"Pacific" by Veronica Salinas

Introduction The story here hints at the magnificence of the ocean, it’s violence held, miraculously, at bay but constantly surging under the choppy surface. Perhaps this is in part because of our shared, taming idea of “ocean” (the word itself, calm, soothing). But for someone who’s never seen it before, the word is deceiving. The ocean’s awesome power is irrefutable. Its expansiveness inimitable and so ironically captured in the brevity of the story below. Submit your expansiveness captured in brevity to [email protected].

—Lyle Rosdahl

"Pacific" By Veronica Salinas Judith walked upon the shoreline. The malleable cream-colored sand powdered the soles of her feet. The high noon sun was bright and the wind blew a cool breeze making her clasp her yellow sweater close to her body. The brightness of the sand kept her from gazing too long at the ground. It was there in distance, where the emerald waves met the blue sky where she could see clearly. The colossal waves formed far, came in, and coated the rabid shore thick with foam. The dense sea air pressed against her rough, chapped lips. She licked them and savored the sweet salty oceanic kisses. She had never seen the Pacific Ocean before.