Beast from Water

           Thetidewascominginandtherewasonlyanarrowstripoffirmbeachbetweenthewaterandthewhite,stumblingstuffnearthepalmterrace.Ralphchosethefirmstripasapathbecauseheneededtothink,andonlyherecouldheallowhisfeettomovewithouthavingtowatchthem.Suddenly,pacingbythewater,hewasovercomewithastonishment.Hefoundhimselfunderstandingthewearisomenessofthislife,whereeverypathwasanimprovisationandaconsiderablepartofone’swakinglifewasspentwatchingone’sfeet.Hestopped,facingthestrip;andrememberingthatfirstenthusiasticexplorationasthoughitwerepartofabrighterchildhood,hesmiledjeeringly.Heturnedthenandwalkedbacktowardtheplatformwiththesuninhisface.Thetimehadcomefortheassemblyandashewalkedintotheconcealingsplendorsofthesunlighthewentcarefullyoverthepointsofhisspeech.Theremustbenomistakeaboutthisassembly,nochasingimaginary....

           Helosthimselfinamazeofthoughtsthatwererenderedvaguebyhislackofwordstoexpressthem.Frowning,hetriedagain.

           Thismeetingmustnotbefun,butbusiness.

           Atthathewalkedfaster,awareallatonceofurgencyandthedecliningsunandalittlewindcreatedbyhisspeedthatbreathedabouthisface.Thiswindpressedhisgreyshirtagainsthischestsothathenoticed—inthisnewmoodofcomprehension—howthefoldswerestifflikecardboard,andunpleasant;noticedtoohowthefrayededgesofhisshortsweremakinganuncomfortable,pinkareaonthefrontofhisthighs.Withaconvulsionofthemind,Ralphdiscovereddirtanddecay,understoodhowmuchhedislikedperpetuallyflickingthetangledhairoutofhiseyes,andatlast,whenthesunwasgone,rollingnoisilytorestamongdryleaves.