It's much better.

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The beach is a creepy place.

It isn't something many people will agree with but I did.

"Cassie, we're almost there." I squirmed in my seat and shot my sister a weak smile. She glanced at me and grinned.

I sighed.

I'm doing this for her.

"I thought your sister hates the beach," One of her friends in the back seat said.

I sank into my seat and fought the desire to disappear. Unlike my sweet sister, I was very vocal. If I didn't like something you'll hear me say it. That's how she knew.

"No," I finally piped up after enduring the wave of embarrassment that washed through me.

"I strongly dislike going to the beach." My sister, Jasmine winked.

"We'll only spend a few hours there."

I frowned. "A few? I thought you said two. You said just two hours." Panic slipped into my tone and I didn't try to mask it.

Jasmine knows I avoid the beach because I find it creepy. I find it scary. We can't spend a few hours there.

"Yes. A few hours." She put her hand on mine and smiled. I let out a sigh and sank into my seat.

Just a few hours. It's no big deal.

When we got to the beach I realized my mistake.

It was a big deal.

It was a really big deal.

I don't mean the time, but the beach itself.

Tons of people were there, resting, playing in the sand and having fun. I saw parents, old people and young people all having fun.

"Wow. I didn't think it'd be packed."

"You see," Jasmine nudged my shoulder. "It's fun."

"It looks fun." I corrected her. "That doesn't mean that it is."

Jasmine closed her eyes and sighed. I knew what it meant. It was a sign I was getting too pessimistic for her.

I flashed a smile at her and shrugged, "I'm just being realistic."

"Pessimistic, Cas. You're being pessimistic."

We stared at each other for close to a minute, shooting glares and waiting for the other person to give up. Jasmine blinked, automatically losing the game.

I beamed and inhaled the beach air.

"It's nice isn't it?" She said with a glance but I didn't reply.

The beach is still creepy, I said what I said.

We walked to a spot, laid our towels on the hot sand and sat on them.

"Why don't you like the beach?" I stared at my sister. Blue eyes, identical to mine, stared back at me. She let down her blond hair and was applying sunscreen to her hands.

I smiled. We looked exactly. Except she was the one with the smile. I didn't think smiling at strangers made a good first impression, I preferred a blank face. Their behaviour would then determine my reaction to them.

"Cas?" She tapped me. I blinked back to reality and shrugged, "I told you. The beach is creepy."

"Why do you think it is? I mean look at this place." I looked around and nodded. I saw it. I saw the brown sand, blue sea and beautiful people. I saw the smiles, the laughing children and the happy families.

I saw them all so what was it about this place that creeped me out?

I sat still and thought about it. The memory came to me on its own. I nodded. I knew it now.

"It's a childhood memory. I came to the beach when I was really young." I swallowed and wrote with the sand.

"The beach wasn't like this. It was deserted. The sky was dark and there was stuff stuck to the sand. I stood close to the ocean all alone," The memory played before my eyes. As it did, it came with the emotions I felt that day.

"I don't know where our parents went. I can't remember but-" I raised my head and looked far ahead.

"I saw something. I saw a ship. I saw a pirate and I saw," The words stuck to my throat. Goosebumps rose on my skin as I remembered it. Jasmine inched closer to me and I sighed.

"I saw fingers. Human fingers. Some had rings. I saw noses too." Jasmine chuckled.

"I think it's hard to cut a nose off." Despite the fear in my heart, I chuckled. I think so too.

"I saw human parts and it just made me conclude that the beach is a scary place," I said.

"Okay. I wish you remembered enough for us to investigate," She caught the look of disgust on my face and laughed.

"But this is the beach. This is the real beach. It's bright-"

"Too bright for its own good," I cut in.

"Fun and relaxing. Take it in." And so I did. I replaced the terrible but incomplete memory I had of the beach with this: tons of people playing in the salty water, under the hot sun.

It's much better.

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_{Hey! Dear friends, I couldn't meet up to the deadline. My apologies! though, it wasn't my fault as it has really been challenging balancing my presence here lately.}

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