There it was. The raw, salty scent of that tempestuous sea before her caused shivers to shoot down her spine. The grey night above it hung heavy but when those waves crashed, they created a symphony of memories and emotions. Rich and green, the moist air she inhaled only sent her deeper into the past, the ocean being the only smell she could remember longing for. It brought her senses to life.

She stuck her foot in the vast blackness, freezing her soul like an unwanted hug yet she embraced the chill, wading deeper until her ankles and shins were quivering with defeat. She panned her eyes across the horizon, enjoying how the small sliver of light bounced playfully off the endless, choppy abyss. The waters were rough tonight, calling to the moon for guidance as loud as it could, begging for assistance that never came.

It only took moments before that sweet fragrance brushed under her nose, kissing and caressing it. Wind picked it up and carried it far and wide, coating the small sea coast town in a blanket of that delicious freshness. That pure stink that most would wash away the instant they left the murky water behind, but not Mel. She clung to it, wanting it in physical form so she could keep it with her forever. Bathe in the aroma of laughter and sun, good times and hot summers. It was all she had left. And she wanted to hold onto it for as long as she could.

And when it was finally dawn, and time to retreat, she cradled the scent in her lungs just a while longer, holding the wet and fishy smell for as long as her body would allow. This wasn’t her home anymore but it would always be there when she needed it. And that was enough.