Waves of Plastic

It was the first time her parents drove her to the sea.
She was happy and couldn't stop smiling from ear to ear with excitement as she waited to finally reach the destination of their journey.

She was looking forward to finally admiring all the bright colours she had dreamed of for so long; the shades of green and blue of the sea, the white spray, the yellow sand.

The ocean and its colourful flora and fauna were just waiting to be explored by her. Nothing seemed more refreshing than diving into the water and feeling it cool on her skin.

Waves that gently rolled across the sandy beach, drawing patterns in the sand and blurring them again, were waiting for her.

The slightly salty smell of the sea, fresh air and a clear breeze, free from the used odours of the big city, were something she had envisioned for so long.

She pictured the sunset. She imagined the red fireball disappearing on the distant horizon, sinking into the sea to welcome a calm, clear night, only interrupted by the screeching of the seagulls.

It was a long-awaited dream to come out of the loud, polluted city that threatened to suffocate her. She felt the yearning desire to feel this unbridled freedom that she heard people talk about when describing the ocean.

-

It was a disappointment.

Instead of bright colours, she was received by the colour grey. The sea was grey, the sand was grey, everything was just grey.

Nowhere did she see colourful sea creatures or diverse plant species. Everything was dead.

There were no gentle waves. The waves here were made of dirt and plastic.

An unpleasant smell was in the air, it was impossible to breathe freely or inhale the fresh sea air she expected.

The night was neither peaceful nor clear. Instead, everything was hostile and polluted.

She could not escape the city, because there was no difference. The sea was as dirty as the city.

-

She felt betrayed and lied to; the sea she had been looking forward to did not exist.
She asked her parents where the sea was, tears of disappointment began to gather in her eyes, where were all the colours, where were the animals?
She wanted to know what had happened.

The parents could not explain it either, they thought they had a different memory, and lost in thought, they both threw their empty plastic bottle in the sand.