Naturally Unintended

• Ria Sinha, Grade 11
• Short Story
• 2015

The immaculate sand warmly embraced their feet as they stared into a never ending stretch of glistening, golden goodness. Emma stood captivated by endless waves rhythmically lapping onto the shore and almost ignored the squeals of her little siblings. The tide was slightly higher than usual but the delectable sights remained unchanged. Splash. Her father crashed Jacob into the seemingly untouched waters whilst mother pushed Ella on a little wooden swing with beautiful carved vines. After clicking some photos, she lay down and closed her eyes as the water gently rolled over her feet.

***

Arising rather sheepishly she saw her family nestled under a tree gulfing the pineapple. Hurriedly she rose to her feet which were absolutely covered in sand. Sand. Turning to the ocean she saw the shoreline had practically moved and waves were coming in about seven metres closer to the ocean. It was unbelievable. Dozens of large unseen rocks lay exposed like someone had ripped a blanket of them whilst they were in bed. People were drawn to it because it was such a strange sight. Even regulars claimed they had never seen anything like it when suddenly water started flowing back.

Within three minutes the water was restored to its original depth, however there were no waves. Emma flinched as she felt this great power squeeze her ankles and she ran out of the water. By now her family had ambled down and that was when they saw it, forming from left to right, a beautiful crescent on the horizon. They were spellbound, everyone was looking at it. She couldn’t tell how big it was or how big it would get. There was just a sense of pure fascination. It was a perfect wave.


It was coming closer and closer but everyone stood, watching. As it approached a fisher’s boat it hit her. It was going to hit the beach. Easily, it overturned a fisher’s boat. It was coming. ‘Run. Run, don’t just stand there Emma,’ her mother screamed. Slowly she followed her parents, their arms laden with her siblings but her eyes continually glanced back. It was coming. Reaching the hotel lobby, there was a frantic mess of people. Desperation hung in the air as she attempted to communicate to her mother through the hundreds of fearful cries.


Up. Up. Up. Stairs flew past as they charged to the top of the building. People were pushing and shoving, in these moments of panic everyone had become selfish. Ella’s hands were gripped around mother’s neck choking her but she didn’t scream, she didn’t cry, she just whimpered. The highest floor was completely crammed not with humans, but animals of fear, sanity had been replaced by raw emotion. It was so close now. The building began to tremble as Emma clutched her parents, the building wasn’t the only thing trembling. She had never seen them like this. They were looking at each other, then her, they didn’t say anything but she knew what they were thinking.