Until He's Gone

Epilogue

  "Well, then I shall be helping you," she said with a smirk, "Look at the wide vast ocean. Look at the sparkling water. Doesn't it look like it is hiding valuable diamond droplets and a mystery no one could discover? The ocean is so beautiful, my friend, and I think you must dominate your weak points soon. You're missing the fun," the young girl said in the softest and most soothing voice he had ever heard.

He didn't know what to say for he thought he sounded weird and unfriendly every time he tried to talk to someone.

  "What are your weak points?" he suddenly asked her.

She froze for a moment, then smiled gracefully and said, "I've got none!"

  "Really?" he chuckled, "How come you're so brave?"

  "I'll always be," she answered with a smile and a shrug. "Take me as an example," she added with a wink as she turned away to face the ocean once again.

Something deep inside made him feel determined to show her, one day in the future, what a great example he would have taken her to be. Also, he didn't want that enthusiastic conversation to end yet. Therefore, he stood up and walked to the young girl's side as he friendly took her hand in his. He felt her shiver as she drew back her hand quickly.

  "Do you want to play?" he asked her.

  "No, I'm not in the mood. Except if --" she answered.

  "Anything other than splashing?" he interrupted her jokingly.

He watched as her eyes lit up at once and a low giggle escaped her full pink lips. Before he knew it, she splashed him again with the cold salty water. He hated the way it felt on his skin, but he just let it go and asked, "So, you're a moody person?"

She just shrugged and smiled.

  "Did you want to play?" she said returning to the subject he had just come up with as she crouched on the sand and picked up a little stick from the ground.

He laughed at the fact that she was obviously moody. Then, he sat down next to her on the sand.
   "Yes," he answered, "Have you got any ideas?"

  "Oui," she replied, "Let's build our own castle in the sand. I'll be the queen of the castle, and you'll be--"

  "The king?" he interrupted her.

  "No," she answered with a smile he didn't like, "you'll be my guard."

  "Okay," he agreed frowning.

She giggled and continued, "The ocean is our enemy, and we shall protect our castle from it. Of course, it's the guard's job to do that. You have to protect your queen."

He smiled, "My pleasure. But hey, who's the king?"

He stared at her as she began piling the sand and shaping it into their little castle.

  "The queen has no king. Perhaps, she has not found him yet," she answered as she busied herself with the sand.

  "Oh," he said in acknowledgement.

  "The ocean is the German Army; our enemy," the little girl suddenly said.

He looked up to her as their eyes met.

  "What?" he snapped.

  "Yeah," she told him, "France will no longer be France. Normandy will no longer be Normandy. The ocean will no longer be the ocean."