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The setting reminded me of the Sedlec Ossuary, which is very cool (assuming the bones are literal, not metaphorical). I had the same struggle as kaom to understand what was going on. I reread it a few times and got a better idea, that it's a woman finding the body of someone important to her, but now my question is: how did she recognize him among all the other bones? ** Here's what I've written, feedback welcome. The Visitor In dawn’s light, gray as her hair, she walks along the beach. The west coast waves are quiet, exhausted by last night’s storm. The expanse of sand, the salty cold air, and the effort of moving her legs fill her senses and drown her thoughts. There’s not much left: the kids departed, returning to their faraway lives. Their house is empty, hers alone, but she hasn’t decided what to do with it yet. The beach is the same. Out of habit, she counts the birds. Seven gulls circling, two dotterels scurrying, one gannet flying over the surf. The line between the bulky land and the massive sea, shifting with the moon but always here, on the beach. A black dot against the clouds shakes her from her reverie. Too big for an oystercatcher, the wrong shape for a shag. She stops, her heartbeat accelerating like a rusty motor coaxed back to life. It is a frigatebird. Though it is far from its native tropical waters, the elegantly curved wings and long streaming tail are unmistakable. She is the only person on the beach. She imagines she sees the red patch at its throat. Its long hooked bill dips to examine the land below it. Seeing her, the frigatebird wheels around and flaps its great wings once, gliding back out to sea. For the first time in months, she feels fortunate to be here. The beach is the same again, but she too turns for home. Above her, the gulls cry.
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Nov 20, 2022 01:46
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| # ¿ May 22, 2024 12:18 |
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