January 1, 2018August 7, 2018 by Garrett McMahon

The Beachcomber’s Big Haul

dscn1069 — Twenty-two days. Fifty-seven pebbles successfully skipped.

dscn1070 — Fifty-nine pebbles unsuccessfully skipped.

dscn1072 — Make that sixty.

dscn1080 — Still alone… hm?

dscn1083 — …

dscn1090 — …

dscn1091 — …

dscn1095 — …

dscn1096 — Well, that was a little rude.

dscn1098 — I know if I had a bottle, pen and paper, if I had a chance to reach out to another soul, I would have used a little more common courtesy.

dscn1101 — But that’s just me, anyway. A shame. For a second there I thought I made a friend.

******

dscn1109 — Thirty days. Eight since the other. Five hundred sixty-one delicious apples.

dscn1104 — Nine hundred twelve rotten apples.

dscn1105 — Make that nine hundred thirteen.

dscn1111 — Still alone.

dscn1112 — …

dscn1119 — I should really know better. I shouldn’t even bother. It would serve him right to be so choosy, if he’s all alone.

dscn1120 — Then again, I suppose I can’t afford to be choosy either—

dscn1121 — …

dscn1122 — The nerve of him! How does he even know? I never told anyone I…

dscn1123 — Can he read my mind? Of course not, he wouldn’t bother to write if he could. Unless…

dscn1124 — …

dscn1128 — Well! In that case, I do believe you have shown me your qualities rather sufficiently, sir! You need not bother to contact me any further, as I will ignore your every missive from here on out!

dscn1130 — Good riddance!

******

dscn1177 — Fifty days. Thirty-one pleasant dreams.

dscn1179 — Seventy-eight nightmares.

dscn1184 — Make that seventy-nine.

dscn1188 — …

dscn1188 — You’re wasting your time. I’m well aware how the saying goes:

dscn1188 — Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, I should really get that gaping head wound looked at.

dscn1190 — …

dscn1197 — …

dscn1198 — …

dscn1199 — You like poison-pen letters, do you? You like feeding off of other people’s misery?

dscn1201 — Let’s see how you like it!

dscn1204 — Wait, that’s a stupid idea. He’ll recognize his handwriting and realize I never wrote it. Damn!

******

dscn1139 — Seventy days. Thirty since the last.

dscn1141 — Ha! You see, it’s been that long already! I’ll show you who the better man is!

dscn1141 — I’m prepared this time. If it’s a game of chicken we’re to play, then so be it!

******

dscn1145 — Ninety days.

dscn1146 — You hear that! Still going strong! That’s right, I’ve never been happier in my life! Just sitting here, minding my own business, not paying any attention to you whatsoever!

******

dscn1206 — …

dscn1207 — …

dscn1208 — …

dscn1154 — …

dscn1155 — …

dscn1156 — …

dscn1165 — …

dscn1169 — …

dscn1171 — …

******

dscn1211 — Guess that did the trick. Finally, some peace and…

dscn1213 — …

dscn1214 — My God! They’re coming from Hell itself!

dscn1217 — He must be a demon!

dscn1218 — He’s gone… for now.

dscn1220 — But who knows when he’ll return?

******

dscn1226 — If I had a woman with me, and we made love right after the first message, we would have a child by now.

dscn1226 — He won’t stop. He probably lives next to a bottle factory.

dscn1226 — Maybe I should finally… Yes, suicide is the answer now. Although I wonder why now, after all else I’ve endured, before this…

dscn1227 — It doesn’t matter. Nor does it matter that that is precisely what he would want me to do. This is more than a man can take.

dscn1228 — …

dscn1231 — Apparently there are no big rocks on this island. This was the best I could find. It should do.

dscn1232 — Farewell, existence. Farewell, my worthy foe. You both have conquered.

******

dscn1237 — …

dscn1237 — I really should have tried harder to find a big rock.

dscn1237 — I should get back up. But what’s the use? I’m alone on this island, I always will be. I will never meet another of my fellow man again.

dscn1238 — No one at all, save this invisible, all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-malevolent being who every day wishes for nothing more than my demise. No, only him, and no one else, and not ever.

dscn1247 — That’s all life is, isn’t it?

dscn1255 — We’re each and every one of us alone, save for the universe, the universe which tries its hardest to kill us.

dscn1257 — Nor do we bother to do the deed ourselves, for it is those dreams which may come that still, after all these years, give us pause.

dscn1265 — Yes, that’s it. That’s the only time we’re not alone.

dscn1268 — Only in death do we eventually realize that we are all together.

dscn1271 — Only in Hell…

dscn1272 — …

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