When I started this story, I had ideas of Southampton having a beach with it been right on the Channel. Apparently, it has zero. The good news is I have an imagination and so, I hope that you can go along with me and imagine it has a beach!
Chapter six:
Visions of violence had crushed Rose's spirit when she had followed Jack, and allowed him to lead her into the unknown with only the trust which she had put into him, almost faithfully. Now, though, she found herself in a place so close to heaven that she had felt the rims of her eyes fill with water just a little. Up ahead, along the base of a cliff sat what seemed to be a hundred different rocks, gathered together of varying descriptions. The frothy, blue salt water crashed into them; the sun reflected the shoreline in waves, then gently rolled up to the increasingly rising tide line. The wave stopped as it reached the tide line and slowly rolled back into the churning ocean water. This relaxing rhythm of continuous lapping waves was music to their ears. Ocean breezes gently swayed the nearby leafy trees. The sun was peeking through the heavy, white clouds illuminating the sky in a dazzling glow, causing the fluffy, white sand to appear darker in colour as well. All was still and quiet, other than the sound of crashing waves. God's painted masterpiece was a glorious sight to witness.
Taking herself to the edge of the rocks, Rose stopped, with the breeze taking her soul to a place made of complete peace. This was just what she had thought of since she was a little girl. How beautiful it had been in her mind, but now, it was before her.
''Is this what you had to show me?''
Coming closer to her, Jack stepped onto one of the thicker white rocks and leant against a higher one but remaining a safer distance away from her, as though he knew that she had to take in the sights of this world.
''Yes.''
''It is wonderful, isn't it?''
It was as though there was only the two of them in existence. Miles of sand stretched behind them, a row of houses in sight at the base of the cliffs above, which sheltered them from the clouded sun but it wasn't cold. A barely their breeze dwindled past now and then just a gentle reminder of its presence. What was more wonderful than a spring morning? The freshness of the coming day seemed to awaken her.
''It certainly beats the Black Bull'' Jack laughed and she smiled, glowing in the light.
''Yes, even the name caused me to shiver in a way of terror.''
Jack came closer to her, slowly as though he was approaching a spooked horse. Rose didn't seem real to him in a way. She moved, placing one foot on the lowest rock. The trickling sound of the water seemed to entice her out to it and she settled herself on a rock which faced Jack.
''I don't think I have ever seen such a true wonder. Not even whilst out at sea." Rose's voice was sweet and calming. She turned to see how his eyes looked darker in the dim sun. When she found his gaze, he glanced out to the waves and sighed. She felt there a gap there, between them and she almost wished to fill it. ''If my mother saw this, she wouldn't find any beauty in it, nor would Cal.'' It was the first time she had mentioned his name. ''My crowd, they just think they're giants and able to control everything around them. The men are used to becoming industrialists, building large objects and inventing. Yes, it's a decade in which we have discovered so much but what about the wonders of nature, too?''
''They're probably not too fond of it.''
''No, art is worthless unless it has a high value. Fashion is disposed of as though it is nothing. A dress from last year is highly despicable to be seen worn to breakfast, never mind out to a play.'' Rose laughed, as she glanced down to the hideous oversized dress which she wore at the moment. ''They contribute to charities, make sizable donations to appear respectful and yet, they're not exactly solving world hunger. They don't give a damn about anything other than their own reputations.''
''What about you? I think you were mailed to the wrong address somewhere along the lines.''
Rose raised her chin, smiling at his jest and her stomach felt funny. Warm. Without a care."
''I think I did. Oh, Jack, why can I not be like you and just head out for the horizon whenever I care to? To Paris or to Florence.''
''Paris for me was just about living on the streets and putting on the paper,'' Jack told her. ''When I was there, it was all dottism and cubism, the stuff just had no heart to it. I wanted to draw what I saw, from life.''
''You're an artist?'' She sounded surprised.
A single nod of his head confirmed it. ''If you want to call it that.''
Jack inched closer and closer until he too was leaning against the rock. Their bodies were just metres apart and up close he saw just how breath-taking she was in the daylight.
''Can you show me your work? I would very much like to see."
''Sure, if you like,'' Jack smiled, and there, they happened to have made plans past that very second. Glancing out to the endless, vast ocean, with waves rolling towards them and then hurrying back out, there was something beyond the peace and the beauty. It was as though there was an affinity between the two of them and as silence fell across them, it was comfortable for a time.
Rose's eyes glanced up and from beneath her long lashes. She could see the struggle Jack had with something but wasn't quite sure what it could possibly be. She remained upon the rocks at a steady distance away from her, in order to be able to think clearly.
''So where exactly are you heading for, Jack?''
Jack raised his eyebrow and smirked. He held his hands up as though he was admitting defeat. ''I don't know, God will take me there.''
''Will he take me, too?''
''Well, that depends on what you want.'' He told her, hoping to gain some clarity.
''So, what makes you think I am a runaway?''
Jack sat back amused, crossing his arms over his chest. ''Your accent, your finery, and the way you take offence to everything I say…'' He watched her expression change. ''Would you like to me to go on?''
She shook her head.
Rose quietened down a little and Jack hoped he hadn't offended her. She gazed off into the never-ending distance of the sea and her thoughts went to the Titanic; how majestic she had been standing in the docks so tall and proud. How she must've been to board and then, turning back to Jack, seeing how he watched the sea with the same longing which she did, she couldn't help but wonder about him.
''Hey look, don't worry if you are a runaway, a stowaway or what the Hell. I am not one to judge, nor will I pry.'' Rose found herself glancing him straight in the eye. ''I just hope you realise that what you're running away from is a Hell of a lot worse than what you're running into. Otherwise, you need to turn yourself in now.''
''Are you saying I cannot survive without the life I left behind?''
Jack sighed again. ''Once again, you take offence. Take it from a boy who has ridden the rails alone for five years. If what you are running from means nothing to you, then you've done the best thing.''
Contemplating something deep within the back of her mind, Jack started to wonder if bringing her here was the better idea but truthfully, he hadn't slept for worrying of her. Worrying how she was. If she had left town for the docks and would be returning to America on the next ship without ever seeing him again. The thought had caused his stomach to sink.
''It isn't that they mean nothing.'' She felt dazed but was aware of Jack's eyes on her. "More, I am worth everything to them."
Jack lowered his gaze to his beaten boots and realised that they were battered beyond his means. Rose, beside him wad now dressed dishevelled and yet looked lovelier than she had the day before aside from the scowl of worry across her face.
"Maybe running was a bad idea then, huh?"
Rose lifted her face to meet his gaze and seemed to study him before replying.
"No, I am yet to find the regret in it." Her gaze lifted to the sea. "I wouldn't have had the opportunity to stand here and witness such a beautiful sight." Flattening her hands to the rough rock, she seemed to steady herself using the stone. "I wouldn't have had the opportunity to have time to reflect on a lot of aspects of my life."
"You seem to be a very deep thinker."
"So do you." She turned to him, before glancing back out to sea. "You seem to be the very epitome of freedom and everything that I can never be."
''I thought money gave you all those types of opportunities. "
Rose laughed, pitifully. "No, not I."
Jack moved away from the rock, and stepped onto the soggy, soft sand. Rose watched as he went and she remained rooted and her dress simply billowed in the light morning breeze.
"You don't need money to laugh." Dumping his backpack onto the sand, not caring if it dampened the clothes inside or it, he moved towards the approaching tide slightly before turning to see if she had moved. She hadn't. It was still some steps away from them but it was beautifully fast moving in the morning when approaching the sand. He had woken many mornings on a beach soggy from the water's early morning greeting. This, though, he knew that she had to sample. To feel against her skin. If only she trusted him enough to show her.
"Come on, Rose."
Calling back to her, he saw how a wrinkle came between her brows but she didn't move.
"Don't he absurd."
"What? We won't be killed." Jack laughed, moving the hair from his eyes and then, he knelt to the sand and started unlacing his left boot slowly.
"What if you're swept in."
"I've told you, I am a good swimmer."
"What if I was pulled in?"
"I would jump in there after you." Jack bit back at her almost irrational fear.
"You are deranged."
Jack finished un lacing his right boot before he slowly removed his socks and tucked them just inside of his boots. Barefoot on the sand, the coolness of the grains felt wonderful beneath his feet. Straightening up, he laughed aloud.
"With all due respect, Miss, you have preached nothing but wishing for a little freedom. Well, here's your chance. Come on, give me your hand and if the tide decides to sweep you out to sea I can anchor myself to the surf and make sure you don't go with it."
Jack saw something in her change then. It wasn't determination but perhaps a pinch of realisation of the fact that she wasn't under any judgement. That she was without care here. Slowly, with the hems of her dress within her fingers, she made her way from the rocky area and took he first step onto spongy sand. Her face changed as she took the last few remaining steps towards him and glanced down to his toes buried into the sand.
"Are you alright?"
Narrowing her eyes to the ocean which was rushing and then flattening its way up the sand and slowly creeping inwards, Rose nodded slowly. "Yes. I need a little colour in my life." There. A little sprout of determination. He witnessed each detail of her face and unsteadily, she lowered herself to the sand to remove her shoes and it was then he realised that she would be wearing stockings which would soak through but she didn't seem to mind and soon, was standing almost staggering on the uneven surface. Rose's face was filled with a colour then. A lovely pink colour which spread across her cheeks giving her a glow.
"How does it feel?"
Glancing out to the view, Jack felt the change in the air then. It was still chilly but he removed his outer jacket and placed it on the sand and as he looked back, Rose giggled as she put one foot in front of the other. He had seen fouls just hours out of their mother take their first steps more steadily than Rose walking.
"Strange."
Gaining some confidence, she took another few steps and then stopped to adjust her hems in her hands. As she did, a group of seagulls descended, crowing loudly before swooping down to break the surface of the water and then they took off in a fast soar to the sky. She watched them; with such an interest it was apparent that it wasn't the birds which fascinated her but their carefree nature. Nature. How wonderful it was. It wasn't meant to be caged in zoos or kept behind bars. Animals should have their freedom and people were no different. So, in that moment, as he came directly to her side, he offered his hand to her. She seemed to question him with austerity but he ignored her and replaced it with the last sprig of determination which it would appear that she would require in order to move. Sometimes a flame burned, just not brightly enough to illuminate an entire path. If he had to, Jack would illuminate the path so that she could navigate it how she wished, until she had the confidence to.
There was still one question though...
"Do you trust me?"
Turning to glance down to Jack's hand, she slowly looked up to him.
"I trust you."
There was a slight hesitation but all he needed to know was that she was putting faith into him. Allowing him to lead her. Her dainty hand slipped into his so perfectly as she dropped her hems to the sand and gathered the entirety of it within her left hand and he wondered if she knew that she was revealing a little above her ankles. He found that they neither cared.
And then, he took off.
Rose thought she would undilute; but she remained with him, clinging to Jack with her fingers. If her heart was hammering before, then it would fall out of her chest then in that second. Out on the open sand, it felt lovely and velvety; if she was to fall, she would probably not injure herself. Her feet thundered beneath her, propelling her forward and soaring further towards the surf. The wind streaming into her face was cool, clean and invigorating.
Slowly, confidence was gained. Wasn't that the only thing which was needed in order to try new things? Her smile was infectious, but she concentrated on running, but her eyes travelled outward, to Jack. They ran in tandem, only a couple of feet between them with their fingers bonding them to the other. It was beautiful, utterly beautiful. The vast stretches of the beach and ocean seemed endless all around them. The sky was like a huge, inverted bowl, brilliantly blue like Jack's eyes, almost cloudless. Her heart was racing -partly from fear, but also from exhilaration. As her hair came loose from the ponytail, held together with ribbon and clips, it streamed out behind her like her dress. Rose realised that she wasn't gripping his hand so tight anymore but she was actually pushing with her own legs, rather than been dragged. She wanting herself to run faster and faster. Wanting to feel exactly this, more and more.
Jack was right beside her. He let out a whoop, partly to make her laugh and partly out of pure happiness. Every now and then, he checked Rose, to ensure that she was enjoying this just as much as he was. She was. The day was gorgeous, bright and lovely. Jack's whoop echoed about the beach as though they were the only two people on earth.
Rose felt as though she was soaring. Enlightened. Alive. She felt terrified and exhilarated and thrilled, all at once. Every golden hair upon his head, every speck of sand, every bird soaring overhead Rose saw as though it was the brightest colour ever discovered. The smell of the various scents of the sea and the smell of Jack acutely all came to her. Her muscles were aching from the strain of doing something so foreign to her usual activity but it felt wonderful, making her feel as powerful as a horse, as limitless as the open space and wild...perhaps, like Jack were. He always seemed to be like a force of nature. Like he could never belong to a city or a place. He was just himself, at all times. Perhaps she could be like that, somehow.
Rose could feel her rapid breathing, and the heat of her body. She was the same -panting and sweating. But exhilarated. Not wanting to slow down but it was almost as if they had to when their toes finally reached the ocean and even then, Jack didn't stop, he continued to pull her farther into the water until he realised that they were both completely soaked to the waist. Her screams at the cold didn't deter him and soon, they were collectively crying out at the coolness of the ocean of how it lapped at their body and drenching their skin more.
Rose moved the hair from her face and Jack how lovely she was, laughing so naturally. He adjusted his hand so that he held her loosely. The pure carelessness of their act; the way of which they seemed to become one thought and one mind as they played together beneath the spring sun was everything to her. Jack's eyes beneath the daylight seemed to completely match the ocean but in comparison to the other, the waves were dull. Her lips parted, she had to gasp for air as her blood thrummed in her veins. The experience of the moment between them was impacting, perhaps more than they believed could be imaginable.
