Silver Bay

Leaning against the wall of the wooden hut, I am seized by uncontrollable tremors. My heart pounds in my chest so hard I wonder if it will explode. I'm gasping for air, my lungs full of that metallic taste I can't get rid of. The world around me flickers, distorted, unreal, as if I've left my own body.I close my eyes, trying to escape the vision. I refuse to see.The door creaks, broken, and a thud echoes in the enclosed space. Someone is falling. The heaviness of the sound startles me and a hand comes to rest on my shoulder. An icy shiver invades me, my muscles freeze, my eyelids clench even tighter, as if this will protect me from what's there.

- Are you OK ?

It's a child's voice. I open my eyes slowly. There he is, standing in front of me. He's only a few years older, but he looks so much older. His eyes look at me, impassive. I'm paralysed. There's this cold fear that grips me, a nameless terror.A sob escapes me without warning and my eyes fall on the puddle of blood slowly spreading over the worn wood. My attacker... lies there, motionless, a red tide spreading around him. I want to scream, to run away, but my legs won't respond.The boy doesn't move. He doesn't seem frightened or in a hurry. He just stares at the scene, then, without looking away, he speaks to me again.

- Don't worry. No one will know... But you've got to help me.

I stand there, drowning in what seems to me to be a dream too cruel to be true. The sand sticks to my soaked skin, the salt burns my lips, my swimming costume sticks to me, cold and uncomfortable. I'm stuck in this confusion, this unease. I can't speak. But there's something about it, this strange feeling that if I move, it'll all... disappear. So, slowly, almost in spite of myself, I nod.

I wake with a start, my heart still pounding, as if the nightmare has followed me into reality. Breathless, I blink, searching for my bearings in the half-light of the bedroom.Noah is still asleep beside me, bathed in the soft light of the sunrise. Glancing at his alarm clock, I see that it's 6am. I decide to get up and stretch, my muscles still tense. I put on one of his T-shirts, a little too big for me, and my white shorts from the day before. Before leaving the room, I place a light kiss on her cheek, then slip away quietly. The fresh morning air and the familiar smell of the sea envelop me, reassuring me. I head for the beach, where I lose myself in contemplation of the calm sea, peaceful at this hour of the morning.
After a long walk, hoping to erase the last images of my nightmare, I finally arrive in front of a little café with peeling navy blue paint, decorated with seashells that adorn the walls of the small building. I slip my feet into my shoes and unlock the front door. An hour later, having tidied and cleaned every nook and cranny, I stand back, satisfied with the result. With a sigh of relief, I turn the little "Closed" sign to show "Open".
As usual, Ali, a middle-aged man with a full beard, comes in right on time, ready to enjoy his café crème, which I hand him without a word.

- So, Ellie, how are you feeling today ?

I absentmindedly put a few things back behind the counter, avoiding his gaze.

- Like someone starting to get old.

He laughs.

- Well, what should I say ?

I smirk at him.

- You're cheating. I'm sure you'll still look the same in thirty years' time.

He smiles back and places a gift packet in front of me. I look at him for a moment, embarrassed.

- Al...

- Look before you say anything.

I unwrap the present slowly and come across an old framed photo. It's a photo of my parents, about the same age as me. My mother is pregnant and my father is holding her in his arms outside this very café. A wave of nostalgia washes over me and my eyes mist up. I look up slowly at Ali, an emotion that's hard to describe clenching my throat.

- Thank you.

- My pleasure. I can tell you they'd be proud of you.

I nod, still touched by his words. He finishes his coffee, gets up from his chair and heads for the exit. Before he walks through the door, he looks back at me one last time.

- Happy birthday, kid.

***

It's midday when, exceptionally, I close the café. I turn the key in the lock one last time when my mobile phone vibrates in the back pocket of my shorts. A message from Noah appears on the screen.

Noah : Dinner is served! Head down to the beach 😉

I smile as I read his message and rush off in the direction of the sea.
When I arrived at the deserted beach, I spotted Noah under a parasol. As I approached, I discovered a picnic basket and, right next to it, a brand new surf outfit, perfectly tailored for me.A cry of joy escapes my lips. Without wasting a second, I strip down to my underwear and slip on the wetsuit. The zip was a little difficult to get on, but Noah was there to help me. Suddenly, a voice calls out to me in the distance.

- Haven't you forgotten something ?

I turn my head and see Micka, my best friend, holding a magnificent surfboard, with a gift bow attached to it. I let out an even louder scream and, in a burst of happiness, almost snatched the board out of his hands, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. Without wasting a second, I rush towards the waves to the mocking laughter of Noah and my friend.

We surfed, ate and enjoyed the sea all afternoon. As the sun set, we prepared a campfire and lit a speaker, letting the music mingle with the sound of the waves. Gradually, more people joined in and the party grew. Now the beach is packed with laughter, chatter and impromptu dancing around the flames. When Noah appears with a cupcake in his hands, a cheer goes up. Everyone is singing happy birthday and I can feel the heat rising to my cheeks. A smile stretches my lips as I push my wet hair back. With applause and encouragement, I take a deep breath and blow out the candle.Later in the evening, Noah and I dance, pressed up against each other, beer in hand, carried by the rhythm of the music and the energy of the crowd. The air is full of warmth, salty smells and laughter that mingle with the melody. I close my eyes for a moment, savouring this interlude of lightness, forgetting everything else. When I open them again, my gaze is lost for a moment in the sea of faces lit by the flames of the campfire. Then, in the distance, a familiar silhouette emerges from the shadows.My heart sinks.

I blink several times, my vision blurred by the alcohol and the flickering lights. Without really thinking, my feet take me in his direction, leaving Noah and Micka to dance between them. I stagger slightly across the shifting sand, my breath coming in short gasps, and the closer I get, the more a strange tension builds in my chest.
When I reached him, I stopped dead in my tracks. We haven't seen each other for years, not since that famous evening. Everything about him has changed, except the look in his eyes.

- What are you doing here ?

My voice trembles slightly, barely covered by the music and the sound of the waves.

- I'm glad to see you too...

His tone is neutral, almost amused, but his eyes say something else. I watch him, wobbling slightly on my feet, the sand making my gait even more uncertain. The alcohol is clouding my thoughts and yet, without taking my eyes off him, I raise my beer to my lips and take a sip, hoping to banish the strange feeling that knots my stomach.

- Happy Birth...

- Cut the crap. Why are you here ?

He sighs, clearly annoyed.

- My father's been transferred here.

I frown, trying to put the pieces together in my muddled mind.

- OK, but what about you ? Why did you come back ?

- I'm going to move here too.

The news hit me like a blow to the gut. The alcohol, the emotion, all mixed together and before I even had time to react, I was overcome by violent nausea. I bent double and vomited into the sand. I can feel him moving beside me. Despite his visible annoyance, he crouches down and lifts my hair while I continue to empty my stomach. The humiliation burns hotter than the alcohol in my throat.

When I get my breath back, I stand up and push him away slightly.

- It's ok, I don't need you.

- I'm just trying to help you.

I laugh, bitter.

- Yeah, and we saw how that turned out.

- What are you talking about ?

I move towards him, my anger rising a notch.

- Stop playing dumb, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

- Are you really blaming me for what happened ?

- Because of you... there's not a day goes by that I don't think about that night. You say you wanted to help me, but you just ruined my life.

His eyes darken and he swears under his breath.

- And how do you think that makes me feel ?

His voice snaps through the air, louder than I could have imagined. He doesn't give me time to answer.

- I think about it every day too. It's ruining my life too. And frankly, seeing you like this... I find it hard to believe that it's affected you as much as you claim.

My blood runs cold. Without thinking, my hand goes up and comes down hard against his cheek.

- Fuck off. Get off my beach.

I can see him clenching his jaws, furious. But I don't give him a chance to respond. I turn and walk away, letting the anger and adrenaline fade with each step. The music, the laughter, the warmth of the campfire... It all seems far away, suffocated under the weight of what I've just been through.
Noah finds me in the crowd, his eyes immediately worried as they meet mine.

- Hey, are you all right?

Exhausted, my heart pounding and my eyes watering, I nod slightly.

- I'm going home... I'm tired.

He asked no questions, made no attempt to insist. Just a slight sigh before he slips a hand over my waist.

- I'll come with you.His arm gives me the balance I sorely need. Without another word, I let myself be guided through the crowd, clinging to the only thing that, for the moment, still feels tangible.