This isn’t going to last long, I thought to myself as I sought refuge from the sudden downpour in a cave on the beach. It was typical weather for this time of year. One minute the sun was shining like on a bright summer’s day, the next minute there was a deluge of rain.
As my eyes got used to the darkness in the cave, I looked around me, wondering how many people had sheltered here before me in times gone by, wondering if smugglers had used the cave to store their ill gotten gains. I pulled out the little torch I carried in my rucksack. The sand dried out as I walked deeper into the cave, exploring the rocks and crevices. I stepped over the tell tale line of seaweed and ocean debris that stretched between the rocks. The sea obviously did not actually penetrate that far into the cave even at high tide these days. I was safe in here.
Back near the mouth of the cave I sat on a rock and pulled out my sandwich. I might as well have my lunch now, I thought. Even though it was only ten to twelve, I was hungry. I had walked about five miles of the South West Coastal Path already today. It was my intention to walk another five, then to catch a bus back to the car park where I had started the day’s walk. It was still tipping down though, and I was soaked. I did not have enough time to pull out my mac when the rain had come down. Concentrating on the shells on the beach and with my back to the clouds, I’d had no warning that a storm was brewing. I would need there to be some serious sunshine to dry me out. For the moment though I had shelter. I put on my mac for warmth.
As I was sitting there shivering, watching the tide coming in, I imagined I heard muffled voices. It must have been the sound of the waves, I thought. Huddled up on my perch high up on the rocks I started to nod off…
I don’t know how long I had been asleep, but when I opened my eyes the tide had come in. I was trapped until the tide went out again.
Just then a motorised rubber dingy rounded the corner of the rocks with two men wearing oilskins and sou’westers in it. I tucked myself down further behind a rock and watched as they drove the dingy into the cave, got out and pulled the boat up above the shoreline. Suddenly a couple more men appeared from the gloom deep inside the cave. They started unloading packages on to a trolley or something that they had brought with them. Smugglers! I had discovered smugglers!
To be continued…
Creative writing homework September 2016 from first line prompt
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