The beach was quiet, and hardly anybody noticed the figure standing by the rocks, gazing out to sea.

He was an exile, and when he looked out he saw his homeland. He often talked to himself about the things he had done that had deserved him exile. His voice was always sad and he looked sad, even from behind. He also talked to himself about his family, his wife and his two children.You could tell by his voice that he loved them dearly, and would not like it if anything happened to them.

If anybody talked to him he would answer with a grunt or a foreign-sounding word, which must have been a word from his native homeland. Sometimes he would stand at the waters edge with a photograph of his family, saying to himself, "I promise I will see you all again." over and over again until he cried.

By Michael D. Fowler Aged 10

September 2003

Copyright Michael David Fowler 2003