Sun on Glass

The sun dipped slowly beneath the crimson waves, as twinkling reflections danced and bobbed on the surface of the water. Like sun on glass they sparkled, like little fairies on wings of silver shine. On the shore of tiny pebbles and giant boulders, two children played under the last trail of daylight, bounding through tufts of grass and wind-worn logs. They explored the shoreline with such anticipation, as they turned over stone after smooth stone. Each time the little girl would roll them over and over in her tiny hands, admiring the smooth curves of years of beating waves. The little boy would always run ahead, reaching for only the flattest rocks he could find. With one broad arch and release, the stones catapulted from his skilled fingers, out into the shimmering water where they skipped along the surface.

The air was breezy and smelled of musk and warmth, as it trailed through every strand of golden hair between the two of them, and tugged at their clothes. The girl’s long shadow rested in the sand for a moment, as she perched thoughtfully on a flat boulder. Her soft blue eyes watched the boy, watched as he picked up another rock and inspected it carefully. With another swing of his arm, the stone flew out over the waves, skipping across them as though the water wasn’t really water at all. Oblivious to the girl now, he continued down the length of the beach, stopping to pick up the odd stone.

Often they came to this rocky shore, to watch the sun set beneath the waves and the birds fly high above their heads. Such careless adventures they embarked on each late afternoon, visiting the rocky caves that surrounded the beach and turning over any rock they pleased. The hardships of life were none in their special place and until dusk, the beach was theirs for the claiming.

The sun slipped farther beneath the gentle waves now. Leaving her perch on the dominant rock, the little girl bounded happily across the beach to catch up with the boy. At his side, she walked with him down the long union of sand and water. He’d stopped throwing stones now, and looked thoughtfully out towards the setting sun. Squinting, he felt the sting of gazing into the light and his eyes watered. The girl looked towards shore, her sight feasting upon the waving tails of soft-blowing fields of grass. Illuminated by the last of the sunlight, the grass reminded her of the shimmering ocean, similar in movement and seemingly never ending.

The soles of the little boy’s shoes were invaded by a sudden, cool wave from offshore. The salty water squished under his feet as he walked. The little girl laughed at his soiled shoes as they walked along the beach together, watching the sunset before turning home.