[Based on a true incident*]
In the darkness, while the sea screamed warning and pushed everyone who stepped in out, I sat and watched her, a mother of two, daring the waves with her caring husband.
Having thoughtfully folded her jeans to knee level she stepped into the water, kicking and splashing all around, carefree. With both eyes fixed on her, her husband ran beside her, keeping her safe and jumping back when she playfully kicked the water, the water which is salty as though the tears of all creatures is mixed in it, towards him.
An hour went by, as she unwound herself, forgetting all about her day's hardship and the next day's challenges.
All around her people were happy, not just fake smiling like they do in their offices but laughing their heart out, grown-ups becoming kids, kids just being as kids ought to be, falling and rising to fall again in the wet sand with no injuries.
That's when she remembered.
She remembered she was not looking behind her. She had forgotten them totally and regretted being one of those careless people in the world whom she had very less regards about.
She lost them, those which she'd always loved dearly, which now she thinks she USED TO LOVE dearly.
But how? She left them there. Just beyond the reach of the cunning waves. How could the waves have crossed her, and took them away.
All the unwinding is undone. Tension kicks in as she runs around, looking at people's faces, pleading without saying a word for a clue that would help her.
But, everyone was busy having a good time. Nobody had time to look at what is happening to other's life, nobody cared about anybody's lives being torn apart.
In the darkness, she lit her phone's torch and continues her hunt, madly, not caring for anyone. People were distubed, her mind programs her eyes to see only what she lost, what she loved dearly. But, would people know what a mother's feelings are?
She carried the other one carefully, not willing to lose the only one that remains and goes running around searching.
She, accusingly, looked into the deep dark sea, hoping that the sea would be guilty and give her back what she took away. Lo! the sea is heartless, it may throw out the people, things, treasures and live creatures but only when it wills to and nobody can bend her to their own will.
People just sat there, only irritated by her continued search and were secretly, and some were openly yet quietly suggesting her to give up. It was a futile effort and they knew it, but the mother didn't.
Another thirty minutes went by when she saw it.
Oh, she was a strong one, she did't cry, she wouldn't cry. She picked up her courage and stopped looking, she knew what was lost will remain lost.
She stopped suddenly, she didn't answer her husband's questioning looks, who was worried if it was his fault all the time. Could he have been a little more careful?
She took a deep breath and the stepped away from the sea.
One step back, then two, three.... six steps back and the she started to run forward, wildly.
Running towards the sea, with all her might, anger and fury she threw the other one into the sea, hoping the sea would be just satisfied with that too, and walked barefoot to her car, caring no more for anyone or anything, wiping the sand off her hand on her red T-shirt.
...
Two hundred feet away a little girl finds a shoe, spat by the sea that she tosses back to where it came from to hear a mild splash and continues playing happily with her family.
[* and a pinch of imagination]
