It Came in With the Tide
May 29 2009


It was a Tuesday morning, the second day of Lynn and her daughters two week California vacation.

“Would you like to go to the beach today, Michelle?”

Sure Mom, I wouldn’t mind going to the beach everyday of our vacation.

“Okay, get your things together, don’t forget the tanning Lotion, the sun is really bright today.”

When they reached the beach the tide was receding, the tide was going out, the wet sand glimmered as the water’s white foam was moving outward leaving more firm sand to walk on.

It would be a good time to look for shells Mom,”

“Good idea, Michelle said as she was pulling a plastic bag from her beach bag.

They walked barefoot, down the sandy shore with T-shirts covering their bathing suits. Light sprays of misty salty water moistened their shirts.

“So many pretty shells,” Lynn said as she picked up a sand-dollar showing it to Michelle. “I’ve never found one like this before!”

“Don’t you think we should turn around and go back now?, Michelle asked. “We have walked a long ways and I am already getting tired,”

I guess you are right.”

At that moment, Michelle spied a shiny object tumbling in the white bubbly
tide. Running towards it, she saw it was a box a little bigger than a shoebox. She grabbed it as the tide was about to suck it back out to sea.

“Mom Look what I found!”

“Wow!,” a gold box!”

“That’s really exciting! Wonder what is in it?”

Lynn and Michelle examined the box together turning it round and round. They found the box was locked and engraved on the top of the box was a large capital letter, “T.”

Michelle, let’s take it back to the hotel and see if we can find something to open it with.

Upon returning to their room, Lynn found a “bobby pin” and began picking at the lock.
“Here let me do it” After all I am the one who found it.

‘Okay, “have at it”!

Within a couple of minutes, Michelle had managed to spring the lock open.

“What in the world!”
Lynn peered into the box seeing three green cloth bags. “Maybe they are filled with money, Michelle!”

“I doubt it.” Michelle said as she picked up one of the bags. “This one is too light.”

Michelle opened it quickly, a pungent odor rose to her nostrils, it’s a bag of tobacco! Yuck!”

“Wonder if that’s what they all contain?”

Lynn picked up another one untying the string that kept it shut. “Another strong scent ascended from the bag. Well this one contains “tea, black tea.” She ran her finger through the dry leaves sniffing it’s odor.

“What could be in the last one?” Michelle said as she quickly opened it.

“Mom, there are two bags in this one bag. Why don’t we open them at the same time?”
Each with a bag in their hands; together they opened the bags systematically.

"Lynn yelled, “TEETH!” dropping the bag.

Michelle shouted “TOE NAILS! Ugh” she said squinting her eyes and mouth holding it away from her.

A strange vibrating sensation fell upon them. “I don’t have a very good feeling about this, Michelle.”

“Neither do I, this is really creepy."

“A beautiful box, filled with nothing of value. Everything in it starts with the letter T;” An eerie feeling came over them.

“I have a feeling this box will be nothing but “Trouble” if we keep it.”

“I agree,” Michelle replied going on to say,
“I think we should probably throw it back into the sea as far as we can throw it! We’ll climb the rocks along the inlet and throw it out from there.”

“Okay, let’s do.

Arriving at the beach they proceeded to climb the moss covered rocks out to the furthest point.

"Mom since I was the one who found this box, I think I should be the one who tosses it back.”

“Go ahead, you do it. I don’t want to touch the thing.”

Michelle pitched it as far as her arms could sling it, watching as the current took it out to sea.

A calmest fell over both of them. “I think we did the right thing, I feel so much better now, that it isn't in our procession.” Lynn sighed.

“Maybe the Sea Witch will find it,” Michelle joked!




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