Page 147 - Where the Dream Ends ebook

A Sea Change

the beach for a ways, enjoying the freedom of being naked
outdoors. As he walked, the silhouettes of coconut fronds un-
dulating in the moonlight reminded him of the mocko jumbies
they had seen in the carnival parade the previous afternoon.
Gaily costumed in bright colors, the sprightly demons danced
precariously atop stilts, their bodies swinging in slow motion,
terrifying the young children and delighting the adults.

In the brief interlude when one wave receded to its nadir
and another breaker rolled onto the sand, there was a moment,
barely noticeable, when Harry thought he could hear sharp
cries in the jungle just beyond the villa. Earlier in the day, there
were rumors of domestic violence. A local woman married the
American owner of one of the more successful restaurants in
town. Her new, advanced social status infuriated some of the
other local women, and word was they were out to get her.
Had it not been for the reassuring rhythm of the surf, Harry
might have been scared silly. For now, though, he felt totally
safe. The ocean was calm, like a lover cradling Harry in her
arms, protecting him from danger. He walked as far as the
cliffs, to where water flowed from the mountains into the sea,
and waded into the warmer, brackish water of the river.

* * *
By the time Harry crept back into bed, his wife was wide
awake. She was lying on her back naked, the sheet curled se-
ductively about her midriff. The darkness that had earlier en-
veloped the room was replaced by slabs of moonlight shining
through the narrow slats in the window, carving the room into
slices.

“Where did you go?” she asked, barely audible.

145