Friday, April 9, 2010

Sea Salt

Myron comes home from the university in a sour mood. He knocks the snow off his boots and strips off his wet clothes into a heap on the floor. The usual ten minute trek from the university had taken almost twenty minutes of grueling treking through the high snow dirfts that the winter storm had depositted while he was immersed in his studies all day in the university library. The only reason he was there all day was because of a very difficult class he had been failing. Had he better performed on the last test, he would have left well before the storm ravaged the land. He sighs and in his heart he aches for his home where such weather did not exist and where he always felt happiest.

Myron enters his washroom and starts a bath going. While the water is filling the tub, he sets about mopping up the puddles created by the melted snow from his boots and clothing. Afterwards he throws his clothing into the the dryer. When he finishes he runs into his room and digs through one of the messy drawers in his desk to reveal a weather worn chest with a small lock. He returns to the washroom, sets the chest down next to the tub, turns off the water and begins to undress. Underneath his layers, laying against his collar bones, is a necklace with a small grey key. He removes the necklace and inserts its small key into the small lock of the chest. He gently opens the chest to reveal inside sea salt the color of a dark and stormy ocean. The slight scent of bay rum and brine wafts out. Within the salt is a small white sea shell the shape of a hollowed out cone. He grabs the shell and uses it to scoop out a minute amount of salt which he deposits into the tub. The salts dissolve quickly and color the water with a faint hint of blue.

Myron eases into the water and sighs. The heat and steam begin to relieve his body of the chill of the snow outside. He lays back and closes his eyes waiting for the change. Eventually he falls asleep. When he awakes he smiles at the familiar sight in front of him and the sudden freedom in his body. He muses if there ever were a tub that could fully fit him while his tail idly flaps against the side of the tub. He falls back asleep and dreams of home where there is no snow, no walking, only freedom in the ocean and contentment in the warm currents.

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