The ocean reeks of death. Bloated fish corpse and drying algae. Maria waddles to where water weeps against shore. Her ankles swollen, white with pressure and ready to burst like the cancer festering in her breast.
She came here once, as a girl, when a whale had beached itself. The sounds of sirens harmonious with its moans. She thought they would roll it back out, but they built a trench, nursed the ache first, instead.
Salt crusts to her skin as she wades. She hopes this time the whales will welcome her. She hopes they don’t push her out again.
Quick and devastating.
So beautiful. So much captured in 100 words. A great piece.