Ocean Waves

• Jessica Chew, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2016

I step out of the car, the warm asphalt of the car park warming my bare feet. The wind blows my hair around my face and into my eyes as I look out to the ocean, squinting in the blaring sun, reflecting off the water. The waves continually crash onto the wet sand and retreat back to the sea before swelling up again. I can taste salt on the air as I tear my eyes away from the continuous cycle, and walk to the boot of the car. I pull my red and white surfboard out and tuck it under my arm as I shut the boot. I walk across the car park to the beach, the gravel scattered over the car park scratching the soles of my feet, lightly. I reach the edge of the beach and I step into the soft, warm sand, my feet sinking down, almost to my ankles. I look up at the beckoning sea, waves breaking and calling me to them. I run. Sand flies in the air as I race as fast as I can towards the water, my surfboard bumping into my leg at every second step. My feet touch the cold water left on the beach from the most recent wave and droplets of water splash up onto my wet suit. I slow down and wade through the water. Soon the freezing water is covering my knees, then my waist, now my chest. I lay my surfboard on the top of the water and attach the strap to my ankle. I close my eyes, breathe the salty water, and sink under the waves. All the sounds of the wind, the waves are gone, as if I stuffed cotton balls in my ears. I open my eyes and they sting as I look around me, in a new world. My feet are buried in the wet sand at the bottom, and the sun shines through the water, causing a rippling light effect. I don’t want to come out, but I have no choice. I push myself up and out of the water, the sounds of the world hitting me like a new kind of wave. Water drips from my hair and trails down my back as a wide grin spreads over my face.
I jump over a wave and look for a good one to ride. Finally, I spot a rising one in the distance and I lie down on my board. I bounce over small breaking waves as I wait for the one. I watch as the wave builds over my shoulder, and I get ready to paddle. I time it just right and I start paddling as the wave swells up behind me. It lifts me up, into the cold air, and begins to break just as I pull my legs out from under me and shakily stand on the surfboard. I spread my arms out for balance. I look up into the sunny sky and laugh. I am surfing!