MiniNano 2011 - Day 14 - Picture Prompt
There was nothing left but time, so if that was all that there was, could it be considered wasted?
He liked the sound of the water lapping against the shore. It was calm now, not like before. The waves were small and playful as if apologizing for their previous misbehavior.
It took a little while to get used to the feeling of stones beneath his feet instead of sand, but he supposed that if time was all that was left, these stones would eventually be worn down to sand so he should appreciate the difference while it was there.
Sometimes he sat on the edge of the water and stared at the outcropping of stone in the water. He didn’t have the urge to go there, not yet. It wasn’t all that far, and the water wasn’t deep enough to prevent an honest attempt to get there. But he wasn’t ready, he still had time.
Some days he spent hours looking for stones. Interesting or flat or perfectly smooth stones. There were plenty to choose from and he had plenty of time.
He remembered a story he heard once as a boy; or maybe it was a song. It had something to do with castles built in the air, but he thought stone was more substantial. He found himself stacking the stones. It was a surprise to him how well the particular stones he gathered fit together. Maybe it shouldn’t have surprised him - building was always a talent he had.
It was the balance of the stones that held the most appeal. The structure didn’t look like it should hold, but somehow he found the center of gravity in each stone and each was perfectly placed.
Tomorrow, he decided, if this tower is here when I return in the morning I will know it is time to bring balance somewhere beyond this shore.
He turned to walk back to camp confident that it would be his last night there. It was almost time to move on.