I jolted up, almost giving me a heart attack. I stammered, looking for words, when the pain came back in strong waves. I withered to the sand, twitching. How weak I must look, I thought. How weak. However, the pain wasn't going to stop me.

I slowly managed to sit up, wincing as I scraped my palm against something sharp. Please don't bleed again, I silently prayed. When I got myself into a sitting position, I turned to the person kneeling next to me.

I was shocked at who I saw. It was a girl; maybe about 11 years of age. Her fair skin glistened against the sun as her emerald-green eyes shined down on me. But the feature that struck me the most was her wispy brown hair: she looked as if an older version of the girl from my dreams. I rubbed my eyes. No, I thought. This can't be possible. 

As I sat there in shock, her face broke out in a wide grin. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. 

"Hey!" she exclaimed cheerfully. She bounced up. "Never seen you around! You must be new!" She kept smiling as my face showed utter confusion. 

"I've been so lonely around here. It's about time!" she said, circling me. My mind swirled with questions. New? Lonely? About time? 

"Well, your name?" she asked, sitting beside my again. I started to stammer. 

"N-Name?"

"Oh, so you talk now!" She playfully batted my arm as she waited for my answer.

What should I tell her? That I have no memory at all? I groaned softly.

"Uhh... I d-don't remember..." I looked down at the sand, embarrassed. Why did I say that?!

"Oh, you don't remember. I forgot." she sighed and leaned back. "Don't worry. It'll all come back. Some day." She gazed at the waves that were rolling onto the beach. I hadn't noticed them before. After a few moments of silence, she turned back to me.

"My name's Ella. Nice to meet you" she said as she flashed me a smile.

I was more than confused by then. The pain didn't help as I wondered who the heck this girl was. What she some sort of mind-reader? An occupant of an asylum? I shook the last thought out of my head. Stop being silly... whatever my name was. I sighed.

The girl was sitting there, watching the tide as I swept towards us. She looked so... peaceful. it made me happy in a way. I gazed at her. After a few moments, she noticed. I could see her blushing. 

She stood up and brushed off the sand. "Well, you seem alright now. Ready?" She offered me a hand.

I just stared at it. True, the pain had suddenly disappeared. I was better, but not completely healed. I doubted the fact that I could even stand up, whereas walk. And.. there was also the fact that I didn't completely trust this girl. No matter what she knew.

She held her hand out firmly. "Come on, I don't bite." 

I bit my lip. Should I take it? It was better than lying alone on a beach... I reached up and grasped her hand. 

She attempted to pull me up, but I winced and let go. Oh, the pain. It all came rushing back; it had chose the worst moment indeed. The girl quickly kneeled down beside me. 

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she said as she quickly pulled something out of her pocket.

It was a gel. It looked green; not a murky lake-color green, but a see-through lime green that sparkled against the sun. She unscrewed a sturdy glass cap, and dipped her fingers in the substance. She immediately started to apply it to a scar on my leg. At first it stung, but soon started to feel cool and gentle on my fragile skin. The pain was melting away.. It felt like heaven. 

"More.." I moaned. "Please, more" I begged her.

She quickly went on applying it to other scars, my body feeling lighter with every touch. I sighed in content as she smeared the gel on my last scar. I sat there for a moment, enjoying the cool breeze tickling my skin as the sun shone down on me. Oh... I wish I could live in this moment forever. 

"Well? What are you waiting for?" asked Ella? She stared at me with a "You-know-what-to-do" look.

"Huh?" I asked. She chuckled. 

"Come on! We'll go exploring! I'll show you around!" she held out her hand.

I contemplated it. True, I felt much better, but who knew when the gel would wear off? I bit my lip. This girl know how things work, I told myself. I sighed inside. I wanted to find out who I was, though. Why was I here? What had I done? My only hope was this girl. She would help me.

I grasped her hand. She smiled and pulled me up onto wobbly legs. 

"It's like being on a boat," she explained. "You feel weird on land, but soon, you'll get used to it."

She held my hand and squeezed it in reassurance.

"Welcome," she said. "Welcome to the place where the ocean ends."

——

Hey! So so sorry I haven't been on in so long! I actually finsihed most of this in, what, January, but I took some time and finsihed this. :)

You probably won't be seeing anymore chapters, but I promise to try. <33

wonderfui on Scratch, guys! :D