I stood on the edge of an abandoned harbor, the setting sun casting long shadows upon water and rock. I stood there, looking over the sea that stretched to the horizon, changing from dark blue to turquoise as it reached the edge of the world. The harbor upon which I stood had been long forgotten, its narrow docks made of stone had been beaten by merciless waves for centuries, old wooden structures laid rotting across the harbor.

As my eyes followed the soft swelling of the sea and my hair was stroked by a gentle breeze that smelled of salt and purity and freedom, I stood over the waters, expecting... expecting what? I knew I was standing here for a reason, but I could not remember what it was. I strained my memory to remember why I was standing at this harbor, but it was a fruitless effort. Then it dawned on me... I could not remember my past nor could I recall how I had arrived at this place; I could not remember my family, nor my childhood, my dreams, my hopes. I searched through my mind in search of something... anything.

The golden sun was sinking further in the horizon, far beyond the edge of the world; the last rays of the day seemed to be grasping at the world, attempting to prevent the inevitable. The dying light set the sea orange and red like fire, while the sky reflected above, a narrow strip of teal over the horizon which slowly turned purple as it stretched over my head. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to be swayed back and forth by the sound of the waves crashing on the beach in an unceasing rhythm. “Why am I here?” I thought once again. 

I opened my eyes again. The sun had continued its slow descent. Only half of that glowing disk still remained over the horizon, incandescent. I turned my head to my right, and I laid my eyes on the beach past the harbor. The sand looked grey in the dim evening light, but I was more interested on what laid on the sand. I saw old ships made of wood lying forgotten upon the sand, broken masts protruding from the sand casting jagged shadows upon the beach, tattered sails and ropes lying half buried, hidden away by the wind and tides. I wondered what secrets laid deep within the rotting hulls, waiting to be discovered.

I turned my eyes back to the sea and focused on the ever sinking sun, which was now but a narrow strip over the waters. The world was now almost entirely covered by shadows. The sea was no longer blazing with fire but rather bleeding dark red blood. The sky was a blend of purple and darkness, speckled with countless bright white-blue stars. I looked down at my arms and realized that they had begun to fade away, along with the rest of my body. With every passing second I was becoming less incorporeal. Suddenly I remembered... like the old harbor and the broken ships, my body had been forgotten, a reminiscent shadow of a time long past. I knew that as soon as the sun sank beneath the waves, I too would fade away, only to return again the next day. Something anchored me to this forgotten harbor, but what it was I could not remember... if only I could remember I would be free... but now it’s too late. The sun disappeared gently, hiding beneath the sea, carrying away ghosts and leaving behind shadows.