^Lukas Cobia^D4 {FIN}

Sun kisses upon gentle skin.
Burning with its lips of light. 
Caresses of heat that dance upon my skin.
Darkening it.
Making it into a platform of reflections.
I burn in the sun.
But I enjoy the burn.

My steps are choppy, just like the waves. My feet create heavy prints as they struggle to find grip within the loose sand. I can feel the tiny particles of glass and rock wedge their way in between my toes, and I smile as the familiar sense of security washes over me. This is home. 

My golden hair is matted down, a thick mane of sun filled hours now flatten by the salty water that surrounds the district. Rarely do I find time during the day to jump into the chilly ocean and swim, but today we were graced an hour of time to relax. With my fingers still blistered from pulling in nets, I jumped into my blue paradise. It was a feeling unlike any high you may find, because it was simply unadulterated bliss, brought on by nothing but enjoyment.

Usually I spend my nights upon the beach, rather than days. The nights are a different kind of experience, one of serenity rather than happiness. Because at night there is nothing but the ocean and myself. Together we crash upon the world, battling gravity and fear alike in a war to escape this planet and rise to the moon.

On those quiet nights I lay upon the beach, looking upon the worlds surrounding my own and question whether I should run away or not. Because my existence is unnecessary, at least to my family.

My father has always been competitive to the extreme. Just like his father, he has a lion heart. Not much is good enough for this monster of a man, who stands above us all like a Goliath amongst Davids. I did not inherit his massive structure; even at 5' 10" he appears to tower over me, casting an elongated shadow over me. I often find myself waking up in a cold panic, all that remains are his cold grey eyes  piercing me, and his sharp words of hatred echoing endlessly.

My mother tamed the beast. Another career at heart, she entranced him with her mastery of metal. He says she won his heart by piercing another, as they lashed upon the plastic dummy during training. Her cool eyes put a rope around his wild ones, and years later they had four boys and a girl, all of whom could kill just as well as them.

I often look at my hands, calloused and red, and shudder at the thought that they've been trained to end life without mercy. I can't help but imagine the blank stare of an innocent victim whenever I look down at these seemingly harmless limbs. How could such violence be encouraged by an entire district of people? Best not to think of it.

I suppose my family is what makes the beach such a sanctuary. Constant howling and fighting, a hurricane of activity, nothing but myself stays rooted. They're always brawling and screaming, fighting for an ounce of respect from the monsters that gave us life. My parent's are more than happy to be loving... to the best of us. We crawl our way to the top of the mountain, enjoying the few days, hours, minutes, seconds, that we have their love, only to be stabbed in the back by one of our siblings. We learn not to trust each other, alienated by the idea that the person we love will sabotage us in a heartbeat. We are not human, we are animals begging from attention from our masters.

I was the only one who never fell for it. Never dared to believe that only my parent's view of me mattered. No, I was not going to fall for it. Not I, the simple beach boy.

My parents don't notice me, as I've tumbled to the bottom of their precious pyramid so there is no need for me to bother with them. I do not acknowledge them in the spare moment when they throw bitter words at me. I simply ignore it all. A shell. I've built a shell around myself.

I peer out into the great ocean that lay ahead. One sandy foot after another, I make my way into it, ready to be swallowed whole.

Quiet crashes.
Rushing waters.
Gentle pushes.
All surrounding me.
Cool riptides.
Raging undertows.
Silent fish.
All envelop me.
The ocean.
The sea.
The world.
All around me.