“Dangit!” Joe yelled out again. Small flecks of frozen rain washed over the top of his head and he felt the thin strands of his hair being coaxed away, though their roots remained firmly planted. The grey fabric of his hat melted into the pillowy fog that hung heavily, suspended by invisible threads.
Joe jumped again. Though the air was freezing his stiff hands, he stretched out his fingers, grasping for his hat. This time, he landed crooked and fell to his knees. The course flecks of the black sand cushioned his fall, making for a much less painful descent than he had anticipated. The tiny grains worked their way down the sides of his shoes and through the holes made for his laces. He felt their jagged edges against his skin and he grew frustrated and overwhelmed at the thought of what the sand was doing to the fabric of his once perfectly pressed suit.
A strong gust of wind blew towards Joe, bringing with it another tall wave of the sharp sand. He tucked his chin to his chest to shield himself from its wrath, and as he did, the glowing of the magic box penetrated his eyelids that were closed tightly. As the wind continued to roar, and as he continued to endear the torrent of the sand and the spray from the nearby sea, he lowered his body to the ground. Joe grabbed the collar of his suit and pulled it over his head before tucking his arms to his side and crouching into a ball. He had no choice but to rest his chin on the cool sand and he squeezed his eyes shut to prevent it from getting into his eyes. The wind was freezing and while he felt the sand blow over him and pile onto his back, the pit in his stomach grew larger as he questioned his reason for coming here. How important could this really be, he asked himself. Bringing magic to a deserted beach? What was he thinking? It was to bring her back a piece of iceberg he reminded himself. It was all she wanted. All she asked for.
The howls of the wind grew louder and he could feel the tiny spears of the sand as they ricocheted off every square inch of his skin. He wiggled his numb fingers to see if he still had sensation in them, and as he did, the pulses that had been shocking his torso lessened. He felt a soft heat penetrate up and out of his pocket followed by the sensation of a light, warm blanket encapsulating him. The air around him softened and he could feel the blood rush back into his fingers. The blue hue turned to an orangey yellow and as his eyelids drew heavy and his head lowered itself onto the now warm sand, the fears and apprehension he felt dissipated as the hues faded to black.
