a light through the dark unknown [OPEN]

Livia always had a special affinity for the beach. She was raised to love it and she still did, clinging onto the last aspects of her humanity. Livia viewed the beach without the distance she applied to most things in her life. There was something about the waves, the feeling of sand beneath her bare feet, the weight of the tips of her jeans as they were splashed by the lapping waves that made her forget and Liv loved that. It brought her back - in a way, the beach was as timeless as it was full of memories.

Livia had gone to the ocean once last summer. She had seen tourists and small children and families - all happy and all laughing. The smiles alienated her - it had been a long time since Livia could feel that way. But Liv couldn't cling to the past as if it was a life vest. She had to grow up and she had to move on. So she got up and she swam into the ocean, and she went home and she pretended she had not enjoyed it so much. For some reason, Liv felt shame at going and having a good time. It wasn't that she was by herself, Livia was pretty much shameless in that regard, but it was that she was missing the other part of her, her brother. Quell and Liv had learned how to swim together, and then to boogie board, and to surf. They had shared all of those beach experiences, even after they had gotten to camp. If there was one thing Liv couldn't help but think of when she remembered those happy times was Quell. And they had never said anything to each other about it, but both Liv and Quell knew that he would probably never learn to swim properly again. Quell couldn't walk properly, but the physical damage was only the surface, and Livia felt as if she was moving on and leaving him in the dust.

Sighing, Livia brought her hands around her bare knees. It was summer, but it was cold now, without the sun shining. She was sitting on the beach, entirely alone, her hands running through the sand. It must have been very late, because Liv could barely hear anything, save for the tree frogs chirping. But yet, someone's footsteps pressing into the sand became closer and closer. Fearing it was a harpy, Livia stood up and prepared to run.