Short Story Sunday-#13

This story is continued from last week's, so if you have not read last week's, then I suggest that you do that before reading this.

The Friend in a Bottle

   Lach had a hard time leaving Myrtle Beach. He kept telling his mother that they had to stay longer, but she just told him that school was starting up again soon and they needed to leave. Finally, the car was packed and everyone was waiting for Lach. He had run down to the beach for one last check.
   Lach padded across the grainy, yellow sand and stepped into the warm water. He looked around. A seagull pecked at a sandwich someone had left. The seagull was soon joined by others and it happily shared its findings. Lach walked up and down the shoreline, searching.
   "It has to be here somewhere," he said to himself.
   "What are you looking for, son?" asked an kind voice behind him. Lach turned around. There stood an old man with a walking stick and his pants rolled up to his knees. "Where are your parents?"
   "They're at our beach house in the car. We're getting ready to leave."
   "Can I help you find what you are looking for?"
   "Yes, that would be nice. I'm looking for a bottle with a note inside of it." The man laughed.
   "Really? Alright, let's do this."
   They searched for almost an hour before Lach's mother pulled Lach away, saying, "We have to go. I told you that you could have three minutes to look." Then, they got into the car and drove away. Lach's spirits fell lower and lower as the car drove farther away from the beach. How was the girl ever going to answer him? The bottle might not even make it to Maine or where ever she lived.

In Maine, Lach rode his bike to the beach everyday after school to check for the bottle. After a few weeks, he was worried that the bottle never even made it to the place where the girl lives. One day Lach was doing his science homework on the beach, watching for the bottle when he heard someone shout.
   "Look what I found! It's a bottle." Lach stood up and stomped over to the girl who had shouted. "There's a note in their too!" she said to her friend.
   "Excuse me. That's my bottle," Lach said to her, but she was too busy showing it off to hear him. "Hey, you! Girl with the bottle!" he shouted at her. She looked up.
   "What do you want?" she asked in a bored tone.
   "That's my bottle."
   "No! It's mine. I found it right here." she pointed to the sand. Her voice was stern.
   "That's where I left it." Lach didn't know what else to say. "Read the note and see. My name is Lach." The girl  looked at him skeptically before opening the bottle and pulling out the note. She read it in her head and glanced at Lach.
   "You're right. Sorry, it's yours." She passed the note and the bottle to him then, walked away. Lach had the urge to read the note right then and there, but instead, he stuffed the note back in the bottle and rode his bike home.

   Once in the safety of his room, Lach re-opened the bottle and pulled out the note.

May 4, 2011

Lach,
I am so happy that you found this bottle! I didn't have high hopes of someone actually finding it. But then, the bottle actually made it back to me! This is amazing! Lach is a nice name, but I wish you could tell me your real one. Hadley is my real name. Can you tell me your exact address? That way I can make sure the bottle gets to you. I live in Europe. Most people in my country don't speak English, but I do. That's your next hint of where I live.
   I love writing too! I also enjoy adventures. I love to go exploring and trying new and crazy things, like putting a note in a bottle and sending it out to sea. People think I'm crazy, but I don't care. Wouldn't it be nice if we could meet up sometime? But that will be a while. Please tell me your address. I enclosed a photo of me. I am going to send you little things about me every time. Kind of like that pebble.

Your friend,
Hadley

   Lach found the photo of her at the bottom of the bottle. It was of a girl his age with shoulder-length wavy, brown hair and blue eyes. She was smiling with great happiness and even her eyes were smiling. Lach put the photo with the speckled pebble and began to write his response.
   He told her about the stories he had written and his real name. He told her about the scene at the beach and how that was the reason that he couldn't enclose his address. He also took a guess at where she lives. He guessed France. Lach also included a picture of himself and complimented the girl on her looks. He mentioned how happy she looke and how glad he is to be friends with her.

   Then, he rode back to the beach at sunset and tossed the bottle once more into the cold water of Massachusetts. Then, he rode back home and went to bed. A huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

TO BE CONTINUED...