The Beach

     I stood on the beach for fifteen minutes watching the sandcastle we had just made. It was afternoon, so the sand was scorching hot. But the water being just a little cooler, felt soothing. Nothing like a stroll down on the sunny afternoon beach, right after having lunch. And the best part is, that everyone else was asleep.

     I was at a beach in Alibaug, Kokan coast of India. I had summer vacation, which I used to come here. My friend Steve had requested to come along. So here he was, with me. We both snuck out of the house right after having lunch, leaving everyone else asleep.

     "What a heaven it feels." Steve came up behind me and said. "Yeah. Far better than the everyday life." I answered. "Hey, tell me one thing," he asked. "If life came from the sea, and the sea fell from clouds, did we fall from the clouds also?" He laughed at his own unfunny joke. I sighed. Some things never change. Steve is like them. And so is the ocean, my brain told me. An innocent-looking puddle of water thousands of metres deep. Seemingly non-lethal, but actually deadly, spooky and mysterious.

     Suddenly I realised that the Sun was getting very low. "Hey Steve!" I called out. "Time to go, it's almost teatime." We quickly put on our shoes and ran back towards our house. The gate was open. We quickly slipped through and circled the house to reach the back door, and entered. Everyone was asleep. Steve and I quietly walked around and reached the attic, where we were supposed to be sleeping. We quickly spread the mattresses, laid down on them, and started playing Minecraft. We played for twenty minutes or so before being called down for tea. Apparently, no one had noticed the little adventure Steve and I had. Because on my way to the kitchen, I saw that every face had sore, sleepy eyes.  

     Since there were so many people and such spacious houses, it was common in most Kokani houses that anyone could be eating breakfast or snacks, anywhere. Save the bathrooms. I and Steve were seated cross-legged in the kitchen. A visitor from a nearby house, who I didn't even recognise, had just visited and claimed that she was my aunt who had spanked my bottom when I was little. Before she could go to any more topics, I got up and escaped. Steve followed me and now here we were. I sipped the boiling hot tea, which scorched my lips, but it was worth it.

     "That was a bit rude, don't you think?" Steve asked me. "You've never experienced the sheer horror of an unknown person claiming to be your family and talking embarrassing subjects about you," I said. "Rishan, Steve, will you come to the beach with me?" My uncle asked, coming in. "Yeah, sure." "But we just…" Steve began but I gave him a nudge in the ribs.

     We walked down the road toward the beach, my uncle leading the way, Steve and I following him, and my Shiba dog Sir Riñiçholás jogging at my feet. My uncle, who was our host, was a native at this place. He seemed to have developed a sense, using which, he could navigate around without the tiniest pinch of difficulty.

The coconut tree-surrounded road opened up to the sandy beach. Sir Riñiçholás started running around excitedly. I knew that when he'd get tired, he'd come back to me. To be carried back to the house.

     There was a coconut-seller on the beach. The three of us bought a glass of coconut-water each. Steve went on for a stroll. Uncle started talking to the coconut-seller. They talked about things in which most middle-aged men of the village have the most interest in. The news, the weather, politics and most importantly, increase in prices of products.

     I got bored, so I started walking toward the sea. The sandcastle Steve and I had made, not many hours ago, now lay ruined in a heap of sand, as if Flint Marko got offended by its terrible design. "Rishan! Don't go near the water!" came my uncle's voice. "Why?!" I asked. "Come here, and I will tell you!"

     I went back to find my uncle now talking to the man about how almost World War 3 has started. "What happened? Why did you call me back?" I asked. "Rishan, it's time for the tide now. In just a matter of minutes, the high tide will come." "Oh, so that's what it was," I said. "Why do you say as if it's dangerous?" "Because it is dangerous," said the other man in a tone of horror and regret.

     "I remember it as clearly as yesterday," he started talking. "When I was a young boy, I used to go fishing with my father and the other fishermen. Everyday, we used to get a lot of fishes. Those were the prosperous times. We would stay till the time of the tide, and then we would return home.

But then one stormy afternoon, we strayed too far in search of fish; we had to catch them, but couldn't find any. We tried casting our nets many many times, but in vain. Evening fell. And then suddenly, the boat started moving uncontrollably. Barrels here and there started falling and rolling. The tide had risen. Our boat was being tossed around. Then lightning struck the middle, and it broke in two pieces. There were some other fishing boats nearby, who rescued me and a few other men. But many others, including my father, drowned."

     "I'm sorry," said Steve who was back with Monty. "When did you return?" I asked him. "Just now. It must be very difficult for you, right?" He asked the man, who replied "Not as traumatising as you might think. But I abandoned the family business, you see? And now here I am. Selling coconuts."

     I stood there, thinking. The sea, which laid before my eyes, seemingly harmless, had taken so much from this man. This common, poor, coconut-seller. I could not imagine what horrors it might be able to hide. Might even be hiding at this very moment? I had just heard a man witness the dark side of the Ocean, and the very thought terrified me.