The crippled Shell

The man took a slow drag on his cigarette. The ember winked life-red against the warm evening backdrop. He exhaled, thinking about what he had just heard, what she had just told him, breathing out in time with his thoughts. The smoke floated up towards the dim night light.

“So you’re not coming back.” Flat voice.

The woman shook her head. He glanced down at the floor and rubbed the back of his head with his tough rough  hand. The small glass table was the only witness to their conversation, the lounge devoid of other furniture.

He grunted softly and continued. “Well, okay.”

“Okay?” She shifted her weight from one leg to the other.

“Yes, okay.”

She turned to leave, aged wooden boards creaking beneath her slight frame. Just outside the sphere of the room she hesitated, pale fingers caressing the doorframe.

“I can’t, I just can’t.” His gaze rose to the back of her head. She turned, still holding the frame, but couldn’t look at him. “I…” She stopped. “You understand.”

He said nothing. Her eyes traveled rapidly towards his but fell short of a reunion. She exited the room, her skirt hurrying after her, and the man turned to face the shore. He rested his elbows on the weathered wooden railing and stared. Blank eyes took in nothing.

A sudden splash in the water demanded his recognition. A sea animal, shell on its belly, rock in its hands, preparing supper. He watched the diligent animal fix itself a meal. Who would crack his oysters now?
He finished his cigarette, flicked it over the rail. It glowed warm on the sand and he studied at it as he drew another from his breast pocket. He realized that he needed to visit his friend,David, but instead closed his eyes.

 He visualized the house, his house, walked through every room noting every detail and committing it to memory. He opened his eyes and sighed. Sticking the cigarette between his lips and pausing briefly to light, he then hopped over the rail onto the sand. His left foot landed on the first smoldering cigarette and he picked it up in surprise. It burned him a little as he held it on his hand. Discarding the useless filter, he kicked the sand over it and began to walk to the water.

His second cigarette dropped to the sand. The man waded  into the waves and let the water push him. He felt one with the swelling and moving of the waves. He looked around for the sea animal, but couldn’t find it.
Dripping, he walked back up the beach to the house. He went into the house. He spent the rest of his night destroying all of her things.