Beach with the Fox Spirit

“Woah! The ocean!”

Becki cupped a hand over her brow, her eyes wide as she stared out over the horizon. From where we stood, the ridgeline dropped steeply into an expanse of golden sand stretching for kilometers, framed by rolling green fields behind us. The sea glittered under the sun, small waves rising and falling like tiny glass peaks before breaking on the shore.

I was fully healed now. When I’d asked Becki about it earlier, she’d confirmed that spirits really do have a passive aura that accelerates recovery. Her clinging to me last night hadn’t just been for comfort; it had been her way of healing me. I was grateful, but also uncertain. Had all those moments of closeness been purely practical? Just her keeping her magic stable without the Obereg? The more I thought about it, the less sure I became. My heart thudded as I remembered whispering to her yesterday - You’re cute - thinking she was asleep. Embarrassment washed over me like the tide.

Becki didn’t seem to notice my internal panic. She had already kicked off her sandals and was sprinting down the slope in her swimsuit, her tail flicking behind her like an excited flag. I dropped our bags halfway to the waterline, stripped off my shirt, and chased after her.

She squealed when the surf met her feet, and a second later I found out why - the water was freezing. I dove in rather than yell, letting the shock of the cold take me all at once. When I came up, sputtering, I caught a faceful of water from Becki’s flicking tail.

She grinned. “Race you!”

Before I could reply she vanished beneath the waves, cutting through the water with surprising speed. Somehow - despite her tail and the fact she’d barely had a physical body for more than a few days - she swam better than I did. I tried to catch up, but lost sight of her entirely.

Panic flickered through me. Then something yanked my ankles. I barely had time to yelp before I was dragged under, Becki’s laughter bubbling in my ears. When I surfaced, gasping, she launched herself at me, sending us both back underwater again. My lungs burned. I pushed her away and shot back up for air, inhaling greedily as seawater streamed out of my hair.

Becki surfaced a moment later, laughing like she’d never needed oxygen in her life. Her laughter was contagious; soon we were both breathless for a different reason.

Then a shiver ripped through me, goosebumps racing up my arms. Becki’s laughter cut off instantly.
“Oh dear - let’s warm up on the beach. I’ve always wanted to try sunbathing.”

I nodded, and she caught my hand, leading me up the shore.

A few minutes later we lay side by side on towels, soaking up the sunlight and drying off. Salt crusted on my skin, but I barely noticed. What I did notice was Becki’s slow, deliberate shuffling - first an inch, then another - until our towels merged into one. Our bare shoulders brushed. She didn’t speak. Neither did I.

The sun warmed my body; her nearness set my heart racing. Before I could stop myself, a question escaped.
“Um… Becki… why did you choose to stay here? Why didn’t you just disappear like a normal spirit that refuses to bond?”

The moment I said it, the answer sprang to mind and I cursed myself for asking. But she answered softly, as if she’d been waiting.

“I wanted to experience life physically,” she said, eyes on the horizon. “The spirit realm’s fine, but when you’re alone it’s… empty. You can do whatever you want, but without someone to share it with, it feels pointless.”

She grinned at me.
“Not to mention knowing you can’t die naturally. That you’ll just drift forever between this world and the void.”

I swallowed, trying to grasp the concept. “But if you can do whatever you want, why not just… manifest a physical form yourself?”

“That’s not the point.” She tilted her face to the sky, clouds drifting lazily above. “I wanted to experience life with someone. Someone who could touch me. Someone I could touch back.”

Her laugh was softer this time. “I guess I was hasty. My parents are probably worried sick. I volunteered to come here without telling them. I was chosen - one of ten tributes meant to hold the excess magic from the spirit realm. It’s supposed to be shared between a spirit and a human before it erupts and kills everyone nearby.”

She gave me a sad smile. “So here I am - a rebellious ticking time bomb who refuses to be bound. Putting thousands of lives at risk because I don’t want to be controlled.”

Her fingers brushed mine. Without thinking, I twined them together. It felt natural.

“Aym,” she said quietly. “If it’s all right… I’d like to see the Obereg again.”

I nodded, reached into our bag, and pulled out the shimmering cyan gem. She took it carefully, turning it over in her hands before pressing it to her forehead. It sank in, the light matching the hue of her eyes.

Then, as quickly as it embedded, it slipped free, falling onto the towel between us. Becki’s shoulders sagged.

“I can’t. I just… can’t.” Her voice cracked. “I’m sorry.”

I squeezed her hand. There were no words I could offer that would make any difference. Together, we stared up at the endless sky.