The Quiet Watch

About this piece

A raised white lifeguard tower occupies the right foreground, its angular stairs and supports set against a low ocean horizon and a solitary palm. Golden light breaks through dense blue-gray clouds, grazing the textured sand and illuminating the water. The sign reading “No Lifeguard on Duty” lends the luminous coastal scene a sense of suspended activity.

The story

December finds the shore washed in gold, with palm fronds outlined against the clouded sky. Beneath the tower, a yellow rescue board rests in shadow while the metal stairs catch narrow seams of light. The sun sits just above a dark bank of cloud, spreading a bright path across the water. Beyond the posted warnings and empty steps, the sea remains open.