Danielle Jennings, Contributor

Mae was very tired when she walked on to the beach. It was getting dusky and most people had left. She sat on a large rock near the water and closed her eyes. Her cellphone rang. She turned it off. Around her was quiet again, and she was thankful. She had already told Jacque that he would never see her again. No one would. She didn't want to talk to him. He had done enough.

She sat, lost in many things, but, for a minute, thought. She had grown apart from her best friend; they never spoke anymore. Her parents had ordered her to move out when they found out that she had given up law school so that she could be with Jacque. Her sister thought she was an idiot and refused to talk to her. And Jacque - he was cursed. Everything that was bad happened to him. She had always supported him, and he had kept his spirits up because of her faith in him. But he gradually became bitter, and when his kisses started leaving his residue in her mouth, she slowly began to lose her sweetness and optimism.

As if on cue, then, unfortunate things started happening to her. The job she had been certain would tide them over went belly-up. The company was bought out and she was made redundant. Jobs were hard to come by, and she had finally become so unmotivated that she had stopped applying. He still hadn't picked up a job either. And now she was pregnant. She used to believe in fighting. But now she was just too tired and bruised. She was winded.

The waves coming in from the beach glowed, announcing that night had come. They had a purity in the dark that proved false in the daytime when the water exposed its dirtiness. But the waves seemed to know that she knew better, so they showed themselves to her, sounding like subtle obscenities, sawing at the boulders on the shore.

Mae sighed. It was time. She got up off the rock and took off her shoes. She started to feel the water on her feet. It was cool and inviting. She walked a little further in.

'Excuse me, miss. I can't find my mother. Have you seen her?'

Mae turned around in fright. She'd thought she was alone.

'I'm sorry, what was that?'

'I can't find my mother. It's dark and I'm afraid.'

The little girl had been crying but was wiping her eyes. Mae was still shocked and unable to move. The little girl began to walk towards her.

'What are you doing?' Mae whispered.

'I am giving you my handkerchief to wipe your eyes. You're crying, too.'

Mae took the patterned cloth. They stood in the water, looking at each other.

'My name is Rose. What's yours?'

'Mae.'

'Mae, will you be my friend? I'm alone and I need someone to talk to.'

She had the type of directness that innocence often granted children.

'Hold my hand. Let's go and look for my mother.'

She led Mae away from the water. They went and sat under a tree that had a single light bulb attached to its branch. Mae looked down, surprised at how tightly she gripped the little girl's hand.

'Were you going for a walk in the sea, Mae?'

'Yes.'

'But you still have on your clothes. Why didn't you wear a swim suit?'

'I don't need one.'

'Can you swim?'

'No.'

'Oh. OK.'

Rose put her arms around Mae and squeezed her gently. Mae had never needed a hug so much. They sat there embracing each other.

'Will you help me find my mother? I need my mother.'

'Yes, I'll help. Describe her to me. What was she wearing?'

'A red dress, just like yours.'

END

- Danielle Jennings