Helen walked along the beach when she felt something stab the arch of her foot. She looked down and saw drops of her blood stain the white sand. A shard of shell was lodged in her skin.
She swallowed back tears as she pulled it from her foot. The shell was white with holes from the sea in its surface. Her blood dripped down the side and filled the crevices.
Helen wiped the blood away, then gasped. The holes were gone, replaced with a shell the colour of her flesh.
Her gasp became a yelp when she felt a burning against her palm. She grabbed the shell with her free hand and felt the skin from her hand rip with it. Helen screamed as she dropped to the beach in pain. She noticed the shell stayed glued to her other hand, with swirls the colour of her flesh spiralling into a pointed tower. Helen closed her eyes and felt the grains of sand press into her skin.
*
“Look Mom, a shell!” Sarah ran and picked up a large, coral-coloured conch.
“Hold it to your ear,” her mother said. “You’ll hear the ocean.”
Sarah did as she was told and closed her eyes when she heard the waves. It almost sounded like a cry.