The smell of the salt water and the sun tan lotion in the air. As the waves crash, I hear the seagulls yell. All the loud noises, but yet it sounds so peaceful. I hear all of the conversations that are going on, the music, and the sound of the life guards’ whistles. The salt water stings my chapped lips as the sun starts to burn my body. I walk along the beach barefooted, the sand all between my toes. I look straight out into the baby blue water to watch a surfer. He is surfing a wave so huge that it starts to tunnel over. As I turn to my left, then to my right, all I see are bright bathing suits and towels lined up as far as I can see. I start to look for seashells as the waves crash on me. The water hit so hard it turns white. As the water goes back out, it drags along the sand, rocks, shells, and whatever else it can carry. I try to stop the water from taking the shells away from me, although I’m used to things being taken away.

I may seem like a normal boy, but I’m not. I have been through more than anyone I know. I have lived in more than eight houses with eight or more different “parents.” I don’t even remember the last time I was happy. My body turning blue with every hit I have taken. I learned the hard way to not fight back. Whenever I move into a new house I try to look for the bright side of things, but I can never seem to find it.


This house is not like the rest of them. I feel safe. I have my own bed and my own clothes, but it is weird how there aren’t any other kids living with me. I walk around the house to see a bunch of pictures on the walls of different beaches; I have never seen a beach before. Come to think of it, I have never seen any type of water except for when I take a bath. I stare at the painting like it’s the Mona Lisa, so mesmerized by the beauty. My parents walk in the room and see me just standing there. They ask if I would like to go to the beach, and of course I immediately respond with a, “Yes please!” I try not to get my hopes up though because if we don’t end up going then I don’t want to be crushed.

We get in the car and drive for two hours. I look out my window to see the most wonderful sight in the world, the ocean. All I see is the blue water out so far that the sky looks connected to it. I stand in the sand wishing to just get away.

The sun starts to go down as I find a half built sandcastle. Could this be the one time I can show my parents how amazing I am? I pick up my shovel and start to dig in the sand. I put so much time into making this sandcastle, if they don’t like it I don’t know what I will do. Finally, I finish the sandcastle; it is up to my knees and full of seashells. I run to show my family how beautiful it is. When I start to walk back towards the sandcastle, I see that it is gone. Someone had ruined it. I see the castle back into sand, and I start to cry. Not even my mother’s warm body holding me tight can cheer me up. Every time something makes me happy, it gets taken away. I feel my heart start to break and soon it will be nothing but little pieces of sand, just like my sandcastle.