Sand Castle

So I had made it. The place I dreamed of really did exist. It was unreal. Simply unimaginable. At the time I would not have been able to put it to words, but now I’ve found them.

When I crossed the golden-green clearing between the forest and the sand, the smell of fresh oak leaves and cleanly dirt began to fade. I gazed upward slightly, squinting to allow my eyes to adjust to the sun. Then I froze. It was incredible. About fifty feet in front of me began a straight staircase. This crenelating creation stretched up to the heavens, until it merged with the blistering sunlight at the top. But that wasn’t the half of it. The whole thing was made of shimmering, white sand. It glistened and gleamed gloriously in the rays, showing every ridge and spiral. From the perfectly squared steps to the winding, twisting rails, it was beautiful. Majestic, even. And all too much to take in.

After at least a minute of silent awe, I noticed a faint dark blot that blocked some of the sun’s splendor. Hand on forehead, I stretched my gaze as far as possible, in hopes of seeing what glory lied above. At that moment a breeze whistled in from the north, blowing my hair slightly back and cooling my gaping face. With it came the smell of an unknown ocean, so saline and blue that it could be made of diamonds. I breathed it in and attempted to take in the moment. But I couldn’t. Something about this made it impossible. The unknown. What was at the top? Was I even dreaming? Dead? This seemed to me like heaven, but cooler somehow, and more magical. I didn’t know what was at the top of that staircase, but something tells me that my simple mind, and the minds of men, should and will never know.