, as her skin was splattered with fine droplets of water, spray from the waves. Invisible to the naked eye, but picked up by every hair on her bare arms.

She walked slowly towards the water. Stumbling on stones that shifted beneath her bare feet. Every few steps she winced, as something sharp met with her sole.

Stopping at the edge of the murky waves she watched the water lap at her feet, beckoning her forward. Glancing around, she checked to make sure she was alone. It was unusual for anyone to be on this part of the beach in October, especially at 6am.

Her teeth chattered as the water lapped at her ankles. The biting cold was painful. It felt like the waves could reach through her skin to her bones. With her long black hair trailing behind her she walked forward until the water was up to her waist. Just a few steps more, that was all it would take. She found herself wondering which one would end her 18 years? The water or the bitter cold?

A dog barked in the distance. She turned, and for a brief moment panicked, losing her courage. Whoever said this was the cowards way out? But what was the alternative? Go back home? No, she couldn’t bare to bring so much shame on her family. She was still in shock that her father had actually had her followed. When he threw the photographs at her and called her a whore she had fled the house. Tears welled I’m her eyes when she thought of Tom. The photos had shown their brief kiss. That was all it had been.

She’d known the risks when she’d agreed to go on the secret date. Tom was nice, she’d known him since school. when he’d asked her to go to the cinema, she’d jumped at the chance. Marisha just wanted to be like any other English girl, but deep down she knew she never could be. It had all been a fantasy. For Marisha had been promised to a Prince, since the day she was born.

Rather than give you a photo today I thought I’d embed this. It’s a video I took about a year ago. A place called Allhallows, where I use to spend all my holidays as a child. It’s in Kent, and on a clear day you can see Essex 🙂

Awwwww, poor Marisha 😦 you know I just can’t help it lol. Who is the person with the dog? (I have my own theory) and will Marisha go through with it?

Any comments and suggestions are most welcome?

27 thoughts on “Waving, Not Drowning”

  2. I love it Vikki! No, please don’t let her go through with it …Will Tom save her? Will the prince save her? Will her dad find her and come round to her way of thinking? I see this as one of those ‘in media res’ beginnings to a novel, where it starts at a dramatic point halfway through, then goes back to what led up to it, then carries on to the end.

    How do you get your ideas? xxx

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    • Thanks Jo 🙂

      Ha ha ha, it’s funny you should say that, both of the novels I’ve written start like that, a dramatic moment and then jump in time. It wasn’t until you just said that, that I realised I do it a lot lol 😉 I’ll be posting a piece tomorrow from the prologue of my 2010 novel that kind of starts the same way 😉

      How do I get my ideas? Ooooo, ummmm, I think I’ve trained myself lol. I’ve been doing a prompt a day since January the 1st, so now, I find it really easy to start a story from a word or picture prompt. By the 31st December I’ll have about 400 ideas for stories lol. I’m good at starting, completely useless at finishing them. It’s so etching I’m hoping Faber can help me with lol 😉

      Xx

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  4. Ooohh another teaser from you Vikki. Might this one continue? Would love to read more. Well described, immediate picture in my head. Repeat of earlier comment, ‘where do you get your ideas’. Good one!

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    • Thanks Mary 🙂

      Ha ha ha, not sure if this one will continue or not lol. Perhaps one day, I’ll finish them all and stick it on Amazon as a book of short stories or something 🙂

      That’s my problem Mary, full to bursting with ideas, just not too sure which ones are strong enough to continue with lol

      Xx

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  8. Marvelous piece, great vedeo as well, Vicki. How can I sleep tonight not knowing who is with the dog, if she will change her mind … will the stranger with the dog save her … binding her life to his for life? Ah, the questions overflow like the waves. More … give me more !!

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  10. Totally agree with all the complementary comments here Vikki – I was so into the moment that I forgot I was reading a blog, and then you stopped writing…Argh! You have a great talent for creating mood, and character wonderfully demonstrated here. This one might be the one to finish! Keep writing, cause I definitely want to keep reading! Cat x

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  11. I do laugh (in a good way) when I read your snippet’s of text, I know that you are going to head it off in the sad tragic ending, I wonder if I’m the other side of your coin lol, I always want a happy ending 🙂 (I do believe that is the child in me lol ) Please Please, can someone come to her rescue and she falls madly in love and lives happily ever after ????? 😀

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