She opened her eyes to the cold, salty breeze of an early Sunday morning. At the tightening of her muscles, she felt the remaining tiredness of last day's fieldwork. The team had been at the rocky shore for hours, collecting samples and placing quadrats against the uprising tide.
As she closed her eyes again and turned around, a not so distant memory wandered on her mind. She tried to drive them away, banish them, but the thoughts warmed her inside almost to the level of causing pain. She might never meet him again; still, the echo of his laughter and the semblance of his smile would haunt her for a very long time.
Thank you, 