A Beach Of Memories

• Melissa Ethridge, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2011

The sun’s scorching rays beamed down on Ben and Grandpa Joe, as they trudged along the beach, leaving big and little footprints etched in the sand. Hot tears were visible on both Ben and his Grandpa’s faces as they walked hand in hand.

“Well,” said Grandpa Joe, his voice hoarse from lack of talking. “I guess it’s just you and me now little mate”.
Ben did not respond. He simply gazed out at the sparkling ocean where, what seemed like a century ago, Grandpa Joe, Grandma Silvia and himself had once splashed and played.

Ben did not understand why everything had changed. At the funeral, the realization that Grandma Silvia would never again come home and bake him scones after school had finally hit him. Before she had been diagnosed with cancer, Ben had believed his grandma would live forever. Now he realised that she was just like his parents, a human whose life could be taken away by the slightest twist of fate.

Suddenly Grandpa Joe let go of Ben’s hand. The pain in his chest at the moment was too much to bear. Both his daughter and wife were now gone. Now all he had left in the world was this dear little boy, who felt more like a son than ever now. What had he done to deserve all these losses? Ever since his daughter and her husband had perished in that dreadful car accident, he had been sure that the worst was over. Why would life be so cruel to give him and Ben another loss?

The sun was lowering fast now and was only just visible upon the horizon. The only noise was that of the incoming waves and the distant call of sea gulls. When Grandma Silvia was alive, the small family would take trips down to this very same beach where they would share a picnic and soak up each other’s company. Whilst his wife was sun baking, he and Ben would make sand castles. One time they had created sand mummy by burying Ben under the sand.

They were nearly at the end of the beachfront now, approaching the steps, which led up to their house. When she was alive, Grandma Silvia had struggled climbing those steps due to her terrible arthritis. Now she would never have to suffer.

As they approached the steps Ben tugged on Grandpa Joe’s, sleeve.
“Wait here!” said Ben. Without explaining he ran to the cliff face where a stick lay and picked it up, and started to make marks in the sand. Before Grandpa Joe’s eyes lay the words ‘Goodbye Grandma’ written in the sand. Grandpa Joe’s eyes filled with tears as Ben sprinted back to him, a grin upon his little face. As they began to climb the steps, Grandpa Joe looked back over his shoulder. The waves had slowly crept up and had started to swallow the writing out to sea. Just like the world had swallowed Grandma Silvia.

Author: Melissa E
Age: 15
Year: 9
145 Studley Rd, Heidelberg 3084
Austin Hospital School