by PallidAlbumen
I decided to take a walk on the beach that night after an argument with my boyfriend (on whether his tone with a waitress earlier that night was too harsh), blew up into something that I couldn’t mentally handle. My phone had been shut off for some time now, not having the courage to speak to him after this. We had done this a number of times before, but for some reason, this one felt different somehow.
Looking to the ground, I kicked my foot into the soft ground out of frustration, sending tufts of sand and shells flying into the air. I thought all was fine, until I heard a small groan come from a few feet away from me. I turned my head up and stared at the small creature that was presented before me.
“I’m sorry, did you just groan?”
”Why, anyone who was struck by a shell as large as that one would, my friend.”
“I’m sorry, did you just talk?”
”Why, is that strange to you?”
…
…
We had reached an impasse. I could have left, reported it to the authorities, or killed it (though I would feel guilty afterwards, surely), but– It’s not like I was doing anything, anyways. And so, I sat down next to the creature, looking out into the sea.
“It seems something is troubling you?”
“Yeah, I suppose so. It looks like something is for you too. I mean, why are you washed up here, and what even are you?”
“What I am? It is not important. Partially, because I do not know what your kind calls a being such as I. And yes, it seems that I am, for lack of a better term, ‘bitched’ here.”
“I think you mean, ‘beached’, but… that’s fine.” —
“My friend, surely you are mistaken… I could never get something as simple as that wrong.”
I stared at the creature for a long second before my lips curled up, snorting out a laugh.
“You know what? Yeah, I’m wrong. It is ‘bitched’.” I sighed after this exchange, laying down flat on my back and turning to see the creature, its two, black, beady eyes staring directly at me. When it spoke, a small hole opened underneath its long tendrils. Now that I noticed it, it was hard not to. Gross, but kinda cute, in a Pokémon sort of way.
“So, uh, do you have a family or something? Also, sorry for not asking this before, but do you want me to put you back in the ocean?”
”Ah, well, for the second one, my friend. It seems that the Great Priest has willed it so, and I shall not fight it.”
“Um, the Great Priest?”
”I shall speak of it no more, my friend. On the first point, I had a family, once, but it seems that I may have been favored instead of them.” The creatures voice took a somber tone, and it seemed lost in thought, but recovered faster than I could point it out.
“Do you miss them at all? I can’t imagine how bad it must be to go through that.”
“I’ve come to terms with it, somehow. There is no returning to something that is gone, no matter how much you want it, and so I continue living. I am sure they would have wanted that. Now, let me ask you, my friend. What is your family like?”
I squint in contemplation at the question. There isn’t much to tell, really, but should I mention anything at all to this thing? It did trust me, so it couldn’t hurt that much…
“We aren’t on the best of terms, I guess. But it’s not like they hate me, it’s more just, I feel like they kinda expected more, you know?”
It didn’t respond.
“That and, I guess I can’t really blame them. When I was out of high school, I met this guy and it just went from there, so…”
It did not respond.
“You know?”
Finally, it spoke. ”I cannot say I do. You and I live very different lives, my friend. Having said that, I understand where you are coming from, albeit not fully. While familial bonds do matter, they can be surprisingly… fickle at times. I remember when I was little, my father did not speak to me for many weeks after I had been found trying to hunt on my own. ”
"He was that mad at you? But why? Well- actually, I kinda get it."
Yes, my friend. My home is a dangerous, dangerous place."
"It must be, if you reiterated it twice."
The small creature made a quiet chittering noise, which I took as laughter. On the topic of bonds, I had just remembered that I had shut my phone off until this point. Despite my best interest, I unlocked it, the creature turning away, seemingly out of respect for my privacy. When I opened my texts, I winced through half lidded eyes, looking at the following:
him 💗
hey where did u go?? 01:10
hello? 01:15
Samantha I'm sorry about what I said okay? can you come back already? ? im worried about you 01:16
Sam i'm not fucking around, where the hell are you 01:19
I tried calling you like 5 times 01:23
alright, I see how it is 01:25
fuck off, seriously, im not doing this when you're acting like a fucking child 01:26
when you come back you're packing your shit and leaving, im not doing this anymore. hope it was worth it. 01:26
i'm sorry, im on my way back. Not Delivered
"Blocked, huh…" My mood was ruined immediately. My eyes burned slightly with the threat of tears as I turned my phone off, tossing it lackadaisically into the sand absentmindedly. I'll find it later, I can't be bothered right now- I thought, before my current rabbit hole was cut off by the creature's pleasant voice.
“What is wrong, if I may ask, my friend? You seem… more than troubled when you looked at that strange device as opposed to our other talk.”
“I got into an argument with my boyfriend, again. It’s just that, like, every time I speak to him, I feel like I’m not actually speaking to him, it’s like I’m talking to a brick wall, in some way.”
“Ah, of course, a tale as old as myself. Does he do this often? And if so, why don’t you just… leave him?” It spoke in a soothing voice, almost enough to put me to sleep.
“Well, I mean, I guess I could. I just feel like I’m too deep into it, you know? Like, we have an apartment, pets, bills and all that hubbub.”
“Don’t you think that, just maybe, the pain of leaving would be lesser than the pain of staying with him?”
I did not respond.
”Your species is a mindful one. You all are kept in your own heads so much that you forget to see what’s in front of you, and if you do, it’s twisted to make it nicer than what it is.”
I did not respond.
”You ought to take care of yourself more. After all, we are all that we have at the end of the day. As much as it feels like it, staying together may not be in your best course of action if it affects you this much as to not respond to me."
My voice did not respond, but my eyes did. A small tear slid its way down my cheek and onto the sand, being absorbed into the countless droplets of water already consuming it. The tide hit my feet, giving me a small startle from the temperature, as if prompting me to speak through a shaky voice.
“Just… what are you? My therapist? I don’t even know what you are.”
”Ah, on that, I believe I remember now. Your species called me an anomalycarish.”
That didn’t quite sound correct, but I continued regardless:
“And, just, why me? It just seems strange you would give me all of this advice for no real reason…”
”Tell me, my friend, did you have a reason for coming out tonight? For walking on this sand? For speaking to me? Of course, I know you do. There is always a reason for everything, my friend. There is a reason that I met you tonight, ‘bitched' as I am.’”
I couldn’t imagine what was going to be said at this moment. I didn’t want to try. The dams in my eyes threatened to burst, flooding my entire face in a cacophony of roaring currents of salty water.
”It is because, my friend, you are worthy of love.”
We both were there for a long moment, with only the shifting waves and small cries of seagulls keeping us company. I didn’t know what to say, of course, so all I could do is remain silent, the tears continuing to run down my face despite the resistance I applied. I lifted my arms, sand falling into my eyes as I rubbed them, trying anything to stop the flow of emotions coming down my face.
When I regained composure and looked back, my newfound friend was gone, not even an indent in the land to show that it had been there.
I sighed to myself, taking in the salty, musky air of the beach before closing my eyes. I had always gotten horribly tired when I cried to myself, and this time was no different. Before I let the soft sounds of the waves lull me to sleep, I thought of what my newfound friend had told me:
That I, too, deserved love.