Her name was Alicia Wellington, an attorney with a small law firm in Salisbury, Maryland. Like Eric, she too sought the refuge of Assateague Island for a weekend of quiet solitude. She was now just twenty four and a life-long resident of Maryland's eastern shore. And she was a vision of loveliness, standing five-ten, with a slender, curvacious figure, big blue eyes and natural, sandy blonde hair. She had seen Eric standing on his balcony, as she drove in, and she was quite taken with the handsome young stranger. She too had hoped for a chance encounter.
The following mnorning, Eric was up long before dawn, and as his custom was, when on the island, he wished to make the short two mile run to the beach, where he would watch the sunrise over the sea.
Donning his sweats, running shoes and a light jacket, he stepped from his room into the morning air, and walked to the parking lot. A brilliant full moon was shining low in the western sky, and a crisp, cool breeze was blowing in off the sea. For a few minutes he went through his warm-up routine, as he prepared to depart. Then, from behind him, and out of the shadows, a soft, quiet voice spoke to him. In amazement he turned to see the lovely young lady, whose arrival he had viewed with such intrest the night before.
" Good morning, " she said, as she drew closer to him, " are you running to the beach? "
" Hello, " he replied, " Yes, I wanted to catch the sunrise. Would you care to join me? "
" Thank you, yes, I would, " she said, as she too began to stretch and warm up a bit. " My name is Alicia Wellington. Do you come here often? "
" I'm Eric Gray, I'm from the Tidewater area. I don't get here as often as I would like, but yes, I come here when ever I can. It's a great place to get away. I've found no other place on earth quite like it. And there is nothing like the sunrise over the waters. "
For a few more minutes they talked, as Alicia completed her warm up. Then, at a leisurely pace, they set out on their run, across the small bridge that joined the two islands, and then down the winding asphalt road to the beach.
The mornign sky was just beginning to break, far to the east, as they reached their destination. And here, and there, others too were assembling, some in their vehicles, some on bicycles and still others on foot. All worshipers of the sun, who had come to see the grand spectacular of sunrise over the emerald waves of the Mid-Atlantic ocean.
" Oh, this is exilerating, " sighed Alicia, as they reached the stairway that led to the beach. " I love to run here this time of year. The air is so clean and you can taste the salt in the air. "
" It is nice, " Eric agreed, " I like this season as well. It should be a grand sunrise today. "
As they reached the top of the stairway, they were greeted with a cool breeze, blowing in off the ocean, and the familiar sound of surging waves falling upon the pristine golden sands and then rushing back to the sea.
" Why don't we sit over there, against that bank, " said Alicia, as they stepped onto the beach.
" That's my favorite spot, " said Eric, as in the first light of morning, he viewed her lovely face.
Alicia was a natural and stunning beauty. No make up or any of the trappings that usually adorn the person of most of the women he knew. She made no attempt to appear glamerous or alluring, yet he found her to be the most attractive and desireable woman he had ever met, and with great intrest he watched her and hung on every word she said, as they conversed and waited for sunrise. |
