Tears

• Daniella Abal, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2012

My sneakers smack the pavement whilst my body screams in pain for me to stop. I have to keep moving otherwise all the memories will hit me at once. Beads of sweat have formed on my upper lip and soon reach my mouth. They’re salty like the relationship mum and dad had; bitter. I bite my lip hard to stop myself from crying but it’s too late, unrelenting streams push through the corners of my eyes. My sadness stiffens my legs causing me to slow down.
Although mum and dad are divorced, my normality was snatched from me a while ago. I’m torn between two worlds, both of which are bittersweet. I can’t put up with their constant bickering, the outbursts, slamming of doors and the always familiar ‘come on Maddie we’re leaving.’ Sometimes, when I was little mum and dad would take me outside to play on our swing. That was when I felt at my happiest, with my parents constantly reassuring me that they would never let go. When mum and dad divorced the swing disappeared and was never seen again.
I soon reach the icy cold pier. The fairy floss clouds and butter yellow sun have melted into a navy sky only lit by the twinkling lights of stars above. The weak light of the moon is cut off by advancing clouds that cackle with thunder. Giants crying, that’s what mum always said to me when it was raining. She would always sing this song:
When the giants cry, the thunder laugh and the tears just slip away. Don’t ever be scared, you’ll be here in my arms; I’ll never be far away.
I hum the tune softly and notice the clouds are menacingly black, blotting out luminous stars. Piercing needles of rain sting my neck and face uncovered by my blue coat. The ocean roars and howls as it is reunited with its water brethren. One wave leaps from the ocean and encases me in water. I tumble over the railing and drop into the sea, letting the waves swallow me. My clothes cling to my chest and my heartbeat is rapid. I decide not to fight but to let the tide take me.
I spend an eternity floating on a waveless ocean. My eyes are open yet I feel like my mind is too dazed to be awake. I stay like this for quite some time, bobbing on miniscule waves but too deep in thought to notice. Dazzling bright lights come from the land, booming voices bellow. As searchlights scan the sea one of the lights catch my blue coat and soon drapes me in blaring yellow. I can’t live my life the way others want me to. I must lurk in shadows, always hiding and running from the truth.
I dive, avoiding the search-light. My head turns sharply to view a clearing on the shoreline, past the searchers. I begin to make my way to the end of the beginning.