It was the perfect day. The sun blared high in the baby blue sky that ever so pleasantly stretched itself over the small boardwalk and far into the horizon. The breeze kissed the necks of the friendly passersby, as they chatted with one another and their voices bounced off the surfer shops lining the boardwalk. Teenage girls giggled and laughed with each other every time a suffer walked by. Beach volley ballers ran and yelled and they slid and dove in the beautiful white sand that splashed up like water. Small children skipped their way past adults as they greedily devoured their ice cream that sat so enticing on a pointed cone.

Nathan lurked past all this wonderful almost movie-like scene. He was in it for something else. Something he was waiting for since last year. Little children jostled past Nathan and one nicked him with their ice cream.

“Hey, watch it, kid!” Nathan yelled after him.
He smirked at the perfectly, round blue stain that marked his newly cleaned board shorts. He swabbed at it once and after smearing it even more, decided to leave it be. Besides something marvelous was about to take place for him, he’d forget about the stain in a minute. As he continued on down the walk, passing loud and obnoxious tourists he absentmindedly rubbed a small piece of lustrous metal that clung to a necklace tied with his memories around his neck. She had given it to him. As a keepsake, to never forget that day. He wouldn’t and never will.

As he neared the duration of the boardwalk he could finally see a treat for his eyes. He looked up upon the sparkling beauty of the Pacific Ocean. The twinkling shine almost blinded Nathan but he stared on. It was beautiful and yet depressing to Nathan all at the same time. This was her favorite spot. What Nathan would give just to sit here and watch the water sway and bob up and down. He wanted to go in and the water blinded him not only in his eyes, but it seemed as though the feeling of diving into the unknown blue wrapped around him and encased him in his own little world. Here he would always smile and a great sapphire light blotted out reality and the only thing visible was the great marvelous water expanding into what seemed a lifetime.

“Beautiful isn’t it?”

The words made Nathan smile immediately. He didn’t even have to listen to her voice or look to find her. Her presence said enough for Nathan to understand. Her essence drifted from the sea like a mysterious blue light waving and kicking. When the light neared he would feel fresh and new, like his body was ready to explode in excitement. He turned to look.

There she was. As beautiful as ever. Her long and wavy dark hair blew in the cool breeze and her soft skin seemed to shine like it was a gleaming pearl that just exited from its dark and wet shell. She seemed to hover inches off the ground and all Nathan wanted to do was hold her again.

“I couldn’t wait to see you again,” Nathan told.
She let a wide smile cover her face but then it disappeared just as fast as she appeared. A green flame flickered in her blue eyes.

“What is it?” Nathan asked.
Nathan felt something brush past his shorts and he looked down. He saw her glowing hand snag onto his. Her skin felt so soft and kind.

“Nate, I’m leaving,” she had said so bluntly. The words seemed to smack Nathan across the face. His face scrunched into a confused look.

“Listen to me Nathan,” her voice sang like music, “I have to leave. I’m going to a better place now. Somewhere, were people like me stay and belong. I don’t belong here Nate. You do, but I don’t. Promise me that you’ll make the best of it. Then once you’re done I’ll be waiting for you.”

Before Nathan realized what she meant he could feel a change in air. Something didn’t feel right. It felt colder and wrong. Like the kindness packed up and left and the sweet scent of her essence died out. Then a piercing light ripped open in front of his eyes and the baby blue sky poked out. Voices of loud children leaked in and Nathan blanketed his face with his hands. The next minute the great sapphire light washed away, his world left.

When Nathan retained his hands as he slid down and sat quietly and thought about what she had meant. He allowed his head to droop and he tucked it between his legs. Then he noticed something odd that didn’t fit into place. On his brown board shorts, where a small blue stain should have been, it was perfectly clean. As if nothing had spilled onto them in the first place. He smiled again. He knew it was her. When her hand brushed at his side, she must have cleaned it probably to help him remember what lies ahead. He peered up into the sky and his eyes caught a glimpse of something. It was bright and twinkling like a star. Again a smile slipped out as he realized what she meant.

“Live,” he though, “once I’m done, I will see her again.”