The large stick was heavy in my hand as I scraped it across the top of the box, spooking the spiders. They all scampered away like ants would do after their home was disturbed, revealing a glass enclosure underneath.
With water sloshing in my boots, I crouched down to get a better look, then swiped my palm across the grime-caked glass to see what was inside.
Behind two holes in a burlap sack were a pair of eyes sealed shut by frosted lashes.
It’s a coffin. The driftwood slipped from my hand as I fell back with my heart punching through my chest. I looked away, then looked back at the coffin to ensure that it was still there and that my mind hadn’t played tricks on me. That the morning fog hadn’t played tricks on me.
The coffin was still there, and a winter breeze rushed past me as I gazed at it.
Another wave came, pushing the coffin up and over on its side when a man’s body broke through the glass enclosure. His limbs sprawled over rock and his covered head was submerged in water.
Whoever it was didn’t move.
I should run. I should tell someone.
Everything I should do rattled in my mind, but my body didn’t listen.
My feet didn’t run in the opposite direction.
Instead, I found myself going to this stranger.
I didn’t know what made me do it, but I had to be sure he was dead.
I picked up his hand, and his wrist was cold and heavy between my fingers.
I closed my eyes, waiting for a pulse.
Then there it was. A weak, spaced-outthump...thump.
“You’re alive.” My harsh whisper sprang the rest of my body into action.
I hooked my arms under his and used all my strength to turn and yank him from the water. Every coming wave gave me leverage to pull as the sea pushed us both to the shoreline. Once my spine hit the snow-covered sand, he fell on top of me with all his weight.
I removed the burlap sack from his head and tossed it into the ocean.
Beneath the sack were delicate features on an enchanting face.
Then, from blue lips, the stranger coughed up water, the sea spilling from the corners of his mouth.
He took a breath, fingers curling around my leg.
He took a breath, holding on to me.
He took a breath, sinking in my arms.
He took a breath.
I melted, holding his head close to my chest as dizzying relief filled me, and I squeezed my eyes closed to fight the sudden strange emotion. His fingers relaxed, his hold loosened, and I opened my eyes again.
He was unconscious. But he was breathing.
I looked down the length of him.
Spiders were crawling onto our boots and up our legs.
In a frantic, I kicked to get them off when another wave came.
One much bigger this time.
