A man walks on a beach, he meets with a strange delusional woman.
(nudity, sex, delusion, mystery, fantasy)
This happened to Jim in winter of 2016, in the last year of his graduate study at the University. Jim decided to spend his winter vacation in a small village on a shore, in Northern Ireland. He went there all the way from Boston, where he lived. He wanted to have a quiet time for retrospection and self-healing, away from home, after his emotional breakup with his former fiancΓ© Fiona.
He arrived at the airport, then rented a car and drove for a long time, on a windy road to the small village on a coast. Driving a car on left side with a steering wheel on the right side was inconvenient for him and took all his attention.
He arrived at the destination late in the evening, parked his car, and went inside a small village Inn, which stood on a shore.
The Inn owner greeted him, led Jim to his room, then offered him a cup of hot tea with honey to rest after the long travel. Jim thanked the owner and sat at the table in a small foyer, next to the fireplace where wooden logs burnt, giving him a pleasant sense to warmth.
The innkeeper asked Jim, how long he intended to stay, and what he was going to do in the village. "There's not much entertainment here, especially in winter, you know," he added, looking at the rare visitor curiously.
Jim told the owner that he was planning to stay in the Inn for a couple of weeks, walking on a beach and doing meditation, and maybe writing a book or a journal with his thoughts.
"Oh, that's wonderful," said the innkeeper.
"Just one bit of advice, young man," he added. "If you do go on the beach, you should know this. There is an old shabby house, far on the cape on the beach. Stay away from that house. It has bad reputation lately."
"Really?" asked Jim, with curiosity. "What's wrong with that house?"
"A strange young woman lives there," said the Inn owner, glancing at Jim grimly.
"She lost her husband, a few years ago. He was a fisherman. One time it was a strong winter storm, and he did not return. Since then, the woman lost her mind. She often walks around dressed indecently and sings strange songs. Locals don't like her; some say she brings a bad luck."
"All right, I'll keep in mind to avoid that house," said Jim, indifferently. But curiosity was already sparked in his mind.
Next day in the morning Jim woke up early, ate breakfast at the Inn, hot cereal with milk, then he dressed up well, in a sweater, winter jacket, boots and winter hat and went for an early morning walk on a beach.
There was fog in the damp cold air around the cove. Jim walked nonchalantly and looked around at the quiet dunes and boulders around the cove, at flocks of early seagulls circling above the frigid water. Snow crunched under his boots when he walked along the coast on a dirt road.
Jim walked down on the beach, close to the water. The beach was empty.
There were boats stored upside down far from the water. It was cold. Wind blew from the sea. There were no other people anywhere in sight. Jim walked slowly, absorbed in his thoughts.
Then he saw a strange sight. A young naked woman walked slowly on a snow-covered beach toward him.
She walked unsteady, dragging her bare feet in a snow. Then she stopped and turned head to the water. She did not notice Jim. She looked intently far away to the horizon.