Short Little Stories

Sam lives in a house by the ocean.

During the day he lives his daily life. He eats his breakfast, goes to work, gets his gas and heads home early.

At twilight, he walks out onto the settling sand, and feels the cooling heat tingling upon his bare toes.

He goes to the ocean shore, and listens to the growing evening sounds.

In the last light of the fading sun, he looks for the telltale glimmer of a message bottle.

They come more often than you would think – not once a day, mind you, but one a week is more common than not. Sometimes a month will pass by without one… sometimes three will drift into the sandy bank, one after another, gently clinking together as the tide moves in and out.

When he sees one, he opens it, knowing exactly what he’ll find. Like all the rest, the cork is not quite tight enough, the seal not able to withstand the bumpy ride – and the message within reduced to disintegrating gloop, torn apart by sea water and time.

He always wonders what he would do if he found one intact. Would he open it and read it? See what hidden message was cast into the murky brim of the world?

Or would he make things right?

Loosen the cork. Break the seal.

And toss the bottle back into the ocean, to meet the fate that it was meant for, just like all the others.